Mapping coasts

Mapping Our

Mapping Our

SANDVOLD

WORLD

Mapping

Titles in the Series

Mapping M i Coasts C

Mapping M i Mountains M i

Mapping M i O Oceans

Mapping Rivers

Mapping the Sky

Mapping M i Towns T and Cities

Mapping COASTS COASTS

How do captains guide their ships safely to harbors? How do meteorologists track powerful storms that threaten coastal towns? What helps scientists and researchers record places with the swiftest currents, the biggest reefs, and the largest oil reserves? The answer to these questions—and many more—is maps! Explore the fascinating and fragile world of our coasts, and learn firsthand how maps play an important part in helping us understand and protect them.

g n i p p Ma

WORLD

LYNNETTE BRENT SANDVOLD

Mapping LLynnette ynnette Brent Brent Sandvold Sandvold

Sewer

Oak Harbor Harbo Harb Har H bo b or o Mud and Sand

A

H

K

Pilings

A

8

11 10

1

13

11 1100

10

3

1

M

2

14

14 15

13

12

1100

11 11

10

1

Rocks

1

1

12

3

Marsh 1 Rocks

Marina

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12 1 13 13 1 R u i n s 13 Clay 14 13 P r i v 15 15 10 3 11 12 15 1 13 13 13 5 2 1 2 14 14 2 13 1 2 11 3 11 11 1 15 5 10 2 1 2 1 1 10 10 9 7 10 Mud 11 10

O

6

R

R

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Ramp

Mud

This edition first published in 2011 in the United States by Marshall Cavendish Benchmark. Marshall Cavendish Benchmark 99 White Plains Road Tarrytown, NY 10591 www.marshallcavendish.us Copyright © 2011 Q2AMedia Published by Marshall Cavendish Benchmark An imprint of Marshall Cavendish Corporation All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the copyright owner. Request for permission should be addressed to the Publisher, Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 99 White Plains Road, Tarrytown, NY 10591. Tel: (914) 332-8888, fax: (914) 332-1888. All Internet sites were available and accurate when this book was sent to press. This publication represents the opinions and views of the author based on Lynnette Brent Sandvold’s personal experience, knowledge, and research. The information in this book serves as a general guide only. The author and publisher have used their best efforts in preparing this book and disclaim liability rising directly and indirectly from the use and application of this book. Other Marshall Cavendish Offices: Marshall Cavendish International (Asia) Private Limited, 1 New Industrial Road, Singapore 536196 • Marshall Cavendish International (Thailand) Co Ltd. 253 Asoke, 12th Flr, Sukhumvit 21 Road, Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand • Marshall Cavendish (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd, Times Subang, Lot 46, Subang Hi-Tech Industrial Park, Batu Tiga, 40000 Shah Alam, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia Marshall Cavendish is a trademark of Times Publishing Limited Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Sandvold, Lynnette Brent. Mapping coasts. p. cm. — (Mapping our World) Includes bibliographical references and index. Summary: “Introduces maps and teaches essential mapping skills, including how to create, use, and interpret maps of coasts”—Provided by publisher. ISBN 978-1-60870-355-5 1. Coastal mapping. 2. Atlases. I. Title. G1021.S26 2011 526.0914’6—dc22 2010001561 Created by Q2AMedia Series Editor: Deborah Rogus Art Director: Harleen Mehta Client Service Manager: Santosh Vasudevan Project Manager: Kumar Kunal Line Artist: Vinay Kumar Coloring Artist: Subhash Vohra Photo research: Ekta Sharma The photographs in this book are used by permission and through the courtesy of: Cover: University of Hawaii Seal Level Center/NOAA Half title: Joe LeMonnier 4-5: Ron Dahlquist/Photolibrary; 6: Joe LeMonnier; 7: Joe LeMonnier; 10l: Christoffer Hansen Vika/Shutterstock;1 0r: Sean Gladwell/Shutterstock; 11: David Woolfenden/Shutterstock; 12t: Jon Arnold/Photolibrary; 12b: Joe LeMonnier; 14: Alfredo Ragazzoni/Shutterstock; 15: Joe LeMonnier; 16t: Celso Diniz/Shutterstock; 16b: Joe LeMonnier; 17: Joe LeMonnier; 18: Nancy Nehring/Istockphoto; 19: Dejan Sarman/Istockphoto; 20: Rich Carey/Shutterstock; 21: Jacques Descloitres, MODIS Rapid Response Team, NASA/GSFC; 22: Peter and Georgina Bowater/Photolibrary; 24: Lance Bellers/Istockphoto; 25: Joe LeMonnier; 27t: Joe LeMonnier; 27b: NASA; 29: Natasha Japp/Istockphoto Q2AMedia Art Bank: 8, 9, 11, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 23, 26, 28 Printed in Malaysia 135642

Contents Where Land Meets Sea .....................................4 Reading Maps ....................................................6 What Shapes Our Coastlines? ........................ 10 Life on the Coasts........................................... 14 Coastal Habitats.............................................. 18 Resources at the Coast................................... 22 Coasts in Crisis................................................ 26 Amazing Coasts .............................................. 29 Glossary .......................................................... 30 To Learn More ................................................ 31 Index................................................................ 32

Words in bold are defined in the Glossary.

