Chapter Four - Coastal Landform Changes: Coastal Erosion, Land Accretion and Subsidence

Abstract

The coastal environment around the world is made up of a wide variety of landforms manifested in a spectrum of sizes and shapes ranging from gently sloping beaches to high cliffs and from bars to off-shore islands. Coastal landforms include both depositional (e.g., sand spits, dunes, shore platforms, tombolo, and cuspate forelands) and erosional (e.g., sea cliffs, sea arches, and sea stacks) features. As one of the most dynamic environments, coastal landforms' constant changes are the result of both human activities and physical processes. Over four billion people worldwide now live on the coast. With rapid coastal population growth, human impact on coastal regions increased dramatically during the 20th century, and this trend will continue through the 21st century. Human interventions have led to widespread conversion of natural coastal landscapes to agriculture, aquaculture, and silviculture, as well as to industrial and residential uses. After providing broader perspectives, this chapters discusses coastal landform changes in Bangladesh. Based on the information presented in this chapter, a few recommendations are made to arrest erosion and help accretion in the coastal belt of the country.