B
BACK DUNE
Ken Munyikwa
Centre for Science, Athabasca University, Athabasca,
Alberta, Canada
Synonyms
Coastal strand; Rear dune; Secondary dune
Definition
Back dune is a generic term for established dunes in
a coastal setting that lie detached from the shoreline by
other dunes referred to as foredunes (Salm et al., 2000;
Hansen et al., 2002; Hansen et al., 2010; West, 2004).
The location of the back dunes behind the foredunes
generally offers them protection from the direct effects
of onshore winds such that the deposition of new sediment
or erosion by wind is often minimal (Timmons et al.,
2007). As a result, soils may develop on the surface of
the back dunes and vegetal communities usually flourish.
Blowouts may develop on back dunes if the vegetation on
the dunes is disrupted naturally or by human activity.
Origin: The term back dune has no morphogenetic
connotations. Hence, any dune shape formed by any process could be described as a back dune. In many cases
back dunes are former foredunes and parabolic dunes that
become stable. Thus, the term back dune is more of
a descriptive term for an environment of occurrence than
a genetic term.
Bibliography
Hansen, E. C., Arbogast, A. F., Packman, S. C., and Hansen, B.,
2002. Post-Nipissing origin of a backdune complex along the
southeastern shore of Lake Michigan. Physical Geography, 23,
233–244.
Hansen, E. C., Fisher, T. G., Arbogast, A. F., and Bateman, M. D.,
2010. Geomorphic history of low-perched, transgressive dune
complexes along the southeastern shore of Lake Michigan.
Aeolian Research, 1, 111–127.
Timmons, E. A., Fisher, T. G., Hansen, E. C., Eisaman, E., Daly, T.,
and Kashgarian, M., 2007. Elucidating aeolian dune history from
lacustrine records in the Lake Michigan Coastal Zone, USA.
Holocene, 17, 789–801.
Salm, R. V., Clark, J. R., and Siirla, E., 2000. Marine and Protected
Coastal Areas: A Guide for Planners and Managers, 3rd edn.
Gland, Switzerland/Cambridge, UK: International Union for
Conservation and Natural Resources (IUCN).
West, N., 2004. Marine Affairs Dictionary: Terms, Concepts, Laws,
Court Cases and International Conventions and Agreements.
Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.
BACKBARRIER
Joseph F. Donoghue
School of Geology, Oklahoma State University,
Stillwater, OK, USA
Definition
The backbarrier complex lies between the landward side
of a barrier island and the mainland. It encompasses
a suite of subaerial, intertidal, and subaqueous depositional environments. The preservation potential for
some segments of the backbarrier complex, specifically
inlet and flood-tidal delta deposits, is high. Such sediments comprise a large portion of ancient clastic coastal
deposits.
Introduction
The backbarrier is a sedimentary environment dominated
by fine sand and mud, although significant amounts of
coarser sediment may occur locally (Howard and Frey,
1985). Large-scale planar and trough cross-bedding is common, along with graded beds and sand-mud interbedding.
M.J. Kennish (ed.), Encyclopedia of Estuaries, DOI 10.1007/978-94-017-8801-4,
© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2016
BACK DUNE
Ken Munyikwa
Centre for Science, Athabasca University, Athabasca,
Alberta, Canada
Synonyms
Coastal strand; Rear dune; Secondary dune
Definition
Back dune is a generic term for established dunes in
a coastal setting that lie detached from the shoreline by
other dunes referred to as foredunes (Salm et al., 2000;
Hansen et al., 2002; Hansen et al., 2010; West, 2004).
The location of the back dunes behind the foredunes
generally offers them protection from the direct effects
of onshore winds such that the deposition of new sediment
or erosion by wind is often minimal (Timmons et al.,
2007). As a result, soils may develop on the surface of
the back dunes and vegetal communities usually flourish.
Blowouts may develop on back dunes if the vegetation on
the dunes is disrupted naturally or by human activity.
Origin: The term back dune has no morphogenetic
connotations. Hence, any dune shape formed by any process could be described as a back dune. In many cases
back dunes are former foredunes and parabolic dunes that
become stable. Thus, the term back dune is more of
a descriptive term for an environment of occurrence than
a genetic term.
Bibliography
Hansen, E. C., Arbogast, A. F., Packman, S. C., and Hansen, B.,
2002. Post-Nipissing origin of a backdune complex along the
southeastern shore of Lake Michigan. Physical Geography, 23,
233–244.
Hansen, E. C., Fisher, T. G., Arbogast, A. F., and Bateman, M. D.,
2010. Geomorphic history of low-perched, transgressive dune
complexes along the southeastern shore of Lake Michigan.
Aeolian Research, 1, 111–127.
Timmons, E. A., Fisher, T. G., Hansen, E. C., Eisaman, E., Daly, T.,
and Kashgarian, M., 2007. Elucidating aeolian dune history from
lacustrine records in the Lake Michigan Coastal Zone, USA.
Holocene, 17, 789–801.
Salm, R. V., Clark, J. R., and Siirla, E., 2000. Marine and Protected
Coastal Areas: A Guide for Planners and Managers, 3rd edn.
Gland, Switzerland/Cambridge, UK: International Union for
Conservation and Natural Resources (IUCN).
West, N., 2004. Marine Affairs Dictionary: Terms, Concepts, Laws,
Court Cases and International Conventions and Agreements.
Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group.
BACKBARRIER
Joseph F. Donoghue
School of Geology, Oklahoma State University,
Stillwater, OK, USA
Definition
The backbarrier complex lies between the landward side
of a barrier island and the mainland. It encompasses
a suite of subaerial, intertidal, and subaqueous depositional environments. The preservation potential for
some segments of the backbarrier complex, specifically
inlet and flood-tidal delta deposits, is high. Such sediments comprise a large portion of ancient clastic coastal
deposits.
Introduction
The backbarrier is a sedimentary environment dominated
by fine sand and mud, although significant amounts of
coarser sediment may occur locally (Howard and Frey,
1985). Large-scale planar and trough cross-bedding is common, along with graded beds and sand-mud interbedding.
M.J. Kennish (ed.), Encyclopedia of Estuaries, DOI 10.1007/978-94-017-8801-4,
© Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2016