Where Land Meets Sea Waves crash against rocks, and water stretches to the horizon. Where are you? You are on a coast— a place where the land meets the sea. Coasts are not only beautiful, they’re among Earth’s most varied and fascinating landforms. Coasts aren’t easy to describe. Why? Because no coastline is the same from moment to moment. Tides make the surface of the ocean rise and fall, constantly changing the place where the water meets the land. Waves pound the shore, breaking down rocks and moving or adding layers of sand and dirt. Rivers spill into oceans, depositing the debris they’ve gathered along the way. But nature isn’t the only thing that changes the coasts—people change them, too.

4

Why Map Coasts? Millions of people live, work, and play along the coasts. Coasts also provide safe harbors for ships and supply us with natural resources. Maps can show people the safest places to build, where to find resources, and how to navigate coasts safely. Maps are also important for environmental reasons. They help us figure out which coastlines are eroding, where pollution is occurring, and how coastal life is changing.

Did You Know? With more than 150,000 miles (241,400 kilometers) of coast, Canada has more coastline than any other country in the world.

The dramatic coasts of Maui, one of the Hawaiian Islands, were formed by volcanic eruptions millions of years ago.

5

Reading Maps Maps can provide information about Earth’s land and water features. For example, maps of coasts can show the depth of the water, tidal zones, currents, shipping routes, and natural features, such as coral reefs.

Using Map Tools COMPASS ROSE A compass rose shows the orientation of the directions: north, south, east, and west.

Even though there are many different types of maps, most maps have certain elements, or tools, in common. By learning to use these tools, you can read almost any map. 81°W

80°W

West Virginia

79°W

78°W

77°W

76°W

75°W

74°W

73°W

72°W

Virginia 38°N

N W

LINES OF LATITUDE These horizontal lines, also called parallels, run east to west and measure distance north or south of the equator. Lines of latitude are measured in degrees (°). Latitude measurements are given along the vertical axis of a map.

E S

37°N

36°N

North h Carolinaa

35°N South h Carolinaa

Water Level

0

6

100 miles

LINES OF LONGITUDE 0 ete 150 kilometers These vertical lines, also called meridians, measure the distance in degrees east to west of the prime meridian. The prime meridian is 0° and meridians measure MAP SCALE up to 180° east or west. Longitude This “ruler” shows the measurements are given along the re relationship between a certain horizontal axis of a map. distance on a map and the actual distance on Earth.

0 ft (0 m) -2 ft (-0.6 m) -4 ft ( -1.2 m) -6 ft (-1.8 m)

34°N

33°N

KEY or LEGEND A map key explains the colors and symbols that are used on the map.

What Maps Can We Use? We can use several types of maps to study coasts. Thematic maps show specific information about a geographic area, such as the movement of ocean currents along the coast, the temperature and depth of the water near the shore, or the location of natural resources. When we study coasts, we can also use weather maps to track storms approaching land, nautical charts to help navigate the coasts, and relief maps to identify natural features, such as trenches and reefs.

N

47°N

Aberdeen

E

W

Washington

S

46°N

Astoria Tillamook

Oregon

45°N

Waldport Florence

44°N

Coos Bay 43°N

Cape Blanco Gold Beach

42°N

Crescent City

California

41°N

127°W

126°W

125°W

124°W

123°W

Speed of Ocean Currents 0

3.9 7.9 11.8 15.7 19.7 23.6 27.6 31.5 inches/second

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80 centimeters/second

Map It! It! Current Map

Read It!

This map shows the ocean currents off the coasts of Washington, Oregon, and California.

The arrows show the direction of the currents, while the colors indicate current speeds. Use the key to find the speed of the currents at Waldport. In what direction is the current flowing at Aberdeen?

7

Tools of the Trade How do you map the features along a coast? With laser beams, GPS (Global Positioning System), sonar, and radar. One of the newest technologies is LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging). Sensors mounted on the bottom of small airplanes send laser beams to the water surface and the seafloor and record how long it takes each beam to reflect back to the plane. The collected data is then loaded onto a computer that identifies the exact longitude, latitude, and elevation of each place hit by a beam. This data is used to create detailed maps.

Measuring the Coastline Does the tool you use really matter when it comes to measuring a coast? It sure does. Mathematician Lewis Fry Richardson discovered that the smaller the measuring tool, the “longer” the coast. Imagine you could measure a coast using a ruler. In the first image, Great Britain’s coast is measured using a 124-mile (200-km) ruler. In the second image, a 62-mile (100-km) ruler is used. Finally, a 31-mile (50-km) ruler is used. When you add up all the measurements, you’d find that Great Britain’s coast is longer when the shortest ruler is used. Why? Because both ends of the ruler must touch the coast! A smaller tool touches more of the coastline and therefore measures more of the shapes that make up the jagged edges.

