Coastal Landscape Development Flashcards
What is a landform? What is a landscape? - Landscape Developments
A landform is an individual component formed along the coastline. These include cliffs, beaches and wave cut platforms.
A landscape is the whole coastline and is made up of multiple landforms.
Describe the process by which a wave cut platform will form - Landscape Developments
A wave cut platform is created where a wave cut notch is eroded (wave quarrying, abrasion, hydraulic action) between the tidal range. This notch undercuts the cliff, which collapses under gravity, leaving the rock debris to form a platform below which is visible at low tide. This repeats as the cliff retreats.
How are wave cut platforms an example of a negative feedback loop? - Landscape Developments
Wave cut platforms are negative feedback loops as their formation and the retreat of the cliff means that wave energy dissipates as the platform advances. This means that the platform will eventually cease to grow as the waves become weaker due to friction.
What factors affect the development of wave cut platforms? - Landscape Developments
Wave cut platforms are affected by destructive waves breaking at a section of rock continuously between high and low tide, they require time to form as the process is repeated.
What are inputs, outputs and processes occurring at the coast to create a wave cut platform? - Landscape Developments
Inputs: energy, waves
Outputs: sediment (as rocks)
Processes: hydraulic action/corrasion, wave quarrying, deposition of fallen rocks, rockfall.
What is a UK example of a wave-cut platform? - Landscape Developments
A UK example of a wave cut platform is at Flamborough Head.
What is the progression of cliff profile features seen in the erosion of a headland? - Landscape Developments
Cliff profile features progress as: crack, cave, arch, stack, stump.
What factors affect the development of cliff profile features such as those seen on headlands? - Landscape Developments
The development of cliff profile features are affected by the strength of the rock, the energy of the waves and wind at the coast and the extent of weathering.
What are inputs, outputs and processes occurring in the development of cliff profile features? - Landscape Developments
Inputs: energy, wind, tides, vegetation, waves, offshore sediment
Outputs: sediment, landforms (cliff profile features)
Processes: hydraulic action, abrasion, cavitation, wave quarrying, solution, rockfall, weathering.
What is a UK example of the creation of cliff profile features? What is a non-UK example? - Landscape Developments
A UK example of the erosion of cliff profile features is Old Harry in Dorset. A non-UK example is the 12 Apostles in Victoria, Australia.
How does the dip of the cliff affect their characteristics? - Landscape Developments
A cliff with a seaward dip will be gently sloping, allowing rock to roll down it such as in a landslide. A cliff with a landward dip is much steeper, meaning sub-aerial processes such as rockfall.
How is large/small material distributed up a beach? - Landscape Developments
Larger material tends to lie at the top of a beach as it requires high energy waves to be transported up there, whereas finer material remains at the base of a beach near the sea as it requires minimal energy in order to be transported.
What is a storm berm? How and where do they form? - Landscape Developments
Storm berms are formed at the top of a beach, where a flat area of sediment is deposited by a strong swash during spring high tides. Can often be formed by dense and heavy material.
What are berms? How and where do they form? - Landscape Developments
Berms are small ridges marking high tide lines along a beach which are formed by constructive waves.
What are cusps? How and where are they formed? - Landscape Developments
Cusps are formed where waves break on a beach with strong swash and backwash. Their curved sides cause the swash to be channeled up the sides of the cusp, whilst the backwash strongly rips backwards down the middle of it.
What are ripples? How and where do they form? - Landscape Developments
Ripples are lines which develop in the sand due to the action of waves travelling backwards and forwards over it.
What are swash aligned beaches? What type of beach do they create? - Landscape Developments
Swash aligned beaches are beaches where the swash arrives at the beach parallel to it, meaning swash and backwash occur at the same angle as each other. These build up large, wide beaches.
What are drift aligned beaches? What type of beach do they create? - Landscape Developments
Drift aligned beaches are where the waves approach at an angle and therefore longshore drift occurs. This creates thin, wide beaches, as well as spits, tombolos and barrier beaches.
What inputs, outputs and processes develop depositional landforms seen at beaches? - Landscape Developments
Inputs: sediment (offshore, littoral, windblown, mass movement), tides, wave energy
Outputs: sediment through littoral drift (beaches are temporary stores)
Processes: littoral drift, traction, saltation, suspension, swash/backwash, constructive waves.
