1a - Coastal landscapes can be viewed as systems

Question 1

Inputs to system?

Answer 1

• Waves and wind energy – kinetic energy
• Sunshine – thermal energy
• Fluvial River sediment
• Weathered material from cliffs
• Marine sediments deposited by waves

Question 2

Flows into system?

Answer 2

• Wind movement along the beach – LSD, Wind transport sand along the shore by the process of saltation
• Tidal currents can move sediment and destructive waves have a weak swash and strong backwash so it can draw sediment back down the beach where is constructive waves have a strong swash so sediment is deposited on the beach and the backwash is too weak to draw material back down

Question 3

Stores in the system?

Answer 3

• Sediment can be outputted by being stored in sinks like an offshore bar or an estuary.
• However it can also be temporary stored as beaches or sand dunes

Question 4

Outputs in a system?

Answer 4

• Marine sediments eroded by waves
• Evaporation of water
• Sediment taken away by wind

Question 5

Equilibrium def?

Answer 5

when the systems inputs and outputs are equal

Question 6

Negative feedback def?

Answer 6

when the system self regulates and changes form to restore equilibrium - The response to disturbance

Question 7

def of sediment cell?

Answer 7

A line of coastline and it’s nearshore area where the movement of coarse sediment is largely self contained

Question 8

key characteristics of sediment cells?

Answer 8

• They function separately from each other, interruptions to one cell should not affect neighbouring cells, they are geographically bounded by significant disruption to the coast line Suggesting that a sediment cell is a close system as sediment isn’t transferred in and out of the cell
• Most coastal locations are open systems because there are lots of natural inputs and outputs that shape the coast and allow both energy and matter to cross the boundaries. However sediment cells are much larger scale and therefore it is easier to contain the transfer of sediment and matter
• Sediment is sourced, transferred and stored, only finer sediment will be exchanged between cells
• The amount of sediment in the cell is the settlement budget. The cell will produce depositional features which are an equilibrium with the sediment available (less budget = more erosion)
• Overtime substance will erode and sediment will re-enter the cell system, sediment in the sink is away from wave action and Longshore drift = an output
• The sediment cell is a system of inputs, processes and outputs. Eg….