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Geography > The Coastal Zone > Flashcards

The Coastal Zone Flashcards

1
Q

Weathering

A

The breakdown of rocks in situ (in their original location without them being moved away). This produces finer particles that can then be removed away by mass movement, transportation and erosion

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2
Q

Mechanical weathering

A

Sometimes called physical weathering – it is the breakdown of the rock without any changes to the minerals that form the rock (includes freeze-thaw and exfoliation)

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3
Q

Freeze-thaw weathering

A

Sometimes called frost shattering. Water enters a crack or joint in a rock, freezes and expands exerting pressure on the rock. Repeated freeze and thawing eventually shatters the rock.

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4
Q

Exfoliation

A

Sometimes called onion-skin weathering. In hot, dry climates the outer layers of rock heat up quicker than the inner layers. Repeated heating and cooling peels off the outer layers.

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5
Q

Chemical weathering

A

When the rock’s mineral composition is changed, leading to the disintegration of the rock. Occurs mostly in moist, warm environments.

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6
Q

Carbonation

A

The dissolving of limestone with carbonic acid (found in rainwater).

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7
Q

Biological weathering

A

Caused by plants and animals – they speed up mechanical weathering with their roots and burrowing. Organic acids released by organisms may also speed up chemical weathering.

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8
Q

Mass movement

A

The movement of sediment downhill under gravity

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9
Q

Land slides

A

The sliding of areas of land downhill under gravity (often in areas of layer cake geology e.g. Lyme Regis)

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10
Q

Mudflows

A

The flowing and sliding of unconsolidated sediment downhill under gravity

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11
Q

Soil creep

A

The slow, steady movement of top soil downhill under gravity

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12
Q

Rock falls

A

The quick, sudden falling of rock downhill under gravity (often caused by freeze-thaw)

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13
Q

Constructive waves

A

Waves that lead to deposition (they have long wavelength, low height, strong swash, weak backwash, less frequent and break gently)

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14
Q

Deconstructive waves

A

Waves that lead to erosion (they have short wavelength, high height, weak swash, strong backwash, scouring action, frequent)

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15
Q

Fetch

A

The distance the wind has blown over the sea. Long fetch creates strong destructive waves.

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16
Q

Erosion

A

The breakdown of sediment by moving forces. Done by destructive waves.

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17
Q

Hydraulic action (or hydraulic power)

A

The power and weight of the water breaking against the coastline.

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18
Q

Abrasion

A

The breaking waves throw sand and sediment against the cliff face.

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19
Q

Attrition

A

Particles carried in the wave rub against each other and are worn down.

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20
Q

Corrosion

A

The action of acids and salts in sea water corroding the cliff face.

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21
Q

Transportation

A

The movement of sediment from one place to another.

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22
Q

Longshore drift

A

Movement of sediment in a zig-zag pattern up and down the shore with the swash and backwash. The direction of longshore drift is dictated by the direction of the prevailing wind.

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23
Q

Traction

A

The rolling of larger boulders on the seabed.

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24
Q

Saltation

A

The bouncing of smaller boulders on the seabed.

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25
Q

Suspension

A

When sediment is carried in the body of water.

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26
Q

Solution

A

When sediment is dissolved in the water.

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27
Q

Deposition

A

The dumping of the sediment load carried in the waves. Done by constructive waves.

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28
Q

Landform of erosion

A

Landforms created by the erosive power of destructive waves (e.g. headlands and bays, cliffs, wave cut notches, wave cut notches platforms, caves, arches, stacks and stumps).

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29
Q

Headlands and bays

A

Where rocks of different hardness and resistance to erosion meet the sea, the weaker rock is eroded back more quickly to form bays. Harder, more resistant rock is left protruding out as prominent headlands either side of the bay. In the sheltered bay constructive waves then deposit their load to build up a beach.

30
Q

Cliffs

A

The most widespread landform of coastal erosion – a sheer rock face formed by erosion.

31
Q

Cliff recession (retreat or collapse)

A

Cliffs form and retreat when destructive waves attack the bottom of the rock face between the high and low water mark. Hydraulic action and abrasion undercut the cliff to form a wave cut notch. The notch increases so the top of the cliff is unsupported, continued undercutting collapses the cliff. Repeated again and again so the cliff retreats leaving a wave cut platform.

32
Q

Wave cut notch

A

A cutting that forms in the base of the cliff, between the high and low water mark, by hydraulic action and abrasion.

33
Q

Undercutting

A

The undermining of cliffs by hydraulic action and abrasion. Undercutting forms a wave cut notch.

34
Q

Wave cut platform

A

As the cliff retreats, a new landform known as a wave cut platform is left where the old cliff face once stood.

35
Q

Cave

A

Found in areas of headland. A line of weakness (joint, crack or fissure) is widen by hydraulic action and abrasion into a cave.

36
Q

Arch

A

When a cave is opened out to the other side of the headland an arch is formed. Created by hydraulic action and abrasion

37
Q

Stack

A

When the top of the arch can no longer be supported it collapses, leaving a stack.

