Download COASTAL ZONES

COASTAL ZONES
Terminology
Coastal Zone
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coastal zones are the interface between the
land and water
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they are so important because the majority of
the World’s population live in these zones
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they are continually changing due to the
interaction between the oceans and the land
Coast vs. Shore
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shore – a zone that lies between the lowest
tide level (low tide) and the highest elevation
on land that is affected by storm waves
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coast – extends inland from the shore as far
as ocean-related features can be found
Coast vs. Shore cont.
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the shoreline is the perimeter of the land
along the water’s edge, measured to the
closest exactness possible
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the coastline follows the general line of the
coast, but sometimes, in the case of small
bays and inlets, the coastline is measured
across the bay or inlet to rejoin the coastline
on the opposite side
Coastal Classification
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all coasts can be divided into one of two
types:
–
primary coasts
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–
are younger coasts that have been formed by
nonmarine processes
secondary coasts
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have aged to the point where physical and/or biological
marine processes dominate the character of the coast
Types of Coastal Zones
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rocky shore
beach
barrier island
reef and atoll
estuary
tidal flat
Rocky Shore
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it is an intertidal area that consists of solid
rocks
it is often a biologically rich environment
it can include many different habitat types:
– steep rocky cliffs
– platforms
– rock pools
– boulder fields
Rocky Shore cont.
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organisms that live in this area experience
daily fluctuations in their environment
hence, they must be able
to tolerate extreme changes
in temperature, salinity,
moisture, and wave action
–
Beach
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it is a narrow strip of land separating a body
of water from inland areas
beaches are usually made of sand, tiny
grains of rocks and minerals that have been
worn down by constant pounding by wind
and waves
Barrier Island
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is a coastal landform and a type of barrier
system
they are exceptionally flat and lumpy areas of
sand, that are parallel to the mainland coast
they usually occur in chains, consisting of
anything from a few to many islands
Reef and Atoll
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a reef is a strip or ridge of rocks, sand, coral,
or human-made objects that rises to or near
the surface of the ocean
an atoll is a ring-shaped coral reef growing
upward from a submerged volcanic peek
Estuary
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it is a partially enclosed coastal body of water
the salty ocean water that is found inside is
significantly diluted by fresh water from land
runoff
Tidal Flat
they are sand or mud
areas found in many estuarine areas
 they typically lack recognizable plant life
 they are neither terrestrial nor aquatic but fall
somewhere in between
 they are harsh, unpredictable environments
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