Coasts & Landscapes

Question 1

upland geology

Answer 1

igneous and metamorphic rocks most common
- have interlocking crystals so water (and air) can’t get in easily = less weathering and/or erosion = more resistant

Question 2

example of igneous, metamorphic, sedimentary rock

Answer 2

I: granite, basalt
M: slate
S: sandstone, limestone

Question 3

lowland geology

Answer 3

sedimentary
- composed of grains which often have gaps between them = easier to break, weather and/or erode = lower land

Question 4

upland climate

Answer 4

lower temp- higher altitude
higher precipitation- relief rainfall

Question 5

lowland climate

Answer 5

higher temp- lower altitude
less rainfall - NO relief rainfall, just frontal and convectional

Question 6

upland human uses

Answer 6

mountaineering, skiing, hydroelectric power, pastoral farming, reservoirs, mining and quarrying

Question 7

lowland human uses

Answer 7

arable farming, big settlements, road networks, factories

Question 8

distinctive characteristics of glaciated landscapes

Answer 8

deep, wide, steep-sided, U-shaped valleys (and therefore misfit rivers)

soil scraped away during glaciation so:
- ridges formed at the end of these areas
- thin soils in glaciated areas now

erosional features such as knife edge ridges (arêtes) & pointed peaks (pyramidal peaks)

depositional features such as tear-shapes mounds (drumlins) and mounds of angular material (moraines)

Question 9

5 geomorphic processes

Answer 9

weathering = wearing away of the earths surface where the material doesn’t get moved from the original location (in situ)

erosion = wearing away of the earths surface (usually by water, wind or ice) and the removal of this material from the original location

transport
deposition

mass movement = movement downslope of weathered material under the force of gravity
- often fairly continuous movement and varies in speed from v slow (soil creep) to rapid (landslides)

Question 10

4 types of erosion

Answer 10

attrition/corrasion = crashing together and knocking corners off other pieces

abrasion = rubbing/scraping against bank/bed/cliff

solution/corrosion = dissolving of rocks
- limestone (CaCO3 is particularly prone to this)

hydraulic action = water gets into small cracks and pushes into rock in bank/bed/cliff: pressure -> cracks -> breaks off
- or air can be forced into the cracks by water but water is ALWAYS pushing

Question 11

4 types of transport

Answer 11

traction = rolling along the bed - too large to be picked up
solution
suspension = held in the water column (is light enough)
saltation = leapfrogging movement - as one piece falls onto the bed it displaces others upwards

Question 12

wind transportation is likely to include…

Answer 12

suspension

Question 13

deposition:
occurs when energy is _____
in a river this can occur ____________
on the cost this can occur ________

Answer 13

low
on the inside of a meander and at the mouth of a river
when there is a low energy area (eg where a headland is blocking strong waves entering a bay)

Question 14

exfoliation

Answer 14

this happens because of temperature changes (diurnal temperature range) When rocks are heated during the day they will expand, and then cool and contract at night. The repetition of expansion and contraction applies stress to the outer layers of rock, which causes them to peel away or flake off over time (disintegration)

happens in dry areas like deserts
repeated process

terrestrial only (aerobic)

Question 15

6 types of weathering

Answer 15

physical: exfoliation, freeze thaw
chemical: carbonation, reduction
biological: wedging by tree roots, decaying vegetation

Question 16

wedging by tree roots

Answer 16

tree grows in cracks in rock
roots grow and force the cracks open wider

Question 17

carbonation

Answer 17

limestone affected by acid rain carbonic acid and dissolves
takes a long time to

Question 18

freeze thaw

Answer 18

water gets into cracks -> freezes -> expands by 9%
low temperature (above and below 0)
eg: in mountains NOT ON COASTLINES
repeated process
scree?

