Coasts

Around the world, around each continent, lies a coast. When we think of coasts, we often think of the beach, and playing in the sand and water, but have we ever really thought about how they've formed over the years and moved?

Types of Coastal Habitats What affects coastal zone formation?

• Mangroves - plate tectonics

• Salt marshes - wave exposure/winds/wave currents

• Seagrass Meadows - tidal range and intensity

• Coral Reefs - sediment supply

Changes in our coasts can take up to hundreds of years based on the previously listed factors. Coasts help us understand natural events, such as weather and changing sea levels. During storms, coasts are the first places to be flooded. Some coasts have coastal plains. Coastal plains are pieces of flat, low-lying land that can become visible when sea levels start decreasing.

• Learn about Coastal Landforms

• The Six Coastal Zones/Types

• Coastal Processes and Beach Formations

• Coasts - National Geographic