Coasts Flashcards
Social effects Maldives
Houses flooded – people lose possessions
Could have to move to different Island or new country in the long term – artificial island has been built to house 150,000 people.
Economic effects Maldives
Loss of tourism - 28% of GDP
Loss of fishing - 15% of GDP
Environmental effects Maldives
Coral reef being lost as a result of warmer temperatures – used to act as wave baffle so lack of it worsens other issues
Fewer fish
Rate of erosion in Holderness
1.8 m/year but up to 10m in recent years in some areas such as Great Cowden
Why is Holderness susceptible?
Mostly boulder clay which is easily eroded and likely to slump
Naturally narrow beaches
Defences worsening the situation e.g. groynes at Mappleton worsen condition down drift
Powerful waves - long fetch facing prevailing winds from north east
Human impacts
Homes lost e.g. in Skipsea
Property prices fallen sharply
Risk to business e.g. Seaside Caravan Park at Ulrome is losing an average of 10 pitches/year
Gas terminal at Easington at risk (only 25m from edge of cliff and accounts for 25% of Britain’s gas supply)
20 acres of farmland lost each year
Environmental impacts
Danger to migrating birds such as red shanks
SSSIs such as Spurn Head and the Lagoons near Easington
Different lands being lost e.g. farmland, marshland, cliff, spit – different habitats
Management strategies at Mappleton, Holderness
In 1991 the decision was made to protect the village of Mappleton which has a major road running through it.
The scheme cost £2 million which was less than the estimated cost of rebuilding the road.
Part of the defence was a large rock groyne. This has been very successful at building up the beach which slows down the water. However, a negative impact of this is the effect it has had at stopping LSD reaching areas to the south meaning the rate of erosion there has increased from 1 to 10 m/year.
Rock armour was constructed at the base of the cliff to dissipate the energy of the water.
Drainage in the cliff has been improved to prevent water lubricating sections of rock causing sliding.
Vegetation has been planted to stabilise the cliff.
What wildlife is found at Studland?
Reptiles like adders, grass snakes, sand lizards and slow worms
Birds like Dartford Warblers, shelducks and grebes
Seahorses - only breeding ground for spine seahorse in the UK
How are organisms at Studland adapted?
Marram grass - folded leaves to reduce water loss by transpiration, long roots to take up water and stabilise itself
Lyme grass has waxy leaves to reduce transpiration
Grebes dive for their food so their feet are far back on their body so they’re streamlined
Snakes and lizards have thick scaly skin to reduce water loss
How is Studland being protected?
Boardworks to guide people over the sand dunes
Some sand dunes fenced off and marram grass planted to stabilise them
Information signs to inform visitors
Anchors destroy seagrass for sea horses so sailors told not to damage sea grass
The national trust is educating people not to cause fires and providing fire beaters after a fire destroyed 6 acres in 2008
