Coasts EQ1 (2B.1)

Question 1

what is the littoral zone ?

Answer 1

a zone that stretches out in to sea and on to the shore and is constantly changing. It is divided in to 5 parts: coast, backshore, foreshore, nearshore, offshore

Question 2

what factors effect the littoral zone ?

Answer 2

short term- individual waves, daily tides, seasonal storms

long term- sea level and climate change

Question 3

what are the different processes that effect the coastline ?

Answer 3

natural:
- sediment input from sea and rivers
-destructive/constructive waves
-longshore drift
-tidal range
human:
-dredging
-coastal defences
-dams

Question 4

what are the 3 components of the coastal system ?

Answer 4

1. inputs- marine(waves, storms), atmospheric, land(geology, tectonic activity), people
2. processes- weathering, mass movement, erosion, transport, deposition
3. outputs-erosional land forms, depositional land forms

Question 5

what are the 4 things that can be used to classify a coast ?

Answer 5

geology, wave energy, wave type and sea level rise

Question 6

what are the 2 main types of coast ?

Answer 6

rocky coasts- rocky cliffs that vary in height. There are 2 types which are steep marine erosion dominated cliffs and curved subaerial process dominated.

coastal plains- low lying flat areas. These tend to be wetlands and marses

Question 7

what are the 3 types of rock ?

Answer 7

metamorphic, igneous and sedimentary

Question 8

what are igneous rocks ?

Answer 8

• created by cooled lava or magma
• they have crystals
• e.g basalt and granite

Question 9

what are sedimentary rocks ?

Answer 9

• small particles that have been eroded and transported in layers
• can be from remains of plants and animals
• e.g limestone and chalk

Question 10

what are metamorphic rocks ?

Answer 10

• other rocks changing from extreme heat and pressure
• they are very hard and form crystals
• e.g marble which is made from slate

Question 11

what is diferential erosion ?

Answer 11

small scale areas of weakness and more resistant areas where different land forms could be created

Question 12

what is coastal morphology ?

Answer 12

the shape and form of coastal landscapes and their features

Question 13

what is coastal recession ?

Answer 13

another term for coastal erosion

Question 14

what are the 3 elements to geological structure ?

Answer 14

1. strata- different layers of rock
2. deformation- tilting and folding by tectonic activity
3. faulting- fractures that have moved rocks from their original postions

Question 15

what is the difference between concordant and discordant coastline ?

Answer 15

concordant- strata parallel to coastline

discordant- strata 90 degrees to coast

Question 16

what is a cliff profile and what are the different types ?

Answer 16

the height and angle of a cliff face plus its features. They are by the resistance of the rock and the dip of the rock strata

Question 17

how does coastal vegetation stabilise coastal sediment ?

Answer 17

• the roots binds sediment particles together making them harder to erode
• submerged plants can protect the sediment surface so it isn’t exposed to moving water
• they reduce wind speed due to friction

Question 18

what is plant succession ?

Answer 18

it is the changing structure of plants over time

Question 19

how does plant succession occur ?

Answer 19

It starts by pioneer plants which grow in the bare sand or mud. The following stages are called seral stages and the end product is called a coastal climax community. Some examples of a coastal climax are sand dunes and marshes.

Question 20

how are sand dunes formed ?

Answer 20

embryo dunes are colonised by the pioneers species. these stabilise the sand and add dead organic matter which allows other plant species to grow and create the dune.

Question 21

how are salt marshes formed ?

Answer 21

he silt and sediment form rivers are deposited at the mouth of the river that is exposed to low tide. The silt and sediment accumulates with plants to form the marsh.