Abstract
The reef islands formed on coral atolls are generally small, low, and flat, with elevations of only a few meters. These islands are thus highly vulnerable to elevated sea levels caused by extreme events and global warming. Such vulnerability was recently evidenced at Fongafale Islet, the capital of Tuvalu, when it flooded during accelerated spring high tides possibly related to sea level rise caused by global warming. Many factors, not only environmental but also economic and social, determine the vulnerability of an island to sea level rise. In this study, we used data spanning 108 yrs to reconstruct changes in topography, land use/cover, population, and the distribution of buildings at Fongafale Islet. The results indicate that the vulnerability of Fongafale Islet relates to its original landform characteristics: the central part of the island was formerly dominated by swampland that flooded at high tides. Fongafale Islet experienced greater population in-migration and centralization beginning in the 1970s following the independence of Tuvalu and Kiribati. Migrants were also responding to declines in overseas mining operations and limited options for paid employment. As the population increased, construction took place in vulnerable swampland areas. Our results clearly demonstrate that examinations of global environmental issues should focus on characteristics specific to the region of interest. These characteristics should be specified using historical reconstruction to understand and address the vulnerability of an area to global environmental changes.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 407-416 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Global and Planetary Change |
| Volume | 57 |
| Issue number | 3-4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2007 Jun |
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Keywords
- human settlement
- reef island
- sea-level rise
- Tuvalu
- vulnerability
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Earth-Surface Processes
Cite this
Atoll island vulnerability to flooding and inundation revealed by historical reconstruction : Fongafale Islet, Funafuti Atoll, Tuvalu. / Yamano, Hiroya; Kayanne, Hajime; Yamaguchi, Toru; Kuwahara, Yuji; Yokoki, Hiromune; Shimazaki, Hiroto; Chikamori, Masashi.
In: Global and Planetary Change, Vol. 57, No. 3-4, 06.2007, p. 407-416.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Atoll island vulnerability to flooding and inundation revealed by historical reconstruction
T2 - Fongafale Islet, Funafuti Atoll, Tuvalu
AU - Yamano, Hiroya
AU - Kayanne, Hajime
AU - Yamaguchi, Toru
AU - Kuwahara, Yuji
AU - Yokoki, Hiromune
AU - Shimazaki, Hiroto
AU - Chikamori, Masashi
PY - 2007/6
Y1 - 2007/6
N2 - The reef islands formed on coral atolls are generally small, low, and flat, with elevations of only a few meters. These islands are thus highly vulnerable to elevated sea levels caused by extreme events and global warming. Such vulnerability was recently evidenced at Fongafale Islet, the capital of Tuvalu, when it flooded during accelerated spring high tides possibly related to sea level rise caused by global warming. Many factors, not only environmental but also economic and social, determine the vulnerability of an island to sea level rise. In this study, we used data spanning 108 yrs to reconstruct changes in topography, land use/cover, population, and the distribution of buildings at Fongafale Islet. The results indicate that the vulnerability of Fongafale Islet relates to its original landform characteristics: the central part of the island was formerly dominated by swampland that flooded at high tides. Fongafale Islet experienced greater population in-migration and centralization beginning in the 1970s following the independence of Tuvalu and Kiribati. Migrants were also responding to declines in overseas mining operations and limited options for paid employment. As the population increased, construction took place in vulnerable swampland areas. Our results clearly demonstrate that examinations of global environmental issues should focus on characteristics specific to the region of interest. These characteristics should be specified using historical reconstruction to understand and address the vulnerability of an area to global environmental changes.
AB - The reef islands formed on coral atolls are generally small, low, and flat, with elevations of only a few meters. These islands are thus highly vulnerable to elevated sea levels caused by extreme events and global warming. Such vulnerability was recently evidenced at Fongafale Islet, the capital of Tuvalu, when it flooded during accelerated spring high tides possibly related to sea level rise caused by global warming. Many factors, not only environmental but also economic and social, determine the vulnerability of an island to sea level rise. In this study, we used data spanning 108 yrs to reconstruct changes in topography, land use/cover, population, and the distribution of buildings at Fongafale Islet. The results indicate that the vulnerability of Fongafale Islet relates to its original landform characteristics: the central part of the island was formerly dominated by swampland that flooded at high tides. Fongafale Islet experienced greater population in-migration and centralization beginning in the 1970s following the independence of Tuvalu and Kiribati. Migrants were also responding to declines in overseas mining operations and limited options for paid employment. As the population increased, construction took place in vulnerable swampland areas. Our results clearly demonstrate that examinations of global environmental issues should focus on characteristics specific to the region of interest. These characteristics should be specified using historical reconstruction to understand and address the vulnerability of an area to global environmental changes.
KW - human settlement
KW - reef island
KW - sea-level rise
KW - Tuvalu
KW - vulnerability
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=34249008396&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=34249008396&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2007.02.007
DO - 10.1016/j.gloplacha.2007.02.007
M3 - Article
VL - 57
SP - 407
EP - 416
JO - Global and Planetary Change
JF - Global and Planetary Change
SN - 0921-8181
IS - 3-4
ER -