Research project BL/01/C64 (Research action BL)
Project objectives (summary):
Coastal wetlands are increasingly put forward as so-called Nature-based-Solutions (NbS) reducing the need of hard engineering solutions in coastal management. NbS have the advantage to provide multiple ecosystem functions such as coastal protection, provision of habitats and protection of biodiversity at the same time. However, thus far there are no consistent frameworks in place able to predict the development of coastal resilience and biodiversity of NbS. Thus limiting possibilities to optimize their design for specific target ecosystem functions.
This is caused by two clear gaps in traditional research expertise, (1) uncertainties of how large-scale processes influence the development and resilience of wetland morphology and (2) uncertainties how wetland morphological development drives biodiversity. Shortcomings will be addressed by creating a numerical model (1) focusing on the impact of large-scale driving forces such as the coastal sediment budget driven by tides and storms on wetland development and resilience, and (2) predicting bio-morphological wetland development and habitat suitability for birds (wetland, migratory & overwintering) over engineering time scales of half a century. The tool will be developed on 2 reference sites in CH&BELcharacterized by typical wetland habitats thereby making it versatile for scientists& managers in both countries. The project will be achieved cf 3 process 3-steps/objectives:
- First compiling existing field data to set up a large-scale numerical model of flow and morpho-dynamics that will be able to predict sediment transport to the wetland based on environmental conditions (Objective A)
- Second, compiling data on bird habitat requirements and use this database to extend our existing bio-morphodynamic wetland model. The coupled model will tbe able to predict sediment trapping (coastal resilience) and bird habitat distributions over time (Objective B).
-Third, the coupled model will be used to carry out a scenario analysis, to understand how different initial wetlan consequently be used to differentiate between field site specific and general design rules. The numerical tool will be co-developed, evaluated and improved in consultation with stakeholders (BE,CN), during yearly stakeholder meetings to guarantee future applications.
