The purpose of this study was to develop management guidelines to ensure the long term ecological sustainability of the beach and sand dune area of Grand Beach Provincial Park. A qualitative approach was taken including interviews of individuals who use Grand Beach. A literature review was completed describing the history of use at Grand Beach Provincial Park, ecological processes specific to the park, and management guidelines in other jurisdictions in Canada with similar natural features. Aerial imagery provided a temporal look at intensely used areas in the park. Recommendations include: 1) completion of a biophysical study of the park including an inventory of flora and fauna species 2) development of a monitoring plan incorporating the natural environment with the human dimension of the park 3) engagement of park visitors through signage, education and awareness, and 4) engage the scientific community to form partnerships for further research studies in the park.

Marine litter is a recognized environmental problem, which has been subject to many research studies, monitoring and international legislations with the goal to improve the state of the marine ecosystem. The aim of my thesis was to study if debris on the Swedish west coast has changed during the past five years (2011-2015), and to make an overview of how the marine ecosystem and the organisms in general are affected by marine litter. I hypothesized that the amount of coastal litter would have decreased as a response to the taken measures. I investigated debris on three beaches on the Swedish west coast during February 2015; Grönevik, Gröderhamn and Edshultshall. At each beach seven randomly selected one meter squares were searched for litter. Estimates for the entire beaches were compared to the investigations performed by the OSPAR (Oslo and Paris conventions) organization during 2011-2014. In difference to my expectations none of the observed litter objects showed any decrease during the study period.  Statistical analyzes instead indicated that two litter objects originating from the sea have increased, i.e. fish nets and plastic ropes, while the other seven objects observed did not show any significant up- or downward trends over time.  My literature survey showed that litter is a large problem for the marine environment and that many animals suffer severely and often dies when plastic litter is consumed and mistaken as food items. The cost for maintaining the marine environment in condition is estimated to be high.

The purpose of this study was to develop management guidelines to ensure the long term ecological sustainability of the beach and sand dune area of Grand Beach Provincial Park. A qualitative approach was taken including interviews of individuals who use Grand Beach. A literature review was completed describing the history of use at Grand Beach Provincial Park, ecological processes specific to the park, and management guidelines in other jurisdictions in Canada with similar natural features. Aerial imagery provided a temporal look at intensely used areas in the park. Recommendations include: 1) completion of a biophysical study of the park including an inventory of flora and fauna species 2) development of a monitoring plan incorporating the natural environment with the human dimension of the park 3) engagement of park visitors through signage, education and awareness, and 4) engage the scientific community to form partnerships for further research studies in the park.

A multi-decadal survey program undertaken at the Collaroy-Narrabeen embayment in SE Australia identifies medium-term (~2-7 year) cycles of both erosion and accretion across the entire embayment ('beach oscillation') and at its two extremities ('beach rotation'). These cycles have been observed to respond to phase shifts in the El Ni??o/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). To investigate wave and climate controls of embayment variability in finer detail, this study combines historical surveys with 45 years of wave data from the ERA-40 reanalysis and four years of high-resolution beach measurements using RTK-GPS and image-derived survey techniques. ENSO and Southern Annular Mode (SAM) controls of wave variability in the Sydney region are first explored. In general, wave heights increase/decrease and wave directions become more easterly/southerly during La Ni??a/El Ni??o phases. A positive correlation is observed between the SAM and summer wave heights, and a negative correlation between the SAM and winter wave directions. Storm variability is observed to be modified by the ENSO, but not the SAM. In particular, La Ni??a phases are generally associated with longer duration, higher energy events from a more easterly direction when compared to those during El Ni??o phases. Wave controls of embayment variability are subsequently investigated. In the short-term (days - months), beach oscillation/rotation is observed to be the most dominant process, accounting for approx. 60%/20% of overall embayment variability. Beach oscillation is related to changes in wave height and storms, whereas beach rotation is related to changes in wave direction and/or wave period. An empirical model that estimates the beach response to individual storm events is developed. In the longer-term (months - years), beach rotation is observed to respond to both wave heights and directions. Larger waves are sheltered somewhat at the southern end, creating an apparent clockwise rotation under energetic wave conditions. Clockwise/anticlockwise rotations are also observed to follow southerly/easterly wave shifts at lags of up to 12 months. Comparisons between the ENSO and beach oscillation/rotation agree with previous observations that El Ni??o/La Ni??a phases are associated with an overall accretion/erosion and clockwise/anticlockwise rotation of the embayment. In general, the SAM shows little influence on embayment variability. While it is clear that beach oscillation is driven by cross-shore processes, to what extent beach rotation is a longshore and/or cross-shore phenomena requires further investigation.

A multi-decadal survey program undertaken at the Collaroy-Narrabeen embayment in SE Australia identifies medium-term (~2-7 year) cycles of both erosion and accretion across the entire embayment ('beach oscillation') and at its two extremities ('beach rotation'). These cycles have been observed to respond to phase shifts in the El Ni??o/Southern Oscillation (ENSO). To investigate wave and climate controls of embayment variability in finer detail, this study combines historical surveys with 45 years of wave data from the ERA-40 reanalysis and four years of high-resolution beach measurements using RTK-GPS and image-derived survey techniques. ENSO and Southern Annular Mode (SAM) controls of wave variability in the Sydney region are first explored. In general, wave heights increase/decrease and wave directions become more easterly/southerly during La Ni??a/El Ni??o phases. A positive correlation is observed between the SAM and summer wave heights, and a negative correlation between the SAM and winter wave directions. Storm variability is observed to be modified by the ENSO, but not the SAM. In particular, La Ni??a phases are generally associated with longer duration, higher energy events from a more easterly direction when compared to those during El Ni??o phases. Wave controls of embayment variability are subsequently investigated. In the short-term (days - months), beach oscillation/rotation is observed to be the most dominant process, accounting for approx. 60%/20% of overall embayment variability. Beach oscillation is related to changes in wave height and storms, whereas beach rotation is related to changes in wave direction and/or wave period. An empirical model that estimates the beach response to individual storm events is developed. In the longer-term (months - years), beach rotation is observed to respond to both wave heights and directions. Larger waves are sheltered somewhat at the southern end, creating an apparent clockwise rotation under energetic wave conditions. Clockwise/anticlockwise rotations are also observed to follow southerly/easterly wave shifts at lags of up to 12 months. Comparisons between the ENSO and beach oscillation/rotation agree with previous observations that El Ni??o/La Ni??a phases are associated with an overall accretion/erosion and clockwise/anticlockwise rotation of the embayment. In general, the SAM shows little influence on embayment variability. While it is clear that beach oscillation is driven by cross-shore processes, to what extent beach rotation is a longshore and/or cross-shore phenomena requires further investigation.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Delaware, 2008. / Principal faculty advisor: George R. Parsons, College of Marine & Earth Studies. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Master of Engineering)--University of Florida, Dept. of Civil and Coastal Engineering, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-81). Also available online.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin, 1968. / eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 174-177).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, Santa Cruz, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Canterbury, 2006. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (p. 343-364). Also available via the World Wide Web.