Coastal dunes of the Baltic Sea shores: a review
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Date
2018-03
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Wydział Nauk Geograficznych i Geologicznych Uniwersytetu im. Adama Mickiewicza
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Abstract
The article summarises results of studies conducted along the Baltic Sea sandy coasts by scientists involved
in coastal dune research, and presents an attempt to describe the types and distribution of dune coasts. The Baltic Sea
coasts feature lower and higher foredunes. The lowland behind the coastal dune belt is covered by wandering or stabilised
inland dunes – transgressive forms, mainly parabolic or barchans. The source of sediment for dune development
includes fluvioglacial sands from eroded coasts, river-discharged sand, and older eroded dunes. Due to the ongoing
erosion and coastal retreat, many dunes have been eroded, and some are withdrawing onto the adjacent land. There
are visible differences between the south-eastern, western, and northern parts of the Baltic Sea coast with respect to
dune development. The entire southern and eastern coast abounds in sand, so the coastal dunes are large, formerly or
currently wandering formations. The only shifting dunes are found at the Polish and the Russian–Lithuanian coasts on
the Łebsko Lake Sandbar as well as on the Vistula and Curonian Spits. The very diverse shoreline of the south-western
coast experiences a scarcity of larger sandy formations. Substantial parts of the Baltic Sea sandy coasts have been eroded
or transformed by humans. The northern part of the Baltic Sea coast features mainly narrow and low sandy coasts
(e.g. in Estonia). Further north, sandy dunes are virtually absent.
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Keywords
coastal dunes, dune relief, barrier types, dune distribution, Baltic Sea coast
Citation
Quaestiones Geographicae vol. 37 (1), 2018, pp. 47-71
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ISBN
ISSN
0137-477X