TY - JOUR
T1 - Morphodynamics of the Wadden Sea and its barrier island system
AU - Wang, Z.B.
AU - Hoekstra, P.
AU - Burchard, H.
AU - Ridderinkhof, H.
AU - de Swart, H.E.
AU - Stive, M.J.F.
N1 - special issue on the Wadden Sea region
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - The Wadden Sea and its associated barrier island system exhibit highly dynamic behaviour. Of major
concern is the movement of water and air and the transport, erosion and deposition of sand and mud.
These processes result in an ever-changing morphology (topography/bathymetry) of the islands, tidal
channels, inter-tidal shoals and tidal flats. This dynamic development of the shape and nature of the
Wadden area forms together with the biotic systems, the present Wadden system. The morphodynamic
development of theWadden Sea is influenced by changing environmental conditions e.g. sea-level rise as
well as by human interferences. For the management and protection of the Wadden system knowledge
on the morphodynamic development is essential. However, our present knowledge is not sufficient to
predict the effects of human interferences under different climate change scenarios in sufficient detail
and accuracy. This paper identifies the existing knowledge gaps, based on a review of the state of the art
on morphodynamics of the Wadden Sea that is confronted with major requirements from a coastal zone
management point of view. The identified knowledge gaps have to inspire and stimulate research in the
fields of the large-scale sediment budgets, morphodynamic changes at smaller scales, processes and
mechanisms of sediment transport, erosion and deposition and modelling tools.
AB - The Wadden Sea and its associated barrier island system exhibit highly dynamic behaviour. Of major
concern is the movement of water and air and the transport, erosion and deposition of sand and mud.
These processes result in an ever-changing morphology (topography/bathymetry) of the islands, tidal
channels, inter-tidal shoals and tidal flats. This dynamic development of the shape and nature of the
Wadden area forms together with the biotic systems, the present Wadden system. The morphodynamic
development of theWadden Sea is influenced by changing environmental conditions e.g. sea-level rise as
well as by human interferences. For the management and protection of the Wadden system knowledge
on the morphodynamic development is essential. However, our present knowledge is not sufficient to
predict the effects of human interferences under different climate change scenarios in sufficient detail
and accuracy. This paper identifies the existing knowledge gaps, based on a review of the state of the art
on morphodynamics of the Wadden Sea that is confronted with major requirements from a coastal zone
management point of view. The identified knowledge gaps have to inspire and stimulate research in the
fields of the large-scale sediment budgets, morphodynamic changes at smaller scales, processes and
mechanisms of sediment transport, erosion and deposition and modelling tools.
U2 - 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2011.12.022
DO - 10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2011.12.022
M3 - Article
SN - 0964-5691
VL - 68
SP - 39
EP - 57
JO - Ocean & coastal management
JF - Ocean & coastal management
ER -