8

Materials

Activity

Measuring the Coastline

• paper • pencil • 2 index cards • ruler

What happens when you measure a coastline using different units of measurement? Try it yourself! 1

2

3

4

Make a map. Draw a coast on a piece of paper. The more jagged your coastline, the more interesting your results will be!

5

Measure the coast using card A. Follow the jagged edge of the coast the best you can. Twist and turn the card to measure. Count how many As it takes to get from one end of the coast to the other. Record the number in the chart in the column labeled How Many?

Copy the chart below onto a separate sheet of paper. Label one index card A. Cut the second index card into two pieces, making one piece longer than the other. Label the longer piece B and the shorter piece C.

6 7

Use your ruler to measure the length of each card. Record that measurement in the Unit Measurement column on your chart. Index Card

Unit Measurement

8

Repeat Step 5 using cards B and C. To get the length of the coastline, multiply the Unit Measurement (column 2) by the number in How Many? (column 3). Record your results. Compare your results. Are they different? Why do you think this happened?

How Many?

Length of Coastline (Unit Measure x How Many?)

A B C

9

What Shapes Our Coastlines? Wind, rain, snow, ice, and waves erode—or wear away—the shoreline. Tides and currents carry away sand and small rocks and deposit them somewhere else, sometimes creating an entirely new landform. Erosion like this happens wherever the land meets the sea. So why are some coasts smooth beaches while others are towering cliffs? The location of the coast and the type of rock it's made of affect how it erodes.

One Island, Many Coasts Great Britain’s coastline is more than 11,070 miles (17,815 km) long. The land is made up of many types of rock. Each type of rock erodes differently, which is one reason the coastline is so jagged and varied. Great Britain has nearly every type of coast and coastal feature! The White Cliffs of Dover

CARDIGAN BAY Rocky headlands slow down ocean waves before they reach the inland bay. However, the coast is made up of sand and clay, which erode quickly, leaving smooth, sandy beaches. Cardigan Bay is home to Atlantic grey seals.

Durdle Door

BRISTOL CHANNEL The coastline here is famous for many things, including shipwrecks! The tides are strong, and the coast has many small islands, stumps, and rocky outcroppings. Navigational tools are essential here.

1 10 0

LLYN PENINSULA This peninsula is one of the most scientifically important landforms in Great Britain. Its hills were once active volcanoes. In 1984, there was an earthquake under the peninsula.

SCOTLAND SC

N W

Lulworth Cove

E S

Newcastle upon Tyne

THE WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER

North N h Sea R.

Liverpooll Bay Liverpool

Leeds eds ffi Sheffield

Manchester

St. George’s Channel

re R. T

nt

WALES

ern R. Sev

Cardigan Bay

The Wash Nottingham ea t Ouse

Isle of Man

Because they are made of mostly chalk, these cliffs are whiter and smoother than other cliffs. The crashing waves erode the base at a rate of about 0.4 inches (1 centimeter) per year, forming flat, vertical cliffs.

Ou se

Birmingham

r R. G

ENGLAND es R. Tham

London

Bristol

Bristol Channel

Dover

Plymouth

Lyme Bay

Isle of Wight

Stra it o f

Do ve r

Southampton

FR RANC NC NCE FRANCE Land’s ’ End

English Channel

LAND’S END The strong ocean waves constantly crash into the hard rocks of Land’s End, taking chunks of the land back into the sea and leaving cliffs and sea stacks.

DURDLE DOOR This natural limestone arch is formed on a concordant coastline. Arches are formed when waves erode right through a sea stack.

LULWORTH COVE Lulworth is one of the most famous coves in the world. The waves attack the weak rocks, e eroding them away to form an inlet, then a circular bay, and finally the cove, or narrow entrance.

11

Location and Rocks Like other landforms, coasts form over thousands of years. Location affects how a coast is shaped. So does the type of rock. Areas of the shore that are made of hard rock—such as limestone and chalk—erode slowly and become headlands

that jut out into the ocean. Powerful ocean waves crash up against the rock and cut into it, creating jagged edges, cliffs, and sea stacks. Areas made of softer rock, sand, and clay erode more quickly. These areas become bays, which are surrounded by headlands. These headlands slow down waves so they are calmer. Rather than cutting away at the land, the waves evenly pull the soft sand and clay to the sea. Smooth, sandy beaches are left behind.

Land’s End—Great Britain’s westernmost point—is a headland that juts out into the Atlantic Ocean.

Beaufort Sea

N E

W S

Today, the Alaskan coast along the Beaufort Sea is eroding as much as 45 feet (14 meters) per year. This map shows how much the coastline has changed over the past twenty years. Both the coast and the land around the many lakes have been affected.

