Dr. Phillip P Schmutz

Recent research has increasingly focused on the intricate relationship between wind dynamics and sediment transport in coastal settings, particularly how surface features affect aeolian transport processes. Non-erodible roughness elements such as gravel or shell deposits play a significant role by altering wind flow and raising the wind velocity threshold required to mobilize sediment. Despite advancements in modeling, fully understanding sediment transport dynamics remains challenging due to the complex interactions between surface features and wind dynamics. This study explores the influence of non-erodible lag surfaces on sediment transport in sandy barrier island environments. Fieldwork on Santa Rosa Island, Florida, involved two plots: one with a natural sandy surface and another with a gravel lag surface. Wind and sediment transport were monitored for three months using cup anemometers and Wenglor particle counters. Spline regression models identified a two-knot system at wind speed thresholds of 9 ms−1 and 11 ms−1, representing critical changes in sediment transport dynamics. Our results show that non-erodible surfaces significantly reduce sediment transport at lower wind speeds. At wind speeds below 9 ms−1, sediment transport on the lag surface was 131 percent lower than on the non-lag surface. However, as wind speeds increased, the influence of the lag surface diminished, and no significant difference in transport was observed at wind speeds above 11 ms−1. These findings emphasize the intricate role of non-erodible elements in reducing sediment transport at lower wind speeds while enhancing transport dynamics under stronger wind conditions. These insights inform future models and guide coastal management practices.

Excerpt - In this essay, we briefly examine Pensacola, Florida’s Graffiti Bridge. After providing a history of the bridge, we detail the “legality” of graffiti use on the bridge, and then review the various types of graffiti that go on the bridge as well as its use as a public gathering place. This case study is significant to geography as it highlights how urban spaces can serve as dynamic sites of cultural expression and interaction, offering insights into the ways communities negotiate and claim space.

Climate change is a global issue that will impact the preservation of historic heritage sites. However, much of the research on the impacts of climate change on historic heritage sites has focused on Europe and in the United States, studies have largely centered on National Park Service (NPS) sites. In the state of Georgia, a number of heritage tourism destinations central to the states vibrant tourism economy occur in its coastal zone, a zone navigating the impacts of sea-level rise, flooding, coastal erosion, and hurricanes. Given the limited understanding of the impacts on heritage tourism sites specifically within the state of Georgia-which has yet to develop a statewide adaptation plan - this study seeks to understand the impacts of climate change on heritage tourism sites from the perspective of site managers and staff. This study takes a multi-methodological approach utilizing surveys and archival research to understand site-specific impacts, management protocols, and management and staff views on climate change. The study focused on six sites in Georgiafalling under different ownership structures and found that managers and staff at all sites reported damage from hurricanes and flooding and were concerned about the impacts of climate change and the long-term survival of their site.

Surface moisture content is an essential factor that must be considered when studying aeolian sediment transport on a sandy beach. In recent years, near-infrared (NIR) remote sensing sensors have shown promise for obtaining accurate surface moisture data; however, prior studies utilized instruments with extreme costs. This study assesses the capability of an inexpensive NIR digital camera to measure surface moisture at two sandy beach environments - Tybee Island, Georgia and Pensacola Beach, Florida - that exhibit varying sediment hue characteristics. To account for temporal variations in solar atmospheric conditions, we normalized the raw sediment surface reflectance data against a white reflectance card and a sample of oven dry sand representative of each study site. This is a necessary step to account for solar atmospheric conditions. Calibration results illustrate that the NIR camera is capable of producing accurate representations of beach surface moisture; analyses from both study sites produced R-2 values greater than 0.76 with error estimates at +/- 1-2% moisture. No statistical difference in calibration relationships were observed for data collected over multiple days and times of day. Calibration data for the reflectance card produced more robust relationships with smaller prediction errors than the oven dry sand analyses; however. Overall, this study illustrates that an inexpensive digital camera modified to record NIR radiation is capable of producing robust and accurate measurements of beach surface moisture. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

As coastal communities are experiencing increased impacts from climate stressors, it is becoming more important for policy makers to establish sound policy objectives for the protection of these communities. Top-down focused policies are not always successful as they do not always align with the wants and needs of a community. Bottom-up information, on the other hand, can be highly insightful for local policy makers to help design management strategies that include social needs and potential conflicts as they take into account the public's attitudes, perceptions, and expectations of the environment. This study sought to assess how beach users - local residents and tourists - perceive the environmental and economic ecosystem services that coastal dunes provide as well as their views on management strategies for the protection of these environments at Pensacola Beach. A total of sixty surveys were conducted at various beach locations in Pensacola Beach, Florida. Results indicated that beach users, both local and tourist, understood the environmental and economic value of coastal dunes, yet the different user groups showcased differing levels of willingness to support dune management initiatives. Local residents showed a substantially higher propensity to support dune management both financially as well as through action.

Environmental stressors such as sea-level rise, erosion, and increased storm frequency and intensity are exposing coastal properties to greater amounts of damage. Coastal habitats like beaches, dunes, seagrasses, and wetlands can help reduce exposure and property damage. Using InVEST's Coastal Vulnerability Model, an exposure index value was calculated for every 250 m2 segment along the coastline in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties in Florida, USA. Nineteen sea level-by-habitat management scenarios were evaluated for a suite of shoreline segments across multiple exposures that can be used to inform local decision making as part of larger strategies for coastal management. Overall, a rise in sea level and degradation of coastal habitats could decrease the number of lower exposed shoreline segments and increase the number of higher exposed shoreline segments. These results were used to identify changes in the amount of potential residential property damage among different scenarios. Under high sea levels, additional protection to coastal habitats could reduce the amount of residential property damage resulting from one tropical cyclone event by $50.4 million (2018 US dollars (USD)) (by the year 2050) and by $71.8 million (2018 USD) (by the year 2100) in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. This research demonstrates the effects that habitat type/abundance and sea-level rise could have on vulnerable coastlines. The results of the modeled scenarios can be incorporated into several recent community resiliency planning initiatives in the region to develop more robust management plans and preparations for a changing environment.
•Rising seas and habitat degradation scenarios increase higher-exposed shorelines.•Adding habitat protection into plans reduces property damage by tropical cyclones.•Added habitat protection for two counties can save $50.4 M by 2050, $71.8 M by 2100.

