coastal landscapes and systems

Question 1

littoral zone

Answer 1

coastal zone- the boundary between the coast and sea which stretches out to sea and onto the shore

Question 2

what effects the littoral zone

Answer 2

short term- tides, storms, waves

long term- sea level changes, climate change

Question 3

name 3 rock types and examples

Answer 3

• igneous; granite
• sedimentary; sandstone, chalk
• metamorphic; slates and chists

Question 4

how are sedimentary rocks formed

Answer 4

sedimentary rocks are made up of pieces (clasts) of pre-existing rocks. Pieces of rock are loosened by weathering, then transported to some basin or depression where sediment is trapped. If the sediment is buried deeply, it becomes compacted and cemented, forming sedimentary rock.

Question 5

how are igneous rocks formed

Answer 5

extrusive; when lava cools down forming large crystals

intrusive- magma inside the volcano cools down since it takes longer to cool it forms larger crystals

Question 6

how are metamorphic rocks formed

Answer 6

Metamorphic rocks form when rocks are subjected to high heat, high pressure, hot mineral-rich fluids or, more commonly, some combination of these factors. Conditions like these are found deep within the Earth or where tectonic plates meet.

Question 7

high energy coasts

Answer 7

mainly rocky has powerful waves, rate of erosion exceeds deposition, erosional landforms are found

Question 8

low energy coasts

Answer 8

sandy and beachy, estuarine coasts, less powerful waves, deposition exceeds erosion, depositional landforms are found

Question 9

how are coasts classified

Answer 9

1) geology of coasts- concordant / discordant coasts, rock/sandy
2) level of energy- high/low energy coasts
3) balance between erosion and deposition-creating either depositional or erosional landforms
4) changes in sea level- emergent/submergent coasts

Question 10

strata

Answer 10

layers of rock

Question 11

bedding planes

Answer 11

horizontal cracks in the strata, natural braeaks , caused by gaps in time during rock formation

Question 12

joints/cracks

Answer 12

vertical cracks, caused when sediment dries out or by the uplift of crust.

Question 13

folds

Answer 13

bend in the rock strata

Question 14

faults

Answer 14

fault is a fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock. Faults allow the blocks to move relative to each other. … Earth scientists use the angle of the fault with respect to the surface (known as the dip) and the direction of slip along the fault to classify faults.

Question 15

dip

Answer 15

the acute angle that a rock surface makes with a horizontal plane

Question 16

concordant coasts

Answer 16

concordant coastline occurs where the bands of differing rock types run parallel to the coast. The outer hard provides a protective barrier to the erosion of the softer rocks further inland. also known as dalmation coasts

Question 17

discordant coasts

Answer 17

These are where rock strata or structures are aligned at an angle to the coastline.
Discordant coasts have a crenelated pattern of projecting headlands and indented bays.
Discordant coasts are also known as Atlantic coasts, after the Cork coastline in the Republic of Ireland.

Question 18

list types of rocks permeability and resistance to erosion with the most easily erodable

Answer 18

• sedimentary-very porous
• igneous-impermeable
• metamorphic-impermeable and resistant

Question 19

explain headlands and bays

Answer 19

Headlands are formed when the sea attacks a section of the coast with alternating bands of hard and soft rock. This leaves a section of land jutting out into the sea called a headland. The areas where the soft rock has eroded away, next to the headland, are called bays. when waves enter the bay the water is deeper so waves loose velocity and energy so deposition can take place forming beaches

Question 20

how are waves caused

Answer 20

wind creates frictional drag producing movment onb surface of water, over time they build up. the size depends on the strength of the wind

Question 21

fetch

Answer 21

distance over which waves move

Question 22

swell waves

Answer 22

swell is a series of mechanical or surface gravity waves generated by distant weather systems that propagate thousands of miles across oceans and seas. It’s a succession of massive and crestless waves characterized by a narrow range of long wavelengths.

Question 23

constructive waves

Answer 23

long wavelenbgth and low surging waves, strong swach and weak backwash, beach gain, deposional

Question 24

destructive waves

Answer 24

short wavelength, high plunging waves, weak swach and strong back wash, erosional , beach loss

Question 25

what are the beach profiles in summer and winter like

Answer 25

summer; contructive waves- build up of berms winter; destructive waves-most erosion happens during this time.

Question 26

abrasion/corrasion

Answer 26

sediment picked up by waves and thrown against cliff face- sand paper effect

Question 27

hydraulic action

Answer 27

air gets trapped into cracks as waves splash onto cliff face , building pressure. and exposed as pressure released when waves retreat, causing joints to expand

Question 28

corrosion

Answer 28

when the weak acid in water reacts with the sediment, dissolving them

Question 29

attrition

Answer 29

rocks hit against and collide with each other as the waves retreats and comes back.

