At the same time, it is clear that coral growth, biogenic sediment production, and wave action can serve to maintain stability and even contribute to island growth, this being the way in which reef islands were formed in the first place. Thus it is clear that development and adaptation strategies (e.g., ecosystem-based adaptation) designed to complement natural

resilience in the coastal system should have a higher probability Akt inhibitor of success. This approach presupposes an understanding of the relevant coastal sedimentary and ecological processes of interest, which highlights the importance of biophysical science as one component of the information package needed for effective coastal management, climate-change adaptation, and disaster risk reduction. In a broader governance context, it is recognized that understanding of key processes forms an essential foundation for sustainable development (Glaser et al. 2012). Effective disaster risk reduction also requires knowledge of

potential threats. In some cases, for rare and exceptional events such as major tsunami or extreme storms, there may be some residual community memory, but often there is not. Effective stakeholder collaboration and attention to local and traditional knowledge are important and may identify issues that would otherwise be overlooked. There is a large and growing literature on the value of indigenous knowledge and protocols MI-503 manufacturer for integrating locally sourced information with other forms of knowledge including western scientific approaches (e.g., Crump and Kelman 2009; Kelman and West 2009; McAdoo et al. 2009; Mercer et al. 2009). The explosive growth of social media, even in remote communities, opens up new possibilities for information exchange and participatory dialogue. New tools are being developed to invite and enable contributions of information from the wider public (e.g., Tienaah 2011;

Nichols et al. 2011). This study has highlighted the variability of island environments and the diversity of dominant processes, hazards, and exposure on various island types. As shown schematically in Fig. 12, differences in the modes of exposure and dominant hazard issues between island types can be correlated to variations in Histamine H2 receptor the relative importance and utility of adaptation actions. Thus, an ecosystem-based adaptation tool such as mangrove conservation or restoration is applicable to continental and volcanic high islands and locally on atolls, but irrelevant on raised carbonate atolls. Coastal setback is a globally recognized proactive adaptation option applicable to all island types, but perhaps most compelling on high carbonate islands such as Bermuda or Niue, where major tropical cyclone waves can demolish cliff-top facilities. Fig. 12 Schematic template showing variable severity of major coastal hazards as a function of island type and a selection of adaptation strategies with varying applicability across types.