COASTAL VEGETATIONS: ITS FUNCTIONS OF SHORELINE PROTECTION AND SEDIMENT DEPOSITION

Recently, it has been widely recognized that coastal vegetations may have great value in supporting fisheries, protecting from wave attack, stabilizing the sea bed and maintaining good scenery. Hydrodynamic factors play a major role in the functions of water quality, biochemical process and ecosystems. However, the studies on physical process of wave deformation, sediment movement and bathymetric development are few and far behind compared to those on the hydrodynamic roles of riverine vegetations. This paper discusses the recent developments of hydrodynamic models of coastal vegetations focusing on their functions of wave deformation and sea-bed stabilization.