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Dune formation on the humid tropical sector of the North Queensland Coast, Australia
Author(s) -
Pye K.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
earth surface processes and landforms
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.294
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1096-9837
pISSN - 0197-9337
DOI - 10.1002/esp.3290080409
Subject(s) - shore , tropics , aeolian processes , geology , vegetation (pathology) , oceanography , arid , monsoon , physical geography , hydrology (agriculture) , geography , ecology , geomorphology , paleontology , medicine , geotechnical engineering , pathology , biology
Several previous attempts have been made to explain the apparent poor development of coastal dunes in the humid tropics in terms of lack of wind energy, failure of sand supply to the shoreline, excessive climatic wetness, salt crust formation on beaches, and the character of tropical back‐beach vegetation. However, recent published reports indicate that coastal dune occurrences are more common in the humid tropics than was formerly thought, throwing suspicion on the idea that environmental conditions militate against dune formation in these areas as a whole. Evidence from the humid tropical sector of the North Queensland coast suggests that the poor development of dunes in this area primarily reflects poor sediment sorting in the beach and nearshore zone and low wind energy at the shoreline due to the nature of the coastal orientation and physiography in relation to the prevailing southeasterly winds. These limiting factors are not unique to humid tropical climates.