History of Eastern United States coast barrier islands land change Research Proposal

History of Eastern United States coast barrier islands land change - Research Proposal Example They also connected many people with the shore. Pleasure and comfort was on the peak in the island making investments to be on the rise (Jones and Mike 2011, 15-16). Hotels and cottages came into place on the coast. The vegetation around was not the same all over as most of it would be destroyed by the sea water (Parry 2007, 35-36; Goudie, and Cuff 2008, 25). The long island beaches are barren with no vegetation while the other side of the island is covered with a dense forest of trees   (Gray 2008, p57). Most of the beaches are sandy in nature hence the need for the barriers to reduce soil erosion (Robinson 2005, p57; MacCracken and Frances 2008, 76). The coastal zone has been home to almost two thirds of the population in America. Along it are the slender and fragile silvers of sand that act as the barriers. They have been maintained for a longer period as a result of the frequent hurricanes and tides that affect the area often (Pilkey, and Rob 2008 ). The people in the area started building the barriers at the end of the last ice age. During this period, there was a steady rise in the sea level and it went ahead to flood the coastal river valleys claiming several lives. They went ahead to form the first barrier on the higher grounds in areas that were non-drowned and near river valleys (Pilkey and Pilkey 2007, 25). Barriers have over the years been considered to be young geologically and will always shift and slide with response to the ocean currents and winds available (Rice, Pilkey and Tracy 2004, 103). However, currently the barriers have been built and maintained by considering the interaction of rivers which is a complex phenomenon. The river now brings sediments from the inland areas and deposits it along the coast (Mirko 2006, 8). The wind then builds the deposited material and they become dunes. In case the dunes become stronger, there are plants that grow on it and therefore help