Alaska 0

2 miles

Land Gain Land Loss

12

Map It! It! Disappearing Coast

0

5 kilometers

Read It! The colors show the areas of land loss and land gain. Has more land been lost or gained along the coasts?

ay Harrison B Bay

Materials • 1 large rectangular pan, such as a 9” x 13” baking pan • 1 sponge • thick book (about 3 inches) • sand and gravel

Activity

Erosion in a Pan!

• water • ruler • watch or clock with a second hand • paper and colored pencils

Waves and weather erode a coast, changing the coastline. Create your own coast and see how it changes. 1

Set one end of your pan on the book so that the pan is tilted.

4

5

2

3

Add sand and gravel to the high end of the pan. Dampen the sand so it stays in place. Shape the sand into a coastline. Pour water into the low end of the pan until it reaches the coastline.

Use the ruler to measure the height of your coast (the sand above the water). Record it on your paper. Make a map of your coastline. Place a sponge in the water at the low end of the pan. Push down on the sponge to make waves in the water. Continue to gently push up and down for 10 seconds.

6

Measure the height of the coastline and record the measurement.

7

Using a different colored pencil, sketch the new coastline on your map.

8

Push up and down on the sponge again, this time for 30 seconds and with more force. Measure the coast. Draw the new coastline using a third colored pencil. What effect did the waves have on the coastline?

13

Life on the Coasts Calais, France. Mumbai, India. Tokyo, Japan. Galveston, Texas. What do these places have in common? They are all coastal cities. Some of the world’s earliest cities were built on coasts. Why? Living near water gave people access to transportation, trade, and food.

Dropping Anchor Cities founded along coasts quickly grew and became important centers of trade and tourism. And they continued to grow. Today, 75 percent of the world’s megacities are on coasts! Their harbors provide places for huge cargo ships to load and unload goods and for cruise ships to stop and pick up or drop off passengers.

Did You Know? The world’s longest cargo ships are 1,305 feet (398 m) long. That’s longer than four football fields! They can’t pull in to just any port!

14

The Gateway of India stands at the entrance to Mumbai Harbor on the Arabian Sea.

Navigating Harbors Imagine being at sea when you notice a huge storm approaching. How do you find shelter and get safely to shore? Using nautical charts and harbor maps! Nautical charts are updated constantly to show the currents and tides. The numbers on the chart show the depth of the water. Some charts have contour lines, which show the elevation of the ocean floor. The depth of the water changes as the tides change. When the tide is high, the water near the shore is deeper. But that high water can be dangerous—it can cover hazards, such as sandbars and sea stacks. Nautical charts help a captain steer a ship into a harbor without crashing into rocks or getting stuck in the mud or sand.

Map It! It! Nautical Chart

Read It!

This nautical chart of Oak Harbor in Washington shows the depth of the water at low tide and the features under the water, such as boulders, clay, mud, sand, and rocks.

The area shaded blue is the shallower water near the coast. The green areas show the land that is exposed during low tide. What areas should a captain avoid?

Mud and Sand

H

K

Pilings

8

1

1

1 3

2

11 10

S

Rocks

Marina

12

13

11 10

10

Shallow water

10

Low tide line

11

Buoys

11 10

E

W

R

1 12 Ramp 12 12 13 1 13 13 1 R u i n s 13 Clay 14 P riv 13 15 15 10 3 11 12 15 1 13 13 13 5 2 1 2 14 14 2 Mud 13 1 2 11 3 11 11 1 15 5 10 2 1 2 1 1 10 9 10 7 Oak 10 M u d Harbor Marina 11 10

A

O

6

1

N

O

B

R

A

Sewer

Oak Harbor

14

14

3

15 14

17 15

19 22

21

Marsh 1 Rocks 1

1 Rocks

1

Depths in feet at low tide

0

0.1 nautical mile

0

0.25 kilometer

15

Coastal Living

Ports in a Storm

Today, nearly half the world’s population lives on or near coasts. People don’t live only in big cities, either. Small towns line almost every shore. People are attracted to the beauty and recreation coasts provide. They are also drawn by work opportunities available in harbor cities.

Coastal living is attractive, but it can also be dangerous. There are nearly one hundred tropical cyclones every year. Any one of these storms can destroy cities and kill thousands of people. Scientists use weather maps to track tropical cyclones, such as hurricanes and typhoons, and warn the residents of coastal towns.

S

Alabama

Use the key to study the map. Where was the storm the strongest? What was the wind speed when the hurricane hit Louisiana?

16

Georgia

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf of Mexico coast in August 2005. It was the most destructive hurricane in the history of the United States. This map shows the path of the hurricane.

Read It!

North Carolina South Carolina

Tennessee

Mississippi na

Map It! It! Hurricane Katrina

E

W

North Carolina South Carolina

Mississippi

N

Louisia

More than 6 million people live in Rio de Janeiro on Brazil’s Atlantic coast. Thousands more vacation there every year.

