Coastal Zones
A coastal zone is commonly considered to be composed of 3 subsystems: marine, coastal, terrestrial. Each subsystem has its own characteristics, resources and set of problems.
Marine Subsystem:
Consists of the oceanic component of a coastal zone – it’s the part under salt water!
Characteristics / Resources / Problems- Water depth, salinity, temperature
- Waves, tides, currents
- Seabed composition
- Diverse marine habitats / - Fisheries, oil, gas
- Tourism, recreation
- Navigation
- Waste disposal / - Depletion of plant/animal populations due to habitat loss
- Spatial conflicts
- Deterioration of water quality from waste and oil spills
Terrestrial Subsystem
Consists of the land where humans and other activity can affect the marine environment.
Characteristics / Resources / Problems- Topography (landscape)
- Soil types
- Surface water resources
- Groundwater resources
- Terrestrial habitats (forest, wetland, ect.) / - Land: logging, mining
- Freshwater: domestic, industrial, irrigation
- Agri/aquaculture
- Human settlements
- Industry facilities / - Destruction of habitats
- Transport of wastes into marine subsystem
- Increase possibility of floods
- Deterioration of freshwater (availability and quality)
Coastal Subsystem:
Consists of a narrow and dynamic zone between the marine and terrestrial subsystem. It includes the area between the low and high tides and the supratidal zone (splash zone).
Characteristics / Resources / Problems- Coastal profile (rocky, sandy shore)
- Tidal, wind, wave profile
- Possibility of storm surges
- Coastal habitat types (rocky, mudflat, ect.) / - Sand and gravel extraction
- Tourism, recreation
- Human settlements
- Port development, industry
- Aquaculture / - Depletion and destruction of coastal habitat
- Loss of shoreline due to accelerated erosion
- Special conflicts
- Deterioration of water quality
Coastal Zones
A coastal zone is commonly considered to be composed of 3 subsystems: marine, coastal, terrestrial. Each subsystem has its own characteristics, resources and set of problems.
Marine Subsystem:
Consists of the oceanic component of a coastal zone – it’s the part under salt water!
Characteristics / Resources / Problems- Water depth, salinity, temperature
- Waves, tides, currents
- Seabed composition
- Diverse marine habitats
Terrestrial Subsystem
Consists of the land where humans and other activity can affect the marine environment.
Characteristics / Resources / Problems- Topography (landscape)
- Soil types
- Surface water resources
- Groundwater resources
- Terrestrial habitats (forest, wetland, ect.)
Coastal Subsystem:
Consists of a narrow and dynamic zone between the marine and terrestrial subsystem. It includes the area between the low and high tides and the supratidal zone (splash zone).
Characteristics / Resources / Problems- Coastal profile (rocky, sandy shore)
- Tidal, wind, wave profile
- Possibility of storm surges
- Coastal habitat types (rocky, mudflat, ect.)