Question 30

wave-cut platforms

Answer 30

waves break against the base of the cliff eventually eroding away and creating a wave-cut notch. as erosional processes carry on overtime the notch grows creating an overhang, eventually, the cliff on top becomes unstable and collapses down below. as this process is repeated overtime the cliff retreats.

Question 31

caves-arches, stacks, and stumps

Answer 31

erosional processes on cliff surface form cracks which eventually grow into bigger cracks that turn into caves. erosion that's taking place on either side of a cliff eventually causes the two caves to meet and form arches. the overhang of the clff overtime becomes unstable and colappes inwards leaving behind a stack which eventually erodes away further forming a stump

Question 32

longshore drift

Answer 32

Longshore drift is a process responsible for moving significant amounts of sediment along the coast. This usually occurs in one direction as dictated by the prevailing wind. For example, the prevailing wind along the Holderness Coast is north-easterly. As the result waves break on to the beach obliquely at an angle of around 45 degrees. The swash moves beach material along the beach and the backwash, under gravity, pulls the material back down the beach at right angles to the coastline. Over time this creates a net shift of material along the coast.

Question 33

4 main methods of marine transport

Answer 33

-traction; large stones or boulders in the river's load are rolled along by the force of the river. -saltation; transport of sediment in rivers -suspension; transporting very fine sediment in the river solution; minerals that are dissolved in water are carried along in the river

Question 34

tides

Answer 34

caused by the gravitational pull of the moon. UK coastline has 2 high tides and 2 low times a day.

Question 35

tidal range

Answer 35

the difference in the height between high and low tides | high tidal range in powerful tides and is important in carrying sediment.

Question 36

spits

Answer 36

1) sediment is moved by longshpore drift 2) sediment builds up 3) river currents prevents spits from extending 4) wave refraction carries matieral into sheltered water to form a recurved spit 5) behind the spit salt marsh is formed

Question 37

beaches

Answer 37

often found in bays, low energy environments , leading to deposition. sand/shingle.

Question 38

offshor bars/sandbars

Answer 38

are prtly submerged ridges of sand that are exposed in low tides. destructive waves erode sand from beaches and deposit it on offshore in bars.

Question 39

tombolos

Answer 39

like spits, but tombolos connect mainland to island

Question 40

cuspate foreland

Answer 40

are TRIANGULAR-shaped headlands. formed when the coast is exposed to longshore drift from opposite directions. sediment deposited when two longshore drift meet. forming the triangular shape. vegetation starts growing. stabilises the enviroment.

Question 41

barrier beaches/ bars

Answer 41

just like spit, but this joins two headlands together, trapping water behind them forming lagoons

Question 42

dunes

Answer 42

develop when sand is trapped by debris towards the back of the beach.

Question 43

salt marshes

Answer 43

areas of silty sediments that accumulate around estuaries of lagoons

Question 44

sediment cell

Answer 44

is a linked system of sources/inputs, transfers, and sinks/outputs of sediment along a section of coastline, so where is comes from , how it moves and where it ends up

Question 45

how many sediment cells in UK

Answer 45

11

Question 46

what are sediment cells boundaries

Answer 46

large geological structures, e.g headlands and estuaries

Question 47

what are sediment call inputs/sources

Answer 47

- cliff erosion - onshore currents - river transport - windblown, sediment from land - subaerial processes - marine organisms

Question 48

what are sediment cell sinks/ outputs

Answer 48

- depositional landforms | - sinks, offshore bars etc

Question 49

how is the sediment cell dynamic

Answer 49

as the sediment is constantly being generated in the source region, transported through the transfer region, and deposited in the sink region. dynamic equilibrium is reached when inputs are balanced by the amount deposited in sinks. however the system can be interrupted by storms, but balance is restored over time due to negative feedback human intervention could also reduce the sediment supply, causing the balance to be inturrupted.

Question 50

name 3 mass movement-flows

Answer 50

-soil creep; soil flows very slowly down hill. -solifuction- occurs in tundra areas, top layer of soil thaws and becimes saturated, flowing over the frozen layer beneath. mudflows- increase in amount of water , decrease friction, causing mud flow over bedrock

Question 51

name 2 mass movemnt- slides

Answer 51

- rock falls; when clif faces exposed to weathering,material falls to bottom of cliff - rock/debris slides; rocks that have bedding planes parallel to the the slope of cliff surface is susseptible to landslides. increase in water decreases friction causing sliding. - slumps; rotational movement present, where softer rock overlie harder impermeable rock, where the rock slumps over downwards.

