Speaker: Fernanda Achete, CMCC

Moderator: Elisa Furlan, CMCC

Coastal and estuarine environments are inherently dynamic systems shaped by the interplay of waves, tides, sediment transport, and human intervention. In the context of accelerating climate change, understanding their morphodynamic evolution has become crucial for addressing sustainable coastal management strategies.

This talk presents an integrated assessment of shoreline change, estuarine behaviour, and river‑mouth morphodynamics using a combination of remote sensing, field data, and process‑based modelling. Fernanda Achete has been working with estuarine dynamics since her PhD as part of the CaSCADE (Computational Assessments of Scenarios of Change for the Delta Ecosystem).

We begin with an overview of long‑term coastal evolution in urbanized shoreline settings. Case studies from Brazilian coastal systems illustrate these dynamics. In Maricá, historical mapping and CoastSat‑based shoreline analysis reveal the influence of lagoon–barrier interactions on coastline stability of the Marica Coastline Assessment with CODEMAR. While in Salinópolis, mangrove dynamics and estuarine sedimentation show contrasting responses to natural forcing and anthropogenic pressures part of the Research Project Rede ARMO (Amazon River Mouth Observatory). By examining past and present behaviour of estuarine and river‑mouth systems, we outline key processes governing their resilience and provide a roadmap for future research within the CMCC Marsili Fellowship.