What factors affect the development of depositional landforms on a beach? - Landscape Developments
Nature of the waves (constructive/destructive), tides, weather conditions, geology at the coast, coastal management, availability of sediment.
Describe the process of how a spit forms. What secondary landform is often created? - Landscape Developments
Spits form when sediment is transported along a coast by littoral drift in the direction of prevailing winds, and then forms a thin strand of sediment across a river estuary or out to the coast. This often creates a saltmarsh behind the spit in sheltered conditions.
What are the different types of spit that can be formed? - Landscape Developments
Spits can either be straight or recurved, whilst compound spits can also form with multiple recurved ends.
What is a UK example of a spit? What is a non-UK example? - Landscape Developments
A UK example of a spit is at Spurn Point in Yorkshire. A non-UK example is the Arabat Spit, which is 40km long, in Russia.
What is a tombolo? - Landscape Developments
A tombolo is where a spit connects an island to the mainland. This creates sheltered conditions on one side.
Describe the process of the formation of a tombolo - Landscape Developments
Littoral drift causes sediment to be transported along a coastline in the direction of prevailing winds. This then blows across the coast and connects the island to the mainland.
What factors affect the development of a tombolo/spit? - Landscape Developments
The development of a spit/tombolo is affected by the energy at the coast (high/low), wind, river processes, the size of the island and the distance from the coast, coastal management and its effect on the availability of sediment.
What are inputs, outputs and processes involved in the development of a spit/tombolo? - Landscape Developments
Inputs: sediment, wave energy, wind, the presence of a drift aligned beach
Outputs: landform (sediment store), spits (compound/simple), tombolos, salt marshes.
Processes: littoral drift, transport, deposition, longshore currents.
What is a UK example of a tombolo? What is a non-UK example? - Landscape Developments
A UK example of a spit is at St Minian’s in Scotland, whilst a non-UK example is at Angel Road in Japan.
What is a barrier beach? What forms behind the barrier beach? - Landscape Developments
A barrier beach is formed where a spit forms across a bay or joins 2 headlands together. Behind the barrier beach, a lagoon eventually forms in the sheltered conditions present.
What factors affect the development of a barrier beach? - Landscape Developments
The development of a barrier beach is affected by the rate of deposition from littoral drift, the presence (or lack) of a coastal current, the wind direction, the wave energy, the shape of the coastline.
How does the presence (or lack) of a current affect the development of a barrier beach? - Landscape Developments
If a coastal current is present, then a barrier beach is unable to form at the coast as they can only form with no current flowing across the land.
What is a UK example of a barrier beach? - Landscape Developments
A UK example of a barrier beach is at Slapton Ley.
What is a barrier island? What has caused the development of barrier islands? - Landscape Developments
A barrier island is where a barrier beach has become separated from the mainland. This is thought to have been due to the deposition of sediment from melting glaciers at the conclusion of the last ice age.
What forms behind a barrier island? How are inlets between barrier islands created? - Landscape Developments
Barrier islands have vegetation successions form behind them, whilst inlets are created between barrier islands due to tides breaking up these islands.
What are inputs, outputs and processes in the development of barrier islands/barrier beaches? - Landscape Developments
Inputs: post-glacial sediment, wave and wind energy, sediment
Outputs: accumulation of sediment, inlets between islands
Processes, longshore drift, deposition, wave energy, tides, traction, suspension, saltation, vegetation succession.
What are offshore bars? How are they formed? - Landscape Developments
Offshore bars are ridges of sand and sediment deposited by coastal currents such as longshore drift. Often remain submerged or semi-submerged.
Describe the process by which sand dunes form - Landscape Developments
An embryo dune is formed when sand is trapped on a beach. Pioneer species colonise this deposition (marram grass), stabilising the dune. The dune grows as more sand is deposited and is further colonised by plants.
What are the 4 types of sand dune formed at the coast? List in order of youngest-oldest and name characteristics of each - Landscape Developments
Embryo dune: hardy and tolerant plants such as marram grass
Yellow dune: pioneer roots grow such as small plants
Grey dune: larger, sturdier plants outcompete pioneers, more sand present.
Mature dune: fast growing trees and shrubs.