Question 52

mechanical wweathering

Answer 52

freaze thaw weathering salt weathering(when water evaporates leaving salt crystals behind which grows and exert stress on rock) wetting and drying

Question 53

biological weathering

Answer 53

- plant roots grows in the cracks of cliff face , craks widen as roots grow, breaking away the rock - birds and animals dig burrows into cliffs - marine organisma can burrow into rocks or secrete acids

Question 54

chemical weathering

Answer 54

rainwater absorbs pollution mainly CO2 from air, becoming slightly acidic and dissolves away rocks like limestone when rained

Question 55

eustatic change

Answer 55

- sea level rises and falls - global - e.g melting of glaciers due to global warming

Question 56

isostatic change

Answer 56

- when land itself rises and falls - local - e.g during glacial periods, scotland was mainly weighed down, however since its melted, london is now sinking and scotland is rising, much like a see-saw effect.

Question 57

emergent coastal landforms

Answer 57

a fall

Question 58

emergent coastal landforms

Answer 58

a fall in sea level exposes land previously submerged in sea. creating emergent coastal landforms - rasied beaches most common in scotland

Question 59

submergent coastal landforms

Answer 59

a rise in sea level floods the coast creating submergent coastlines. - rias;form when valleys in a disected upland are flooded, common in south west england - dalmation coasts- rivers flow parallel to coasts- concordant coasts - fjords= when deep glacial troughs are flooded by rising sea levels , have aU shaped cross section.

Question 60

Holderness coast - case study

Answer 60

geology: - boulder clay- has littele resistance and suseptible to erosion, shallow sloping cliffs - sourrounded by chalk , creates the headlands at flamborough head, creating erosional landforms Fetch- - exoposed to winds from the north east+small fetch - currents that have circulated around the uk from the atlantic creating destructive waves attack the coast - low pressure weather systems +wind storms pass over north sea - deep sea floor- velocity of waves stays the same- attack the coast at full force. Longshore drift and beach material- - boulder clay erodes to produce its sediments and are transported out to sea - narrow beach=little to no friction=no wave energy is absorbed - tides flow south-sand is transported by longshore drift- leaves holderness cliffs poorly protected against attacks.

Question 61

who are the key players in holderness costs(human activity)

Answer 61

- local government; enviromental agency+local government responsible for managing the coastline. funding for both has been cut though. - Stakeholders in local economy- tourist industry+ farmers want more coastal protection-insurance refusing to insure vulnerable people. - Enviromental stakeholders- english nature+RSPB want to protect spurn head. contionus supply of sediment for longshore drift is essential.

Question 62

holderness economic+social loss

Answer 62

- tourist industry fell - 200 homes lost in next 80 years - infrastructure lost to sea - no compensation loss for private property

Question 63

low pressure weather system

Answer 63

A low pressure system has lower pressure at its center than the areas around it. Winds blow towards the low pressure, and the air rises in the atmosphere where they meet. As the air rises, the water vapor within it condenses, forming clouds and often precipitation. ... Winds blow away from high pressure.

Question 64

high pressure weather system

Answer 64

High-pressure systems are frequently associated with light winds at the surface and subsidence through the lower portion of the troposphere. In general, subsidence will dry out an air mass by adiabatic or compressional heating. Thus, high pressure typically brings clear skies. the wind blows away from the high pressure center in a clockwise direction

Question 65

holderness- coastal management

Answer 65

- sea wall, groynes, rock armour protect Hornsea, however, prevent longshore drift - beach in Mapleton is starved of sediment - more cliffs exposed to greater erosion- terminal groyne syndrome

Question 66

HDE(hard engineering)- groynes

Answer 66

advantages -work with natural processes to build up beach increasing tourist -not too expensive disadvantages -interrupt longshore drift and starve beaches alongside it -lead to increased erosion elsewhere

Question 67

HDE- sea walls

Answer 67

``` advantages -effective prevention of erosion -have promenade on top disadvantages -reflect wave energy rather than absorbing -very expensive to build and maintain ```

Question 68

HDE- rip rap/rock armour

Answer 68

advantages -relativly cheap+easy to construct and maintain disadvantages - rocks used from elsewhere-dont fit the geology -intrusive

Question 69

HDE- reventments

Answer 69

``` advantages -inexpensive disadvantages -intrusive+unnatural -high levels of maintenance ```

