Researchers from Florida State University assert that the optimal method to safeguard coastal environments from severe weather and rising sea levels involves the joint management of natural and cultural resources.
In a recent investigation, FSU archaeologists Jayur Madhusudan Mehta and Mark D. McCoy from the Department of Anthropology contend that prevailing coastal management strategies neglect critical cultural locations, jeopardizing both ecosystems and heritage. Their study indicates that ancient Indigenous sites, particularly shell mounds and middens, are fundamentally linked to coastal areas yet are frequently excluded from planning and financing decisions.
“Our findings revealed that in Florida’s Big Bend region, 11 Indigenous sites are currently at or below sea level, and 142 mound and midden sites — piles of various discarded materials signifying past human activities like shells and bones — face the risk of submersion within the next century,” stated Mehta, the lead author of the study. “In the Mississippi Delta, 11 Indigenous cultural sites are at or below sea level, and 107 mound and midden sites are likewise endangered of being submerged over the next century, which will negatively impact biodiversity, local resilience, and cultural sovereignty.”
The study, “Preserving coastal environments necessitates an integrated natural and cultural resources management approach,” was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences Nexus earlier this spring.
Currently, coastal counties in the U.S. host 40 percent of the nation’s populace, per the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, perpetuating a legacy of coastal habitation that extends back roughly 15,000 years. Cultural heritage sites, including earthen mounds, shell mounds, and shell-laden landscapes, are vital components of coastal ecosystems, as these locations bolster biodiversity by creating microhabitats for fauna while preserving invaluable historical remnants.
“Safeguarding coastal environments is critical because the impacts of rising sea levels and the gradual subsidence or sinking of land threaten both ecological equilibrium and irreplaceable cultural heritage.”
— Jayur Madhusudan Mehta,
associate professor and director of undergraduate studies, Department of Anthropology
“Safeguarding coastal environments is critical because the impacts of rising sea levels and the gradual subsidence or sinking of land threaten both ecological equilibrium and irreplaceable cultural heritage,” Mehta remarked. “Coastal deterioration not only obliterates history; it also diminishes the natural protective capacity of marshes and deltas, which play a vital role in stabilizing coastlines, minimizing soil erosion, and safeguarding against extreme weather.”
The team assessed data collected from remote sensing and state repositories, including light detection and ranging digital elevation models, site location data and sea level rise models from NOAA, to identify natural and cultural impacts and emphasize risk factors within the U.S. Gulf Coast areas of Florida’s Big Bend and Louisiana’s Mississippi Delta.
To apply their findings beyond the U.S., researchers compared site vulnerabilities and risk frameworks to examine the differences and similarities in extreme weather and environmental impact vulnerabilities across the Netherlands, Peru, and Oceania, a region that includes the Pacific islands, such as Australia and New Zealand. The variables assessed through these comparisons illustrate the necessity for location-specific strategies that integrate heritage conservation and climate adaptation to safeguard diverse coastlines worldwide.
“In the Netherlands, dense systems of earthen levees and storm barriers mitigate the risks associated with sea-level rise, but drought and salinization endanger wetland heritage,” Mehta explained. “In Peru, archaeological loss arises more from agro-industrial expansion and El Niño climatic phenomena, which involve an irregular occurrence of warm water near Peru and Ecuador.”
Despite the variations in archaeology and environment across locations that may lead to different management approaches, researchers assert that regardless of location, cultural resources are crucial in the stewardship of coastlines.
“Today, we have a clearer understanding than ever of the factors that disrupt and devastate coastal environments. Inaction will lead to the loss of important biodiversity and human history, the same elements we strive to preserve and exhibit in zoos and museums.”
— Mark D. McCoy, professor and chair, Department of Anthropology
“Today, we have a clearer understanding than ever of the factors that disrupt and devastate coastal environments,” McCoy stated. “If we do not take action, we risk losing significant biodiversity and human history, the same elements we aim to conserve and showcase in zoos and museums.”
Additional contributors to the study include Louisiana State University adjunct professor Matt Helmer, Oregon State University professor Haizhong Wang, Texas A&M University assistant professor Siyu Yu, and Dutch scholars Liz Chamberlain and Roy van Beek –– both assistant professors at Wageningen University & Research, the Netherlands.
To discover more about the research conducted within the Department of Anthropology, visit anthro.fsu.edu.
The article FSU archaeologists find preservation of cultural heritage sites plays key role in coastal community resilience first appeared on Florida State University News.