Coastal ecosystems like mangroves and seagrasses have a much higher capacity for carbon sequestration than many terrestrial ecosystems, and as such can play a critical role in the near-future to help mitigate climate change effects by uptake of atmospheric anthropogenic carbon dioxide. In many countries, mangroves are the primary source of wood for fuel (e.g. Marine coastal ecosystems can also provide protection against sea level rise and tsunamis. Other coastal spaces like beaches and seaside resorts generate large revenues through tourism. Coastal fisheries (commercial, recreational, and subsistence) and aquaculture are major economic activities and create jobs, livelihoods, and protein for the majority of coastal human populations. For example, important human activities happen in port cities. Due to its importance in society and its high population concentrations, the coast is important for major parts of the global food and economic system, and they provide many ecosystem services to humankind. Along tropical coasts with clear, nutrient-poor water, coral reefs can often be found between depths of 1–50 meters (3.3–164.0 feet).Īccording to an atlas prepared by the United Nations, 44% of all humans live within 150 km (93 mi) of the sea. In physical oceanography, a shore is the wider fringe that is geologically modified by the action of the body of water past and present, while the beach is at the edge of the shore, representing the intertidal zone where there is one. mussels, starfish, barnacles) and various kinds of seaweeds. Rocky shores are usually found along exposed coasts and provide habitat for a wide range of sessile animals (e.g. In wave-protected areas they harbor saltmarshes, mangroves or seagrasses, all of which can provide nursery habitat for finfish, shellfish, and other aquatic species. On land, they harbor important ecosystems such as freshwater or estuarine wetlands, which are important for bird populations and other terrestrial animals. Coasts are important zones in natural ecosystems, often home to a wide range of biodiversity. The Earth has around 620,000 kilometres (390,000 mi) of coastline. The geological composition of rock and soil dictates the type of shore which is created. Shores are influenced by the topography of the surrounding landscape, as well as by water induced erosion, such as waves. The coast, also known as the coastline or seashore, is defined as the area where land meets the ocean, or as a line that forms the boundary between the land and the coastline. Rugged coastline of the West Coast Region of New Zealand Southeast coast of Greenland Escorca coast, Serra de Tramuntana ( Balearic Islands) Sunrise on the Jersey Shore coastline at Spring Lake, New Jersey, U.S. For other uses, see Shore (disambiguation) and Shoreline (disambiguation).
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