Coastal Squeeze

"Coastal Squeeze" Explained

"Coastal Squeeze" is the term used to describe the loss of intertidal habitat which occures when the high tide mark is fixed by some impediment, but the low water mark is migrating landward as sea levels rise.

With climate change comes sea level rise and increased storminess. This pushes the low and high tide lines, with the important intertidal zone, including mangroves and salt marshes and all the creatures that call them home, are also forced to retreat inland.

If the high tide line cannot retreat, then the intertidal zone is SQUEEZED, becoming smaller and smaller, as the low tide line is forced higher.

This is a significant threat to coastal wetlands, including our temperate coastal saltmarshes on the Eyre Peninsula.