Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (Oct 2021)
Anticipating and Adapting to the Future Impacts of Climate Change on the Health, Security and Welfare of Low Elevation Coastal Zone (LECZ) Communities in Southeastern USA
- Thomas Allen,
- Joshua Behr,
- Anamaria Bukvic,
- Ryan S. D. Calder,
- Kiki Caruson,
- Charles Connor,
- Christopher D’Elia,
- David Dismukes,
- Robin Ersing,
- Rima Franklin,
- Jesse Goldstein,
- Jonathon Goodall,
- Scott Hemmerling,
- Jennifer Irish,
- Steven Lazarus,
- Derek Loftis,
- Mark Luther,
- Leigh McCallister,
- Karen McGlathery,
- Molly Mitchell,
- William Moore,
- Charles Reid Nichols,
- Karinna Nunez,
- Matthew Reidenbach,
- Julie Shortridge,
- Robert Weisberg,
- Robert Weiss,
- Lynn Donelson Wright,
- Meng Xia,
- Kehui Xu,
- Donald Young,
- Gary Zarillo,
- Julie C. Zinnert
Affiliations
- Thomas Allen
- Department of Political Science and Geography, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA
- Joshua Behr
- Virginia Modelling Analysis and Simulation Center, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA 23529, USA
- Anamaria Bukvic
- Department of Geogaphy, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Ryan S. D. Calder
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Kiki Caruson
- School of Interdisciplinary Global Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
- Charles Connor
- School of Geosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
- Christopher D’Elia
- College of the Coast and Environment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
- David Dismukes
- College of the Coast and Environment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
- Robin Ersing
- School of Public Affairs, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33620, USA
- Rima Franklin
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
- Jesse Goldstein
- Department of Sociology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
- Jonathon Goodall
- Department of Engineering Systems and Environment, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
- Scott Hemmerling
- The Water Institute of the Gulf, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
- Jennifer Irish
- Center for Coastal Studies and Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Steven Lazarus
- Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Science, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL 32901, USA
- Derek Loftis
- Center for Coastal Resource Management, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USA
- Mark Luther
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
- Leigh McCallister
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
- Karen McGlathery
- Department of Environmental Sciences, USA University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
- Molly Mitchell
- Center for Coastal Resource Management, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USA
- William Moore
- Department of Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Hampton University, Hampton, VA 23668, USA
- Charles Reid Nichols
- Marine Information Resources Corporation, Queenstown, MD 21658, USA
- Karinna Nunez
- Center for Coastal Resource Management, Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Gloucester Point, VA 23062, USA
- Matthew Reidenbach
- Department of Environmental Sciences, USA University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
- Julie Shortridge
- Department of Biological Systems Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Robert Weisberg
- College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, St. Petersburg, FL 33701, USA
- Robert Weiss
- Center for Coastal Studies and Civil and Environmental Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
- Lynn Donelson Wright
- Southeastern Universities Research Association, Washington, DC 20005, USA
- Meng Xia
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, Princess Anne, MD 21853, USA
- Kehui Xu
- College of the Coast and Environment, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
- Donald Young
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
- Gary Zarillo
- Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Science, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL 32901, USA
- Julie C. Zinnert
- Department of Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23284, USA
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse9111196
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 9,
no. 11
p. 1196
Abstract
Low elevation coastal zones (LECZ) are extensive throughout the southeastern United States. LECZ communities are threatened by inundation from sea level rise, storm surge, wetland degradation, land subsidence, and hydrological flooding. Communication among scientists, stakeholders, policy makers and minority and poor residents must improve. We must predict processes spanning the ecological, physical, social, and health sciences. Communities need to address linkages of (1) human and socioeconomic vulnerabilities; (2) public health and safety; (3) economic concerns; (4) land loss; (5) wetland threats; and (6) coastal inundation. Essential capabilities must include a network to assemble and distribute data and model code to assess risk and its causes, support adaptive management, and improve the resiliency of communities. Better communication of information and understanding among residents and officials is essential. Here we review recent background literature on these matters and offer recommendations for integrating natural and social sciences. We advocate for a cyber-network of scientists, modelers, engineers, educators, and stakeholders from academia, federal state and local agencies, non-governmental organizations, residents, and the private sector. Our vision is to enhance future resilience of LECZ communities by offering approaches to mitigate hazards to human health, safety and welfare and reduce impacts to coastal residents and industries.
Keywords
- sea level rise
- land loss
- low elevation coastal zones
- social sciences
- human health
- adaptive management
