ASIS_Winter_Shorelines_200112

The purpose of this data set is to show and monitor the rapidly changing shoreline at Assateague Island National Seashore. The dynamic nature of coastal barriers such as Assateague Island is a defining characteristic, influencing nearly every aspect of their ecology. Fundamentally disturbance driven systems, barrier islands and their endemic biota are continually shaped by physical forces on a time scale vastly accelerated in comparison to mainland systems. Because of the rapid pace and scope of change, long term monitoring of shoreline position and other physical parameters is crucial to understanding natural barrier island conditions as well as anthropogenic influences.