Coastal Processes in a Changing Environment
Course description
This course explores the physical, biological, ecological, and geomorphic processes that shape coastal environments and how these processes respond to natural variability and human driven changes. Topics include tides, waves, saltwater intrusion, estuarine circulation, nutrient dynamics, sediment transport, and the evolution of coastal shoreline. Students work with analytical and numerical models, interpret field observations, and analyze real world case studies related to coastal resilience and adaptation.
Learning goals
- Explain the physical mechanisms governing tides, waves, estuarine circulation, and coastal stratification.
- Describe how saltwater intrusion, freshwater input, and density gradients influence coastal hydrodynamics.
- Interpret how biogeochemical processes including nutrient cycling, primary production, oxygen dynamics, and carbon transformations interact with physical drivers.
- Analyze sediment transport processes and resulting shoreline and marsh morphology.
- Analyze how physical and biogeochemical processes together shape wetland stability and coastal ecosystem function.
- Evaluate coastal vulnerability through modeling exercises, observational datasets, and case studies.
- Communicate scientific interpretations relevant to coastal management and climate adaptation.
Course Topics and Outline
Lecture 1: Introduction to Coastal Systems
Coastal geomorphic and ecological settings, climate impacts, human pressures, overview of physical and biogeochemical coupling.
References:
Lecture 2: Tides and Waves
Tide generation, propagation in estuaries, water level and inundation variability, relevance for water exchange and nutrient fluxes. Wave transformation processes and nearshore flows.
References:
- Friedrichs, C.T. and Aubrey, D.G., 1994. Tidal propagation in strongly convergent channels. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 99(C2), pp.3321-3336.
- Aubrey, D.G. and Speer, P.E., 1985. A study of non-linear tidal propagation in shallow inlet/estuarine systems Part I: Observations. Estuarine, coastal and shelf science, 21(2), pp.185-205.
- Speer, P.E. and Aubrey, D.G., 1985. A study of non-linear tidal propagation in shallow inlet/estuarine systems Part II: Theory. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, 21(2), pp.207-224.
Lecture 3: Estuarine Circulation and Mixing
Density driven flows, stratification, mixing regimes, residence time, consequences for nutrient retention.
References:
- Geyer, W.R. and MacCready, P., 2014. The estuarine circulation. Annual review of fluid mechanics, 46(1), pp.175-197.
- MacCready, P. and Geyer, W.R., 2010. Advances in estuarine physics. Annual review of marine science, 2(1), pp.35-58.
- MacCready, P., 2004. Toward a unified theory of tidally-averaged estuarine salinity structure. Estuaries, 27(4), pp.561-570.
Lecture 4: Saltwater Intrusion and Freshwater Controls
Salt intrusion length, groundwater interactions, drought effects, implications for estuarine chemistry and vegetation.
References:
- MacCready, P., 1999. Estuarine adjustment to changes in river flow and tidal mixing. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 29(4), pp.708-726.
- Barlow, P.M. and Reichard, E.G., 2010. Saltwater intrusion in coastal regions of North America. Hydrogeology Journal, 18(1), pp.247-260.
- Werner, A.D., Bakker, M., Post, V.E., Vandenbohede, A., Lu, C., Ataie-Ashtiani, B., Simmons, C.T. and Barry, D.A., 2013. Seawater intrusion processes, investigation and management: Recent advances and future challenges. Advances in water resources, 51, pp.3-26.
Lecture 5: Coastal Biogeochemistry I
Primary production, respiration, nutrient sources and sinks, organic matter cycling, links with physical transport.
References:
- Kemp, W.M., Boynton, W.R., Adolf, J.E., Boesch, D.F., Boicourt, W.C., Brush, G., Cornwell, J.C., Fisher, T.R., Glibert, P.M., Hagy, J.D. and Harding, L.W., 2005. Eutrophication of Chesapeake Bay: historical trends and ecological interactions. Marine ecology progress series, 303, pp.1-29.
- Nixon, S.W., Ammerman, J.W., Atkinson, L.P., Berounsky, V.M., Billen, G., Boicourt, W.C., Boynton, W.R., Church, T.M., Ditoro, D.M., Elmgren, R. and Garber, J.H., 1996. The fate of nitrogen and phosphorus at the land-sea margin of the North Atlantic Ocean. Biogeochemistry, 35(1), pp.141-180.
- Raymond, P.A. and Bauer, J.E., 2001. Riverine export of aged terrestrial organic matter to the North Atlantic Ocean. Nature, 409(6819), pp.497-500.
Lecture 6: Coastal Biogeochemistry II
Hypoxia formation, carbon dynamics, alkalinity processes, microbial pathways, feedbacks with hydrodynamics.
References:
- Kemp, W.M., Smith, E.M., Marvin-DiPasquale, M. and Boynton, W.R., 1997. Organic carbon balance and net ecosystem metabolism in Chesapeake Bay. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 150, pp.229-248.
- Officer, C.B., Biggs, R.B., Taft, J.L., Cronin, L.E., Tyler, M.A. and Boynton, W.R., 1984. Chesapeake Bay anoxia: origin, development, and significance. Science, 223(4631), pp.22-27.
- Bauer, J.E., Cai, W.J., Raymond, P.A., Bianchi, T.S., Hopkinson, C.S. and Regnier, P.A., 2013. The changing carbon cycle of the coastal ocean. Nature, 504(7478), pp.61-70.
Lecture 7: Sediment Processes in a Biogeochemical Context
Suspended sediment behavior, deposition and erosion, reduced focus on morphology, emphasis on interactions with nutrients, light availability, and vegetation.