GULF OF MEXICO

0

100 miles

0

150 kilometers MEXICO

Florida

CUBA

Storm Wind category speed 5

156 mph

4

131 mph

3

111 mph

2

96 mph

1

74 mph 39 mph

Activity

Materials • tracing paper • pencil

Track a Hurricane Tropical storms and hurricanes often change directions and speed. Scientists use satellite images and data to track storms. Follow these instructions to track a hurricane! 1

Trace the map below.

2

Using the coordinates in the chart to the right, plot each point on your map.

3

Draw the corresponding symbol to show the type of storm at each point. Study your map. In what direction did the tropical storm move? Where did the hurricane hit land?

VA

Tropical storm Tropical storm Hurricane Hurricane Hurricane Hurricane

40°N

N

MD

E

W S

NC

35°N

SC LA

TX

MS AL

GA

ATLANTIC OCEAN

30°N

FL

Gulf of Mexico

25°N

Latitude

4

Tropical storm

13ºN, 70ºW 15ºN, 75ºW 18ºN, 80ºW 20ºN, 84ºW 23ºN, 87ºW 25ºN, 90ºW 30ºN, 93ºW

20°N 15°N

Caribbean Sea PACIFIC OCEAN 100°W

95°W

10°N 90°W

85°W 80°W

75°W

70°W

65°W

60°W

Longitude 17

Coastal Habitats A habitat is a natural home that includes everything an organism needs to survive. Many plants and animals thrive in beautiful—yet sometimes fragile— coastal habitats. Mapping these habitats can help us protect them.

What’s It Called? Beaches, dunes, mangroves, marshes, everglades, reefs, and wetlands—these are just a few types of coastal habitats. Coastal habitats provide food and shelter for fish and marine animals. Some coastal habitats have important jobs, too. Marshes, for example, filter pollutants out of the water. Wetlands absorb floodwaters during storms. Coastal areas also provide resources and recreation for humans. The Florida Everglades have shrunk considerably over the past century. The Everglades is now a protected habitat and home to many endangered species, including the American alligator.

18

N

EXTENT OF THE EVERGLADES 1900 1999

E

W S

LAKE OKEECHOBEE

FLORIDA

Fort Lauderdale

Miami

GULF OF MEXICO

EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK

0

25 miles

0

40.23 kilometers

ATLANTIC OCEAN

ARCTIC OCEAN NORTH AMERICA

EUROPE

ASIA PACIFIC OCEAN

ATLANTIC OCEAN

AFRICA

0° Equator

INDIAN OCEAN

SOUTH AMERICA

AUSTRALIA PACIFIC OCEAN

Hawksbill sea turtle habitat

SOUTHERN OCEAN ANTARCTICA

Map It! It! Turtle Habitat

Read It!

Sea turtles live in many parts of the world. Believe it or not, some turtles actually live in the Gulf of Alaska and the Bering Sea. The hawksbill sea turtle lives mostly in tropical regions. It usually lives near coral reefs because it eats sponges, shellfish, sea urchins, fish, and jellyfish.

Look at the key. Which continental coasts do hawksbill sea turtles live near? Are there any continents surrounded by hawksbill sea turtle habitats?

Meet the Sea Cow! Manatees—sometimes known as sea cows—live in waters off the coasts of West Africa, the Caribbean islands, Central America, and Florida. Sadly, humans are destroying the manatee’s coastal habitats and harming these friendly, slow-moving mammals. They often get tangled in old fishing nets, swallow hooks, or eat harmful garbage. Many Florida manatees have scars from collisions with boats. Scientists are studying these animals and their habitats so they can better protect them.

19

Creature Features They look like rocks, but they’re alive! Tiny animals called coral polyps band together by the millions. As they band, they form rocklike shells. Groups of polyps create huge coastal structures called coral reefs. Coral reefs are important for many reasons. They protect coasts from erosion by slowing incoming waves. Scientists also use many organisms and minerals from coasts to make medicine. Mapping coral reefs helps us understand them, use them, and protect them.

Reefs are home to a wide variety of marine life–everything from tropical fish and sea turtles to sea stars and worms.

Arctic Ocean

Threats Tourism Poison fishing Overexploitation Sedimentation Coral harvesting Dynamite fishing Pollution

EUROPE

NORTH AMERICA

ASIA Atlantic Ocean AFRICA

Pacific Ocean

SOUTH AMERICA Indian Ocean

AUSTRALIA

Southern Ocean

20

Map It! It! Reefs at Risk

Read It!

These beautiful and important habitats are in serious danger. This map shows the major threats to coral reefs.

Use the key to study the map. What is the biggest threat to coral reefs in Central America?

Barnegat Light

Coastal Barriers Coastal barriers are long, narrow landforms that block the mainland, lagoons, and wetlands from the open sea. Barriers are home to a variety of fish and wildlife, and they protect the habitats between them and the mainland.

