Beaches and Coasts

by Davis, Richard; Fitzgerald, Duncan

• ISBN13: 9780632043088
• ISBN10: 0632043083
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-12-02
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

Coastlines of the world are as diverse as any geological setting on Earth. Beaches and Coasts is an exciting and unique new textbook that provides an exhaustive treatment of the world's different coasts and details the highly varied processes that have shaped them. Having conducted research on coastlines throughout the world, the authors draw on a wealth of experience that broadens the content of chapters and provides for numerous and varied examples. The book furnishes a basic understanding of the tectonic framework, hydrographic regime, climatic setting, and geologic materials that determine the morphology of a coast. Individual chapters are devoted to major coastal environments such as barriers, tidal inlets, marshes, estuaries, lagoons, deltas, glaciated coasts, rocky coasts and many others. Beaches and Coasts provides the necessary content for teaching a broad coastal geology course. Though designed for introductory students, its comprehensive treatment of coastal topics will make it appropriate for many upper level courses. Exciting and unique textbook that provides an exhaustive treatment of the world's different coasts and details the highly varied processes that have shaped them. The authors draw on a wealth of experience that broadens the content of chapters and provides for numerous and varied examples. Provides a basic understanding of the tectonic framework, hydrographic regime, climatic setting, and geologic materials that determine the morphology of a coast. Individual chapters are devoted to major coastal environments such as barriers, tidal inlets, marshes, estuaries, lagoons, deltas, glaciated coasts, rocky coasts, and many others. Provides comprehensive content for teaching a broad coastal geology course for both introductory and upper level courses.

Author Biography

Duncan M. FitzGerald is an Associate Professor in the Earth Science Department at Boston University.

Table of Contents

Coastline Variability and Functions in the Global Environment

Earth's Mobile Crust

Sediments and Rocks

Materials of Coastal Environments

Sea Level Change and Coastal Environments

Storms and Climatic Influences on the Coast

Waves and the Coast

Beaches and Nearshore Environments

Sandy Barriers

Coastal Dunes

Coastal Lagoons

Tides

Tidal Inlets

Intertidal Flats

Coastal Wetlands

Estuaries

River Deltas: The Source of Most of our Coastal Sediments

Glaciated Coasts

Rocky Coast

Reef Coast

Coastal Erosion

Human Interaction with Coastal Dynamics

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