References:
- Boynton, W.R. and Kemp, W.M., 1985. Nutrient regeneration and oxygen consumption by sediments along an estuarine salinity gradient. Marine ecology progress series, 23, pp.45-55.
- Kemp, W.M., Sampou, P., Caffrey, J., Mayer, M., Henriksen, K. and Boynton, W.R., 1990. Ammonium recycling versus denitrification in Chesapeake Bay sediments. Limnology and Oceanography, 35(7), pp.1545-1563.
- Turner, J.S., Friedrichs, C.T., Parrish, D.B. and Fall, K.A., 2025. Chesapeake Bay Water Clarity: Challenges and Successes. Annual Review of Marine Science, 18.
Lecture 8: Coastal Wetlands and Marsh Evolution
Vertical accretion, vegetation sediment feedbacks, nutrient enrichment effects, vulnerability to sea level rise.
References:
- Morris, J.T., Sundareshwar, P.V., Nietch, C.T., Kjerfve, B. and Cahoon, D.R., 2002. Responses of coastal wetlands to rising sea level. Ecology, 83(10), pp.2869-2877.
- Kirwan, M.L., Guntenspergen, G.R., d’Alpaos, A., Morris, J.T., Mudd, S.M. and Temmerman, S., 2010. Limits on the adaptability of coastal marshes to rising sea level. Geophysical research letters, 37(23).
- Kirwan, M.L. and Megonigal, J.P., 2013. Tidal wetland stability in the face of human impacts and sea-level rise. Nature, 504(7478), pp.53-60.
- Fagherazzi, S., Kirwan, M.L., Mudd, S.M., Guntenspergen, G.R., Temmerman, S., D’Alpaos, A., Van De Koppel, J., Rybczyk, J.M., Reyes, E., Craft, C. and Clough, J., 2012. Numerical models of salt marsh evolution: Ecological, geomorphic, and climatic factors. Reviews of Geophysics, 50(1).
Lecture 9: Sea-level Rise and Global Warming
Historic and projected sea-level changes, warming effects, consequences for water quality and ecosystems.
References:
- Nicholls, R.J. and Cazenave, A., 2010. Sea-level rise and its impact on coastal zones. science, 328(5985), pp.1517-1520.
- Dangendorf, S., Hendricks, N., Sun, Q., Klinck, J., Ezer, T., Frederikse, T., Calafat, F.M., Wahl, T. and Törnqvist, T.E., 2023. Acceleration of US Southeast and Gulf coast sea-level rise amplified by internal climate variability. Nature Communications, 14(1), p.1935.
Lecture 10: Human Influences on Coastal Systems
Dredging, nutrient loading, shoreline modification, coastal water quality, resilience strategies.
References:
- He, Q. and Silliman, B.R., 2019. Climate change, human impacts, and coastal ecosystems in the Anthropocene. Current Biology, 29(19), pp.R1021-R1035.
- Jackson, J.B., Kirby, M.X., Berger, W.H., Bjorndal, K.A., Botsford, L.W., Bourque, B.J., Bradbury, R.H., Cooke, R., Erlandson, J., Estes, J.A. and Hughes, T.P., 2001. Historical overfishing and the recent collapse of coastal ecosystems. science, 293(5530), pp.629-637.
Lecture 11: Observational Techniques
Water level, salinity, nutrients, oxygen, sediment sensors, field survey methods, remote sensing for coastal assessment.
References:
- Klemas, V., 2011. Remote sensing techniques for studying coastal ecosystems: An overview. Journal of Coastal Research, 27(1), pp.2-17.
- Morang, A., Larson, R. and Gorman, L., 1997. Monitoring the coastal environment; part I: waves and currents. Journal of Coastal Research, pp.111-133.
- Larson, R., Morang, A. and Gorman, L., 1997. Monitoring the coastal environment; Part II: Sediment sampling and geotechnical methods. Journal of Coastal Research, pp.308-330.
- Morang, A., Larson, R. and Gorman, L., 1997. Monitoring the coastal environment; part III: geophysical and research methods. Journal of Coastal Research, pp.1064-1085.
- Gorman, L., Morang, A. and Larson, R., 1998. Monitoring the coastal environment; part IV: mapping, shoreline changes, and bathymetric analysis. Journal of Coastal Research, pp.61-92.
Lecture 12: Modeling Studies in Coastal Processes
Estuaries, deltas, marshes, and barrier systems, examples showing combined physical and biogeochemical responses.
References:
- Lucas, L.V., Brown, C.J., Robertson, D.M., Baker, N.T., Johnson, Z.C., Green, C.T., Cho, S.J., Erickson, M.L., Gellis, A.C., Jasmann, J.R. and Knowles, N., 2025. Gaps in Water Quality Modeling of Hydrologic Systems. Water, 17(8), p.1200.
- Cai, X., Qin, Q., Cui, L., Yang, X., Zhang, Y.J. and Shen, J., 2025. NAAC (v1. 0): a seamless two-decade cross-scale simulation from the North American Atlantic Coast to tidal wetlands using the 3D unstructured-grid model SCHISM (v5. 11.0). Geoscientific Model Development, 18(20), pp.7435-7449.
- Irby, I.D., Friedrichs, M.A., Da, F. and Hinson, K.E., 2018. The competing impacts of climate change and nutrient reductions on dissolved oxygen in Chesapeake Bay. Biogeosciences, 15(9), pp.2649-2668.
Resources
Books
- Estuarine Ecology
- Introduction to Coastal Processes and Geomorphology
- An Introduction to Coastal Ecology