Mon, 08/19/2024 - 3:30pm Athens Dr. Dan Coleman Institute for Resilient Infrastructure Systems UGA Dr. Dan Coleman Personnel Page Seminars Title: The Interplay between Coastal Protection and Biodiversity Abstract: Nearly a third of the global population (and 40% of Americans) live on the coast. These coastal communities rely on infrastructure, both natural and artificial, to protect them from a variety of environmental hazards. The choice of infrastructure can have a significant impact on biodiversity and local ecosystems. These impacts can then, in turn, affect the magnitude of protection provided by coastal infrastructure. In this seminar, I will discuss three research projects (2 completed and 1 ongoing) that explore coastal infrastructure and biodiversity. In the first project, we used a literature review to determine the impact of both gray and natural infrastructure on biodiversity. We then used this to inform a probabilistic model to predict the impact of future shoreline modification. The second project paired a field measurement campaign and numerical model to compare the protection potential of a native marsh grass and an invasive species. Finally, I will introduce an ongoing project where we are exploring how the impact of gray infrastructure on the surrounding ecosystem may affect the ability of the system as a whole to offer protection. These projects demonstrate the interconnectivity of humans and coastal ecosystems and highlight the importance of thoughtful decision-making when it comes to interacting with the coast.
