The Littoral zone Flashcards
What is the littoral zone?
The wider coastal zone, including adjacent areas (think of it like a cross section of a beach and all its sections)
What are the 4 subdivisions of the littoral zone?
offshore, nearshore, foreshore and backshore
What is the offshore?
The area of deeper water beyond the point which waves begin to break. Friction between waves and sea bed may cause some distortion of wave shape
What is the nearshore?
The area of shallow water beyond the low tide mark, within friction between waves and the sea bed distorts the wave efficiently enough for it to break (breaker zone)
What is the foreshore?
The area between the high and low tide mark
What is the backshore?
The area above the high tide mark, affected by wave action only in storm events.
What are the 2 long term criteria in classifying coasts?
Geology and sea level change
What are the 2 short term criteria in classifying coasts?
Energy inputs and sediment inputs
Features of an advancing coast:
land gaining, emergence and deposition
Features of a retreating coast:
Sea gaining, erosion and submergence