What happens to dune height, organic content, vegetation height and biodiversity as dune maturity increases? - Landscape Developments
As dune maturity increases, dune height, vegetation height, organic content and biodiversity will all increase.
What factors affect the development of a sand dune progression? - Landscape Developments
Sand dune progression is affected by the strength of wind, the tidal range of a coast, the amount of sediment available, the extent to which sea level rises and the severity of storms.
What inputs, outputs and processes occur in the development of sand dunes? - Landscape Developments
Inputs: sediment, wind, tidal range, constructive waves
Outputs: dune system
Processes: littoral drift, aeolian processes, saltation, suspension, deposition, primary succession.
What are mudflats? Where do they form? - Landscape Developments
Mudflats are areas of water on the coast formed at low energy coastlines, such as at estuaries.
How does flocculation aid the creation of mudflats? - Landscape Developments
Flocculation causes aggregate particles to become heavy and sink in the presence of saline and fresh water. This means that they sink to the estuary’s bed and are exposed at low tide.
What is flocculation? - Landscape Developments
Flocculation is the process by which clay particles combine in the presence of fresh and saline water, causing them to become heavier and sink to the bed of an estuary, forming mudflats.
How do mudflats develop into salt marshes? - Landscape Developments
Mudflats develop into salt marshes over time as succession occurs in them and plant variety increases.
At what point does the creation of a salt marsh complete? - Landscape Developments
The creation of a salt marsh is completed when succession rises above the level of spring high tide, as climax vegetation then grows.
What inputs, outputs and processes are involved with the development of salt marshes/mudflats? - Landscape Developments
Inputs: sediment (silt, mud, clay), low energy environment, freshwater/saltwater
Outputs: mudflats, salt marshes, climax community, transgression into the coast.
Processes: deposition, flocculation, primary succession, saltation/suspension.
What factors affect the development of mudflats and saltmarshes? - Landscape Developments
The development of mudflats and salt marshes are affected by coastal management, human interference (grazing animals, preventing climax succession), managed retreat allows development of salt marshes, sea level rise creates marshes on the coast.
What is a UK example of a salt marsh? What is a non-UK example? - Landscape Developments
A UK example of a salt marsh is behind Spurn Point on the Humber Estuary, whilst a non UK example is Scarborough Marsh in Maine.
What is the expected global sea level rise by 2100? - Landscape Developments
By 2100, it is expected that global sea levels will have risen by 4-6m.
What is isostatic sea level change? - Landscape Developments
Isostatic sea level change is change in the level of the land in relation to the sea. This is due to the changing level of the land.
What usually prompts isostatic sea level change? What scale is this type of sea level change associated with? - Landscape Developments
Isostatic sea level change is usually prompted by tectonic activities or increased/reduced glacial presence. This form of sea level change is usually isolated to local/regional areas.
What is eustatic sea level change? - Landscape Developments
Eustatic sea level change is a change in the level of water in relation to the land. This is a rise/fall in sea levels.
What usually prompts eustatic sea level change? What scale is this type of sea level change associated with? - Landscape Developments
Eustatic sea level change is usually caused by the melting of sea ice and the subsequent increase in oceanic water, or thermal expansion caused by rising temperatures. This type of sea level change is usually associated with global or more wide-ranging areas.
What causes isostatic sea level change? - Landscape Developments
Isostatic sea level change is caused by tectonic activity raising the level of land, glaciation pushing down land altitudes due to the mass of ice sheets or POST-GLACIAL READJUSTMENT whereby land will rebound following the release of pressure when glaciers melt.
What are causes of eustatic sea level change? - Landscape Developments
Eustatic sea level change is caused by thermal expansion of water from increasing global temperatures, reduction in ice sheet sizes/increasing levels of hydrospheric water, growth in ice sheet sizes/reducing levels of hydrospheric water, tectonic activity displacing and raising sea levels.
Describe the processes of glaciation and post-glacial readjustment - Landscape Developments
Glaciation is where the increase in size of ice sheets cause the lowering of land levels due to the pressure imparted on this land. Post-glacial readjustment is caused when ice sheets melt at the conclusion of an ice age, allowing the asthenosphere to rebound, raising sea levels.
What are examples of tectonic events which can cause isostatic change? - Landscape Developments
Continental drift, plate movement and fold mountain creation can cause isostatic sea level change.