Loveladies Manahawkin Bay Harvey Cedars

NEW JERSEY North Beach Manahawkin

Surf City Ship Bottom

This map shows Long Beach Island, a barrier island off the coast of New Jersey.

Brant Beach

ATLANTIC OCEAN Spray Beach North Beach Haven Little Egg Harbor

Beach Haven

N Holgate

E W

C

NIFIC

NT

The Great Barrier Reef

G

S

E

MA

Coastal barriers and barrier islands also protect coastal cities during tropical storms by taking the full impact of the waves and wind. This is good for us, but bad for them. These natural barriers quickly erode and are often damaged by storms.

OASTS

Just off the coast of northeastern Australia is a series of 2,900 reefs, islands, and lagoons. Known as the Great Barrier Reef, it is the world’s largest living structure, stretching more than 1,200 miles (1,930 km). This natural wonder of the world is so large that it can even be seen from space!

21

Resources at the Coast Fish, oil, natural gas, coal, minerals, sand, timber—where can we find these valuable resources? Along our coasts, of course!

Drilling for Oil and Gas You might say coasts are the source of our power. You already know we drill for oil on land, but there is oil between rock layers in the sea, too. Survey ships use technology, such as radar, to detect oil under the seafloor and map its locations. Huge reserves of natural gas lie under the seafloor. People map the locations of natural gas fields to locate the best places to drill.

22

This rig is drilling for oil off the coast of West Africa. Rigs like this often drill near the shore.

Mining for Minerals Though you can’t see them, our coasts are rich with minerals, including tin, gold, diamonds, iron ore, and chromite. Recently, scientists discovered large deposits of heavy minerals along the coasts of the Bay of Bengal in India. These minerals, called ilmenite and rutile, have important industrial uses and are used in paint, paper, and plastic. An ore called monazite was also discovered along the Bay of Bengal coast. Metal extracted, or taken out, from this ore is used in nuclear power generation.

Map It! It! Oil and Gas

Read It!

The coast of Africa has large reserves of natural gas and oil. People use maps like this to determine where to drill.

The symbols show the natural gas and oil fields. The colors show the amount of natural gas reserves. How many oil fields are near the coast? Where are the natural gas reserves the largest?

M dit Mediterranean Sea

N E

W S

Red Sea

Africa Atlantic Ocean

Oil field Natural gas field

Indian Ocean

Oil field

more than 3,000 1,000-3,000 100-1,000 50-100 10-50 less than 10

Natural gas field

more than 3,000 1,000-3,000 100-1,000 50-100

23

Shoreline Breezes! Today, people are always looking for nonpolluting, renewable energy sources. And the coasts have plenty of it—wind! Scientists map ocean winds to figure out the best places to build wind farms on the coasts and offshore. They also map the coasts to figure out where they can put wind farms without harming local habitats.

Coming to a Coast Near You Wind farms will soon be popping up all along the U.S. Atlantic Coast. State leaders and scientists are working together to plan and create wind farms that are safe for people and ocean habitats.

Smells Fishy!

Europe is already using wind for energy. The huge wind turbines in this image are catching the ocean breezes off the coast of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England. Wind turns the blades, and the blades turn a shaft. A generator connected to the shaft creates electricity.

You might not think of the coast as a farm. But a healthy coastall habitat actually can produce more food per acre than the most fertile farmland. Why? The sand and water are rich in nutrients. People all over the world eat fish, which means there are a lot of fishing jobs—millions, in fact. Identifying the best places to fish makes mapping an important part of the industry. Fishers need other types of maps, too. For example, no-fishing maps show areas that are protected, so people know they cannot fish there.

24

136° E

138° E

140° E

142° E

144° E

146° E

148° E

150° E

N

36° S

E

W S

AUSTRALIA Portland

38° S

Melbourne

Barnsdale

INDIAN OCEAN 40° S

42° S

44° S

Capital city Major city Protected areas Total Annual Catch (pounds per square mile) 0-250 250-2,000 2000-8,000 over 8,000

PAC I F I C OCEAN

Ta s m a n i a Hobart

0 0

Disappearing Fish The demand for fish has caused many areas to be overfished. This means that so many fish are caught that there aren’t enough left to reproduce and maintain the population. If we don’t stop overfishing areas, many species of fish will disappear forever. Pollution is also killing fish. China’s waters have become so polluted that more than 65,250 square miles (169,000 square km) of its seas are no longer safe for marine life.

100 miles 150 kilometers

This map shows part of the southeast coastal region of Australia and the island of Tasmania. Where does the heaviest fishing occur? How many protected areas are there?

Did You Know? Ninety-nine percent of commercial ocean fish comes from waters within 200 nautical miles (370 km) of the coastline.

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Coasts in Crisis Overcrowding, pollution, global warming, erosion—these factors put our coasts at risk. How do maps help us study these problems?

