Landscapes of the UK Flashcards
What are the types of rock
Igneous - magma that has cooled on the surface (extrusive) when a volcano erupts or below the ground. They are tough, resistant and form uplands, e.g. granite, basalt
Sedimentary - rocks formed from the accumulation and compaction of sediment, usually in the ocean. They are resistant to erosion, chalk and limestone are resistant and form uplands, whereas weaker clays and sands formed lowlands
Metamorphic - existing rocks that have changed due to extreme heat or pressure. Very tough, resistant and form uplands, e.g. slate, gneiss
What is the difference between uplands and lowlands
Uplands:
Sparsely populated -harsh climate and steep relief
Human activity is limited - extensive sheep rearing and forestry
Reservoirs - supplies water and provided HEP
Wind farms - exploits strong winds
Lowlands:
Densely populated - moderately and gentler relief
Commercial farming - dominates the countryside
Most of the landscape is urbanised or criss-crossed - transport and service infrastructure
What is weathering and the types of it
Weathering - the breakdown of material in situ
Chemical - the decomposition of rocks involving a chemical change
Mechanical - the disintegration or break up of rocks without any chemical change
Biological - result from the action of living organisms
What is mass movement and the types of it
Mass movement - movement of surface material caused by gravity
Sliding - rock or loose material sliding downhill along a slip plane
Slumping - the collapse of weak rock
What is erosion and the types of it
Erosion - the wearing away of material by a moving force
Abrasion (corrasion) - fragments of rock are hurled and gouge the rock
Hydraulic action - strong waves crash into cliff faces. Trapped air is blasted into rocks to make them break
Attrition - rocks and boulders crash into each other and become smaller and rounder
Solution (corrosion) - chemical action where acids in the sea dissolve the rock
What is transportation and the types of it
Transportation - the movement of eroded sediment from one place to the other
Traction - large particles rolling on the sea bed
Saltation - bouncing or hopping motion by pebbles to heavy to be suspended
Suspension - particles suspended within the water
Solution - chemicals dissolved in water
What are the river landforms
V-shaped valley - a steep sided narrow river valley that takes the form of a V-shape in its cross profile
Waterfall - steep fall of river water where its course crosses between different rock types
Gorge - narrow valley caused by a retreating waterfall
Meander - a bend in the river
Ox-bow lake - a horseshoe-shaped lake that forms when the meander is separated from the main river
Floodplain - the flat area of land either side of a river
Levee - raised banks on a floodplain/river
What are the landforms and characteristics of the upper course
Landforms:
V-shaped valley and interlocking spurs
Small tributaries
Waterfalls
Steep sided valleys
Characteristics:
Near the source of the river
Steeper gradient
Slow flowing
Narrow and shallow
Large angular sediment
Overall load is low
Clear water
What are the landforms and characteristics of the middle course
Landforms:
Meanders
Floodplain
Characteristics:
Less steep
Increasing velocity
Wider and deeper
Rounder rocks as well as angular rocks
Load increase
Less clean water
What are the landforms and characteristics of the lower course
Landforms:
Levees
Floodplains
Deltas/estuaries at the mouth
Characteristics:
Almost flat land
Very fast flowing
Wide and deep channel
Small suspended sediment
Load is high
How is soil created and where are the most productive
By the weathering of rocks
East Anglia Fens
What are the coastal landforms caused by erosion (exclude headland and bays)
Wave-cut platform - a flat area along the base of a cliff produced by the retreat of a cliff
Cave - a natural underground chamber
Arch - an arch shaped structure formed as a result of natural process
Stack - a section of headland that has been separated from the mainland
Stump - result from the collapse of a stack
What is the difference between a headland and bay
Headland - an area of land that extends out into the sea, usually higher than the surrounding land
Lowland - an area of the coast where the land curves inwards
What are the coastal landforms caused by deposition
Spit - a ridge most commonly formed by longshore drift operating along a stretch of coastline
Beach - made of sand or pebbles (shingle) extending from the low water line to the upper limit of storm waves
What are the types of beaches
Sandy beach - commonly found in sheltered bays, associated with relatively low-energy constructive waves. Flat and extensive beaches are often backed by sand dunes
Pebble beach - commonly associated with high-energy coastlines where destructive waves remove finer sand, leaving behind coarser pebbles. Beaches tend to be steep and narrow with distinctive high tide berms
Case study : River Wye
What are some facts about it
210 km in length
5th longest river in the UK
Flows roughly south-eastwards to join the River Severn at Chepstow
Case study : River Wye
What are the geomorphic process that take place
Process of river erosion, transportation and deposition are active along the course of the River Wye producing a range of river landforms, such as a V-shaped valley, meanders, floodplains, and levees
Weathering and mass movement are active, particularly in the river’s upper course in the Plynlimon Hills. Compared with river processes, weathering and mass movement are more localised and take place at a smaller scale
