U.S. Geological Survey Researchers Monitor Barrier Islands. This geonarrative features research used to monitor Barrier islands which are narrow stretches of sand deposited parallel to the shoreline, are inherently valuable ecosystems. They protect estuaries and lagoons that help reduce coastal erosion, purify the water, and provide habitat for fish and birds.
The referenced media source is missing and needs to be re-embedded.Natural processes such as waves, tides, and weather, continually change coastal landscapes. The integrity of coastal homes, businesses, and infrastructure can be threatened by hazards associated with event-driven changes, such as extreme storms and their impacts on beach and dune erosion, or longer-term, cumulative changes associated with coastal and marine processes, such as sea-level rise.