Coastal Landforms and Landscapes

Question 1

What is an important factor in the development of arches?

Answer 1

the wave energy is concentrated at headlands due to there exposure. This leads to higher-energy waves and therefore increased erosion

Question 2

What is the sequence of landforms formed after a cave?

Answer 2

cave -> arch -> stack -> stump

Question 3

How might erosion be an example of a negative feedback loop?

Answer 3

• causes cliffs to weaken and rock fall
• shelters the bottom of the cliff

Question 4

How might wave cut platforms prevent future erosion?

Answer 4

as they increase in the length, waves may be unable to reach the cliff, so cannot erode it any further

Question 5

How may sediment vary on a drift-aligned beach?

Answer 5

waves approach at an angle, so sediment is larger at the ‘start’ of the beach

Question 6

What are important factors in the development of a spit?

Answer 6

• sudden change in direction
• longshore drift occurring
• changes in wind direction/wave refraction

Question 7

What landforms may a spit enable the development of?

Answer 7

• mudflats and saltmarshes in the sheltered area behind
• bars if the spit extends across a bay
• tombolos if spit extends to an island

Question 8

How are barrier beaches formed?

Answer 8

• sea level rise -> constructive waves deposit sediment and push a ridge of sand closer to shore -> shallow, sloping seabed
• spit pushed closer towards the shoreline

Question 9

What are offshore bars?

Answer 9

mostly submerged, offshore regions where sand is deposited due to waves which lack the energy to carry material away. Also formed in backwash

Question 10

Why is vegetation an important part of sand dune formation?

Answer 10

as long roots in pioneer species (such as marram grass) stabilise the dune and trap sediment, allowing sand to build up

Question 11

What is the most important factor in sand dune development? (opinion-based)

Answer 11

aeolian transport/strong onshore winds, as without these the sediment would not be blown onshore so there would be nothing to make up the dune

Question 12

Why is a large tidal range important in sand dune development?

Answer 12

as it allows sand to dry and be light enough to be picked up by winds

Question 13

How are mudflats formed?

Answer 13

when water velocity in estuaries is low, it causes sediment to be deposited

Question 14

What are halophytes?

Answer 14

salt tolerant plants that often colonise salt marshes

Question 15

What affects the rate of cliff erosion?

Answer 15

• bedding
• rock type/geology
• wave type

Question 16

When do swash-aligned beaches form?

Answer 16

when the wave front is parallel to the beach

Question 17

When do drift-aligned beaches form?

Answer 17

when waves approach the shore at an angle, usually, larger sediment deposited first and finer sediment deposited later on

Question 18

What is a barrier beach? Give an example…

Answer 18

strips of sand parallel to the coastline that are not submerged beneath sea level
eg, Lido, Venice

Question 19

What are barrier islands?

Answer 19

barrier beaches where sand increases in height above sea level, sand dunes form which allows succession and results in the formation of a saltmarsh, mangrove swamp or lagoon in the sheltered area