Coastline change and coastal habitat loss: A case study in Trabzon City, Southeast Black Sea, Türkiye

The Black Sea is the largest semi-enclosed waterbody, with anoxic deep waters, and suffers from ecological degradation due to human activities, including eutrophication, overfishing, pollution, military conflicts, and land reclamation. For instance, in the Southeastern Black Sea region of Turkiye, rapidly growing coastal cities strain the narrow coastal zone. Land reclamation is frequently becoming a go-to solution for local governments seeking expansion. This study investigated the impact of human intervention on the coastline and its associated habitats in Trabzon city, Turkiye, between the 1960s and 2015. This study examined coastline, and habitat changes in the study area by comparing remote sensing data and Geographic Information Technology (GIS) for comparison. Additionally, coastal bathymetry data were used to create a 3D model of the coastal habitats. Analysis of this approximately 20 km coastline revealed a significant loss of coastal habitat of roughly 305.06 ha - over the 50-year period. This loss encompasses shallow water habitats up to 26 m deep and most natural sandy habitats. Ground-truthing confirmed that reclaimed coastal land has been converted for various land uses, including roads, car parks, sports, and recreation facilities. This study contributes to the policymakers in decision making for coastal development practices in the region.