Coastal Systems And Landscapes - Glossary Flashcards
What is abrasion in coastal geography?
A form of erosion where loose material ‘sandpapers’ the walls and floors of the river, cliff or glacier
Also known as attrition.
Define backshore.
The upper beach closest to the land, including any cliffs or sand dunes.
What does beach morphology refer to?
The surface shape of the beach.
What is coastal recession?
The retreat of a coastline due to erosion, sea-level rise or submergence.
What characterizes a concordant coast?
A coastline where bands of alternate geology run parallel to the coast.
Explain corrasion.
A form of erosion when breaking waves fling material at a cliff face, physically knocking off material.
What is corrosion in the context of coastal geography?
The acid in seawater and some types of seaweed attacks particular rock minerals, causing erosion and weakening.
Describe the Dalmatian Coast.
A concordant coastline with several river valleys running perpendicular to the coast, which become flooded to produce parallel long islands and long inlets.
What is DEFRA’s 1:1 Cost-Benefit Analysis?
The evaluation of a coastal town’s economic value compared to the cost of the management required.
What defines a discordant coast?
A coastline where bands of alternate geology run perpendicular to the shore.
What is dynamic equilibrium?
Where a natural system tries to achieve a balance by making constant changes in response to a constantly changing system.
Define emergent coast.
A coastline that is advancing relative to the sea level at the time.
What does eustatic refer to?
Global changes to sea levels.
What is fetch in coastal terms?
The distance the wave travels before it reaches the coastline.
Describe a fjord.
A long narrow inlet deeper in the middle section than at the mouth, created when sea levels rise relative to the land.
What is the foreshore?
The lower part of the beach covered twice a day at high tide.
Fill in the blank: Freeze thaw is a form of physical sub-aerial weathering where water _______ in the cracks of a rock.
freezes
What is glacial erosion?
The removal of loose material by glacier ice, involving plucking, abrasion, crushing and basal meltwater.
What does grading refer to in coastal geography?
The layering of sediments based on their size.
What is a high-energy environment in coastal geography?
A coast where wave action is predominantly large destructive waves, causing much erosion.
Define hydraulic action.
The pressure of compressed air forced into cracks in a rock face will cause the rock to weaken and break apart.
What is Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)?
Large sections of coastline, often sediment cells, managed in an integrated manner.
What is Geology?
The structure and arrangement of a rock.
What is Glacial Erosion?
The removal of loose material by glacier ice, involving plucking, abrasion, crushing and basal meltwater.
Necessary in the formation of Fjords.
What is Grading?
The layering of sediments based on their size.
What is a High-energy Environment?
A coast where wave action is predominantly large destructive waves, causing much erosion.
What is Hydraulic Action?
The pressure of compressed air forced into cracks in a rock face will cause the rock to weaken and break apart.
What is Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM)?
Large sections of coastline (often sediment cells) are managed with one integrated strategy and management occurs between different political boundaries.
