**3. Development of the coastal zone**

196 Studies on Environmental and Applied Geomorphology

continuing their southeasterly journey. However, transitional sands are being severely impacted through development requirements contributing to a lessening of the balanced sand budget referred to previously. The natural process pales into insignificance when the

anthropogenic changes that have occurred since 1967 are taken into consideration.

Map 3. Generalized Geomorphologic Units of the Eastern Province (Image Global Land

Cover Landsat circa 2000)

Some coastal habitats are under severe threat as a result of coastal development, and these areas are mostly within close proximity to human development or activities. Examples include salt marsh, mangrove and seagrass habitat areas. As mangroves have limited distribution, occurring in the central and northern areas within embayments surrounded by major development, they are under even greater risk of impact. The last major stands of mangrove occur in the Tarut and Musalmiyah Embayments with the largest trees occurring on and around Tarut Island. These mangrove ecosystems have been subjected to various impacts as a result of coastal development, with the most serious being smothering by land filling and as a result all mangrove habitats should be considered for immediate protection. Simultaneously aggressive mangrove rehabilitation programs need to be conducted to safeguard the genetic diversity of the mangrove populations and sustain fisheries and bird populations.

Subtidal muddy and sandy habitats are productive components of the marine ecosystem and are often ignored because attention usually focuses on more colorful and high profile habitats such as coral reefs. Seagrass habitats are widespread within the low energy subtidal areas of the coast and unfortunately vast areas of subtidal habitat are impacted each year through dredging and reclamation work. Reducing the footprint of dredging and reclamation operations on the productive shallow water habitats of the Gulf would be environmentally beneficial. Avoidance of nonessential marine dredging and reclamation works within these areas is the best strategy to minimize damage to these ecosystems.
