The Disappearing Island

Every land mass on Earth has miles of coast at the interface between the hydrosphere and the lithosphere.
Furthermore, natural forces such as wind, waves and currents are constantly shaping the coastal regions.
In addition, several other factors result in changes to coasts. Amongst these are winter storms, hurricanes,
typhoons and tsunamis which result in major coastal changes over very short time periods. These are
referred to as catastrophic events because of the extensive damage that is caused and the unpredictable
nature of the event. Additionally, humans have been struggling to control the destructive forces associated
with the everyday erosion of the coast, as well as the catastrophic events. The natural factors that
influence the coast are; the sand sources and sinks; changes in relative sea level; geological characteristics
of the shore; sand size, density and shape; sand-sharing systems of beaches, dunes and offshore bars;
effects of waves, currents, tides and wind; bathymetry of the offshore sea bottom. Other coastal erosion
factors include: effects of human impact, such as construction of artificial structures; mining of beach
sand; offshore dredging, or building of dams or rivers; loss of sediment offshore, onshore, alongshore and
by attrition; reduction in sediment supply due to deceleration cliff erosion; reduction in sediment supply
from the sea floor; increased storminess in coastal areas or changes in angle of wave approach; increase in
beach saturation due to a higher water table or increased precipitation. In many areas, coastal erosion is a
growing problem, driven by natural processes which are exacerbated by the upstream construction of
dams and the development of other forms of coastal infrastructure such as artificial lagoons and the
clearing of mangrove systems. In the longer term, climate change is also a major threat to critical coastal
ecosystems such as the Nile, the Niger and other low-lying deltas and oceanic islands, particularly in the
Indian Ocean, which may be inundated by rising sea levels.
Reference:
Culture Vannin. (2017). The Disappearing Island: The Problem of Coastal Erosion on the Isle of Man.
Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aBpN5u062U&feature=youtu.be.