Sea-level rise will likely accelerate rock coast cliff retreat rates
Abstract Coastal response to anthropogenic climate change is of central importance to the infrastructure and inhabitants in these areas. Despite being globally ubiquitous, the stability of rock coasts has been largely neglected, and the expected acceleration of cliff erosion following sea-level rise...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34386-3 |
| _version_ | 1827399429647237120 |
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| author | Jennifer R. Shadrick Dylan H. Rood Martin D. Hurst Matthew D. Piggott Bethany G. Hebditch Alexander J. Seal Klaus M. Wilcken |
| author_facet | Jennifer R. Shadrick Dylan H. Rood Martin D. Hurst Matthew D. Piggott Bethany G. Hebditch Alexander J. Seal Klaus M. Wilcken |
| author_sort | Jennifer R. Shadrick |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Coastal response to anthropogenic climate change is of central importance to the infrastructure and inhabitants in these areas. Despite being globally ubiquitous, the stability of rock coasts has been largely neglected, and the expected acceleration of cliff erosion following sea-level rise has not been tested with empirical data, until now. We have optimised a coastal evolution model to topographic and cosmogenic radionuclide data to quantify cliff retreat rates for the past 8000 years and forecast rates for the next century. Here we show that rates of cliff retreat will increase by up to an order of magnitude by 2100 according to current predictions of sea-level rise: an increase much greater than previously predicted. This study challenges conventional coastal management practices by revealing that even historically stable rock coasts are highly sensitive to sea-level rise and should be included in future planning for global climate change response. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T19:45:53Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-dc191e9e0cbc4c649bf87a1a09420d14 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T19:45:53Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-dc191e9e0cbc4c649bf87a1a09420d142023-12-24T12:22:35ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232022-11-0113111210.1038/s41467-022-34386-3Sea-level rise will likely accelerate rock coast cliff retreat ratesJennifer R. Shadrick0Dylan H. Rood1Martin D. Hurst2Matthew D. Piggott3Bethany G. Hebditch4Alexander J. Seal5Klaus M. Wilcken6Department of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College LondonDepartment of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College LondonSchool of Geographical and Earth Sciences, University of GlasgowDepartment of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College LondonDepartment of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College LondonDepartment of Earth Science and Engineering, Imperial College LondonCentre for Accelerator Science, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization (ANSTO)Abstract Coastal response to anthropogenic climate change is of central importance to the infrastructure and inhabitants in these areas. Despite being globally ubiquitous, the stability of rock coasts has been largely neglected, and the expected acceleration of cliff erosion following sea-level rise has not been tested with empirical data, until now. We have optimised a coastal evolution model to topographic and cosmogenic radionuclide data to quantify cliff retreat rates for the past 8000 years and forecast rates for the next century. Here we show that rates of cliff retreat will increase by up to an order of magnitude by 2100 according to current predictions of sea-level rise: an increase much greater than previously predicted. This study challenges conventional coastal management practices by revealing that even historically stable rock coasts are highly sensitive to sea-level rise and should be included in future planning for global climate change response.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34386-3 |
| spellingShingle | Jennifer R. Shadrick Dylan H. Rood Martin D. Hurst Matthew D. Piggott Bethany G. Hebditch Alexander J. Seal Klaus M. Wilcken Sea-level rise will likely accelerate rock coast cliff retreat rates Nature Communications |
| title | Sea-level rise will likely accelerate rock coast cliff retreat rates |
| title_full | Sea-level rise will likely accelerate rock coast cliff retreat rates |
| title_fullStr | Sea-level rise will likely accelerate rock coast cliff retreat rates |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sea-level rise will likely accelerate rock coast cliff retreat rates |
| title_short | Sea-level rise will likely accelerate rock coast cliff retreat rates |
| title_sort | sea level rise will likely accelerate rock coast cliff retreat rates |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-34386-3 |
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