Factors constraining the morphodynamics of tidal meanders in non-vegetated tidal flats under a monsoon climate

Jung H.-S.; Kim K.; Lee J.; Ryu J.-H.; Woo H. · Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science (2026) · DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2025.109606

Resumen

Tidal meanders, comprising large-scale channels, medium-sized creeks, and small-sized gullies, serve as critical lifelines supporting tidal flat ecosystems. While extensive research has been conducted on vegetated meanders in terrestrial and coastal environments, the morphodynamics of tidal meanders in non-vegetated tidal flats, particularly those influenced by monsoonal climates, remain poorly explored. This study investigates the migration dynamics of tidal meanders across three distinct non-vegetated tidal flats along the west coast of Korea, each differing in tidal range, embayment geometry, and surrounding topography. Based on over a decade of Google Earth imagery, migration rates were analyzed according to meander size. The results reveal that smaller meanders exhibit faster migration rates when normalized by channel width. Furthermore, the migration rates of tidal meanders in non-vegetated flats were found to be approximately an order of magnitude higher than those reported in the literature for vegetated environments such as salt marshes. The results also highlight significant differences in migration rates among the analyzed tidal flats, driven primarily by variations in tidal range and exposure to the northwesterly East Asian Winter Monsoon. These findings highlight the complex interactions between hydrodynamic, climatic and geomorphological factors in the dynamic evolution of tidal flat meanders.