marine biome and human impact -...

Marine Biome and

Human Impact

Topics: Marine Biome and Human Impact

1. Oceans

2. Coral Reefs

3. Shorelines a. Weathering

b. Erosion

c. Longshore movement

d. Erosional Features

e. Depositional Features

4. Threats to Marine Biome a. Oceans

b. Coral Reefs

c. Human Impact on Shorelines

Oceans http://mbgnet.mobot.org/salt/sandy/

1. Play an integral role in many of

the Earth's systems including

climate and weather.

2. Produce more than half of the

oxygen in the atmosphere, and

absorb the most carbon from it.

3. Ocean waters serve as a source

of food and valuable minerals.

Coral Reefs

Close to equator

Shallow water

Coral reefs buffer adjacent shorelines

from wave action and prevent erosion

biodiversity is considered the key to

finding new medicines for the 21st

century

Waves along the shoreline are

constantly eroding,

transporting and depositing

sediment.

Shorelines

a. Shoreline weathering 1. Wave impact

Water pounding on the

shore

Large waves, high

energy & lots of force

2. Abrasion

Sawing & grinding

action of rock

fragments in water

b. Shoreline erosion Wave refraction

Bending of waves.

(Waves slow down and

curve as they approach

the shore.)

3. Longshore transport

When currents flow parallel

to the shore moving large

amounts of sediment

****Longshore currents result primarily from the curved

approach of waves towards the beach (refraction).

Movement of water along the shore creates water currents

that move sediment parallel to the beach.

Longshore current= movement of water along the shore

Longshore drift= movement of sediment along the

shoreline

c. Longshore Movement

LONGSHORE CURRENT

Coastal landforms that form as a

result of erosion by waves

d. Shoreline Erosional

Features

1. Wave-cut cliffs

& platforms:

formed by

waves slowly

wearing away

coastal land

2. Sea arches & stacks: softer parts of headland eroded away by waves

e. Depositional Features

Result of beach sediment being transported

along the shore and deposited where wave

energy is low

1. spit: long, narrow deposit of sand connected at one end to the shore

end might hook in response

to the dominant direction of

the longshore current

The formation of a spit by sand movement in response to longshore

currents.

2. Baymouth

Bar

sand bar that completely

crosses a bay, sealing it off

from open ocean

3.Tombolo

ridge of sand that connects an

island to the mainland or

another island

4.Barrier Islands

narrow sand bars parallel to, but separated from, the coast at distances from 3-30 km offshore

Barrier Islands can be a hazardous place to live because of severe erosion during storms

THREATS TO THE MARINE

BIOME

a. Threats to

the Oceans

1. Pollution

2. Overfishing

3. Poor fishing methods

4. Destruction of fishing grounds

http://www.worldbiomes.com/biomes_aquatic.htm

b. Threats to the Coral

Reefs

1. Temperature is important,

If it is too hot or too cold,

the animals can’t live there

to create limestone

(CaCO3)

2. Human intrusion (scuba

diving) is damaging if you

touch/step on the reef

3. Pollution

4. Ocean Acidification

5. Loss of Biodiversity

www.calacademy.org

c. Human Impact on Marine

Shorelines

Protective Structures

Humans have developed techniques to

stabilize shoreline erosion through the use of

HARD STABILIZATION STRUCTURES and

beach nourishment.

1. Groins

structure that is built perpendicular to a beach to prevent sand from moving

2. Seawall

built parallel to shore

to protect property

from breaking waves

3. Breakwater

structure build parallel to shore to

create a “quiet zone” between the

shore and the open ocean; used to

protect boats from large, breaking

waves

4. Beach Nourishment

adding additional sand to a beach to

replace sand that has been washed

away; alternative to building

protective structures