|
|
Article: Houses on the sand.(SPECTRUM)(coastal erosion)
- Article from:
- Environment
- Article date:
- November 1, 2005
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Heldref Publications. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
When surf pounds and currents sweep against coastlines, erosion is inevitable, but Texas A & M researchers say that the combination of overdevelopment and sea-level rise associated with climate change will only make the problem worse. According to their article, which appeared in the September issue of Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, development along the coasts can exacerbate the issue by confining sand dune plants to a narrow area.
In most circumstances, as coastlines erode, dune plant communities slowly migrate away from the ocean, unless they are blocked by a barrier such as a cliff. In areas like Galveston Island, a ragged knife-shaped strip of ...