Morphodynamics. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press,
pp. 121–186.
Shepard, F. P., 1960. Gulf coast barriers. In Shepard, F. P., Phleger,
F. B., and van Andel, T. H. (eds.), Recent Sediments, Northwest
Gulf of Mexico. Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum
Geologists.
Zenkovich, V. P., 1967. Processes of Coastal Development.
Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd.
Cross-references
Backbarrier
Barrier Island
COASTAL BAYS
Michael J. Kennish
Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences,
School of Environmental and Biological Sciences,
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
Synonyms
Coastal lagoon; Estuary
Definition
Coastal bays are bodies of water of variable size, shape,
and morphology formed by the indentation or concavity
of the coastline of an ocean or sea. Some investigators
include coastal lagoons or enclosed embayments in this
definition (Anderson et al., 2010; Glibert et al., 2010).
Coastal bays are substantially smaller than a bight (e.g.,
New York Bight), gulf (e.g., Gulf of Mexico), sea (Sea
of Japan), or sound (Long Island Sound).
Description
A range of coastal bays exists worldwide from water bodies largely exposed to the sea to those totally enclosed or
nearly totally enclosed by the sea. As stated by Oertel
(2005), “headland shores are often seaward of an inundated shore forming an irregular coastline.” These headlands usually consist of harder rocks or consolidated
sediments more resistant to erosion than those underlying
the inundated shore. As a result they form promontories,
with the softer substrate, which erodes more rapidly,
forming the concavity of the shoreline. This process can
lead to the formation of coastal bays.
Bibliography
Anderson, I. C., Stanhope, J. W., Hardison, A. K., and McGlathery,
K. J., 2010. Sources and fates of nitrogen in Virginia coastal
bays. In Kennish, M. J., and Paerl, H. W. (eds.), Coastal
Lagoons: Habitats of Environmental Change. Boca Raton:
CRC Press, Taylor and Francis, pp. 43–72.
Glibert, P. M., Boyer, J. N., Heil, C. A., Madden, C. J., Sturgis, B.,
and Wazniak, C. S., 2010. Blooms in lagoons: different from
those of river-dominated estuaries. In Kennish, M. J., and Paerl,
H. W. (eds.), Coastal Lagoons: Habitats of Environmental
Change. Boca Raton: CRC Press, Taylor and Francis,
pp. 91–114.
Oertel, G. F., 2005. Coastal lakes and lagoons. In Schwartz, M. L.
(ed.), Encyclopedia of Coastal Science. Dordrecht: Springer,
pp. 263–266.
Cross-references
Coastal Lagoons
River-Dominated Estuary
Tectonic Eustasy
COASTAL CLIFFS
Nils-Axel Mörner
Paleogeophysics and Geodynamics, Saltsjöbaden,
Sweden
Synonyms
Fossil cliffs; Notches
Definition
Coastal cliffs are steep erosional slopes bordering the
sea or estuary, in rocky as well as in sedimentary environments. They are common features all over the world
(Trenshaile, 1987; Sunamura, 1992; Griggs and
Trenshaile, 1994).
Description
In coastal erosive environments, the shore often takes the
form of a steep slope or cliff (smaller forms $1 m in size
are termed notches). When formed in rocks, the cliff
may terminate in the sea or estuary. In most cases,
there is a small active shore just beneath the cliff.
In uplifted areas, fossil cliffs (or dead cliffs) may occur.
They reflect previous sea-level positions. Along subsiding
coasts, one may find submarine drawn cliffs.
Cliff erosion usually feeds lateral accumulation of
beach material by long-shore drift. The position with
respect to mean sea level of the breaking point between
an actively wave-washed shore and a steeply rising cliff
foot depends on a number of different dynamic factors
(which may change over time).
Bibliography
Griggs, G. B., and Trenshaile, A. S., 1994. Coastal cliffs and
platforms. In Carter, R. W. G., and Woodroffe, C. D. (eds.), Coastal
Evolution. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 425–450.
Sunamura, T., 1992. Geomorphology of Rocky Coasts. Chichester:
Wiley.
Trenshaile, A. S., 1987. The Geomorphology of Rocky Coasts.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Cross-references
Coastal Landforms
Uplifted Coasts
130
COASTAL BAYS
pp. 121–186.
