Robin Davidson-Arnott has been a Professor in the Department of Geography at the University of Guelph, Ontario since 1976. He was a member of the Task Force of the International Joint Commission (Canada/USA) Great Lakes Water Levels Reference Study Phase 1 (1987-9), and was seconded as a Scientist to the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources Development of Ontario Shoreline Management Policy and Technical Guideline (1992-5), and to the International Joint Commission (Canada/USA) Upper Great Lakes Water Level Regulation Study (2007-11). He has worked as a consultant for a number of studies for Ontario Conservation Authorities and Parks, Canada, and was awarded the R. J. Russell Award from the Coastal and Marine Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers in 2000. He has received continuous support in his research from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada for over thirty years. He has authored and co-authored many books and journal articles on the subject, including a contribution to Geomorphology and Global Environmental Change (Cambridge, 2009).

Part I. Introduction: 1. Introduction; 2. Coastal geomorphology; Part II. Coastal Processes: 3. Sea level; 4. Wind-generated waves; 5. Wave dynamics; 6. Surf zone circulation; 7. Coastal sediment transport; Part III. Coastal Systems: 8. Beach and nearshore systems; 9. Coastal sand dunes and Aeolian processes; 10. Barrier systems; 11. Saltmarshes and mangroves; 12. Coral reefs and atolls; 13. Cliffed and rocky coasts.