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Nature-based Solutions as Building Blocks for coastal flood risk reduction: a model-based ecosystem service assessment
Massimiliano Marino, Martin Josephus Baptist, Ahmad I K Alkharoubi, Sofia Nasca, Luca Cavallaro, Enrico Foti, Rosaria Ester Musumeci. Scientific Reports, 2025-04-08
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) are increasingly recognized as effective measures for mitigating flood risks and enhancing climate change adaptation. However, evaluating their efficacy in delivering flood risk reduction ecosystem service (FRR-ESS) is usually limited by reliance on qualitative, expert-based "quick-scan" scoring methods. While already challenging for present-day evaluations, this limitation becomes even more significant when addressing future climate scenarios, introducing deep uncertainties in the evaluation. The present study introduces a model-based framework to quantify FRR-ESS provided by coastal NbS, which integrates expert-based assessments with quantitative results from an eco-hydro-morphodynamic numerical model. The model enables a comparative evaluation of individual and combined effects of NbS following a Building Blocks approach. By integrating habitat map change prediction in the evaluation, NbS flood reduction response to present and future storm scenarios (i.e. wave climate and sea level rise) are investigated. The methodology is applied to a Mediterranean coastal lagoon in Sicily (Italy), and can be easily adapted to diverse coastal ecosystems. Our findings underscore the significant role of coastal habitats in reducing flood risk and highlight the importance of integrating physically-based modelling into FRR-ESS evaluation. This approach provides a robust and flexible tool for policymakers and stakeholders to make informed decisions that support both ecological sustainability and disaster risk reduction.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Marino, M., Baptist, M. J., Alkharoubi, A. I. K., Nasca, S., Cavallaro, L., Foti, E., et al. (2025). Nature-based Solutions as Building Blocks for coastal flood risk reduction: a model-based ecosystem service assessment. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-95230-4
Vancouver
Marino M, Baptist MJ, Alkharoubi AIK, Nasca S, Cavallaro L, Foti E, et al. Nature-based Solutions as Building Blocks for coastal flood risk reduction: a model-based ecosystem service assessment. Scientific Reports. 2025. doi:10.1038/s41598-025-95230-4. PMID: 40199899.
BibTeX
@article{marino2025-40199899,
author = {Marino, Massimiliano and Baptist, Martin Josephus and Alkharoubi, Ahmad I K and Nasca, Sofia and Cavallaro, Luca and Foti, Enrico and Musumeci, Rosaria Ester},
title = {{Nature-based Solutions as Building Blocks for coastal flood risk reduction: a model-based ecosystem service assessment}},
journal = {Scientific Reports},
year = {2025},
doi = {10.1038/s41598-025-95230-4},
pmid = {40199899},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-95230-4}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record names 7 authors; APA and Vancouver show the first six, BibTeX and the downloads carry all of them. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- While already challenging for present-day evaluations, this limitation becomes even more significant when addressing future climate scenarios, introducing deep uncertainties in the evaluation.
- The present study introduces a model-based framework to quantify FRR-ESS provided by coastal NbS, which integrates expert-based assessments with quantitative results from an eco-hydro-morphodynamic numerical model.
- Our findings underscore the significant role of coastal habitats in reducing flood risk and highlight the importance of integrating physically-based modelling into FRR-ESS evaluation.
Why it matters
This study is about coastal flood risk reduction using nature-based solutions, not about Alzheimer's disease. It provides no information relevant to treating, curing, or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Prevention →
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 46/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Scientific Reports) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Scientific Reports: journal h-index 463 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 4 / 5 | 2025 — within 3 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 31 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 10.3 citations a year over 3 year(s) since 2025 |
| Impact for its field and year | 5 / 6 | Cited 21.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 31 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Rosaria Ester Musumeci: h-index 20 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Wageningen University & Research: institution h-index 990 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 3 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 40199899) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 46 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1038/s41598-025-95230-4
- PubMed: 40199899
- Original source →
- Free full text: Scientific Reports →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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