Question 19

oxidation/reduction

Answer 19

oxidation: addition of oxygen (aerobic)
reduction: moved to an environment without oxygen (anoxic)

weaken material and changes colour
most topical with iron based materials

Question 20

decaying vegetation

Answer 20

as material decomposes it releases CO2 and acids, the acids decay it further
this is a cycle

Question 21

slumping

Answer 21

water infiltrated through the soil and builds up, increasing the weight of the material
the weight of the material become high enough that it moved down under gravity
a small wave cut notch may have been created at the base of the cliff which increases the weakness
the water acts as a lubricant, enabling the material to slip
material moves in a rotational direction

Question 22

sliding

Answer 22

waves attack the base of the cliff causing erosion and leading to undercutting of the cliff (a wave cut notch forms)
water infiltrates the ground and builds up along a line of weakness (eg a bedding plane, fault line) leading to a zone of lubrication
the gap of the wave cut notch means there is a lack of support the for cliff above - it can fall straight down in that area
the material moves down the cliff face in a straight line

Question 23

bed

Answer 23

layer of a cliff

Question 24

joint

Answer 24

crack within a single bed

Question 25

fault

Answer 25

cracks running across multiple beds

Question 26

bedding planes

Answer 26

lines running between beds

Question 27

grains vs crystals

Answer 27

(rocks made of) grains: have pores - easier for water and dirt to get in crystal (igneous and metamorphic): - no pores - crystals interlock - harder for water and air to get in

Question 28

smaller grains/crystals mean…

Answer 28

more surface area - more opportunities for water to get in

Question 29

quartz

Answer 29

SiO2 most resistant minerals on the planet v hard to break down and weather eg grains on beaches

Question 30

effect of climate on weathering (mountains, desert, rainforest)

Answer 30

mountains (cold): freeze thaw desert: exfoliation oxidation (red colour) rainforest (warm and wet): decaying vegetation wedging by tree roots

Question 31

concordant

Answer 31

same rock type along the coastline (discordant is the opposite)

Question 32

geology of dorset coast

Answer 32

innermost -> outermost (kind of): bagshot sands- easily eroded sands chalk- quite resistant rock that forms steep cliffs wealden beds- easily eroded clays and sands limestone- hard resistant rock kimmeridge clay- mixed clays easily eroded/potential landslides

Question 33

constructive vs destructive waves

Answer 33

constructive: - strong swash, weak backwash - gentle weather - lower frequency - lower energy - material moved up the beach destructive: - no swash, strong backwash - strong weather - higher frequency - higher energy - material moved down the beach

Question 34

formation of bays

Answer 34

discordant wave attack concentrated on areas of weaker rock differential erosional rates bays are the areas where the soft rock has eroded away headlands are the sections of land jutting out into the sea the bays are then sheltered- low energy areas = deposition of material = beaches build up

Question 35

formation of coves (give egs)

Answer 35

A) uniform wall of resistant rock weakness exploited and cove begins to form B) cove formed as at Lulworth Cove there is erosion W-E on weaker rock - elongated C) if multiple coves erode into each other = coalescence of coves maybe a possible arch islands are detached - residual stacks and stumps eg Manowar Bay and Mupe Bay

Question 36

example of bay

Answer 36

STUDLAND HEAD sea stacks eg old harry rocks SWANAGE BAY DURLESTON HEAD

Question 37

coves vs bays

Answer 37

cove: concordant high energy smaller bay: discordant low energy usually larger

Question 38

cave -> stump

Answer 38

1) hydraulic action and abrasion erode line of weakness (& solution of limestone) 2) most likely: fault line = plane = outcrops on both sides = CAVE both sides = erodes through = ARCH 3) biological weathering at the surface combined with the continued erosion of arch edges mean the roof of the arch collapses leaving a STACK 5) once big enough erosion, stack collapses = STUMP!! there will be a wave cut notch and wave cut platform

Question 39

swash

Answer 39

waves moving up beach in same direction of prevailing wind

Question 40

backwash

Answer 40

wave movement down the beach perpendicular to the coastline

Question 41

prevailing wind

Answer 41

most dominant direction of wind on average

Question 42

longshore drift

Answer 42

process where materials are moved along the coastline: 1. Waves approach the coast at an angle. 2. Swash carries sediment up the beach at an angle. 3. Backwash carries sediment down the beach with gravity – at right angles to the beach. 4. This creates a zig-zag movement of sediment along the beach.