Electronic sensors (i.e., acoustic, piezoelectric, and photoelectric) have been utilized extensively and effectively in recent years for measuring aeolian transport intensity. The bulk of these studies, however, position the devices in stationary, fixed orientation during field experiments. These practices work fine for shorter, micro-scale field studies; yet, during longer experiments lasting months or even years, a fixed directional orientation is unrealistic due to shifts in wind direction. This issue has ultimately limited the use of electronic sensors for meso-scale aeolian research. In light of this constraint, this paper presents a device to measure aeolian transport activity across a 360-degree azimuthal range. The Rotating Wenglor Device (RWD) was deployed on Santa Rosa Island, Florida for a three-month field study. The data reveal that the prevailing transport activity did not align with the dominant wind direction. The implications of this finding can be further elucidated when analyzing our data using the Fryberger drift potential model. Our findings indicate that the traditional Fryberger method, constructed using our wind data, produced a resultant transport drift towards the northwest; however, the RWD illustrated a resultant transport direction towards the northeast and at a rate three times slower. These finding highlights a major benefit of the RWD as it would produce a more accurate measure of meso-scale transport activity and therefore dune development than models derived strictly from meteorological station data, such as the Fryberger method. An additional advantage of the RWD is that the device operates unattended for extended periods, yet can provide high-resolution data regarding micro-scale transport dynamics.

The spatiotemporal dynamics of surface moisture exert a significant influence on the operation of aeolian transport systems at many beaches. However, we currently lack the detailed understanding of variability in surface moisture required to incorporate it into aeolian models. This problem is addressed here through direct measurements and simulation modeling of beach surface moisture over a twelve-day period, and through quantification of the relative contributions of evaporation, condensation and groundwater inputs to surface moisture. It was found that the beach surface can be characterized spatially in terms of three moisture zones: a consistently dry zone (<3%); a variable zone (3% to saturation); and a consistently wet zone (>40%). The relative influence of groundwater inputs was found to decrease moving landward, as the depth of the water table increased and the amplitude of tidally-induced water table fluctuations decreased. The critical pressure head (groundwater depth) at which evaporation begins to impose a demonstrable influence on surface moisture variability was found to be 90-100 cm. Temporally, beach surface moisture is a function of the lunar tidal cycle at longer-term time scales (weekly), and diurnal tidal and evaporation cycles. A numerical model was used to simulate capillary transfers of moisture from the water table to the surface, and moisture losses due to evaporation. The model was found to reliably replicate the measured spatiotemporal variability in surface moisture. In the dry zone, where most aeolian transport would be expected to occur, simulated moisture contents were typically within + or -0. 2% of measured volumetric contents.

In recent years, alternative strategies for shoreline armoring have become increasingly popular with coastal property owners. In Northwest Florida, local agencies implemented plans to attenuate wave action and reduce landward shore recession in an urban bayou by installing living shorelines. Living shorelines are constructed in the inter-tidal zones and incorporate both hard and soft structured stabilization. Generally, the hard component is fossilized oyster shells and the soft component is planted intertidal vegetation, such as Spartina alterniflora (Smooth cordgrass) and Juncus roemererianus (Black needlerush). Living shorelines were intended to comprise both ecological and societal implications by significantly slowing erosion processes for property owners, by utilizing oyster beds to improve water quality, and by fostering new ecological habitats in the marsh grasses. The issue presented with living shoreline management is long-term studies have not been carried out on these engineered systems. For this study, geospatial technology was utilized to create 3D images of terrain by interpolation of data points using a TotalStation to compute geomorphic change. Additionally, water samples were analyzed using traditional wet chemistry laboratory methods to determine total oxidized nitrogen (TON), ammonium, and orthophosphate content in water. Over a short three-month preliminary study, sediment accretion was observed primarily within the vegetation with the bulk of the erosion occurring around the oyster beds. TON was detected at levels between 10 mu M and 30 mu M, ammonium up to 5 mu M, and orthophosphate was only detected in very low levels, consistently < 2 mu M. The project is in its infancy, as the topographic profiles and water quality data will be used to establish baseline data for future research to determine volumetric geomorphic change,and to set a standard for water quality trends, surrounding oyster beds and vegetation in response to climatic events.

Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacao consist of five islands that make up the Leeward Islands of the Dutch Antilles off of the northern coast of South America, often referred to as the ABCs. Because of location, the islands share similar characteristics of climate, geology, geomorphology, and history, though each bears a variation of these characteristics. These largely limestone islands are part of the southern Caribbean dry zone. Historically, they were important centers of livestock grazing, aloe vera production, and salt export. All three islands in the twentieth century have been impacted by the growth of oil export in Venezuela. Curacao, once the tourism leaders among the Dutch Caribbean Islands, is trying to catch up with Aruba in stopover tourists, while Bonaire has smaller but strong "active" tourism for its size. While their climate in the past was considered less than desirable for large-area agricultural pursuits, presently their dry, warm weather largely outside the hurricane belt is an attractive asset to the millions of tourists who visit them annually.