The type and frequency of occurrence of a wide variety of coastal 

 landforms have been related to the tidal range (Hayes 1980) (Figure 5). 

 Microtidal ranges occur on open ocean coasts and in certain landlocked seas. 

 They are conducive to the development of river deltas, barrier islands, and 

 spits. The Gulf of Mexico is an example of a microtidal enviroimient. 

 Macrotidal ranges occur where the tide is dissipated across a wide, shoaling 

 slope, or confined to estuaries and gulfs whose land boundaries cause local 

 resonances and reflections. They are conducive to the development of funnel- 

 shaped estuaries, mudflats, and salt marshes. Locations with mesotidal ranges 

 include features found in both microtidal and macrotidal enviroimients, but are 

 also well-known for well-developed tidal deltas. 



MICRDTIDAL 



MESDTIDAL 



MACROTIDAL 



RIVER 

 DELTAS 



BARRIER 

 ISLAND/ 

 STRANDPLAIN 



TIDAL 

 DELTAS 



TIDAL 

 SAND 

 RIDGES 



TIDAL 

 FLATS 



SALT 

 MARSH 



lOOX 



■MICRDTIDAL-* a — MESDTIDAL— * 

 TIDAL RANGE (M) 



■MACRDTIDAL- 



Figure 5. Macroscale morphology of microtidal, mesotidal, and macrotidal coastlines 

 (modified from Hayes 1980) 



16 



Chapter 2 Relevant Processes and Factors 



