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What Are the Landforms Called Bluffs?

Bluffs are geological landforms that are characterized as rounded cliffs, often composed of bedrock or glacial till, that face a body of water or plain. Although bluffs are often exposed to harsh weather in the form of sea spray, high winds and drought, life does grow on them. Furthermore, bluffs often act as the transition from marine to forest ecosystem.
  1. Life on the Bluff

    • Bluffs found inland are often devoid of plant life due to the arid conditions of plain life. Coastal bluffs on the other hand are full of rare, fragile organisms that grow sporadically along the cliff bands. Coastal life varies depending on location, but some common life found on bluffs include sea tar lichen, coastal reindeer lichen, barren fescue grass, Nootka rose shrubs, hairy manzanita shrubs, stonecrop flowers, coastal strawberry flowers and shootingstar flowers. Furthermore, coastal bluffs provide prime nesting quarters for all sorts of birds, namely cormorants, turkey vultures, black oystercatchers, belted kingfisher and an assortment of swallows.

    Importance of Bluffs

    • Coastal and inland bluffs alike are sites of significant geological interest because they reveal interesting intricacies about Earth's history. Think of bluffs as upturned sections of earth, which scientists study to assess information about volcanic activity, ice ages and atmospheric conditions of the past. The rock contained in Scott's Bluff National Park, for instance, has been carbon dated as 22 to 33 million years old and has revealed a great deal of information about Earth's environmental conditions in that time frame. Moreover, bluffs contain some of the world's rarest and endangered plant life and are home to several rare and endangered birds as well. As a result, coastal bluffs are a significant site of biodiversity.

    Threats to Bluffs

    • Since vegetation on a bluff is usually shallowly rooted in very little soil, it's easily disturbed. The constant battering of wind and sea erodes a bluff, which makes the life present here all the more precious. Furthermore, the beauty of bluffs worldwide attracts hundreds of admirers. Copious amounts of foot traffic can deter nesting birds from using them as a site for reproduction; worse still, heavy human traffic can cause a nesting bird to abandon its nesting site for a more secluded location, and this significantly limits the time for reproduction. Bluffs are susceptible to compaction and trampling caused by foot traffic of those who come to admire the view at the top of the cliff. People also introduce invasive species, such as scotch broom, which can grow almost anywhere and overtakes premier real estate for growing rare plants.

    Famous Bluffs in the U.S.

    • Some of the world's most dramatic and beautiful coastal bluffs are located on the West Coast of the United States and attract thousands of admires each year. Famous U.S. bluffs found here include the Northern California's Redwood National Park coastline, Scott's Bluff National Monument in Nebraska, and the Presidio Bluffs in Golden Gate National Recreation Area. These three nationally acclaimed areas are some of the world's wildest marine coastlines and oldest geological phenomenons.


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