Storm surges from rising sea levels are important predicted consequences of global climate change and have the potential for severe effects on the vegetation of low-lying coastal areas.

 

The unprecedented storm surge from Hurricane Sandy, for example, was enough to shift coastal shorelines along New York and New Jersey. The question of how these storm surges affect coastal areas can be addressed mathematically and is the focus of research by Dr. Jiang Jiang, a postdoctoral fellow at the National Institute for Mathematical and Biological Synthesis (NIMBioS).