Coastal Erosion

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Recommended: Human influence coastal erosion

Costal erosion, especially on barrier islands, is a major concern throughout the world. The issue represents a serious concern for many vulnerable coastlines throughout the coastal regions of the world. This issue must be studied for root causes so it can, if at all possible, be brought under some semblance of control before it is too late. The cost of ignoring this issue would be catastrophic to both communities on the beach and the marine life that depend on the coastal areas for their very survival.

Coastal erosion is a diverse issue with many different causes. However, it is basically defined as a situation that for some reason or another causes the amount of coastline in a given area to decrease. The causes behind coastal erosion are varied. They are often the result of manmade problems, such as pollution (Williams). However, the erosion of some coastlines is a natural process that occurs without human interaction (Internet Geography).

Just as important as understanding the definition of coastal erosion, is appreciating where the phenomenon it is happening. It is important to recognize that coastal erosion does not affect every beach and coastal area in the world. In fact, there are many areas of the world’s coasts that are actually growing from sediment deposits. Whether a particular costal area is growing or eroding is the result of complex natural (and sometime unnatural) process (Williams). Furthermore, the ability of scientists to find out exactly if a coast is eroding (and if it is, by how much) is critical for science to better understand the issue of coastal erosion. Scientists are able to look at geological data and take specific measurements of coastlines at different times of day and at different tida...

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...he line like so many other pressing environmental concerns of our day.

Works Cited

"Coastal Processes." Internet Geography. Learn on the Internet, 2009. Web. 19 Mar 2012.

List, Dr. Jeffrey. "Louisiana's Barrier Islands: A Vanishing Resource." U.S. Geological Survey Marine and

Coastal Geology Program. U.S. Geological Survey, 03 Nov 1995. Web. 21 Mar 2012.

Malory, Jonathan. "Coastal Accretion." Earth Facts. N.p., 2012. Web. 19 Mar 2012.

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Stewart, Robert. "Coastal Erosion." Oceanography in the 21st Century. N.p., 05 Sept 2011. Web. 19 Mar

2012.

Williams, S. Jeffress. "Coasts in Crisis." U.S. Geological Survey Circular 1075. U.S. Geological Survey, 13

Nov 1997. Web. 19 Mar 2012. .

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