How is isostatic sea level change occurring in Scotland? - Landscape Developments
In Scotland, isostatic sea level change is occurring due to isostatic recovery after the presence of glaciers during the previous ice age. This is causing the land to rise in relation to the sea and creating landforms of emergence.
Describe the creation of raised beaches. Are these a landform of emergence or submergence? - Landscape Developments
Raised beaches are formed when the sea level drops in relation to the land, causing the beach to become stranded above the high-water mark. These are landforms of emergence.
What are features of raised beaches? - Landscape Developments
Raised beaches experience a vegetation succession once above the high-water mark, meaning that flat and grassy terraces can develop.
What factors affect the development of raised beaches? - Landscape Developments
Extent of isostatic sea-level change, development of seral successions, rates of erosion, marine processes, whether sediment has been sufficiently deposited.
What processes cause the creation of raised beaches? - Landscape Developments
Isostatic sea level change, sediment deposition, seral successions, post-glacial readjustment, marine processes, sub-aerial processes.
What are inputs and outputs of raised beaches? - Landscape Developments
Inputs - deposition/erosion through wave energy
Outputs - landform, eroded material
What is a UK example of a raised beach? What is a non-UK example? - Landscape Developments
UK example - Arran
Non-UK example - Iceland
What are Rias? Describe their features - Landscape Developments
Rias are where river mouths and estuaries with valley sides become flooded due to eustatic sea level rise. They have V shaped valleys.
What are Fjords? Describe their features - Landscape Developments
Fjords are flooded glacial valleys which have been submerged by eustatic sea level rise. They have U shaped valley sides and are made up of steep sided, mountainous valleys.
What is a UK example of a Ria? What is a non-UK example? - Landscape Developments
UK: Exe mouth
Non-UK: San Francisco Bay
What is a UK example of a Fjord? What is a non-UK example of a fjord? - Landscape Developments
UK: Loch Fyne
Non-UK: Sogne Fjord
What factors affect the development of fjords and rias? - Landscape Developments
Extent of eustatic sea level rise/isostatic fall, altitude and topography of river valleys, extent of climate change through thermal expansion and glacial melting.
What are inputs, outputs and processes occurring in the development of fjords and rias? - Landscape Developments
Inputs - sea level rise, isostatic fall, thermal energy
Outputs - new coastal landforms, rising sea levels
Processes - eustatic change (thermal expansion, melting/ablation of ice sheets), minor isostatic change, global warming
What are Dalmatian Coasts? Are they landforms of emergence or submergence? - Landscape Developments
Dalmatian Coasts are where river systems once running parallel to the coast are flooded, creating a series of long islands which would have once been hills along valley sides parallel to the coast. Landforms of submergence.
What are the differences between rias, fjords and dalmatian coasts? - Landscape Developments
Rias - flooded river mouths and valleys PERPENDICULAR TO COAST which submerge the lower part of the valley.
Fjords - flooded glacial valleys PERPENDICULAR TO COAST which submerge the lower part of the valley.
Dalmatian Coasts - flooded river valleys PARALLEL TO COAST which submerge lower part of valley.
What are inputs, outputs and processes occurring in the development of Dalmatian Coasts? - Landscape Developments
Inputs: river valley parallel to coast, sea level rise, concordant coastline
Outputs: Dalmatian Coast, ridges and hills parallel to coast to create distinctive islands
Processes: eustatic sea level rise, littoral processes, sub-aerial processes, fluvial erosion, flocculation.
What factors affect the development of Dalmatian Coasts? - Landscape Developments
Rate of sea level rise (balance between isostatic and eustatic sea level change), geology (concordant coastline needed), rate of erosion, river erosion of valleys, fluvial erosion.
What are the impacts of sea level rise globally? - Landscape Developments
Storm surges and sea level rise can destroy low-lying coastal areas, increased spending on flood protection, loss of coastal wildlife and habitats, migration away from coastal habitats.
What are the expected impacts of sea level rise in the UK? - Landscape Developments
Vulnerable areas such as Hull, Middlesbrough and London may be at risk, loss of agricultural land due to flooding, risk posed to infrastructure, flooding of gas and power stations, loss of coastal habitats.
