Coastal Zones

Biography

Biography: Ho-Shong Hou

Abstract

Coastal morphological change is an island-wide problem in Taiwan. Based on recent research, about 80% of the island’s sandy coastline had suffered from erosion over the past few decades. Historically, with the specific tectonic environment and rapid uplifting rate in Taiwan, lots of sediment had been yielded and transported to the coastal area that resulted in an advancing shoreline. Those phenomena cause marine biology environment changes very much. A lot of long shore morphological features occur such as zeta-shape bay, circular bay, tombolo, river delta, lagoon, salient and barrier islands etc.A buffer zone and wetland have been formed by waves, tides and winds, etc., and then for settling down of wild-birds and fishes and vegetation in the coastal mangrove. Wet-land with vegetation draws a lots of birds living around the area. These near-shore zone involve aquaculture farms, a lot of fish and shrimp are grown up through marine aquaculture. Tidal flat produces a lot of marine biology, especially tidal circulation occurs there. At the South West like Pingdong Dapenwang lagoon a lot of oyster-raising farm and marine fish are cleaned and changed into national park for recreation use and a lot of vegetation greenifying and beautifying along the big-lake.At the east coast, especially Taitung coast full of ocean energy, wave energy, ocean current energy, especially ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC). Offshore 5 km away from Taitung and Hualien Coast will reach 1000 to 1500 meter deep, deep ocean water (DOW) temperatures are around zero to 4 degrees, while sea surface temperature around 20 to 25 degrees, temperature difference is more or less 20 degrees. If ammonia is used as catalyst, it is easily to generate electric power.Offshore 33 km from Taitung coast and about 5 km from Green Island, there exists 3-4 knots’ Kuroshiocurrent.