Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Barrier Island Formation and Development Modes

Encyclopedia of Coastal Science

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

  • 34 Accesses

Barrier Island Definition

Barrier islands are shore-parallel, wave-constructed, usually elongated nearshore landforms, surrounded at the time of their formation on all sides by subtidal water bodies and often capped by eolian supratidal beds. Passes (inlets) flank barriers and link lagoonal backbarrier basins to the open sea. Facing high wave energy and salinity condition on the ocean side, the islands act as barriers that protect low-energy brackish lagoons and bays associated with nutrient-rich muddy deposits in their rear. Wetlands may subsequently fill the shallow lagoons. Traditional and proper barrier island definitions (e.g., Price 1951; Oertel 1985) exclude strand plains that directly front wetland-covered delta plains, at sites where subtidal lagoonal-bay basins never existed between ridge plains and marshy delta plains landward. Elongated, so-called “fetch-limited” islets located inside semi-enclosed estuarine bodies (lagoons and bays) cannot be considered barriers either,...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Institutional subscriptions

Bibliography

  • Anderson JB, Wallace DJ, Simms AR, Rodriguez AB, Milliken KT (2014) Variable response of coastal environments of the northwestern Gulf of Mexico to sea-level rise and climate change: implications for future change. Mar Geol 352:348–366

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bernard HA, Major CF Jr, Parrott BS, LeBlanc RJ Sr (1970) Recent sediments of southeast Texas: a field guide to the Brazos alluvial and deltaic plains and the Galveston barrier island complex, Guidebook, vol 11. Texas Bureau of Economic Geology, Austin. 132 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Davidson-Arnott R (2010) Barrier systems. In: An introduction to coastal processes and geomorphology. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, pp 280–324. 442 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis RA Jr (1994) Barriers of the Florida Peninsula, 167–206. In: Davis RA Jr (ed) Geology of Holocene barrier island systems. Springer, Berlin, 464 pp

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Davis RA Jr, Yale KE, Pekala JM, Hamilton MV (2003) Barrier island stratigraphy and Holocene history of west-central Florida. Marine Geol 200:103–123. Ross, Stroudsburg, pp 5–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis RA Jr, FitzGerald DM (2004) Beaches and coasts. Wiley-Blackwell Publisher. 432 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • de Beaumont LE (1845) Septieme leçón. In: Bertrand P (ed) Leçóns de Géologie pratique. Bertrand, Paris, pp 221–252. Reprinted in: Barrier Islands, Benchmark Papers in Geology. Dowden, Hutchinson and Ross, Stroudsburg, PA, pp 5–43

    Google Scholar 

  • Dillenburg SF, Hesp PA (2009) Geology and geomorphology of coastal barrier of Southern Brazil. Springer, Berlin. 380 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehlers J (1990) Sedimentbewegung und Küstenveränderungen im Wattenmeer der Nordsee. Geogr Rundschau 42:640–646

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehlers J (1988) The morphodynamics of the Wadden Sea. A.A. Balkema, Rotterdam, 397 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans MW, Hine AC, Belknap DF, Davis RA Jr (1985) Bedrock controls on barrier island development: West-central Florida coast. Mar Geol 63:263–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher JJ (1981) Barrier beach coastline in: field guide to coastal environmental geology of Rhode Island, No. 125 B-6. University of Rhode Island, pp 153–174

    Google Scholar 

  • Fisher JJ (1968) Barrier island formation: discussion. Bull Geol Soc Am 10:1421–1425

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fisher JJ (1981) Field guide to coastal environmental geology of Rhode Island’s barrier beach coastline (Figs. 8–63, p 377, in: Davis and Fitzgerald, 2003)

    Google Scholar 

  • FitzGerald D, Georgiou I, Kulp M, Miner M (2015) Chandeleur islands: a post-berm analysis and island renourishment plan. Report, University of New Orleans Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation, New Orleans, 47 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Galloway WE, Hobday DK (1983) Terrigenous clastic depositional systems. Springer, Berlin. 489 pp

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Ganong WF (1908) On the physiographic characteristics of Portage and Fox Islands, Miramichi, 17–22. (First presented May 1, 1906). Notes on the Natural History and Physiography of New Brunswick, Article II, Note No. 107. Bull. New Brunswick Natural History Society, St. John, N.B., Canada

