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Coastal Erosion and Rising Sea-Level

Chapter
Part of the Coastal Systems and Continental Margins book series (CSCM, volume 2)

Abstract

Coastal erosion is facilitated by rising sea level, but it can also occur on coastlines where the sea level is stable or even falling. The modern prevalence of beach erosion on the world’s coastlines is not, therefore, an indication of global sea-level rise. However, if such a sea-level rise develops, perhaps as a consequence of the greenhouse effect, there will be an acceleration of existing beach erosion, and erosion will begin on many beaches that are now stable or growing. Accelerated erosion also will be seen on cliffs, deltas, coastal swamps, and developed coastlines. The changes predicted globally are already in evidence on sectors of the world’s coastline where land subsidence has produced a relative sea-level rise.

Keywords

Salt Marsh Land Subsidence Reef Flat Coastal Erosion Vertical Accretion 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 1996

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