Coastal landscapes and systems

Question 1

What are the zones that the littoral zone can be divided into

-name them in order

Answer 1

• coast
• backshore
• foreshore
• nearshore
• offshore

Question 2

What is the backshore zone found in the littoral zone

-what is it

Answer 2

• area between the high tide mark

- affected by wave action during major storms

Question 3

What is the foreshore zone found in the littoral zone

-what is it

Answer 3

• area between high tide and low tide mark

- seen as most important area for marine activity

Question 4

What is the nearshore zone found in the littoral zone

-what is it

Answer 4

-area of shallow water where friction occurs between seabed and waves- causing waves to break

Question 5

What is the offshore zone found in the littoral zone

-what is it

Answer 5

• area of deeper water beyond the point where waves begin to break
• friction occurs between seabed and waves- could cause distortion in wave shape

Question 6

Name the 2 main types of coastlines formed by the littoral zone

Answer 6

• Rocky/ Cliffed coastlines

- Coastal plain landscapes

Question 7

What are rocky coastlines

Answer 7

• areas of high relief
• resistant rock areas- resistant to erosive power of sea, wind, rain
• high energy environments

rock types: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks- granite, slate, limestone

• erosion is greater than deposition
• destructive waves

Question 8

What is weathering

Answer 8

chemical, bilogical, mechanical breadown of rocks into smaller fragments in situ

Question 9

What is mass movement

Answer 9

landslides, slumps, rockfalls all of which move material downslope under the influence of gravity

Question 10

What is surface runoff

Answer 10

water, usually during heavy rain, flowing down cliff face and causing erosion

Question 11

What is the littoral zone

Answer 11

-boundary between land and sea

Question 12

Why does the littoral zone vary

Answer 12

• due to:
• short-term factors- daily tides, seasonal storms, individual waves
• long-term factors- changes to sea levels, climate change

Question 13

Name the 3 coastal landscapes the littoral zone forms

Answer 13

• rocky, cliffed coastline
• sandy coastline
• estuarine coastline

Question 14

What are sandy coastlines

Answer 14

areas of low relief with sand dunes and beaches, that are much flatter

form in areas with:

• less resistant geology
• a low energy environment
• where deposition > erosion
• constructive waves

Question 15

What are estuarine coastlines

Answer 15

areas of low relief with salt marshes and mudflats (estuaries)

form:

• in river mouths
• where deposition > erosion
• in a low energy environment
• usually in areas of less resistant rock

Question 16

What is coastal accretion

Answer 16

deposition of sediment at the coast and the seaward growth of coastline- creating new land

Question 17

What is dynamic equilibrium

Answer 17

balanced state of a system when inputs and outputs balance over time

Question 18

How are coastal plains maintained in a state of dynamic equilibrium in many locations

Answer 18

• deposition of sediment from river systems inland and from offshore and longshore sources
• erosion by marine action

Question 19

What is a cliff profile

Answer 19

height and angle of a cliff face as well as its features

Question 20

Name the inputs in the coastal system

Answer 20

inputs

• marine- waves, tides
• atmospheric- weather/ climate
• land-rock type, structure
• people- human activity, coastal management

Question 21

Breakdown the coastal system

Answer 21

-inputs -> processes -> outputs

Question 22

Name the processes in the coastal system

Answer 22

• weathering
• mass movement
• erosion
• transport
• deposition

Question 23

Name the outputs in the coastal system

Answer 23

• erosional landforms
• depositional landforms
• different types of coasts

Question 24

Name the 2 ways coasts can be classified

Answer 24

longer-term criteria:

• geology
• sea level change

short-term criteria:

• level of energy
• advancing/ retreating

Question 25

How can coasts be classified by their geology

Answer 25

lithology (rock type) and structure of rocks

-used to determine if coast rocky, sandy or estuarine and concordant / discordant

Question 26

How can coasts be classified because of sea level change

Answer 26

• used to classify coasts as emergent/ submergent
• can be caused by:
• tectonic processes- lift/ subside land- effects sea levels
• climate change- sea levels rise and fall

Question 27

How can coasts be classified because of energy inputs

Answer 27

• receive energy inputs form waves, tides, currents, rivers, atmospheric processes, gravity tectonics
• classify coasts as high/ low energy

Question 28

How can coasts be classified because of advancing/ retreating

Answer 28

classified as advancing/ retreating due to long-term processes (emergent/submergent) and short term (outbuilding/eroding).

Question 29

What are the 2 main cliff profile types

Answer 29

• marine erosion dominated (steep face)

- sub-aerial process dominated (curved slope profile)

Question 30

What factors can determine a rocks resistance to erosion and weathering

Answer 30

• How reactive minerals in the rock are when exposed to chemical weathering- e.g. calcite (found in limestone) can be weathered by solution, whereas quartz (found in sandstone) is not subject to chemical weathering
• if rocks are clastic/ crystalline- igneous rocks are crystalline and are more resistant, sedimentary rocks are clastic (made of cemented sediment particles
• if rocks have cracks, fractures and fissures, which are weaknesses exploited by the forces of weathering and erosion