Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- List of acronyms
- List of main symbols
- Chapter 1 Introduction
- Chapter 2 Sea-level measuring systems
- Chapter 3 Tidal forces
- Chapter 4 Tidal analysis and prediction
- Chapter 5 Tidal dynamics
- Chapter 6 Shallow-water and coastal tides
- Chapter 7 Storm surges, meteotsunamis and other meteorological effects on sea level
- Chapter 8 Tsunamis
- Chapter 9 Spatial variations in sea level
- Chapter 10 Mean sea-level changes in time
- Chapter 11 Sea-level changes in time to do with the solid Earth
- Chapter 12 Sea-level applications
- Chapter 13 Sea level and life
- Appendix A Basic hydrostatic and hydrodynamic equations
- Appendix B Currents
- Appendix C High and low water times and heights from harmonic constituents
- Appendix D Theoretical tidal dynamics
- Appendix E Legal definitions in the coastal zone
- Glossary
- Index
- References
Chapter 13 - Sea level and life
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 May 2014
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- List of acronyms
- List of main symbols
- Chapter 1 Introduction
- Chapter 2 Sea-level measuring systems
- Chapter 3 Tidal forces
- Chapter 4 Tidal analysis and prediction
- Chapter 5 Tidal dynamics
- Chapter 6 Shallow-water and coastal tides
- Chapter 7 Storm surges, meteotsunamis and other meteorological effects on sea level
- Chapter 8 Tsunamis
- Chapter 9 Spatial variations in sea level
- Chapter 10 Mean sea-level changes in time
- Chapter 11 Sea-level changes in time to do with the solid Earth
- Chapter 12 Sea-level applications
- Chapter 13 Sea level and life
- Appendix A Basic hydrostatic and hydrodynamic equations
- Appendix B Currents
- Appendix C High and low water times and heights from harmonic constituents
- Appendix D Theoretical tidal dynamics
- Appendix E Legal definitions in the coastal zone
- Glossary
- Index
- References
Summary
Most of the time I understated what I saw because I couldn’t find words powerful enough, but that’s the nature of marine life and the inland bays I grew up on. You’d have to be a scientist, a poet and a comedian to hope to describe it all accurately, and even then you’d often fall short.
Jim Lynch, The Highest TideIntroduction
This chapter contains our personal selection of topics on how the tides and sea-level changes have played important roles in the development of life, and in human history. The populations of coastal zones are increasing dramatically, and tides, storm surges and long-term sea-level changes will continue to play important roles in our lives. Impacts of sea-level change will take place alongside those due to many other climate and environmental stresses.
It is our belief that, if these impacts are to be avoided, or managed, as far as possible, then we have to learn more about the space and time scales of sea-level change and the various reasons for them. Also we have to communicate a greater appreciation of how tides and sea levels have contributed to the coastal environment in general, providing many communities with food sources and places to live and thrive, contributions that continue in many and varied ways today.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Sea-Level ScienceUnderstanding Tides, Surges, Tsunamis and Mean Sea-Level Changes, pp. 345 - 360Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2014