How do barrier islands protect beaches? What happens when these natural barriers are destroyed?
Answers
Explanation:
Most barrier islands are a few kilometers wide and tens of kilometers long. In its natural state, a barrier island acts as the first line of defense against storms such as hurricanes. When barrier islands are urbanized, hurricanes damage houses and businesses rather than vegetated sandy areas in which sand can move.
Barrier islands protect about 10 percent of coastlines worldwide. When hurricanes and storms make landfall, these strands absorb much of their force, reducing wave energy and protecting inland areas. They also provide a sheltered environment that enables estuaries and marshes to form behind them.
Most barrier islands are a few kilometers wide and tens of kilometers long. In its natural state, a barrier island acts as the first line of defense against storms such as hurricanes. When barrier islands are urbanized, hurricanes damage houses and businesses rather than vegetated sandy areas in which sand can move.
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