    Google Scholar 

  • Giese GS (1988) Cyclic behavior of the tidal inlet at Nauset Beach, Chatham, MA. In: Aubrey DG, Weishar L (eds) Hydrodynamics and sediment dynamics of tidal inlets. Springer, Berlin, pp 269–283

    Google Scholar 

  • Gilbert GK (1885) The topographic features of lake shores. U.S. Geological Survey 5th Annual Report, pp 87–88

    Google Scholar 

  • Gripp K (1944) Entstehung und künftige Entwicklung der Deutschen Bucht. Aus dem Archiv der Deutschen Seewarte und des Marineobservatoriums 63(2): 45 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Hails JR, Hoyt JH (1969) An appraisal of the evolution of the lower Atlantic coastal plain of Georgia, U. S. A. Transactions. Inst Br Geogr 46:53–68

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes MO (1994) The Georgia bight barrier system. In: Davis RA Jr (ed) Geology of Holocene barrier island systems. Springer, Berlin, pp 233–304, 464 pp

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hein CJ, FitzGerald DM, Cleary WJ, Albernaz MB, deMenezes JT, Klein AHF (2013) Evidence for a transgressive barrier within a regressive strandplain system: implications for complex coastal response to environmental change. Sedimentology 60:469–502

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoyt JH (1967) Barrier island formation. Bull Geol Soc Am 78:1125–1136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ibrahim NA (1986) Sedimentological and morphological evolution of a coarse-grained regressive barrier beach, Horseneck Beach. MS thesis, Boston University. 196 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson DW (1919) Shore processes and shoreline development. Wiley, 584 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Keilhack K (1925) Geologische Karte von Preussen und benachbarten deutschen Ländern. Erläuterungen zu Lieferung 259. Blatt Borkum, Juist West, Juist-Ost und Norderney, Berlin

    Google Scholar 

  • Kulp MA, Georgiou IY, Marchal KL, Kramer JN, Adams AP, Fitzgerald DM, Yocum TE, Lebien J, Brown M (2015) Geomorphic evolution of the coupled Raccoon Pass and West Belle Pass barrier spilt, Louisiana. Report. The Water Institute of the Gulf. Baton Rouge, LA. 46 pp (posted on Internet)

    Google Scholar 

  • McGee WJ (1890) Encroachments of the sea. In: Metcalf LS (ed) The Forum 9:437–449. Reprinted in: Barrier Islands, Benchmark papers in geology. Dowden, Hutchinson and Ross, Stroudsburg

    Google Scholar 

  • Miner, M. D., Kulp, M., Weathers, H. D., Flocks, J., 2009. Historical (1869–2007) sea floor evolution and sediment dynamics along the Chandeleur Islands. U.S. Geological Survey Specific Investigation Report 2009-5252, pp 47–73

    Google Scholar 

  • Morton RA (1994) Texas barriers. In: Davis RA Jr (ed) Geology of Holocene barrier island systems. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, pp 74–114. 464 pp

    Google Scholar 

  • Mulhern JS, Johnson CL, Martin JM (2017) Is barrier island morphology a function of tidal and wave regime? Mar Geol 387:4–84

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oertel GF (1985) The barrier island system. Mar Geol 63:1–18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ollerhead J, Davidson-Arnott RGD (1995) The evolution of Buctouche Spit, New Brunswick, Canada. Mar Geol 124:215–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ordemann W (1912) Beiträge zur morphologischen Entwicklungsgeschichte der deutschen Nordseeküste mit besonderer Berücksichtigung der Dünen tragenden Inseln. Mitteilungen der Geographischen Gesellschaft (für Thüringen) zu Jena 30:15–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Otvos EG (1970a) Development and migration of barrier islands. Northern Gulf of Mexico. Bull Geol Soc Am 81:241–246. Reprinted in: Barrier Islands, Benchmark papers in geology. Dowden, Hutchinson and Ross, Stroudsburg

    Google Scholar 

  • Otvos EG (1970b) Development and migration of barrier islands. Northern Gulf of Mexico: Reply. Bull Geol Soc Am 81:3783–3788. Reprinted in: Barrier Islands, Benchmark papers in geology. Dowden, Hutchinson and Ross, Stroudsburg

    Google Scholar 

  • Otvos EG (1981) Barrier island formation through nearshore aggradation-stratigraphic and field evidence. Mar Geol 43:195–243

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Otvos EG (1986) Island evolution and “stepwise retreat”: late Holocene transgressive barriers, Mississippi delta coast – limitation of a model. Mar Geol 72:325–340

