Subsystems
Name a subsystem
Marine, Terrestrial and Coastal
What's a coastline?
Area of contact between land and sea
Whats a shoreline?
Precise boundary where water meets adjacent dry land. The shoreline is the perimeter of the land along the water’s edge, measured to the closest exactness as possible
Name an example of marine pollution.
Chemicals, sewage, solid waste, sediment, and heat.
Whats coastal erosion?
Coastal erosion is the wearing away of land and the removal of beach or dune sediments by wave action, tidal currents, wave currents, drainage or high winds.
Name one characteristic of a marine subsystem.
Water depth, salinity, and temperature wave and tide ranges, water currents, and diversity of marine habitats.
What country has the largest coastline?
Canada
Where in Canada has the longest shoreline?
Newfoundland and Labrador
What are the causes of ocean pollution?
Global Warming, Greenhouse gases, burning fossil fuels, deforestation, Oil Spills (Wide distribution range due to currents)
What does coastal erosion cause?
Sea caves, sea arches, and sea stacks.
What does a terrestrial subsystem consist of?
Consists of land where human or other activity can affect the marine environment.
Name an example of a coastal area in Nova Scotia
Peggys Cove
Whats a longshore current?
Current that parallels shoreline developed by waves coming in at an angle to shore.
What does the impact of pollutants depend on?
Quantity (how much there is), toxicity of the pollutant to each organism, and effects on the environment
Whats an erosional shore?
An erosional shore refers to a coastline where erosion processes, such as the action of waves, currents, and tides, dominate the shaping of the land. These shores are characterized by the gradual wearing away of landforms and features due to the abrasive force of water.
What does a marine subsystem consist of?
The marine sub-system consists of the oceanic component of a coastal zone
What is a coastal zone?
A coastal zone is the part of the land affected by its proximity to the sea
Whats the most famous shoreline in Canada?
One of the most famous shorelines in Canada is the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia.
How do humans contribute to ocean pollution?
littering, poor waste management practices, storm water discharge, and extreme natural events such as tsunamis and hurricanes.
What are the human causes of erosion?
Deforestation, habitat loss, and agricultural activities, urbanization, and human structures
What does a coast subsystem consist of?
The coastal subsystem includes the littoral zone (between low and high tide marks), and the supralittoral zone (salt water spray zone).
How do humans negativly impact coastal zones?
Humans increase the flow of sediments and sewage into the ocean, loss of biodiversity, and high levels of pollution
Name the characteristics of a shoreline.
Many shorelines are irregularly shaped and contain an outcropping of rock, known as a headland, which is a narrow strip of land that projects out into a body of water
How does ocean acidification impact marine organisms?
Ocean acidification can create conditions that eat away at the minerals used by oysters, clams, lobsters, shrimp, coral reefs, and other marine life to build their shells and skeletons
What are the natural causes of erosion?
Rain, rivers, wind, flooding from extreme weather, ocean waves, and the movement of ice (glaciers). Steep slopes, formed by the uplift or sinking of land, can result in landslides