Population Overload! The number of people living on or near the coast increases every year. Experts estimate that by 2025, 75 percent of the world’s population— 6.4 billion people—will live in coastal areas. In order to make room for all these people, coastal habitats are being destroyed and their resources are being used up. For example, mangroves are cut down and wetlands are being filled in or converted to fish farms. More construction and more people also means more erosion. The coasts are literally being washed out to sea, taking with them pollutants that harm marine habitats. VENEZUELA COLOMBIA

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FRENCH GUIANA

GUYANA

People Per Square Mile

W

E

SURINAME

S

Belem Manaus Fortaleza

BRAZIL

Recife

PERU

More than 250 125–250 25–125 2–25 Less than 2

ATLANTIC OCEAN

Salvador BOLIVIA

Goiânia

Brasilia Belo Horizonte

PACIFIC OCEAN CHILE

PARAGUAY

Sao Paulo Curitiba

ARGENTINA URUGUAY

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Porto Alegre

Rio de Janeiro

0

400 miles

0

400 kilometers

This map shows the population density of Brazil. See how many people live near the coasts? There are some inland areas with fewer than two people per square mile!

Global Warming Earth has warmed up by 1 degree Fahrenheit (0.6 °Celsius) over the past one hundred years. It may not seem like much, but 1°F makes a big difference! Scientists say the cause is greenhouse gases, which trap heat close to Earth. This increase in temperature can dramatically change climates, raise sea levels, and forever change the wildlife on the planet. Scientists map the rise in coastal waters and monitor the loss of coastal land.

DENMARK

NORTH SEA

S

Coastline today Predicted coastline after severe global warming Hamburg Bremen

NETHERLANDS Amsterdam The Hague

Utrecht Rotterdam

BELGIUM

GERMANY

0

50 miles

0

75 kilometers

NIFIC

NT

C

G

E

E

MA

See the coastal areas shaded blue? If the sea level rose 9.8 feet (3 m), they would be underwater.

N W

OASTS

Antarctic Peninsula

Southern Ocean

The Antarctic Peninsula is home to penguins, seals, and birds that live and hunt in the coastal waters. The peninsula’s snowy coast was shaped largely by glaciers. But the land is quickly changing due to rising temperatures. In the past twenty years, seven ice shelves along the peninsula have gotten smaller or have completely melted.

Antarctica

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The Pollution Factor People moving to the coasts bring more than their belongings—they bring pollution! Storm drains and factories dump waste and chemicals into the water. Tankers spill oil, and underwater pipes rupture. Trash finds its way to sea, too. All this pollution harms the water and the plants and creatures that live there. Pollution is causing coastal wetlands to disappear at an alarming rate. Why does it matter? Wetlands are the only habitats for certain plants, fish, and animals. They will die if the wetlands are destroyed. The wetland plants also anchor shorelines. Without the wetlands, more of the coast will erode away.

JAPAN

PACIFIC OCEAN Level of Human Impact Very High Impact High Impact Medium Impact Low Impact

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Map It! It! Ocean Pollution

Read It!

Much of the world’s coastlines have been affected by human activities. These activities result in contaminated water, increases in the ocean temperature, and other dangers. In areas most affected, animals and plants living there are threatened with extinction.

This map was designed to show the coastal areas humans have impacted the most. Using the key, study the coast of Japan. What impact have humans had on the coast of Japan?

Amazing Coasts Why are coasts so spectacular? Read to find out! • The Kuroshio Current, which flows along the east coast of Japan, can travel between 24.9 and 75.2 miles (40 and 121 km) per day! • The Bempton Cliffs on the coast of England look like they are moving! That’s because more than 200,000 seabirds live in the cracks and crevices of these magnificent coastal cliffs. • Coral reefs are found in the coastal waters off the shores of 109 countries around the world. • The world has more than 315,000 miles (506,900 km) of coastline. If you could stretch them out, the coastlines would circle the equator twelve times! • Coast redwoods, the tallest living things on Earth, grow naturally in only one place—a 450-mile (724-km) strip of coast that stretches from southern Oregon to Monterey, California. • Cox’s Bazar Beach in Bangladesh is the world’s longest natural sandy beach at 77 miles (125 km). • The U.S. Coast Guard—with more than 40,000 members—keeps our coasts safe in many ways, such as watching for hostile invaders, keeping an eye on hurricanes, and responding to weather threats.

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Glossary concordant coastline A coastline where layers of different types of rock are folded into ridges that run alongside the coast. The outer layer of hard rock protects the coast from erosion.

lagoons Areas of shallow water separated from the sea by low, sandy dunes.

debris Pieces of rock, sand, dirt, or other material.

marshes Low, wet lands with several types of grasses.

dunes Sand hills or ridges formed by the wind, usually in deserts or near oceans and lakes. elevation The height of a landform.

navigate To find or plan a route from one place to another. organism Form of life, such as animal, plant, or fungi.

global warming An increase in the average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere.

pollutants Substances that harm the air, soil, water, or other natural resources.

