Synonyms
Barrier
Definition
A barrier island is a coastal landform consisting of an elongated narrow strip of unconsolidated sediment (primarily sand) lying parallel to the mainland coast and being separated from the mainland by a lagoon, salt marsh, or bay.
Introduction
Barrier islands are found worldwide. However, there exist different opinions on the definition of a barrier island. Descriptive definitions of barrier islands, such as the one adopted in this entry, are generally more widely accepted than genetic definitions which consist of quantitative limitations (e.g., Berryhill et al., 1969; Cromwell, 1971). Some researchers define barrier islands as features composed of several major depositional units due to the strong links among these units that are required for their existence. One example of a systemic definition is given by Oertel (1985) who suggested that a barrier island should be considered as the focal element of a much larger barrier island system, consisting of six...
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Zhang, W. (2016). Barrier Island. In: Kennish, M.J. (eds) Encyclopedia of Estuaries. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8801-4_124
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-017-8801-4_124
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