Editorial: Advances in coastal dunes

Editorial on the Research Topic
Advances in coastal dunes

Coastal dunes occupy a narrow zone between land and sea, yet they play a central role in coastal stability. They mitigate storm impacts, store sediment for natural beach nourishment, and support specialized ecosystems that are increasingly constrained by urban development and sea level rise. The Research Topic Advances in Coastal Dunes was created to gather contributions from geomorphology, sedimentology, ecology, coastal engineering, and geospatial science, with the shared goal of improving our understanding of dune behavior under changing environmental conditions.

The seven articles included in this Research Topic reflect a wide range of environments and research approaches. Together they examine how sedimentary bodies, morphodynamics, ecological pressures, and human actions interact at different spatial and temporal scales. The studies address submarine sand ridges, climbing dunes, nourished and artificial dune systems, dune habitat mapping, long term monitoring strategies, storm response processes, and paleogeographic reconstructions of ancient coastal landscapes. Despite their diversity, all contributions focus on how coastal dunes evolve and how these changes can inform better management and protection of vulnerable coastlines.

The first set of studies focuses on sedimentary architecture and internal structure. Li et al. examine the morphology and evolution of submarine sand ridges and associated sand waves off the southwest coast of Hainan Island, China. They use several marine survey techniques to characterize a field of large NW–SE oriented ridges and smaller bedforms. Their results show clear differences between erosion dominated, mixed, and deposition dominated ridges. The authors highlight that these differences relate to the availability and modification of offshore sand bodies and to the strength and direction of tidal currents. Their work offers a practical framework for assessing sand resources and identifying sedimentary conditions that affect the stability of nearby coasts.

Rodriguez-Santalla et al. investigate the internal structure of the Valdevaqueros climbing dune in southern Spain, one of the most active transgressive dune systems in Europe. Using GPR profiles collected along windward, crest, and leeward sectors, they identify a wide range of radar facies. These include vertical accretion units close to the shoreline, foreslope accretion patterns, blowouts, roll over structures, and downslope grainflow deposits on the slipface. The results show how persistent winds, steep topography, and abundant sand supply control dune migration. The authors also illustrate how dune advance toward nearby roads has created management challenges, and they demonstrate that GPR can document internal architecture without disturbing this sensitive landscape.

A different perspective is presented by Villarías-Robles et al., who revisit the debated location of the Tartessos settlement in southwest Iberia. They combine geomorphological, paleoenvironmental, and chronological data with a renewed reading of classical sources. Their evidence suggests that the ancient city likely occupied what is now the La Algaida spit, which was an island during the first millennium BCE. This interpretation strengthens the idea that ancient societies interacted closely with coastal geomorphology and relied on the stability of dune barrier systems. The article also demonstrates how modern coastal reconstructions can add clarity to long standing historical questions.

The next group of papers examines mapping, monitoring, and methodological advances. Tiede et al. study the evolution of beach and dune profiles along the German Baltic coast after large scale nourishment. They combine UAV photogrammetry with in situ observations to track bar formation, sand redistribution, and changes in the shape of nourished dunes. Their results show that nourishments evolve dynamically through bar migration, dune reshaping, and feedbacks between offshore and onshore sediment processes. The authors emphasize that effective nourishment programs require long term monitoring and flexible management plans that adjust to observed morphological changes.

Prodanov et al. propose a Standard Dune Mapping Procedure for the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Their protocol integrates UAS photogrammetry, geomorphological and vegetation surveys, and GIS based habitat analysis. The procedure includes seven stages, from initial inventory to high resolution habitat classification and mapping. It is designed to support cadastral records and conservation programs in an area where dune systems have been declining due to human pressure. The authors demonstrate how standardized mapping can provide consistent information for national level dune protection and planning.

Ma et al. develop a comprehensive method to evaluate coastal dune evolution at Haiyang Ten Thousand Meters Beach in China. Their approach combines LiDAR, GNSS profiles, and remote sensing to analyze dune morphology and coastline position over nearly a decade. They find that the general dune structure has remained relatively stable, although some foredune sectors show minor erosion. Their results show the importance of combining precise point measurements with synoptic imagery to detect early changes and guide restoration efforts. The study offers a clear example of how multi scale monitoring can support long term dune management.

Two contributions address dune performance during storm conditions. Lee et al. conduct large scale movable bed experiments to quantify wave run up on dune scarps. They show that the 2 percent exceedance run up (R2 percent) follows a consistent pattern when a scarp is present, regardless of surf similarity differences. The authors recommend adapting the Stockdon formulation by including the beach slope from still water level to the scarp toe. This improves run up predictions during erosive conditions and helps refine the design of artificial dunes used for coastal protection. The findings have direct implications for predicting collision and overwash regimes.

Taken together, the articles in Advances in Coastal Dunes offer a detailed view of how dune systems evolve under natural and human influences. They highlight the importance of methodological innovation, including GPR, UAV photogrammetry, LiDAR and GNSS integration, and large scale physical modeling. They also show that dunes function as geomorphological, ecological, and cultural resources that require careful management. Across the Research Topic, several themes emerge. Dune evolution must be assessed through long term datasets. Storm response processes remain a key research priority. Human interventions such as nourishment or dune construction must be evaluated in relation to sediment budgets and system scale dynamics.

Important gaps remain. There is a need for harmonized monitoring programs that link dune morphodynamics with ecological change and social drivers. The response of dunes to compound events, including sequential storms and sea level rise, requires further study. Stakeholder engagement is also essential in regions where dune protection affects tourism, infrastructure, or cultural heritage.

We hope that this Research Topic encourages additional interdisciplinary work on coastal dunes and supports closer collaboration between scientists, managers, and policymakers. As climate change accelerates, dunes will remain vital components of coastal resilience. Understanding and protecting these systems is a shared scientific and societal responsibility.

Author contributions

IR-S: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing. JM-P: Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing.

Conflict of interest

The author(s) declared that this work was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

The author declared that JM-P were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

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