Interactions between sea-level rise and wave exposure on reef island dynamics in the Solomon Islands

Simon Albert; Javier X Leon; Alistair R Grinham; John A Church; Badin R Gibbes; Colin D Woodroffe

doi:10.1088/1748-9326/11/5/054011

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Interactions between sea-level rise and wave exposure on reef island dynamics in the Solomon Islands

Journal article

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Interactions between sea-level rise and wave exposure on reef island dynamics in the Solomon Islands

Simon Albert, Javier X Leon, Alistair R Grinham, John A Church, Badin R Gibbes and Colin D Woodroffe

Environmental Research Letters, Vol.11(5)

2016

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/11/5/054011

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Abstract

sea-level rise

Solomon Islands

Low-lying reef islands in the Solomon Islands provide a valuable window into the future impacts of global sea-level rise. Sea-level rise has been predicted to cause widespread erosion and inundation of low-lying atolls in the central Pacific. However, the limited research on reef islands in the western Pacific indicates the majority of shoreline changes and inundation to date result from extreme events, seawalls and inappropriate development rather than sea-level rise alone. Here, we present the first analysis of coastal dynamics from a sea-level rise hotspot in the Solomon Islands. Using time series aerial and satellite imagery from 1947 to 2014 of 33 islands, along with historical insight from local knowledge, we have identified five vegetated reef islands that have vanished over this time period and a further six islands experiencing severe shoreline recession. Shoreline recession at two sites has destroyed villages that have existed since at least 1935, leading to community relocations. Rates of shoreline recession are substantially higher in areas exposed to high wave energy, indicating a synergistic interaction between sea-level rise and waves. Understanding these local factors that increase the susceptibility of islands to coastal erosion is critical to guide adaptation responses for these remote Pacific communities.

Details

Title: Interactions between sea-level rise and wave exposure on reef island dynamics in the Solomon Islands
Authors: Simon Albert (Author) - University of Queensland
Javier X Leon (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast - Faculty of Science, Health, Education and Engineering
Alistair R Grinham (Author) - University of Queensland
John A Church (Author) - CSIRO Oceans and Atmosphere
Badin R Gibbes (Author) - University of Queensland
Colin D Woodroffe (Author) - University of Wollongong
Publication details: Environmental Research Letters, Vol.11(5); 9
Publisher: Institute of Physics Publishing Ltd.
Date published: 2016
DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/11/5/054011
ISSN: 1748-9326
Copyright note: Copyright © 2016 IOP Publishing Ltd. Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
Organisation Unit: School of Science and Engineering - Legacy; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Science, Technology and Engineering; Sustainability Research Cluster
Language: English
Record Identifier: 99449478302621
Output Type: Journal article