Knowra Coastal squeeze Coastal squeeze Coastal squeeze is the loss of intertidal and coastal habitat when rising sea levels push ecosystems landward against fixed natural or human-made barriers.
Sea-level rise : A sustained increase in the average level of the global ocean, driven mainly by warming seawater and melting land ice. It shifts tidal and shoreline zones landward, initiating the pressure behind coastal squeeze.
Managed realignment : A coastal management strategy that deliberately moves or removes defenses to allow tides to inundate land. It can restore landward migration space where fixed defenses would otherwise constrain habitats.
Salt marsh : A coastal wetland dominated by salt-tolerant grasses and other plants, regularly flooded by tides. Salt marshes lose area when roads, seawalls, or development block their inland shift.
Thames Estuary : The estuary of the River Thames in southeastern England, opening into the North Sea. Its managed shoreline and extensive intertidal habitats illustrate competing demands for coastal space.
Coastal adaptation : Adjustments in human systems and natural environments that reduce harm from coastal hazards and changing conditions. Adaptation choices determine whether defenses remain fixed or coastal habitats gain room to shift.
Coastal armoring : The use of hard structures such as seawalls, revetments, and bulkheads to protect shorelines from erosion or flooding. These structures can hold the landward boundary in place as the sea advances.
Living shoreline : A shoreline protection approach that uses natural features and materials, such as vegetation, reefs, or sand, often alongside limited structures. It can reduce erosion while preserving more ecological continuity than a hard barrier.
Mangrove forest : A coastal forest of salt-tolerant trees and shrubs adapted to tidal, often saline environments. Mangroves can be trapped between rising seas and developed or steep inland terrain.
Wadden Sea : A shallow coastal sea along the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark, known for extensive tidal flats and salt marshes. Its tidal habitats face pressures from sea-level rise and fixed coastal boundaries.
Sea-level rise adaptation : Policies and measures that reduce risks or harms from rising sea levels. Planning must account for both flood safety and the future landward movement of habitats.
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