Coastal classifications are put into groups, primary and secondary coasts. The Shepard Coastal classification system was created to find the differences between coastlines in the ocean. Primary coasts are split into five different coasts types, Land erosion, Subaerial-deposition, Volcanic, Diastrophic, and Ice coasts. Florida for example has primary beaches caused by Subarial-Deposition and land erosion. Secondary coasts are put into three different parts Wave erosion, Marine-deposition and coasts built by organisms. Chesapeake bay is a secondary coast because there are marshlands and grasslands this means its a coast built by organisms. Coastal classifications are very important, they tell us what to look for and what the ocean floor is made of.
Graphing estuary salinity profiles helped to show the differences between estuaries. Graph A explained the depth and salinity, the graph went across than up than across ending on points (10, 30.5). Graph B showed a strait line ending on points (10,20). Graph C showed an staircase looking line which ending points are (10,30.5). Graph A was a coastal plain, Graph B was a Fjord and Graph C was a Tectonic Coast. graphing the estuaries helped explain how the estuaries effect the different places and sections in the ocean.
Estuaries are considered as nurseries in the ocean, they protect organisms from currents and waves. Fish will go to the estuaries to lay eggs to keep them protected from predictors. there are four types of estuaries Coastal Plain, Fjords, Bar built and tectonic estuaries. San Francisco Bay is a coastal plain because its a small river into a big body of water. The Indian river is a tectonic because there are barriers holding in the water. Puget Sound is a fjord because its a river. Biscayne Bay is a bar built because its man made land around the the ocean. Estuaries are very important to our oceans because they help to bring in life to the ocean, they keep fish protected and its a great place to go fishing.
This activity helped me to understand the greatness of the ocean and how important estuaries are to the ocean and the sea creatures. I learned how different coastlines effect the ocean and all around the United States coasts. Coastlines are very different and help keep the ocean moving. If coastlines where all the same the ocean would not move as smoothly because all the different coastlines have effects on the ocean and without them the ocean would not be as it is today.