38
Q

Stump

A

Continued erosion of a stack by hydraulic action and abrasion, reduces the stack to a stump.

39
Q

Landforms of deposition

A

Landforms created by the building power of constructive waves (e.g. beaches, spits, bars and tombolos).

40
Q

Beaches

A

The gently sloping area of land between the high and low water marks. Created by constructive waves and longshore drift. They are composed of sand, shingle or pebbles.

41
Q

Spits

A

Long narrow ridge of sand or shingle that extends in the sea. Found where they is a change in the direction of coastline or at the mouth of an estuary. Formed by longshore drift. Behind the spit marshland areas are created (e.g. Hurst Castle Spit and Keyhaven Marshes, Hampshire, UK)

42
Q

Bars

A

A ridge of sand or shingle across the entrance to a bay or river mouth, linking two headlands. A lagoon forms behind the bar (Slapton, Devon).

43
Q

Tombolos

A

A ridge of sand or shingle that links the mainland to an island (Chesil Beach, Dorset)

44
Q

Sea level rise

A

The increase in global sea levels

45
Q

Global warming

A

The warming of Earth melts the ice caps and glaciers, leading to an increase in sea level

46
Q

Post-glacial rebound

A

The bouncing back of land after the pressure of ice has disappeared. Scotland is rebounding up, while the south of the UK is sinking into the sea – like a seesaw effect.

47
Q

Storm surges

A

Storm surges are floods that affect coastal area. They are created strong winds and storm events out at sea. Storm surges have increased in recent years.

48
Q

Hard engineering

A

The artificial use of hard structures to prevent coastal erosion.

49
Q

Soft engineering

A

The use of sustainable measures to lessen the impact of coastal erosion.

50
Q

Sea wall

A

A concrete wall built in front of the cliff, often forming a promenade for people to walk on. Sea walls deflect the force of waves. They are expensive to build and costly to maintain.

51
Q

Groynes

A

Long fences, made from wood, rock or metal, built at right angles to the beach. They trap sediment carried by longshore drift and build up the beach. Waves break on the beach and not on the cliff.

52
Q

Terminal groyne syndrome

A

Rates of erosion are often increased after the last (terminal) groyne due to the sediment supply being cut off. Groynes at Mappleton, Holderness have increased rates of erosion further down the coast.

53
Q

Rock armour

A

Large boulders placed at the foot of cliffs to absorb wave energy

54
Q

Beach nourishment

A

The adding of sand and shingle to an existing beach to maintain the natural protection it offers.

55
Q

Dune regeneration

A

The planting of spartina/cordgrass, sea lavender, other bushes and trees in order to stabilise sand dunes and maintain the natural protection that they offer against erosion and storm surges.

56
Q

Marsh creation

A

Allowing the tide to invade low-lying areas of land to form salt marshes. Marshes provide a natural defence against erosion and storm surges.

57
Q

Managed retreat

A

When the government and local authority decides to do nothing and allow the present coastline to change. Managed retreat often involves marsh creation and dune regeneration. No more repairs are made to old sea defences and the coastline (including settlements and farmland) is abandoned to the sea.

58
Q

Salt marsh

A

A periodically flooded area of low lying land. Salt marshes provide a natural buffer between the land and the sea. They provide valuable habitats to a rich array of species (e.g. Keyhaven Marshes, Hampshire).

59
Q

Pioneer species

A

A species that is the first to colonise area. Pioneer species are tough, resistant species (e.g. Spartina is salt tolerant).

60
Q

Colonisation

A

When a species successfully begins to grow in an area that was not previously lived in.

61
Q

Cordgrass/ Spartina

A

A pioneer species that colonises the low marsh. It is salt tolerant and withstand being under water for long periods of the day.

62
Q

Wold spider

A

Small spider that lives and clings to cordgrass in the low marsh. Feeds during low tide.

63
Q

Sea Lavender

A

Colourful flower found in the high marsh.

64
Q

Common Blue

A

Delicate butterfly that lives in the high marsh.

65
Q

Ringed Plover

A

A bird that nests in the high marsh, but feeds on the abundant worms and invertebrate found in the low marsh during low tide.

66
Q

Oyster Catcher

A

A bird that nests in the high marsh, but feeds on the abundant shellfish and other invertebrate found in the low marsh.

67
Q

Low marsh

A

The part of the salt marsh nearest to the incoming tide. Its mudflats only just break through the surface of the water. This area is highly brackish (salty). Few species live here – mainly cordgrass/spartina

68
Q

High marsh

A

A higher part of the marsh that is almost permanently out of the water. Less brackish and more soil. Supports more species.

69
Q

Marsh uplands

A

The last area of salt marsh before land. Far enough from the sea to provide a habitat for a wide array of species.

70
Q

Vegetation succession

A

The evolving of an area of land from salt mudflat to marsh upland and climax community. With succession comes an increase in species and biodiversity (number of different species).

Geography (8 decks)

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