What is a Barrier Island Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

What is a Barrier Island - Essay Example Barrier island is normally a thin and elongated area of land that is largely made up of sand. Habitat: Barrier islands are located on the North America east coast in such places as North Carolina, New Jersey, and Florida. Some barrier islands are also situated along the gulf coast, i.e. Louisiana. Different components of a typical barrier island include but are not limited to dunes, salt marshes, oceans, mainlands, back dunes, and bays. A dune is a hilly area made up of sand brought with the passage of wind. Back due, as the name implies, forms that rear part of a dune. When salt water overflows somewhere, flat pieces of land emerge that are known as salt marshes. Small bodies of water that are distant from the main water body with a large volume are known as bays. All of these places provide different types of organisms with habitat. Organisms like spiders, egg-laying animals usually occupy the regions in the vicinity of the dunes or oceans. Some of the most common animals that live on the beaches of the barrier islands are seagulls, burrowing worms, pelicans and scavenging crabs. Different kinds of terns and crabs live in the dunes. The number of organisms living in a barrier island depends upon its size. In large barrier islands, there are more habitats to accommodate more organisms. Likewise, smaller islands offer fewer habitats for lesser animals. Weather conditions in the barrier islands: Barrier islands have harsh conditions. There are frequent speedy wind blows and sand blows that result into extreme dryness. The coastal storms are so powerful and full of energy that they can totally ruin the barrier islands. They are empowered by such features of the natural environment on the barrier islands as high tides and waves. The constant change in the weather conditions causes an equivalent change in the habitat. The animals that live there have adapted themselves to survive in extreme conditions accordingly. Likewise, the human population that lives on the ba rrier islands is also equipped with the required necessities to combat the extremity of weather. Most people who live in the barrier islands at a certain point in time do not occupy them permanently. People construct homes on them to use them temporarily as they spend their time on the barrier islands during summer vacations. Effects of storms on the barrier islands: Along with affecting the animals and humans, the coastal storms also have a severe impact on the form and shape of the barrier islands. A lot of erosion occurs on the dunes when coastal storms occur. Severe forms of coastal storms can fully damage the dune system. The power of the coastal storms can be estimated from the fact that just one storm can disintegrate all components of a barrier island and completely wash it away. Barrier islands may disappear as a result, though it only takes one to two years for a lost barrier island to resurface. Originally, the deterioration of an island is not physically noticeable. But the currents of wave increase in their size and energy level when the island is actually gone. Summary of the concept: A barrier island is a region that is largely made up of sand and its function is to serve as a barrier between the coastal storms and the mainland.