Sea Level Changes

What is eustatic sea level change?

a global change in sea level caused by an increase or decrease in the volume of water in the oceans

What causes eustatic sea level rise?

• melting glaciers and ice sheets

• thermal expansion of seawater due to global warming

What causes eustatic sea level fall?

• growth of ice sheets and glaciers storing water on land

• cooling of ocean water, causing contraction

What is isostatic sea level change?

a local change in sea level caused by the land rising or sinking relative to the sea

What causes isostatic sea level rise?

• land subsidence due to tectonic activity

• sediment loading

• melting glaciers, causing land to sink

What causes isostatic sea level fall?

post-glacial rebound as land rises after ice sheets melt

What is a ria?

a drowned river valley, formed when rising sea levels flood river valleys

What is a fjord?

a drowned glacial valley, formed when rising sea levels flood U-shaped valleys

What is a Dalmatian coastline?

a coastline formed when valleys are flooded by rising sea levels, leaving parallel offshore islands

What is a submergent coastline?

a coastline that has been partially flooded due to rising sea levels

What is an emergent coastline?

a coastline exposed by falling sea levels or land uplift

What are the impacts of sea level rise on coastal landscapes?

• increased erosion

• flooding of low-lying areas

• loss of habitats, saltwater intrusion

• displacement of human settlements

What are the impacts of sea level fall on coastal landscapes?

• emergence of new land

• formation of raised beaches

• expansion of coastal plains

• creation of marine terraces