Impacts of Posidonia oceanica on Coastal Morphodynamics in Navarino Bay, Greece

This study investigates the impacts of Posidonia oceanica (hereinafter P. oceanica) meadows on the coastal morphodynamics of Navarino Bay, Greece, and their role in mitigating coastal erosion. To achieve this, we employed the MIKE 21/3 Coupled Model FM to conduct hydrodynamic and morphodynamic simulations. The study compares two scenarios, one with and one without the presence of P. oceanica, to assess its impact on sediment stability and shoreline protection. Field data, including bathymetric and coastal morphology metrics, were integrated with wind and wave statistics from the Poseidon system. Advanced geospatial tools (ArcGIS Pro) and numerical modeling were used to simulate wave dynamics, current speeds, and sediment transport over a one-year period. Our findings indicate that P. oceanica reduces current velocities and wave energy, leading to enhanced sediment stabilization and reduced erosion rates. This research emphasizes the geomorphological significance of P. oceanica as a protective measure and a nature-based solution (NBS) for addressing coastal management challenges. Our results underscore the need for sustainable practices to maintain the integrity of Mediterranean seagrass meadows amid rising environmental pressures.