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Barrier Island Computer Lab
Name: _______________________ Date: ___________
www.teachoceanscience.net  Teaching Resources  Education Modules  Barrier islands and sea level rise
1. What are barrier islands? _________________________________________________________________
2. Where in North America, are barrier islands located? __________________________
3. What are some of the resources of barrier islands?
Play the video clip: listen with your headphones to answer questions 4-5.
4. What factors cause barrier islands to change on a daily basis? _____________________________________
5. Put a check next to each habitat that you may find on a barrier island such as Assateague Island
a. ___ Salt Marsh
e. ___ Desert
b. ___ Tundra
f. ___ Forest
c. ___ Sandy Beach
g. ___ Jungle
d. ___ Dunes and Grasslands
h. ___ Shallow Bays
6. Why are barrier islands considered to be “dynamic” landforms?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Using the diagram answer #7-8
7. List 3 recreational activities associated with barrier islands: ____________ _____________ ____________
8. Briefly describe each habitat and list key plants and animals:
Habitat
Description
Plant
Animal
Mudflat
Salt Marsh
Wetland
Forest/Shrub
Dunes/Grasses
Beach/Intertidal
Click LEARN from the menu on the left:
Click on the first picture: then click the arrows to complete the animation
9. How do Outwash and Rollover change the position of a barrier island?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
Click on the Arrow in the orange box to move to the second picture. Click on the picture and follow the animation.
10. What causes a breach? ___________________________________________________________________
11. What is formed as a result of a breach on a barrier island? ___________
Click on the Arrow in the orange box to move to the third picture. Click on the picture and follow the animation.
12. Place the events related to Assateague Island movement in the correct order:
a. ____ ocean current carries sand to the southern end of the island
b. ____ waves deposit beach sand on the southern end, lengthening the island
c. ____ waves carve out and wash away beach sand from the northern end of the island
Watch the Video Clip for #14-15:
13. What steps are taken in Ocean City to prevent Rollover?
______________________________________________________________________________________
14. How do those actions affect Assateague Island? ________________________________________________
15. What are the 2 key factors that may cause sea level to rise? ______________________________________
16. How will sea level rise affect barrier islands? ___________________________________________________
Click on TRENDS from the menu on the left:
17. According to the map, which 4 states are the most vulnerable to sea level rise?
____________________ ____________________ __________________ ______________
18. Which habitat on Assateague Island are most vulnerable to Sea Level Rise? _________________
Why are they vulnerable? __________________________________________________________
Click DISCOVER on the menu on the left:
19. Watch the video about how sea level change will affect habitats on the island. Write a paragraph summarizing the
effects of rising sea level on Assateague Island habitats.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
20. Watch the video about how sea level change will affect the island’s recreational activities. Write a paragraph
summarizing the effects of rising sea level on visitors to Assateague Island.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Use the diagram to give a brief description of how each monitoring system is used at Assateague Island:
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
Boats: ________________________________________________________________________________
Airplanes: _____________________________________________________________________________
Airplane with LDAR: _____________________________________________________________________
ATV’s: ________________________________________________________________________________
Topographic Profiles: ____________________________________________________________________
Click on Seagrass Monitoring Data and answer the following questions:
26. What does the green color represent in all three maps?
a. 0-10% seagrass density
b. 10-40% seagrass density
c. 40-70% seagrass density
d. 70-100% seagrass density
_______
27. Seagrass density in Sinepuxent Bay (SPXPH) is expanding in years from 2006 to 2010.
(True or False) _________________
28. Between 2006-2008, what trend in seagrass habitat in Chincoteague Bay (CHNPH) do you
detect? ________
a. Increase
b. decrease
c. no change
Click on Plover Monitoring Data to answer the following questions:
29. From1991 to 1994, which year had the highest number of breeding pairs of plovers? _____
a. 1991
b. 1992
c. 1993
d. 1994
30. What caused a decline in the number of plover chicks fledged from 2006 to 2008? _____
a. Increase in large storms
b. Decrease in large storms
c. Increase in overwash habitat