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geography alevel- edexcel > coastal landscapes and systems > Flashcards

coastal landscapes and systems Flashcards

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1
Q

littoral zone

A

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

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2
Q

what effects the littoral zone

A

short term- tides, storms, waves

long term- sea level changes, climate change

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3
Q

name 3 rock types and examples

A
  • igneous; granite
  • sedimentary; sandstone, chalk
  • metamorphic; slates and chists
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4
Q

how are sedimentary rocks formed

A

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.

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5
Q

how are igneous rocks formed

A

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

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6
Q

how are metamorphic rocks formed

A

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.

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7
Q

high energy coasts

A

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

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8
Q

low energy coasts

A

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

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9
Q

how are coasts classified

A

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

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10
Q

strata

A

layers of rock

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11
Q

bedding planes

A

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

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12
Q

joints/cracks

A

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

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13
Q

folds

A

bend in the rock strata

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14
Q

faults

A

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.

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15
Q

dip

A

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

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16
Q

concordant coasts

A

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

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17
Q

discordant coasts

A

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.

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18
Q

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

A
  • sedimentary-very porous
  • igneous-impermeable
  • metamorphic-impermeable and resistant
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19
Q

explain headlands and bays

A

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

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20
Q

how are waves caused

A

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

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21
Q

fetch

A

distance over which waves move

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22
Q

swell waves

A

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.

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23
Q

constructive waves

A

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

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24
Q

destructive waves

A

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

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25
Q

what are the beach profiles in summer and winter like

A

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

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26
Q

abrasion/corrasion

A

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

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27
Q

hydraulic action

A

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

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28
Q

corrosion

A

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

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29
Q

attrition

A

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

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30
Q

wave-cut platforms

A

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.

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31
Q

caves-arches, stacks, and stumps

A

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

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32
Q

longshore drift

A

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.

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33
Q

4 main methods of marine transport

A

-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

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34
Q

tides

A

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

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35
Q

tidal range

A

the difference in the height between high and low tides

high tidal range in powerful tides and is important in carrying sediment.

36
Q

spits

A

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

37
Q

beaches

A

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

38
Q

offshor bars/sandbars

A

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.

39
Q

tombolos

A

like spits, but tombolos connect mainland to island

40
Q

cuspate foreland

A

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.

41
Q

barrier beaches/ bars

A

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

42
Q

dunes

A

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

43
Q

salt marshes

A

areas of silty sediments that accumulate around estuaries of lagoons

44
Q

sediment cell

A

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

45
Q

how many sediment cells in UK

A

11

46
Q

what are sediment cells boundaries

A

large geological structures, e.g headlands and estuaries

47
Q

what are sediment call inputs/sources

A
  • cliff erosion
  • onshore currents
  • river transport
  • windblown, sediment from land
  • subaerial processes
  • marine organisms
48
Q

what are sediment cell sinks/ outputs

A
  • depositional landforms

- sinks, offshore bars etc

49
Q

how is the sediment cell dynamic

A

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.

50
Q

name 3 mass movement-flows

A

-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

51
Q

name 2 mass movemnt- slides

A
  • 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.
52
Q

mechanical wweathering

A

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

53
Q

biological weathering

A
  • 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
54
Q

chemical weathering

A

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

55
Q

eustatic change

A
  • sea level rises and falls
  • global
  • e.g melting of glaciers due to global warming
56
Q

isostatic change

A
  • 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.
57
Q

emergent coastal landforms

A

a fall

58
Q

emergent coastal landforms

A

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

59
Q

submergent coastal landforms

A

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.
60
Q

Holderness coast - case study

A

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.
61
Q

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

A
  • 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.
62
Q

holderness economic+social loss

A
  • tourist industry fell
  • 200 homes lost in next 80 years
  • infrastructure lost to sea
  • no compensation loss for private property
63
Q

low pressure weather system

A

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.

64
Q

high pressure weather system

A

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

65
Q

holderness- coastal management

A
  • 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
66
Q

HDE(hard engineering)- groynes

A

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

67
Q

HDE- sea walls

A 
advantages
-effective prevention of erosion
-have promenade on top
disadvantages
-reflect wave energy rather than absorbing
-very expensive to build and maintain
68
Q

HDE- rip rap/rock armour

A

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

69
Q

HDE- reventments

A 
advantages
-inexpensive
disadvantages
-intrusive+unnatural
-high levels of maintenance
70
Q

HDE offshore breakwater

A 
advantages
-effective permeable barrier
disadvantages
-unappealing visually
-potential navigatuiion hazard
-cost depends on material used
71
Q

hard engineering-

A

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.

72
Q

soft engineering

A

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

73
Q

list the 5 hard engineering techniques

A

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

74
Q

SFE- beach nourishment

A 
advantgaes
- cheap+easy maintenance
-natural+increase tourist
disadvantgaes
-needs constant maintenance due to erosion and longshore drift
75
Q

SFE- cliff regrading and drainage

A 
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
76
Q

SFE- dune stabalisation

A

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

77
Q

SFE- march creation

A 
advantages
-cheap
-natural defence -provides a buffer for waves
disadvantages
-agricultural land is lost
-farmers/landowners need to compensate
78
Q

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

A

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

79
Q

benefits of having mangrove coastline

A

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

80
Q

storm surges

A

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

81
Q

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

A

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

82
Q

how does climate change increases storm surges

A

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

83
Q

what is cost benefit analysis

A

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

84
Q

what is integrated coastal zone management

ICZM

A

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
85
Q

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

A
  • enviromental sensitivity
  • engineering feasibility
  • political/social/economic reasons
  • land use and value
  • impacts on coastal processes
86
Q

coastal management types

A

-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

87
Q

plan for holderness

A

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

geography alevel- edexcel (6 decks)

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