Booklet 4- What are sediment cells? And what role do they play in coastal systems?

Question 1

Where does sediment come from?

Answer 1

• Fluvial, erosion from the cliffs, offashore sediment, wind and glaciers

Question 2

What is a sediment cell?

Answer 2

• Is an area of coastline that is bounded by two headlands
  -usually a closed system
  -11 sediment cells around the UK coastline and can be divided into cells

Question 3

Sediment cell example

Answer 3

• Sediment cell 2, Hornsea
  -sediment unput from boulder clay cliffs on Hornsea
  -sediment transferred south by LSD
  -sediment stored on beaches EG Hornsea
  -fluvial input of sediment from humber estuary

Question 4

What is the sediment budget?

Answer 4

• Outputs=Inputs+Changes in stores

Question 5

What happens to sediment budget after installation of a groyne?

Answer 5

• Groynes stop longshore drift
• Inputs will then be greater than outputs stores and stores are increasing
• Creates a positive sediment budget
• This means the beach grows as theres less erosion
• This means there are even less outputs and an even more positive budget

Question 6

Why do we need to understand sediment cells?

Answer 6

• Helps understand the coast as a system so we can sustainably manage it
• Human intervention interferes with this budget

Question 7

Explain the concept

Answer 7

• As sediment cell is an area of the coastline boardered by two headlands sediment cells can be viewed as having a system with inputs and deposition and output like erosion.
• Sediment cells help us understand the coast and how human management (impacts can affect the natural environment) E.g Flambroough Head