Location
SPREP LIBRARY
Publisher
IOP Science
Publication Year:
2016
Publication Place
UNKNOWN
Physical Description:
10p. : 29cm.
Call Number
[EL]
Collection
Material Type
Language
English
Record ID:
41439
Legacy PEIN ID:
81528
General Notes
Open access journal article
Available online
Subject Heading(s)
Low-lying islands - Sea-level rise - Oceania
Reef impacts - Wave exposure - Solomon Islands
Coastal erosion - Pacific islands - Oceania
Abstract
Low-lying reef islands in the Solomon Islands provide a valuable window into the future impacts of global sea-level rise. Sea-level rise has been predicted to cause widespread erosion and inundation of low-lying atolls in the central Pacific. However, the limited research on reef islands in the western Pacific indicates the majority of shoreline changes and inundation to date result from extreme events, seawalls and inappropriate development rather than sea-level rise alone. Here, we present the first analysis of coastal dynamics from a sea-level rise hotspot in the Solomon Islands. Using time series aerial and satellite imagery from 1947 to 2014 of 33 islands, along with historical insight from local knowledge, we have identified five vegetated reef islands that have vanished over this time period and a further six islands experiencing severe shoreline recession. Shoreline recession at two sites has destroyed villages that have existed since at least 1935, leading to community relocations. Rates of shoreline recession are substantially higher in areas exposed to high wave energy, indicating a synergistic interaction between sea-level rise and waves. Understanding these local factors that increase the susceptibility of islands to coastal erosion is critical to guide adaptation responses for these remote Pacific communities.
Location
SPREP LIBRARY
Publisher
IOP Science
Publication Year:
2016
Publication Place
UNKNOWN
Physical Description:
10p. : 29cm.
Call Number
[EL]
Collection
Material Type
Language
English
Record ID:
41439
Legacy PEIN ID:
81528
General Notes
Open access journal article
Record Created: 22-Sep-2017
Record Modified: 17-Dec-2020