Case study : River Wye
What is the geology
For the upper course, it flows through impermeable shales
Many tributaries join the river
High rates of flow occurring after rainfall events enable the river to carry out significant erosion forming V-shaped valleys, waterfalls and rapids
Erosion creates V-shaped valleys
Alternating bands of hard and soft rocks create currents - popular for canoeists (near Rhayader)
To the south of Hereford, weak mudstone and sandstone have been eroded by meanders
In the south, between Goodrich and Chepstow, the river cuts through tough limestone to form a gorge (Wye valley)
Case study : River Wye
What is the climate
Annual average rainfall of 725mm at the River Wye basin
Annual average rainfall exceeding 2500mm in the Plynlimon Hills
Winter temperatures can be low
Case study : River Wye
What are the river landforms
V-shaped valleys - found in the upper course of the River Wye and alongside its tributaries in the Plynlimon Hills
Waterfalls - e.g. formed on some of the River Wye’s tributaries; the stretch of river near Rhayader is known for its spectacular series of rapids
The Wye Valley, a steep-sided river gorge, extends between Goodrich and Chepstow
Sweeping meanders have formed on the flat lowland plains to the south of Hereford
Levees and floodplains - formed by extensive alluvium deposition are found in the middle and lower courses of the river
Case study : River Wye
What are the impacts of human activity
Over 200000 people live on the Wye and Usk
Most of the valley is used for farming, particularly the lower and middle courses
Popular with tourists who enjoy the attractive landscape, wildlife and opportunities for adventure tourism such as kayaking, canoeing and climbing
Case study : River Wye
What are the impacts of human management
Flooding is a serious issue so there are some steps that have been placed:
Storage lakes (such as Letton Lake) have been constructed above above the town to store surplus water
Parts of the floodplain above the town are deliberately allowed to flood, relieving the pressure downstream
In Hereford itself, flood walls have been constructed to protect some 200 properties in the Belmont area at a cost of over £5 million
Case study : River Wye
How has human and river management affected geomorphic processes
Tree planting in the rivers upper course stabilises the slopes which reduces mass movement. This reduces the amount of sediment in the river which can increase the risk of flooding
Fewer flooding events means that there’s not enough sediment to construct floodplains. Due to this, artificial levees will be constructed
River banks along the course of the river have been stabilised by planting vegetation, improving access for anglers and walkers. Planting trees reduces the height of floods by 20%
What are examples of hard engineering
Sea walls - redirects energy back into the water instead of the shore
Groynes (wood/concrete) - reduce LSD and trap sediment
Rip rap (rock armour) - dissipates energy from the waves
Gabions - absorbs the energy of the waves
Wooden revetments - absorb and dissipate energy from the waves
Offshore reef - reduces the energy of the waves
What are examples of soft engineering
Artificial beach - protects buildings on the beach from incoming waves
Plastic drainage pipe - drains the water on cliffs to reduce the weight
Planting vegetation - stabilises the sand
Cliff regrading - makes the slopes less steep so that less rocks will slump
Case study : North Norfolk Coast
What are the geomorphic processes
LSD
Mechanical weathering and mass movement are active on the cliffs in the east of the region
Coastal erosion is active in the east
Coastal deposition is dominating in the west
Case study : North Norfolk Coast
How are geomorphic processes affected by geology
Underlain by chalk, which is exposed at the bases of cliffs at Overstrand
Cromer Ridge - a glacial deposition that marks the furthest extent of the ice advance
Sands and gravels - deposited by glacial meltwater streams that are found along the coast
Till - forms thick deposits along the coast
Case study : North Norfolk Coast
How are geomorphic processes affected by climate
During the last glacial period, ice advanced over the area depositing huge thicknesses of sediment
With the present climate, till dries out and cracks which makes it more vulnerable to geomorphic processes
Case study : North Norfolk Coast
What are the coastal landforms
Coastal erosion
Coastal deposition
Erosion
Deposition on the north coast
LSD transports sediment from east to west forming a spit (Blakeney Point)
Case study : North Norfolk Coast
What are the impacts of human activity
There are many villages and small towns on the coast
Much of the area is popular with tourists who visit the coastline to see the beautiful landscapes, taking boat trips and hiking or cycling
The coastal habitats (such as salt marshes) are particularly popular with tourists
Case study : North Norfolk Coast
What are the impacts of human management
Holkham Estate - the land owner planted pine trees to stabilise the sand dunes. Constructed a boardwalk to allow visitors to access the dunes without damaging the vegetation and disturbing the wildlife
Wells-next-the-Sea - groynes were constructed to protect the beach huts; gabions have been used to protect the National Coastwatch Institution lookout station
Several hard engineering measures have been adopted in Cromer, Sheringham and Overstrand to protect the coastline
