A littoral is the region near the shoreline of a body of fresh or salt water. The term may also be used as an adjective. Depending on context, it may mean the region within a few meters of the water, or everything influenced, possibly extending back many kilometers.

The littoral zone of a freshwater biome refers to the region of well-lit water close to shore. This zone is home to most of the aquatic plantlife (both rooted and floating) in a pond or lake because the high amount of sunlight reaching it allows for significant photosynthetic activity. Jump to: navigation, search Leaf. ...

The adjacency of water gives a number of distinctive characteristics to littoral regions. Water's erosive power results in particular types of landforms, such as sand dunes, and estuaries. The natural movement of the littoral along the coast is called the littoral drift. Biologically, the ready availability of water enables a greater variety of plant and animal life, and the additional local humidity due to evaporation usually creates a microclimate supporting unique types of organisms. Jump to: navigation, search A landform comprises a geomorphological unit. ... This article is about the sand formations, for other meanings see Dune (disambiguation) Mesquite Flat Dunes in Death Valley National Park In physical geography, a dune is a hill of sand built by eolian (wind-related) processes. ... Jump to: navigation, search Estuaries and coastal waters are among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, providing numerous ecological, economic, cultural, and aesthetic benefits and services. ... As the water moves along the shore, it creates what is called the littoral drift. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... Tree ferns thrive in a protected dell at Heligan Gardens, in Cornwall, England, latitude 50o 15N A microclimate is a local zone wherein the climate differs from the surrounding area. ...

In human culture, the littoral is very important; a large percentage of the world's population lives close to lakes or the sea. Jump to: navigation, search Binomial name Homo sapiens Linnaeus, 1758 Subspecies Homo sapiens idaltu (extinct) Homo sapiens sapiens For other uses, see Human (disambiguation). ...

The littoral zone is divided into three sub-zones:

• Supralittoral zone: The zone extending from the high-tide line toward dry land, only underwater during high tides or storms. Also known as the "spray zone".

• Intertidal zone: The area between high tide and low tide lines.

• Sublittoral zone: The subtidal zone below the low tide line, permanently immersed. The sublittoral zone extends to the point where the continental shelf drops.

The word is derived from the Italian littorale, from the Latin litoralis from litus or litor-, meaning shore.