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Climate change, shoreline processes and indigenous communities on reef islands of Torres Strait, northern Great Barrier Reef.
Dr Kevin Parnell, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia
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| When |
2008-05-05 16:00
2008-05-05 17:00
2008-05-05 from 16:00 to 17:00 |
| Where | B101 |
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Abstract
Along with the people of South Pacific and Indian Ocean coral islands, the people of the coral cay islands of Torres Strait in the northern Great Barrier Reef may be the first communities in the world to be displaced by climate change. This seminar explores the likelihood of this occurring by examining the hydrodynamics and shoreline processes of island beaches and reefs. Understandings of both the causes and effects of storm surge derived for other coastal environments need to be adapted for application to coral islands.
Dr Kevin Parnell is an Associate Professor in the School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, James Cook University, Queensland, Australia. His current research interests are in reef and reef island processes, and tropical beach hydrodynamics. Jointly with David Hopley and Scott Smithers, he has recently published the book “The Geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef: Development, Diversity and Change” (Cambridge, 2007), an examination of the largest coral reef system in the world. From 1986 to 2003 he was at the University of Auckland, New Zealand, where his research interests included high energy beach systems, the environmental effects of vessel wakes, beach monitoring methodology, and the correlation of anecdotal and scientific understandings of coastal systems. He is visiting CENS for three months to work with Tarmo Soomere and his team.
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