Can flexible vegetation protect our coasts from climate change?
As sea levels rise and coastal erosion accelerates, nature offers a potential ally: submerged vegetation. These flexible plants are proving their worth as a sustainable defense against the forces of climate change. But how can we better understand the complex interactions between plants and currents?
Using advanced tools like the immersed boundary method and large eddy simulation, REEF3D provides a detailed understanding of the movement and forces acting on flexible vegetation in flowing water. Conducted as part of the research project "Gute Küste Niedersachsen," this study integrates live vegetation properties measured at the salt marsh on Spiekeroog to replicate real-world dynamics.
These discoveries pave the way for designing better nature-based solutions, ensuring our coasts remain resilient in the face of changing climates.
Prüter, Inga; Spröer, Felix; Keimer, Kara; Lojek, Oliver; Windt, Christian; Schürenkamp, David; Bihs, Hans; Nistor, Ioan; Goseberg, Nils (2025): A comprehensive numerical study on the current-induced fluid–structure interaction of flexible submerged vegetation. In: Journal of Fluids and Structures 133, S. 104232.