MISCELLANEOUS ECOSYSTEMS > LAGOONS
As the name indicates, coastal lagoons are found around the world where the land meets the sea. They share many of the same properties as estuaries and the two terms may be used interchangeably in some circumstances. They are particularly numerous in South America where they make up to 12% of the coastline.
Coastal lagoons are often shaped like basins where freshwater draining from the land is trapped by dunes, sand spits or barrier islands. These same formations limited how much sea water can mix with the fresh, creating an ecosystem where the composition of the water is comparatively stable for months at a time.
Like estuaries, coastal lagoons contain and mixture of fresh and salt water and are often in a constant state of flux due to tidal actions. They are highly productive ecosystems, acting as nurseries for many fish and marine invertebrates. Because these coastal areas are often densely populated by people, many coastal lagoons have disappeared or are threatened by human construction, over-harvesting and pollution. Deforestation and agricultural activities often choke these formations with sediment; and global sea rise threatens to swamp many of these lagoons.
As the name indicates, coastal lagoons are found around the world where the land meets the sea. They share many of the same properties as estuaries and the two terms may be used interchangeably in some circumstances. They are particularly numerous in South America where they make up to 12% of the coastline.
Coastal lagoons are often shaped like basins where freshwater draining from the land is trapped by dunes, sand spits or barrier islands. These same formations limited how much sea water can mix with the fresh, creating an ecosystem where the composition of the water is comparatively stable for months at a time.
Like estuaries, coastal lagoons contain and mixture of fresh and salt water and are often in a constant state of flux due to tidal actions. They are highly productive ecosystems, acting as nurseries for many fish and marine invertebrates. Because these coastal areas are often densely populated by people, many coastal lagoons have disappeared or are threatened by human construction, over-harvesting and pollution. Deforestation and agricultural activities often choke these formations with sediment; and global sea rise threatens to swamp many of these lagoons.