8 - examples/case studies

Question 1

simple and compound spit

Answer 1

Simple:
- spurn head, england:
- soft boulder clay of holderness coast is fastly eroded, silts and mud from Humber estuary contribute to salt marsh behind spit

Compound:
Hurst Castle:
- sediment from Christchurch bay (soft clay)

Question 2

tombolo

Answer 2

Chesil Beach:
- dorset
- shingle
- connects Isle of Portland to the mainland
Formation:
- after last ice age, melting glaciers = sea level rise and sediment deposited by glacial meltwater left offshore as sea levels rose -shingle barrier beach
- swash-aligned deposition

Question 3

barrier beach

Answer 3

Chesil beach:
- separates the fleet lagoon from the English channel
- formed due to post-glacial sea level rise, LSD

Question 4

sand dune

Answer 4

Studland sand dunes, Dorset (within the Jurassic coast):
- sand from eroded cliffs at Poole Harbour and Ballard Down
- Embryo dunes: sea rocket and saltwort
- Yellow dunes: Marram grass(most important stabilizer - deep roots trap sand/prevent erosion)

Question 5

saltmarsh

Answer 5

• Keyhaven saltmarsh, formed behind Hurst castle spit, due to LSD from the west
• pioneer colonising plant, eel grass, helps to stabilise the area and gradually halophytes, e.g glass wort and sea blite colonise

Question 6

caves, arches and stacks

Answer 6

Arch:
- durdle door (Arch) - Wave action has eroded through the resistant Portland limestone
- stack and stumps:
- old harrys rocks

Question 7

bay and headland

Answer 7

• Lulworth Cove (bay and Headland): sea broke through a narrow band of resistant limestone and eroded the softer clays and sands behind.

Question 8

drift aligned beach

Answer 8

Dungeness Beach, Kent:
- large pebbles and gravel
- spit at the eastern end