Coasts Key Words

Question 1

Abrasion

Answer 1

A form of erosion where loose material and sediment ’sandpapers’ the walls and floors of the river, cliff or glacier. Also known as attrition

Question 2

Back shore

Answer 2

The upper beach closest to the land, including any cliffs or sand dunes

Question 3

Bar

Answer 3

A section of sand caused by deposition. They join to sides of a bay together creating a lagoon behind the bar

Question 4

Beach morphology

Answer 4

The surface shape of a beach

Question 5

Beach nourishment

Answer 5

The addition of sand and sediment to an eroding beach by humans. The new material will be eroded by the sea which saves the cliffs or sand dunes from erosion and recession

Question 6

Coastal recession

Answer 6

The retreat of a coastline due to erosion, sea level rise or submergence

Question 7

Con-cordant coast

Answer 7

A coastline where bands of alternating geology run parallel to the coast

Question 8

Cost benefit analysis

Answer 8

The evaluation of a coastal towns economic value compared to the cost of the management required

Question 9

Dalmatian coastline

Answer 9

A concordant coastline with several river valleys running perpendicular to the coast. These valleys become flooded due to sea levels rising and produce long islands and inlets

Question 10

Discordant coast

Answer 10

A coastline where bands of alternating geology run perpendicular to the coast

Question 11

Dynamic equilibrium

Answer 11

A system where its inputs and outputs are in balance. Short term changes can affect this balance, negative feedback loops help to take the system back to dynamic equilibrium

Question 12

Emergent coast

Answer 12

A coastline that is advancing relative to sea level at the time

Question 13

Estuary

Answer 13

The point where the river meets an ocean, often muddy or silty. Sometimes estuaries become exposed at low tide or hazardous to traverse in a boat due to sandbanks

Question 14

Eustatic change

Answer 14

Global changes to sea level

Question 15

Fetch

Answer 15

The length of water over which the wind has travelled

Question 16

Fjord

Answer 16

Long narrow inlet of sea water which is between steep mountains. They are created when sea levels rise relative to the land, flooding coastal glacial valleys.

Question 17

Foreshore

Answer 17

The lower part of the beach covered twice a day at high tide (the part of the beach that receives the most regular wave action)

Question 18

Freeze thaw

Answer 18

A form of physical sub-aerial weathering where water freezes in the cracks of a roach, expands and enlarges the crack. This weakens the rock overtime leaving it more open to erosion

Question 19

Geology

Answer 19

The physical structure and arrangement of a rock

Question 20

Groyne

Answer 20

A form of hard engineering. Low lying concrete or wooden walls, constructed perpendicular to the sea front and run out to sea. They encourage the trapping of sediment to reduce erosion caused by long shore drift or by winds

Question 21

Hard management

Answer 21

The use of concrete structures to reduce or halt the recession of a coastline. Includes: groynes, sea walls, rock armour.

Question 22

High energy coast

Answer 22

A coastline where wave action is predominantly large destructive waves, causing much erosion.

Question 23

Hydraulic action

Answer 23

The pressure of compressed air forced into cracks in a rock face will caused the rocks to weaken and break apart

Question 24

Impermeable

Answer 24

A rock that does not allow water to pass through it

Question 25

Integrated coastal zone management (ICZM)

Answer 25

Large sections of coastline (often sediment cells) are managed with one integrated strategy and management occurs between different political boundaries. It usually follows a holistic approach and takes into consideration different players

Question 26

Isostatic

Answer 26

A local change in sea level due to a change in local coastline or land height

Question 27

Littoral cell

Answer 27

An area of coastline which has all sediment processes occurring sources, transport and sinks. A littoral cell is not a closed system

Question 28

Longshore drift

Answer 28

The transportation of sediment along a beach. Longshore drift is determined by the direction of the prevailing wind

Question 29

Low energy coastline

Answer 29

A coast where wave action is predominantly small constructive waves. Deposition usually takes place leading to beach accretion

Question 30

Mass movement

Answer 30

Where there is a large downhill movement of material usually from a cliff face. Here, the rock is often weak due to erosion and the movement is caused by gravity

Question 31

Nearshore

Answer 31

The area before the shore where the wave steepness and breaks before they reach the shore and then reform before breaking on the beach. It extends from the low tide zone and then out to sea

Question 32

Permeable

Answer 32

A rock that allows water to pass through it

Question 33

Plant succession

Answer 33

Change to a plant community over time due to adaptation to changing growing conditions (e.g. sand dunes and salt marshes)

Question 34

Ria

Answer 34

Narrow winding inlet which is deepest at the mouth, formed when sea levels rise causing coastal valleys to flood.

Question 35

Rock armour

Answer 35

Large rocks or concrete blocks, used as barricades to reduce marine erosion at the base of cliffs

Question 36

Salt marsh

Answer 36

In sheltered batts or behind spits, salt and minerals will build up. Vegetation may establish further stabilising the marsh

Question 37

Saltation

Answer 37

A form of transportation where the smaller sediment bounces along the sea bed pushed by currents. This sediment is too heavy to be picked up by the flow of the water

Question 38

Sand dune

Answer 38

A depositional landform where sand and sediment build up around driftwood and accumulate over time

Question 39

Sea wall

Answer 39

A hard management coastal defence where a concrete wall oils built parallel to the seafront to redirect the energy of the waves away from sensitive cliffs or the edge of a coastal town.

Question 40

Sediment cell

Answer 40

Sections of the coast boarder end by prominent headlands. Within these sections, the movement of sediment is almost contained and the flows of sediment should act inna dynamic equilibrium

Question 41

Shoreline management plan

Answer 41

Identifies all the activities, both natural and human, which occur within the coastline area of each sediment cell. They use this to recommend a combination of four actions for each stretch of that coastline : hold the line, advance the line, managed realignment and no active intervention.

Question 42

Soft management

Answer 42

The use of natural materials and environmentally sustainable approaches to reduce coastal recession. Includes : beach nourishment, managed retreat, sand dunes encouragement

Question 43

Solution

Answer 43

The weak acid in sea water and some types of seaweed react with particular rock minerals, causing erosion and weakening

Question 44

Spit

Answer 44

A lone depositional landform, formed from sand and shingle

Question 45

Sub aerial processes

Answer 45

The combination of mass movement and weathering that affects the coastal land above sea.

Question 46

Suemergent coast

Answer 46

A coast that is sinking relative to the sea level of the time

Question 47

Tombolo

Answer 47

A spit joining mainland to an island