Question 70

HDE offshore breakwater

Answer 70

``` advantages -effective permeable barrier disadvantages -unappealing visually -potential navigatuiion hazard -cost depends on material used ```

Question 71

hard engineering-

Answer 71

coastal management technique used to protect coasts,by absorbing the energy of waves, preventing erosion and flooding. They are highly visible man-made structures used to stop or disrupt natural processes.

Question 72

soft engineering

Answer 72

shoreline management practice that uses sustainable ecological principles to restore shoreline stabilization and protect riparian habitats.

Question 73

list the 5 hard engineering techniques

Answer 73

1) groynes 2) sea walls 3) reventments 4) offshore breakwater 5) rip rap/rock armour

Question 74

SFE- beach nourishment

Answer 74

``` advantgaes - cheap+easy maintenance -natural+increase tourist disadvantgaes -needs constant maintenance due to erosion and longshore drift ```

Question 75

SFE- cliff regrading and drainage

Answer 75

``` advantages - works on clay and loose rock where other methods are ineffective -drainage is cost effective disadvantges - cause cliff to retreat -drained cliffs dry out and collapse ```

Question 76

SFE- dune stabalisation

Answer 76

advantages -replating marram grass=mainatns natural coastal enviroemt+wildlife - cheap and sustainable disadvantages -time consuming planting the marram grass

Question 77

SFE- march creation

Answer 77

``` advantages -cheap -natural defence -provides a buffer for waves disadvantages -agricultural land is lost -farmers/landowners need to compensate ```

Question 78

bangladesh-developing countrey-coastal storm surges and flooding - case study

Answer 78

date- November 2007 storm surge-6 meters high -most densly populated country -46% of pop. lives only 10 metres above sea -lies on flood plains between 3 rivers increasing flood risk through -subsidence; clearing and draining land for cultivation -removing vegetation;70% of its mangrove retreating up to 200 metres by erosion

Question 79

benefits of having mangrove coastline

Answer 79

Mangroves protect shorelines from damaging storm and hurricane winds, waves, and floods. Mangroves also help prevent erosion by stabilizing sediments with their tangled root systems. They maintain water quality and clarity, filtering pollutants and trapping sediments originating from land

Question 80

storm surges

Answer 80

are changes in sea level caused by intense low pressure systemsand high wind speeds. for every 10mb decrease in air pressure , sea level rises by 10cm. during tropical cyclones air pressure falls by 100mb so sea level rises by 1 meter impacts -coastal&river embarkements breached by storm surge, causing severe flooding -high winds and floods damaged infrastructure -drinking watrr contaminated by debris and salt water -electricity supplies and communications destroyed. -ober 4000 people dead/ missing

Question 81

UK-developed country - coastal flooding and storm surges- case study

Answer 81

date 2013/14 6 december -caused by low pressure -sea depth-north sea gets shallower and narrower towards the south, increasing the height of tides and storm surges -high seasonal tidea impacts; -forced evacuation along the coastof eastern England and northern wales -eastern rail services damaged -norfolk cliff eroded resulting in properties crashing into sea

Question 82

how does climate change increases storm surges

Answer 82

warmer ocean-surface temperature and higher sea levels make cyclones more intense+stronger winds

Question 83

what is cost benefit analysis

Answer 83

Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is a technique used to compare the total costs of a programme/project with its benefits, using a common metric (most commonly monetary units). tangible (costs and benefits give momentary value)or inatangible(costs are difficult to asses

Question 84

what is integrated coastal zone management | ICZM

Answer 84

ICZM is a strategy that involves in managing whole sections of the coast. - bring together those involved in the development, management, and use of the coast - aims to establish sustainable levels of economic and social activity, resolve conflicts and protect the coastal environment

Question 85

what are the the issues to consider when deciding on coastal management type

Answer 85

- enviromental sensitivity - engineering feasibility - political/social/economic reasons - land use and value - impacts on coastal processes

Question 86

coastal management types

Answer 86

-hold the line; coastal defences are built or maintained to protect a coastline against the impacts of sea level rise and coastal erosion/flooding -advance the line; - New defences are built further out in the sea in an attempt to reduce the stress on current defences and possibly extend the coastline slightly -managed retreat/strategic realingment; controlled flooding of low-lying coastal areas. If an area is at high risk of erosion, managed retreat could be an option. It usually occurs where the land is of low value, for example farm land. Abbotts Hall Farm salt marshes - an example of managed retreat. -do nothing

Question 87

plan for holderness

Answer 87

hold the line; shoreline management sets out policy for managing coastline and responding coastal erosion and flood risks.