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Otvos EG (2010) Definition of barrier islands; Discussion of Pilkey, O. H. et al., 2009. Global distribution and geomorphology of fetch-limited barrier islands. J Coast Res 26:387–398

    Google Scholar 

  • Otvos EG, Carter GA (2013) Regressive and transgressive barrier islands, north-central Gulf Coast. Contrasts in evolution, sediment delivery, and island vulnerability. Geomorphology 198:1–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Otvos EG, Giardino MP (2004) Interlinked barrier chain and delta lobe development, northern Gulf of Mexico. Sediment Geol 169:47–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Otvos EG (in press) Coastal barriers,-development contrasts between northern Gulf shore sectors in Last Eustatic Cycle. A review. Geomorphology

    Google Scholar 

  • Penland S, Suter JR, Boyd R (1985) Barrier island arcs along abandoned Mississippi River deltas. Mar Geol 63:197–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Penland S, Roberts HR, Bailey A, Kuecher GJ, Suhayda JN, Connor PC, Ramsey KE (1994) Geological framework, processes, and rates of subsidence in the Mississippi River Delta Plain. In: Roberts HR Coordinator, critical physical processes of wetland loss 1988–1994. Final report. Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, Louisiana

    Google Scholar 

  • Penland SC, Zganjar KA, Westphal P, Connor J, List J, Williams SJ (2003) Impact of Hurricane Andrew on the Timbalier Islands Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana. United States Geological Survey Open File no. 1999. United States Geological Survey, Washington, DC, 15 pp.http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2003/of03-398/posters/pdf/cont_pdf/ti_an-drew.pdf

  • Pilkey OH, Frasier ME (2003) A celebration of the World’s barrier islands. Columbia University Press, New York. 400 pp

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Price WA (1951) Barrier island, not “offshore bar”. Science 113:487–488

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruz M-H, Héquette A, Hill PR (1992) A model of coastal evolution in a transgressed thermokarst topography, Canadian Beaufort Sea. Mar Geol 106:251–278

    Google Scholar 

  • Simeoni U, Fontolan G, Tessari U, Corbau C (2007) Domains of spit evolution in the Goro area, Po Delta, Italy. Geomorphology 86:332–348

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Timmons EA, Rodriguez AB, Matthews CR, DeWitt R (2010) Transition of a regressive to transgressive barrier island due to back-barrier erosion, increased storminess, and low sediment supply: Bogue Banks, North Carolina, USA. Mar Geol 278:100–114

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • United States Geological Survey (2016) Geologic and morphologic evolution of coastal margins. https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/geo-evo/research/bicm.html

  • U.S. Army Chief of Engineers (1962) Belle pass to raccoon point, Louisiana. Beach erosion control study, House Document No. 338, Washington DC, p 31

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilkinson BH (1975) Matagorda Island, Texas: the evolution of a Gulf Coast barrier complex. Bull Geol Soc Am 86:959–967

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams SJ, Penland S, Sallenger AH Jr (eds) (1992) Louisiana Barrier island erosion study – atlas of barrier shoreline changes in Louisiana from 1853 to 1989: U.S. Geological Survey Miscellaneous Investigations Series I-2150-A, 103 p

    Google Scholar 

  • Zeigler JM (1959) Origin of the sea islands of the southeastern United States. Geogr Rev 49:222–237

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Coastal Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Ocean Springs, MS, 39564, USA

    Ervin G. Otvos

Authors
  1. Ervin G. Otvos
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ervin G. Otvos .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Coastal Education & Research Foundation, Fletcher, North Carolina, USA

    Charles W. Finkl

  2. Coastal Education & Research Foundation , Coconut Creek, Florida, USA

    Christopher Makowski

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2017 Springer International Publishing AG

About this entry

Cite this entry

Otvos, E.G. (2017). Barrier Island Formation and Development Modes. In: Finkl, C., Makowski, C. (eds) Encyclopedia of Coastal Science . Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48657-4_362-1

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48657-4_362-1

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-48657-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-48657-4

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference Earth and Environm. ScienceReference Module Physical and Materials ScienceReference Module Earth and Environmental Sciences

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Barrier Island Formation and Development Modes
    Published:
    30 July 2018

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48657-4_362-3

  2. Barrier Island Formation and Development Modes
    Published:
    09 May 2018

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48657-4_362-2

  3. Original

    Barrier Island Formation and Development Modes
    Published:
    23 June 2017

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-48657-4_362-1

Search

Navigation