coastal landscapes: seneca 2.1.1 Flashcards
what is a landform?
a feature created by natural processes including a combination of weathering, erosion, transportation and deposition
what is a landscape?
includes all the visible features in an area. geology and climate plays a significant role in influencing their characteristics
what is negative equilibrium? give examples of negative equilibrium within a coastal system
negative feedback is when the inputs that are in excess are nullified to bringing the system back to equilibrium stabilising it.
eg - beach gets eroded during a storm and the sediment may form an offshore bar
- waves hit the bar dissipating their energy and reducing the erosion on the beach
- once the storm passes the material from the bar will be transported back to the beach
what is an isolated system?
no inputs or outputs
what is a closed system?
has inputs and outputs of energy but no matter
what is an open system?
has inputs and outputs of energy and matter
what is positive feed back?
when the effects of a change in input or output is amplified further driving the system out of equilibrium
what is the littoral zone?
its all the smaller sections of the coastline (offshore, nearshore, foreshore and backshore) from sea to land. it reaches dynamic equilibrium when there is a balance between inputs and outputs
inputs in the littoral zone
- action of waves
- currents
- wind
outputs in the littoral zone
- washed out into the sea by deposition
what are the characteristics of a high energy coast?
destructive waves, long fetches, high rates of erosion, caves, arches, stacks, stumps, cliffs and wave cut platforms
what are the characteristics of a low energy coast?
Constructive waves, shorter fetches, higher rates of deposition, spits and bars, beaches, sand dunes and salt marshes
