Costal systems and landscapes - Case studies Flashcards
Describe the Holderness coastline
Stretch of coastline in eastern England, compromised of:
- Flamborough Head
- Bridlington Bay
- Spurn Head
Give some factors affecting the Holderness coastline
- Wind blowing from the north-east drives powerful waves towards the coast, occasionally these form storm surges leading to significant erosion and flooding.
- Some areas (Hornsea) have been protected with hard engineering structures, however these have depriver areas further south.
Where/what is Flamborough Head
- Juts into the North Sea from the east coast
- Made of chalk
What is happening at Flamborough head?
- Sea is eroding and undercutting the base of the cliff leading to rockfall, overtime forming wave-cut platforms
- Approaching waves are refracted by the coastline, they lose their energy and deposit sedimen
What is happening along the coastline of Bridlington Bay
- Retreated by 5km since Roman times, accounting for the loss of several settlements and ports
- Erosion exceeds 1m per year; one of the most rapidly eroding coastlines in Europe
- Erosion creates vast amount of sediment which feeds the cell elsewhere + reduces erosion
What coastal management defences were put in place in Spurn Head and why?
- After a massive breach in 1849 groynes and revetments were put in place
- With military forts based at Spurn Head they took over management, after it was brought by the Yorkshire Naturalist’ Trust who could not afford the maintenance
What is Spurn Head?
- Temporary sediment store
- Frequently destroyed by storms
- Spit made from derived sediment from the Holderness coastline
Where is Odisha?
- State on the eastern coast of India, bordering the Bay of Bengal
- India’s 9th largest state by area
Give some opportunities Odisha presents for human occupation and development:
- Huge potential for offshore wind, tidal and wave power
- Wide variety of costal flora and fauna
- Costal beaches and wildlife sanctuary’s invite tourists
- Large stocks of fish, many locals are employed in costal fishing
Give some risks for human occupation and development:
- Majority of the state living on the costal plain, vulnerable to storm surges and tsunamis
- Human intervention has interfered with sediment transfer, resulting in severe erosion in certain areas
How have Odisha resisted, mitigated and adapted to tropical cyclones?
- Providing relief supplies ahead of an approahcing storm
- Broadcasting warnings and conducting evactuations
What does the ICZM project for Odisha aim to do?
- Establish sustainable levels of economic and social activity
- Resolve environmental, economic and social challenges
- Protect the costal environment
Give some projects which have been put in place to manage the Odisha coastline:
- Greenpeace India involved in meetings about management of marine resources
- Public consultations held
- ICZM project including various stakeholders
How is the Mahanadi Delta being managed?
- ICZM is helping villagers to cultivate and plant mangroves along the coastline
Example of eustatic change
Precipitation falls as snow, forming ice sheets which store water hence sea levels fall.
Example of isostatic change
Weight of ice sheets causes land to sink
Describe the nature of Kiribati
- 33 low-lying island in the Pacific Ocean
- Sea level rising by 1.2cm a year in some places
What’s next for Kiribati?
- The president purchased land on an island of Fiji to secure agriculture ground
- Government has launched policies to allow people to apply for jobs in neighbouring countries
Estimated sea level rise by 2100?
30 - 100cm
Example of sea level change due to tectonic activity
Boxing Day 2004
9.0 magnitude earthquake caused a tsunami
Raising of the seabed caused a decrease in the capacity of the Indian Ocean
Producing a permanent rise in sea level of 0.1mm
Example of an eroding coastline
Holderness, UK
Example of mass movement
Lyme Regis, UK
Example of a landslide
1993 Scarborough, UK
Example of a wave-cut notch
Flamborough head, UK
Eastbourne, UK