Shepard, F. P., 1960. Gulf coast barriers. In Shepard, F. P., Phleger,
F. B., and van Andel, T. H. (eds.), Recent Sediments, Northwest
Gulf of Mexico. Tulsa: American Association of Petroleum
Geologists.
Zenkovich, V. P., 1967. Processes of Coastal Development.
Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd.
Cross-references
Backbarrier
Barrier Island
COASTAL BAYS
Michael J. Kennish
Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences,
School of Environmental and Biological Sciences,
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
Synonyms
Coastal lagoon; Estuary
Definition
Coastal bays are bodies of water of variable size, shape,
and morphology formed by the indentation or concavity
of the coastline of an ocean or sea. Some investigators
include coastal lagoons or enclosed embayments in this
definition (Anderson et al., 2010; Glibert et al., 2010).
Coastal bays are substantially smaller than a bight (e.g.,
New York Bight), gulf (e.g., Gulf of Mexico), sea (Sea
of Japan), or sound (Long Island Sound).
Description
A range of coastal bays exists worldwide from water bodies largely exposed to the sea to those totally enclosed or
nearly totally enclosed by the sea. As stated by Oertel
(2005), “headland shores are often seaward of an inundated shore forming an irregular coastline.” These headlands usually consist of harder rocks or consolidated
sediments more resistant to erosion than those underlying
the inundated shore. As a result they form promontories,
with the softer substrate, which erodes more rapidly,
forming the concavity of the shoreline. This process can
lead to the formation of coastal bays.
Bibliography
Anderson, I. C., Stanhope, J. W., Hardison, A. K., and McGlathery,
K. J., 2010. Sources and fates of nitrogen in Virginia coastal
bays. In Kennish, M. J., and Paerl, H. W. (eds.), Coastal
Lagoons: Habitats of Environmental Change. Boca Raton:
CRC Press, Taylor and Francis, pp. 43–72.
Glibert, P. M., Boyer, J. N., Heil, C. A., Madden, C. J., Sturgis, B.,
and Wazniak, C. S., 2010. Blooms in lagoons: different from
those of river-dominated estuaries. In Kennish, M. J., and Paerl,
H. W. (eds.), Coastal Lagoons: Habitats of Environmental
Change. Boca Raton: CRC Press, Taylor and Francis,
pp. 91–114.
Oertel, G. F., 2005. Coastal lakes and lagoons. In Schwartz, M. L.
(ed.), Encyclopedia of Coastal Science. Dordrecht: Springer,
pp. 263–266.
Cross-references
Coastal Lagoons
River-Dominated Estuary
Tectonic Eustasy
COASTAL CLIFFS
Nils-Axel Mörner
Paleogeophysics and Geodynamics, Saltsjöbaden,
Sweden
Synonyms
Fossil cliffs; Notches
Definition
Coastal cliffs are steep erosional slopes bordering the
sea or estuary, in rocky as well as in sedimentary environments. They are common features all over the world
(Trenshaile, 1987; Sunamura, 1992; Griggs and
Trenshaile, 1994).
Description
In coastal erosive environments, the shore often takes the
form of a steep slope or cliff (smaller forms $1 m in size
are termed notches). When formed in rocks, the cliff
may terminate in the sea or estuary. In most cases,
there is a small active shore just beneath the cliff.
In uplifted areas, fossil cliffs (or dead cliffs) may occur.
They reflect previous sea-level positions. Along subsiding
coasts, one may find submarine drawn cliffs.
Cliff erosion usually feeds lateral accumulation of
beach material by long-shore drift. The position with
respect to mean sea level of the breaking point between
an actively wave-washed shore and a steeply rising cliff
foot depends on a number of different dynamic factors
(which may change over time).
Bibliography
Griggs, G. B., and Trenshaile, A. S., 1994. Coastal cliffs and
platforms. In Carter, R. W. G., and Woodroffe, C. D. (eds.), Coastal
Evolution. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 425–450.
Sunamura, T., 1992. Geomorphology of Rocky Coasts. Chichester:
Wiley.
Trenshaile, A. S., 1987. The Geomorphology of Rocky Coasts.
Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Cross-references
Coastal Landforms
Uplifted Coasts
130
COASTAL BAYS