The chenier plain coastal system of Guyana

Abstract

The low chenier coast of northeastern of South America bears Holocene cheniers which are considered as useful features because they protect the coast against marine erosion as sites for human settlement, and the transportation network. The relationship between chenier formation and the morphology of the coast is striking. Most cheniers in Guyana are old features. It is believed that clusters of cheniers were formed when large quantities of sand were available during periods of dry climatic conditions. When fine particles were transported by the streams towards the sea during pluvial climates, chenier formation naturally decreased. A similar cycle of shorter duration based on the movements of mud shoals in the nearshore area of the continental shelf affects the coastal process, resulting in the formation or destruction of cheniers. On the Guyana coast chenier formation is not as active as on the Suriname coast. Much research is necessary to survey and protect these important features.