A MASMA PROJECT

Global climate change is contributing to elevated sea levels, increased coastal erosion and flooding. This accelerating trend has profound effects on coastal and urban areas, globally and the Eastern African region is no exception. Infrastructure and flood defence systems have been instigated, often using hard structures such as groins and seawalls. However, hard structures may introduce additional problems by shifting erosion alongshore and eventually converting sandy beaches and dune landscapes into rock and concrete coasts. Loss of sandy beaches means loss of valuable ecosystems and their ecosystem services for coastal inhabitants. Previous actions to protect shorelines have not fully explored the efficiency, and sustainability of the ecosystem-based protection measures, particularly, the effectiveness of seagrass meadows in retaining sediments and protecting shorelines. With these coastal ecosystem-based adaptations, we not only can reduce the negative impacts of coastal erosion, but also facilitate combined impacts to increase biodiversityand ecosystem services on land and sea. 

 

This trans-disciplinary project study (funded by MASMA) how to strengthen the coastal resilience against coastal erosion by combining terrestrial and marine ecosystem-based protection. It aims to identify and evaluate ecosystem services provided by seagrass meadows for humans and improved biodiversity in Western Indian Ocean.  

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Students who are interested in joining the lab should contact a team member via email, describing a specific line of investigation relevant to the research goals of the lab.

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