EQ3: 4.4 Human Activity + 4.5 Challanges For The Coastline Flashcards
How does coastal management (building groynes for example) affect coastlines down drift?
Building groins doesn’t allow coastline down drift or longshore drift to take place as the waves that crash into the walls or groins are immediately broken and sent back into the sea.
How does industry affect the coastline?
Industry effects the coastline as burning fossil fuels makes the atmosphere warmer meaning glaciers will melt and make the sea level rise. Also, the hotter conditions will mean that different types of waves will effect the coast in different ways.
How does development (jobs/houses/building) impact on the coastline?
Jobs means that lots of people will be able to help with coastal development and build new defences. However, more. Houses near the coast is a bad thing as it means more damage can be done if theres major coastal erosion.
How is Swanage coastline being affected by human processes (management, industry, tourism, transport etc)?
Most tourists want to visit the discordant coastline of swanage bay and it has nice round bays/beaches next to coastlines.
Why is the sea level rising?
Sea level is rising because of
Thermal expansion
The greenhouse effect
The glaciers melting.
How bad will sea level get and how will it affect different places around the world (give examples)?
Sea level would rise by 61 metres if the glaciers melted, this would mean that most coastlines and islands would probably get flooded by the sea.
How will climate change affect erosion/deposition?
If its too cold,
A destructive wave can form that can destroy coastlines badly,
If it too hot,
A constructive wave can form and LSD can form spits and carry (deposit) materials.
How will climate change affect storm frequency, intensity, and storm surges?
If the climate causes the coast to be cold and rain it can cause storms.
However, it air pressure get low a storm surge can occur. For every millibar of air pressure drop, you get 10mm of water rise
How will storms and storm surges affect people and the environment?
Storms surges can cause houses to flood and can cause whole forests or environments to flood.
Explain how groynes and sea walls work
Sea walls: Reflects wave energy out to sea recurved shape focuses energy out to sea rather than undercutting the cliff.
Groins: Stops longshore drift moving sediment along the coast beaches absorb wave energy as they dissipate energy erosion is worse downdrift (along the coastline where LSD would have taken sediment)
as the beaches are starved of sediment due to less deposition and erosion increases
(and maybe engineering solutions need to be built)
Explain how beach replenishment and slope stabalisation work
Slope stabilisation: It prevents erosion as soon as water gets onto the land it will immediately get removed by the drainage pipe. Also the small slope helps water not get onto the land.
Beach replenishment: Beach replacement is the process of dumping or pumping sand from elsewhere onto an eroding shoreline to create a new beach or to widen the existing beach. Beach replacement does not stop erosion, it simply gives the erosional forces (usually waves) something else to “chew on” for awhile.
What are the advantages and disadvantages for each management type?
Hard engineering: normally costs more, is more effective, looks ugly, takes up too much space.
Soft engineering: costs less, is less effective but doesn’t take more time and isn’t ugly.
What is the difference between hard and soft engineering? Which is best?
Differences: hard engineering requires concrete or steel and costs more. And soft engineering coasts less and uses natural materials.
Which is best? It depends on the conditions and what type of coast you want to protect.
What is strategic realignment and which areas might be left to erode? (refer to a CBA)
Strategic realignment: gradually let the coast erode and move people and businesses away from areas of risk. This may involve financial compensation if people homes are lost.
