Mike Thomson (Griffith Uni) investigated the role of coastal vegetation on beach erosion. An important factor in the cycle of beach erosion and accretion (re-distribution) is the presence of coastal vegetation. In coastal areas, vegetation serves to limit the amount of erosion that occurs as well as to recapture newly-deposited sediment. A range of lab tests were reviewed through a wide-ranging literature review, with results indicating vegetation may limit erosion between 10-30%. These physical tests were then able to be repeated in the numerical model XBeach.