Question 43

spit

Answer 43

form where the coastline changes direction and longshore drift continues to move material along the beach. longshore drift will deposit material in the sea after the coastline has changed direction. over time the level of the sand deposited will build-up until it is above sea level. the spit cannot develop right across the bay as a river's estuary prevents the build-up of sand. sand spits often have a recurved or hooked end. this is created when secondary wind and wave direction causes waves to strike from a different direction. the beach therefore appears to extend out into the sea and is known as a spit. the spit creates a low energy area, sheltered by the spit. a lagoon, salt marsh and finally dry land can develop in this sheltered area. can stop extending if water flow from inland is strong enough

Question 44

swanage temperature

Answer 44

Jul and Aug = higher temp (avg 20.5) so - higher rates of chemical weathering (particularly carbonation as dorset coast is majority limestone) - higher rates of bio weathering as warmer weather = more plant growth temp never gets low enough (lowest ~9) for freeze thaw weathering to be influential

Question 45

swanage precipitation

Answer 45

lowest ~50mm in summer months but enough to still support biological growth (so b weathering) highest = Oct-Dec (~150mm) and temperatures high enough for carbonation and solution to occur - also much more potential for mass movement (slumping/sliding) as water builds up in cliffs

Question 46

swanage prevailing wind

Answer 46

prevailing wind = (W/SW from west/sw towards east)

Question 47

swanage wind speed

Answer 47

more storms are in winter - destructive waves - erosion - transport - more & larger material - mass movement as more undercutting

Question 48

durdle door

Answer 48

- formed as a cove entrance 10K years ago - portland limestone - very resistant - fractures -> weakness -> arch (and eventually a stack will form) - 61m high (NOT A BAY/HEADLAND FORMATION- CONCORDANT)

Question 49

lulworth cove

Answer 49

- classic scallop shape on the concordant east-west running coastline - narrow and entrance (125m) between portland limestone headlands - cove is 400m at its widest point - in the wealden beds - not so eroded in the purbeck beds - there is some erosion - chalk = back of cove - resistant so reduces erosion - most is winter storms - shingle beach forms at the back of the cove due to lower energy

Question 50

swanage bay

Answer 50

- between ballard point (N) and peveril point (S) - where the wealden beds have eroded - home to the town of swanage - 2.7km wide - features a pier, breakwater, groyne, sea wall - tourist hotspot

Question 51

handfast point

Answer 51

- includes Old Harry Stack and Old Harry’s Wife stump, an arch and a wave cut platform - OHW became a stump in 1896 - chalk - 20m high (approx.) - formed traditionally

Question 52

studland bay

Answer 52

- between handfast point and shell bay - wide shallow bay created within Studland Heath spit - 3.7km wide - sandy beach along length - v poplular tourist dest. - National trust - contains a full sand dune system which is at risk of “blow outs” as humans trample vegetation

Question 53

shingle beach

Answer 53

beach made up of pebbles, stones and other small rocks

Question 54

studland heath spit

Answer 54

- 3.6km in length - built up over 400 years - soft bagshot sands = high supply of material - stretches north from redend point by studland village

Question 55

8 types of coastal management

Answer 55

groynes sea wall rock armour/rip rap gabions revetments beach nourishment managed realignment offshore reefs

Question 56

groynes

Answer 56

- reduce longshore drift by trapping sediment on one side - concrete/hardwood barriers perpendicular to the coast line - highly effective in a local context - like in the maintenance of holiday beaches - if the beach becomes too uneven it can be redistributed between the groynes during offseason - require ongoing maintenance - aesthetically questionable (although have acquired visual acceptance through longevity) - unsustainable - hardwood timbers are expensive

Question 57

sea wall

Answer 57

usually concrete walls (can also be made of stone - reflect and absorb wave energy- preventing erosion of the coastal landscape - some are curved which turns the waves back on themselves (can also be sloping, stepped or vertical) - effective property defence in high risk locations (eg robin hood’s bay in north yorkshire) - v expensive - by deflecting waves (rather than dissipating energy) they are prone to rapid erosion

Question 58

rock armour/rip rap

Answer 58

large rocks placed in formt of the cliff (at the foot) (generally igneous or metamorphic) - dissipate wave energy and protect cliffed coastline by slowing down rate of erosion (eg at Sheringham) - relatively cheaper than concrete constructions - traps flotsam and jetsam leading to smell and rat infestation - potential public safety tripping and trapping hazard

