Coastal Sensitivity to Sea Level Rise : Focusing on the Mid-Atlantic Region

Global sea-level is rising, and there is evidence that the rate is accelerating. Increasing atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, primarily from human contributions, are very likely warming the atmosphere and oceans. The warmer temperatures raise sea-level by expanding ocean water, melting glaciers, and possibly increasing the rate at which ice sheets discharge ice and water into the oceans. Rising sea-level and the potential for stronger storms pose an increasing threat to coastal cities, residential communities, infrastructure, beaches, wetlands and ecosystems. How people respond to sea-level rise in the coastal zone will have potentially large economic and environmental costs. This book identifies and reviews the potential impacts of future sea-level rise based on present scientific understanding. Several aspects of the sea-level rise impacts to the natural environment, as well as its impact on human land development along the coast are explored. In addition, this book addresses the connection between sea-level rise impacts and current adaptation strategies, and assesses the role of the existing coastal management policies in identifying and responding to potential challenges. This book consists of public domain documents which have been located, gathered, combined, reformatted, and enhanced with a subject index, selectively edited and bound to provide easy access.