Which coastal feature acts as the primary line of defense against wave energy and is composed of wind-blown sand?

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Multiple Choice

Which coastal feature acts as the primary line of defense against wave energy and is composed of wind-blown sand?

Explanation:
Wind-blown sand builds up into dunes, which rise above the beach and act as the first barrier to incoming waves. These ridges absorb and dissipate much of the wave energy and storm surge, protecting inland areas from erosion, especially when grasses stabilize the sand and keep the dune face intact. The other features—barrier flats, high salt marshes, and lagoons—lie behind or within the shore zone and contribute to protection in different ways, but they do not form the immediate frontline that most directly blocks wave energy. Therefore, the dunes best fit as the primary line of defense composed of wind-blown sand.

Wind-blown sand builds up into dunes, which rise above the beach and act as the first barrier to incoming waves. These ridges absorb and dissipate much of the wave energy and storm surge, protecting inland areas from erosion, especially when grasses stabilize the sand and keep the dune face intact. The other features—barrier flats, high salt marshes, and lagoons—lie behind or within the shore zone and contribute to protection in different ways, but they do not form the immediate frontline that most directly blocks wave energy. Therefore, the dunes best fit as the primary line of defense composed of wind-blown sand.

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