Question 59

gabions

Answer 59

wire cages filled with stone - stabilise cliff bases - reduce erosion by absorbing wave energy - cheaper than concrete constructions - unsightly - prone to cage weathering (rusting)

Question 60

revetments

Answer 60

sloping features - older ones made of wood - more modern ones = concrete/stone/rock armour - absorb energy of waves but let water and sediment through - effective in highrisk locations (eg RHB) - v expensive - prone to rapid erosion as energy not dissipated

Question 61

beach nourishment

Answer 61

sand shingle and coastal sediments added to the beach from elsewhere (eg from offshore zone) - this builds up the beach - aesthetically pleasing - maybe essential in supporting the tourist industry - requires expensive annual replenishment to compensate for continued erosion and drifting

Question 62

managed realignment

Answer 62

controlled erosion of the coastline allowed to occur - does not always lead to erosion (eg inundation and accretion - such as saltmarsh creation - can decrease erosion of defences - potential for estuary tidal reduction (noted but not proven) - politically sensitive- loss of land/property

Question 63

offshore reefs

Answer 63

old tyres and cement placed in the intertidal zone, parallel to the coast, to create them - encourages waves to break offshore - reduces the energy of the wave which reaches the shoreline - less erosion - natural marine ecosystem only partially disrupted - dunes allowed to stabilise onshore - rocks create a new intertidal habitat for marine wildlife - may cause a navigation hazard - can create an eyesore at low tide - can disrupt the recreational use of the beach eg jet skis

Question 64

why does lyme regis need protection

Answer 64

beach is eroded - ofers little protection from rising tides and increased number of storms (bcuz of climate change) - less friction to slow the water - gives the storm more impact old defences (sea wall and groynes) now offer little protection underlying rocks of limestone and shale - limestone is permeable, shale (clay) is impermeable - so water builds up between them - reduces friction and can lead to increased mass movement houses at risk - When the houses were first built, they weren’t at immediate risk, but due to long-term geological change, coastal erosion, and mass movement, their position on or near unstable cliffs eventually made them highly vulnerable—prompting the need for urgent protection schemes + tourism

Question 65

lyme regis location

Answer 65

town on the south coast of the UK, facing the english channel. Located in the south west of the UK, inbetween Dorchester and exmouth.

Question 66

phases of coastal management at lyme regis

Answer 66

Question 67

success of lyme regis management strategies

Answer 67

1. Stabilised the cliffs Cliff stabilisation techniques (steel nails, drainage, regrading) have reduced mass movement and landslips, especially at Church Cliff and Charmouth Road. This has preserved the natural cliff profile and stopped large sections of cliff collapsing, maintaining the iconic Jurassic Coastline. 👉 Success: The landscape is now more stable, safe, and visually intact, with less disruption from landslides. 🔹 2. Widened and protected the beach Beach nourishment added over 390,000 tonnes of sand and shingle to widen the beach. This has not only protected the base of the cliffs from wave erosion, but also enhanced the beach’s appearance and recreational value. 👉 Success: A more attractive, usable beach that absorbs wave energy and supports tourism—both a natural and human win. 🔹 3. Preserved key coastal features Strengthening of the Cobb (historic harbour wall) has protected a heritage coastal feature, keeping it safe from storm damage. The Cobb shelters the western coastline, reducing erosion and protecting the harbour’s shape and function. 👉 Success: The historic landscape is preserved, and the area retains its character and charm. 🔹 4. Reduced erosion along key parts of the coast The installation of sea walls and rock armour has halted erosion along key areas like Marine Parade. Waves are now deflected or absorbed, reducing undercutting of the cliffs. 👉 Success: Erosion has slowed dramatically—the coastline is holding its shape, rather than retreating. 🔹 5. Increased human use and enjoyment of the coast By making the coastline more stable and attractive, the scheme has increased safe access to the beach, promenade improvements, and tourism infrastructure. Over 400,000 visitors per year now come to enjoy a well-managed coastal landscape. 👉 Success: The landscape isn’t just protected—it’s enhanced for public use, without damaging the natural beauty of the area.