Coastal erosion and land loss: Causes and impacts

Abstract

The margins of the sea are encroaching landward throughout most of the world. This is happening not simply because of sea level rise but also because the solid material- sand, mud, gravel-composing the shore and the subaerial and subaqueous lands immediately adjacent to it is being displaced. In addition to physical erosion by wave, thermal erosion in the Arctic and loss of wetlands through ecological processes are also active. The expected rate of sea level is predicted to exceed critical “tipping points” for wetlands destruction in many regions.