Includes bibliographical references (pages 223-243) and indexes.

INTRODUCTION TO ESTUARINE AND COASTAL SYSTEMS: Types of estuarine and coastal environments -- Human impacts on coasts and estuaries -- THE PHYSICAL REGIME OF COASTS AND ESTUARIES: Wave-dominated coasts -- Tide-dominated coasts -- Coral reefs -- Wind-dominated (aeolian) coasts -- Deltaic coastlines -- LAND CLAIM AND COASTAL DEFENCE: History of land claim -- Environmental implications of land claim -- Coastal protection -- Coastal defence management and planning -- Managed realignment; a universal solution in soft engineering? -- THE INDUSTRIAL USE OF COASTS AND ESTUARIES: Historical trends in waste disposal -- Effects of pollution on estuaries and coasts -- Effects of power generation -- COASTAL DEVELOPMENT FOR TOURISM: Problems of tourist development at the coast -- Demands of the tourist industry -- Examples of tourist impact on coastlines -- Causes of indirect impacts on the coast -- Inland causes -- Offshore causes -- MANAGEMENT FRAMEWORKS FOR COASTAL AND ESTUARINE SYSTEMS: The concept of coastal zone management -- The future of the coastline -- The way forward. French examines the issues surrounding the human use and abuse of estuarine and coastal environments, explaining the ways in which conservation and management policies and practices can protect this productive and diverse ecosystem.