Estuarine Mudflat / Saltmarsh Environments Flashcards
What is an estuary?
Freshwater from rivers and streams mixes with salt water from the ocean
Why does deposition occur at estuaries?
When there is less water, the river deposits silt to form mudflats.
What type of material is deposited at an estuary? Why?
Silt because there is less water
What is a mudflat?
A stretch of muddy land left uncovered at low tide.
What is a salt marsh? Where are the 3 places they are found?
Coastal wetlands that are flooded and drained by the tides. They are found in sheltered areas, where salt and freshwater meet no strong tides or current.
Why do you think they are only found in areas which are sheltered or places where water has little energy?
Because they are covered at high tide and exposed at low tide
When are salt marshes visible?
At low tide.
What is a halophyte?
A plant adapted to grow in a salt marsh
What is flocculation?
The process where small particles suspend in water lumps.
What is vegetation succession?
The evolution of plant community at a site over time.
How are salt marshes formed?
As mudflats develop, salt tolerant plants (eelgrass) begin to colonize and stabilise them.
Halophytes such as cordgrass help to slow tidal flow and trap more mud and silt.
As sediment accumulates, the surface becomes drier. Different plants begin to colonise (meadow grass).
Creeks (created by water flowing across the estuary at low tide) divide up the salt marsh.
What is an emergent coastline?
Characteristics caused when sea level drops or land rises
• wave cut platforms and elevated marine terraces
What is a submergent coastline?
Characteristics caused when sea level rises or the land sinks down.
• estuaries and barrier bars
What is a raised beach?
Beaches above the current sea level
• Emergent / Isle of Arran
What is a marine platform/relic cliff?
Old wave-cut platforms that are above the current sea level, isostatic uplift causes the land to rise.
• Emergent / Isle of Arran