GPS Global Positioning System; a system for navigating that uses satellites and computers to determine position.

radar A system that determines location by measuring the time for a radio wave to an object and back to the source.

greenhouse gases Gases in the atmosphere that trap the Sun’s energy and cause Earth’s surface temperature to rise.

reserve Amount of material, such as oil or natural gas, available for future use.

harbors Places where ships can dock to be protected from winds, waves, and currents. headlands High points of rock or land that extend into a large body of water; land surrounded by water on three sides.

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mangroves Tropical trees and shrubs with aboveground roots that grow in marshes or tidal shores.

sandbars Ridges of sand formed along a shore by waves and currents. sea stacks Masses of rock in the sea that broke away from the coast because of the action of waves.

sonar System for finding objects underwater and measuring water’s depth by timing how long it takes for an echo to return from the ocean floor. tidal zones Areas that are affected by the action of the tides (the rise and fall of ocean waters). tides The rise and fall of the ocean waters every twelve hours that are caused by the attraction between Earth and the Moon. tropical cyclones Storms that start over tropical ocean areas and can develop into hurricanes and typhoons. wetlands Lands with wet and spongy soil, such as swamps and bogs.

To Learn More Books Claybourne, Anna. The World’s Most Amazing Coasts. Mankato, MN: Heinemann-Raintree, 2009. Readers will discover some of the amazing features found along the world’s coasts and learn about the plants and animals that live there. Green, Jen. Coastlines Around the World. New York: Rosen, 2009. Read more about the location, population, industry, and environment of the of the world's most interesting and beautiful coasts. Morrison, Taylor. The Coast Mappers. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, 2004. Readers will get to know the men who risked their lives to map the coasts during the 1800s.

Websites www.noaa.gov/coasts.html This website from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration details efforts to protect, preserve, manage, and restore coastlines. http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/photos/coastlinesgallery.html This National Geographic photo gallery highlights stunning coasts around the world from Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to the Pacific island of Palau. www.fema.gov/kids/hurr.htm From hurricane facts and photographs to how to prepare for them and track them, readers will learn more about these powerful coast-threatening storms.

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Index Alaskan coast, 12 alligator, American, 18 Antarctic Peninsula, 27 Arabian Sea, 14 Atlantic coast, 16 barrier islands, 21 Bay of Bengal, 23 Beaufort Sea, 12 Bempton Cliffs, 29 Brazil, 16, 26 Bristol Channel, 10, 11 Cardigan Bay, 10, 11 coastal barriers, 21 coastal habitat, 18, 19, 24, 26 coastal land, 27 coastal living, 16 coastal resources, 22, 23 coastal waters, 27, 29 coastline, 4, 5, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 25, 27, 28, 29 coast redwoods, 29 compass rose, 6 concordant coastline, 11 contour lines, 15 coral polyps, 20 coral reefs, 6, 19, 20, 29 Cox’s Bazar Beach, Bangladesh, 29 dunes, 18 Durdle Door, 10, 11 elevation, 8, 15 erosion, 10, 13, 20, 26 Everglades, Florida, 18 fishing, 24, 25

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Gateway of India, 14 global warming, 26, 27 GPS (Global Positioning System), 8 Great Barrier Reef, 21 greenhouse gases, 27 Gulf of Mexico, 16, 18

Oak Harbor, Washington, 15 ocean current, 7 ocean habitat, 24 ocean pollution, 28 ocean waves, 10, 11, 12 oil, 22, 23 organism, 18, 20

harbor, 14, 15 hawksbill sea turtle, 19 headlands, 10, 12 hurricane, 16, 17 Hurricane Katrina, 16

pollutants, 18, 26 pollution, 28 population density, 26 prime meridian, 6

key, 6, 7, 20 Kuroshio Current, 29 lagoons, 21 Land’s End, 11, 12 latitude, 6, 8, 17 LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), 8 Llyn Peninsula, 11 Long Beach Island, 21 longitude, 6, 8, 17 Lulworth Cove, 11 manatees, 19 mangroves, 18, 26 map scale, 6 marine animals, 18 marine habitat, 26 marshes, 18 Maui, Hawaii, 5 meridian, 6 minerals, 23 Mumbai Harbor, India, 14 nautical charts, 7, 15 navigate, 5, 7

radar, 8, 22 relief map, 7 reserve, 22, 23 Richardson, Lewis Fry, 8 sandbars, 15 sea stacks, 11, 12, 15 sensors, 8 sonar, 8 thematic map, 7 tidal zones, 6 tides, 4, 14 trench, 7 tropical cyclones, 16, 17 typhoon, 16 U.S. Coast Guard, 29 volcanic eruptions, 5 weather map, 7, 16 weather threats, 29 West African coast, 22 wetlands, 18, 21, 26, 28 White Cliffs of Dover, 10, 11 wind farms, 24