Scholarly Works, Geography

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https://hdl.handle.net/10919/24330
Research articles, presentations, and other scholarship

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Browsing Scholarly Works, Geography by Subject "adaptation"

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    Exploring neighborhood-level resilience to flooding: Why the context and scale matter
    Bukvic, Anamaria; Borate, Aishwarya; Hughes, Shereen; Weaver, Ross; Imburgia, David; Stiles, William A. (2021-03-10)
    This article explores the role of contextual neighborhood-level considerations in community resilience planning in coastal urban locations. A comparative case study analysis was conducted in three different locations in the City of Hampton, Virginia, that all share a common challenge of coastal flooding but have distinctly different neighborhood-level circumstances that shape their flood impacts and resilience building options. The research approach utilizes a co-production of knowledge and descriptive statistics to identify the overall flood risk and socioeconomic attributes of each locality that may influence broader citywide resilience investments within the realm of three overarching options: protection, accommodation, and relocation. It then applies a geospatial network analysis to determine which study neighborhoods will have significantly reduced access to critical facilities such as emergency services, medical facilities, and schools due to accelerated sea level rise as one of the key coastal hazards in this low-lying region. The results show that each case study location has its own unique contextual circumstances that define its preferences for different resilience strategies regardless of the actual flood risk. The results also highlight the importance of holistic assessment of granular conditions that play a critical role in prioritization of resource allocation and interventions in coastal municipalities.
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    A Systematic Review of Coastal Vulnerability Mapping
    Bukvic, Anamaria; Rohat, Guillaume; Apotsos, Alex; de Sherbinin, Alex (MDPI, 2020-04-02)
    Coastal areas worldwide represent an aggregation of population and assets of growing economic, geopolitical, and sociocultural significance, yet their functions are increasingly challenged by worsening coastal hazards. Vulnerability assessments have been recognized as one way we can better understand which geographic areas and segments of society are more susceptible to adverse impacts from different stressors or hazards. The aims of this paper are to evaluate the state of coastal vulnerability assessment mapping efforts and to identify opportunities for advancement and refinement that will lead to more cohesive, impactful, and policy-relevant coastal vulnerability studies. We conducted a systematic review of the literature that addresses physical and social vulnerability to coastal hazards and contains corresponding mapping products. The content was analyzed for the scale of analysis, location, disciplinary focus, conceptual framework, metrics used, methodological approach, data sources, mapping output, and policy relevance. Results showed that most Coastal Vulnerability Mapping Assessments (CVMAs) are conducted at the local level using a range of methodologies, often with limited inclusion of social considerations and limited discussion of policy relevance. Based on our analysis, we provide seven recommendations for the advancement of this field that would improve CVMAs’ methodological rigor, policy relevance, and alignment with other vulnerability assessment paradigms.
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    Toward Collaborative Adaptation: Assessing Impacts of Coastal Flooding at the Watershed Scale
    Mitchell, Allison; Bukvic, Anamaria; Shao, Yang; Irish, Jennifer L.; McLaughlin, Daniel L. (Springer Nature, 2022-12)
    The U.S. Mid-Atlantic coastal region is experiencing higher rates of SLR than the global average, especially in Hampton Roads, Virginia, where this acceleration is primarily driven by land subsidence. The adaptation plans for coastal flooding are generally developed at the municipal level, ignoring the broader spatial implications of flooding outside the individual administrative boundaries. Flood impact assessments at the watershed scale would provide a more holistic perspective on what is needed to synchronize the adaptation efforts between the neighboring administrative units. This paper evaluates flooding impacts from sea level rise (SLR) and storm surge among watersheds in Hampton Roads to identify those most at risk of coastal flooding over different time horizons. It also explores the implications of flooding on the municipalities, the land uses, and land covers throughout this region within the case study watershed. The 2% Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) storm surge flood hazard data and NOAA’s intermediate SLR projections were used to develop flooding scenarios for 2030, 2060, and 2090 and delineate land areas at risk of combined flooding. Findings show that five out of 98 watersheds will substantially increase in inundation, with two intersecting multiple municipalities. They also indicate significant inundation of military, commercial, and industrial land uses and wetland land covers. Flooding will also impact residential land use in urban areas along the Elizabeth River and Hampton city, supporting the need for collaborative adaptation planning on hydrologically influenced spatial scales.
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    Visualizing the Possibility of Relocation: Coastal Relocation Leaf
    Bukvic, Anamaria (MDPI, 2019-06-22)
    The cognitive dissonance between the need for relocation as an adaptation strategy and the reluctance to consider this option among stakeholders may result in maladaptation in communities highly vulnerable to coastal hazards. This study presents an interactive communication tool, Coastal Relocation Leaf (CRL), designed to facilitate an understanding of the circumstances that may lead to relocation. The tool is designed to allow users to explore “what-if” scenarios, fostering further conversation about the complexities and trade-offs associated with the possibility of relocation in coastal communities. The tool is visualized using the Adobe Flash platform and refined using expert evaluation.