Umm Al-Namil Island is one of the small northern islands of the State of Kuwait located within Kuwait Bay. A series of six beach profiles were surveyed and seven N-S transects were constructed during the period between 1998 and 2005 to study the grain-size distribution and biogenic activities around the island. Sediment samples were monitored and analyzed for short-term changes. Beach sediment consists of fine-medium oolitic to biogenic sand with a high percentage of coarse grain clastics and shell fragments, which occur mainly in the northern part of the island. The estuarine depositional environments include tidal channels, hardground reefal flats, tidal mud flats, spits and sand bars that are seen to interfinger with shoreline and inner coastal deposits of the island. Changes in the profiles were observed in the southern part of the island where some recurved spits have formed and accumulation of sediment persists. Beach changes were also observed in the northern side of the island. Six principal communities of organisms dwell around the island, and these contribute to the major part of the recent biogenic sedimentation. Cluster analysis of the quantitative data on sediment faunal interrelation of 30 samples enabled us to recognize three biolithofacies units. Study of common foraminiferal and ostracod species in the area indicates that the distribution and dominance of different benthic species have relatively simple patterns that are governed by water depth, salinity, hydrodynamic conditions, and sediment size.
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1 March 2007
Coastal Geomorphology, Hydrodynamics, and Biolithofacies in the Intertidal and Subtidal Areas of Umm Al-Namil Island, Kuwait Bay, Kuwait
Abdalla Al-Zamel,
Mohammad Al-Sarawi,
Sawsan Khader
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Journal of Coastal Research
Vol. 2007 • No. 232
March 2007
Vol. 2007 • No. 232
March 2007
Beach morphodynamics
Beach profiles
Benthic foraminifera
biofacies
carbonates
coastal morphology
macrotidal environment