Question

What are causes of coastal erosion in Florida? Check all that apply.

tornadoes
sea level rise
dune development on the beach
structures built along the beach
hurricanes
sea level decline

Answer 1

Correct answers: sea level rise; structures built along the beach; hurricanes.

- Sea level rise — yes. Higher mean sea level increases wave attack on the shore and causes chronic shoreline retreat.
- Structures built along the beach — yes. Hard structures (seawalls, groins, jetties, piers) disrupt natural sediment transport and often increase erosion down‑drift.
- Hurricanes — yes. Strong waves, storm surge and high winds from hurricanes strip sand from beaches and dunes and can cause severe episodic erosion.

Not causes (or not generally):
- Tornadoes — no. Tornadoes rarely affect the coast in a way that produces lasting coastal erosion; their impacts are usually localized wind damage.
- Dune development on the beach — not a cause. Natural dunes protect the coast; creating or restoring dunes typically reduces erosion. (If you mean building houses on dune areas, that can worsen erosion — but that’s covered by “structures built along the beach.”)
- Sea level decline — no. Falling sea level reduces wave attack on the shore and would tend to reduce coastal erosion.