Annotated Bibliography on Coastal Restoration in Louisiana - Paper Example

Barbier, E., Georgiou, I., Enchelmeyer, B., & Reed, D. (2013). The Value of Wetlands in Protecting Southeast Louisiana from Hurricane Storm Surges. PLoS ONE , 8(3): e58715. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0058715.

Barbier, Georgiou, Enchelmeyer and Reed (2013) explores the role that Louisianas coastal vegetation and wetlands play in reducing the catastrophic effects of flood and storm surges. The research combines economic analysis of the probable property damages and the hydrodynamic valuation of storm floods in a simulated environment to demonstrate the significance of coastal wetlands and vegetation within them in plummeting the level of hurricane surges and consequently their impact on coastal environment and properties. Regression from the simulations shows that it is essential to restores and protect Louisianas coastal regions for wetland continuity and growth of vegetation which reduce the transient effects of storms.

Colten, C. (2017). Environmental Management in Coastal Louisiana: A Historical Review. Journal of Coastal Research, 33(3): 699-711. https://doi.org/10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-16-00008.1.

Colten (2017) provides a historical overview of the environmental management of Louisianas coastal areas by outlining the federal and state environmental management guidelines and policies implemented to save the vulnerable coastal wetlands. The article will be useful in research for reviewing the changes in environmental protection and management regimes in Louisiana and their impact on coastal natural resources. Therefore, it will aid in planning how a coastal reclamation project will strive to achieve a resource-dependent coastal society in the projects attempt to accommodate human adjustments during the restoration process. It follows Coltens (2017) suggestion for public engagement during the planning and implementation of environmental management in coastal restoration programs.

Couvillion, B. R., Steyer, G. D., Wang, H., Beck, H. J., & Rybczyk, J. M. (2013). Forecasting the effects of coastal protection and restoration projects on wetland morphology in coastal Louisiana under multiple environmental uncertainty scenarios. Journal of Coastal Research, 23(2): 29-50.

The article supports Louisiana's 2012 Coastal Master Plan as it is a predictive morphology model for wetlands that enables the researchers in assessing and predicting the overall impacts of Louisiana coastal restoration and protection projects on the surrounding soil organic carbon (SOC) stowage, surface elevation and landscape configuration. Researchers found out that despite the effectiveness of the coastal protection and restoration projects, there is still significant losses of coastal wetlands in Louisiana. It is a useful source of information in the research as it will aid in assessing the needs and requirements for a coastal restoration project to achieve efficacy and this consequently proposing strategies and techniques for adaptation.

Jankowski, K., Tornqvist, T. E., & Fernandes, A. M. (2017). The vulnerability of Louisianas coastal wetlands to present-day rates of relative sea-level rise. Nature Communications, 8(1472): 19-39.Jankowski, Tornqvist and Fernandes (2017) provide an analysis of the state of vulnerability coastal wetlands in Louisiana to the rising sea-level. The researchers evaluated data from 274 stations around Mississippi Delta to analyse the rates of shallow subsidence, vertical accretion and changes in surface-elevation thus ascertaining the level of coastal wetlands vulnerability. The dataset offers the researchers the capability of plotting a relative sea-level rise (RSLR) and vertical accretion (VA) rates curve for assessing the vulnerability of the present-day coastal wetland. The results of the research show that the coastal wetlands are at increased vulnerable state to the rising sea-level. The article will be usable in describing the necessity of coastal restoration programs to provide the services to valuable coastal ecosystem such as regulation of storm-related hazards, biogeochemical cycling, food production and serving as wildlife habitat.

Narayan, S., Beck, M. W., Reguero, B. G., Losada, I. J., Wesenbeeck, B. v., Pontee, N., . . . Burks-Copes, K. A. (2016). The Effectiveness, Costs and Coastal Protection Benefits of Natural and Nature-Based Defences. PLOS, 1(2): https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0154735.

Narayan et al. (2016) while exploring the benefits, costs and effectiveness of nature and natural-base defences in coastal protection, came up with two critical issues necessary in designing coastal restoration project. First, the authors suggest that there should be a comprehensive synthesis of the benefits and costs of nature-based defences in the coastal protection programs. Secondly, there should be a thorough analysis of the efficacy of the natural defences such as coastal habitats like salt-marches and coral reefs in alleviating the heights of waves and complete evaluation of all biophysical parameters which affect their effectiveness. It is a useful source of literature concerning the costs and benefits of nature and natural-based coast protection strategies.

Reed, D., & Wilson, L. (2004). Coast 2050: A New Approach to the restoration of Louisiana Coastal Wetlands. New Orleans: University of New Orleans.

Reed and Wilsons (2004) report is based on the Coastal 2050 plan established in response to the 60 square kilometres loss of Louisianas coastal areas every year. The author rejects the present-day wetland hydrology manipulation as reclamation strategy and proposes a 21st-century approach which focuses on ecosystem restoration, reclamation of deltaic and riverine processes including improving Mississippi River Delta. According to the article, soil building procedure is vital in the recovery of coastal swamps and marshes. It is a useful source in evaluating and assessing existing coastal restoration efforts in Louisiana relative to the evolving science regarding wetland restoration as detailed in the Coastal 2050 plan.

Shepard, C. C., Crain, C. M., & Beck, M. W. (2011). The Protective Role of Coastal Marshes: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. PLOS, 2(1): https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0027374.

Shepard, Crain and Beck (2011) acknowledge the role that salt marches play in the protection of coastal wetlands. Review of previous studies in seven literature sources shows that salt marshes have a positive impact on attenuation of waves. The studies further revealed that the characteristics of salt marshes that have positive correction with shoreline stabilization and wave attenuation include marsh size, biomass production and vegetation density. There is also a comprehensive review of contemporary evidence regarding shoreline stabilization and floodwater, and wave attenuation that helps in the determination of the conditions under which salt marshes as the critical coastal vegetation provide protective services. Despite the researchers failing to estimate the magnitude of the significance of salt marshes in coastal wetlands protection, the article will be useful for the research in proposing the use of natural systems such as salt marshes in protection and restoration of Louisianas coastal wetlands.