Shelf seas (Q999)
Subject, term, tag: Shelf seas
| Language | Label | Description | Also known as |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | Shelf seas |
Subject, term, tag: Shelf seas |
Statements
IPCC Glossary v1.5
1 reference
27 May 2026
Relatively shallow water covering the shelf of continents or around islands. The limit of shelf seas is conventionally considered as 200 m water depth at the continental shelf edge, where there is usually a steep slope to the deep ocean floor. During glacial periods, most shelf seas are lost since they become land as the build-up of ice sheets caused a decrease of global sea level. (English)
IPCC Glossary v1.5
1 reference
27 May 2026