coasts Flashcards
(98 cards)
1
Q
coastal systems: define open system
A
system where there are inputs and outputs of both matter and energy
2
Q
coastal systems: define inputs
A
addition to a system
3
Q
coastal systems: define stores
A
a sink - where material is retained for a period of time
4
Q
coastal systems: define flows
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movement of material and energy between stores
5
Q
coastal systems: define outputs
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loses from a system
6
Q
coastal systems: define dynamic equilibrium
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systems where inputs and outputs are balanced
7
Q
coastal systems: define positive feedback
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cycle where the effect grows stronger, moving the system further from equilibrium
8
Q
coastal systems: define negative feedback
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cycle where the effect weakens, bringing the system back to the equilibrium
9
Q
coastal systems: define sediment cells
A
a self-contained section of coastline where material cycles
10
Q
coastal systems: define sediment budget
A
the difference between the inputs and outputs of material in a coastal environment - a determination of erosion and deposition
11
Q
coastal systems: define closed system
A
system with inputs and outputs of energy, but not material.
12
Q
coastal processes: define fetch
A
distance over the water that the wind blows
13
Q
coastal processes: define prevailing winds
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the most common direction the wind blows
14
Q
coastal processes: define constructive wave
A
low and flat wave frequently associated with swells that have long wavelengths
15
Q
coastal processes: define destructive wave
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wave frequently associated with storm conditions that have a short wavelength and high frequencies
16
Q
coastal processes: define wave refraction
A
curving of a wave as a headland is reached, causing erosion on the headlands sides
17
Q
coastal processes: define swash
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the uprush of incoming waves onto a beach
18
Q
coastal processes: define backwash
A
the return of waves down the beach towards the sea
19
Q
coastal processes: define tidal range
A
the difference between high and low tide in a coastal zone
20
Q
coastal processes: define spring tide
A
the tides with the highest tidal range caused by full or new moons
21
Q
coastal processes: define neap tide
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the tides with the lowest tidal range caused by first and third quarter moons
22
Q
coastal processes: define intertidal zone
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area of the coast between the high and low tides
23
Q
coastal processes: define high-energy coastline
A
areas of shore where there is more erosion then there is deposition causing cliffs and headlands to form because the waves are large with high erosive power
24
Q
coastal processes: define low-energy coastline
A
areas of shore where there is more deposition then there is erosion, allowing beaches to form because the waves are small with less erosive power
25
coastal processes: define currents
flow of water around a coastline
26
coastal processes: define physical weathering
the in situ breakdown of rocks by the action of frost, water and temperature fluctuations
27
coastal processes: define chemical weathering
the in situ breakdown of rock resulting from the action of weak acids contained within seawater
28
coastal processes: define biological weathering
the in situ breakdown of rock resulting from the action of living organisms
29
coastal processes: define mass movement
the down-slope transport of soil, bedrock, rock debris or mud on steep coastlines, above the influence of waves
30
coastal processes: define erosion
the breakup and transport away of rock and material within a coastal environment
31
coastal processes: define hydraulic action
water compresses air into gaps in a rock face, creating high pressures followed by expansion that can cause rocks to break apart when repeated
32
coastal processes: define abrasion
pebbles transported in the sea grinds against, and are hurled against cliffs causing erosion
33
coastal processes: define solution
chemical attack upon rocks causing them to dissolve
34
coastal processes: define attrition
rocks transported in the sea are slowly worn down into smaller, increasingly round pieces as they are swirled around
35
coastal processes: define transport
movement of material around the coast by water and wind
36
coastal processes: define traction
large particles are rolled across the sea floor because they are too heavy to be suspended, such as pebbles
37
coastal processes: define saltation
waves and currents bounce larger material across the sea bed - there is insufficient energy available to constantly suspend the material
38
coastal processes: define suspension
fine sediment requires very little energy for it to be maintained within the water column, therefore it will remain there for a long time
39
coastal processes: define solution
transport of dissolved load
40
coastal processes: define aeolian erosion and transport
the breakdown and transport of rock using the wind. material is deposited when the wind speed drops or reachews an obstacle
41
coastal processes: define deposition
material is no longer transported so falls out of suspension
42
coastal processes: define longshore drift
sediment is transported along the coast. waves approach at an angle carrying material up the beach. backwash then moves it back out to sea.
43
landscapes of erosion : define unconsolidated material
loose deposits which have not yet been cemented together to form rock
44
landscapes of erosion : define sedimentary rock
layers of stone created by the deposition of material. can be fairly soft, and susceptible to erosion
45
landscapes of erosion : define metamorphic rock
sedimentary rock which has been altered by heat, from overbearing pressure, or intrusions of magma, making rocks harder than before
46
landscapes of erosion : define igneous rock
stone created by a volcano , usually very hard and resists erosion
47
landscapes of erosion : define rock joints
a fracture within stone, allowing erosion to occur at a faster rate
48
landscapes of erosion : define bedding planes
separation between layers (strata) in a sedimentary rock
49
landscapes of erosion : define strata
layers of sedimentary rock
50
landscapes of erosion : define concordant coastline
a region of the coast where alternating bands of hard and soft rock run parallel to the coast
51
landscapes of erosion : define discordant coastline
coast section where alternating bands of hard and soft rock meet the sea near or at right angles.
52
landscapes of erosion : define cliffs
rock back wall to a beach created by the erosion of the land
53
landscapes of erosion : define wave-cut platform
rocky ledge caused by the retreat backwards of a cliff further inland
54
landscapes of erosion : define headland
resistant outcrop of rock, normally on discordant coastlines, with bays either side
55
landscapes of erosion : define bay
a body of water surrounded by land on three sides formed by the erosion of less resistant rock along a coastline.
56
landscapes of erosion : define cove
a curved bay formed on a concordant coastline
57
landscapes of erosion : define geo
a vertical hollow in a rock face, caused by the enlargement of a crack by erosive action
58
landscapes of erosion : define cave
a natural hollow within a cliff formed by the continual erosion of a crack
59
landscapes of erosion : define arch
a continuous hole through a headland, formed by the backwards erosion of two caves on each side, the overburden may later collapse
60
landscapes of erosion : define stack
an isolated portion of resistant rock formed by the erosion and collapse of an arch roof
61
landscapes of erosion : define stump
the eroded remnant of a stack, left behind after the rock debris has been removed
62
landscapes of deposition : define littoral zone
coastal area submerged by tides and the sea near to the coast
63
landscapes of deposition : define offshore
the zone furthest from the shore, waves done impact the seabed here
64
landscapes of deposition : define inshore
zone covering all areas below the low water mark where waves still impact on the underlying land
65
landscapes of deposition : define foreshore
the zone between low and high tides
66
landscapes of deposition : define backshore
the zone furthest from the sea, entirely ;andward of the high water mark under normal conditions. only affected by waves under storm conditions
67
landscapes of deposition : define berm
ridges of deposited beach material caused by high tides
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landscapes of deposition : define cusp
circular erosion feature caused by waves eroding a ridge
69
landscapes of deposition : define ripples
small ridges and depressions in the sand caused by the movement of water- waves and currents
70
landscapes of deposition : define storm beach
steep ridge of larger material on the backshore built during storm conditions
71
landscapes of deposition : define spit
strip of deposited material caused when a coastline changes direction or enters an estuary, but transport continues in the same direction
72
landscapes of deposition : define tombolo
a spit that joins the mainland to a previously offshore island
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landscapes of deposition : define bar
a spit which crosses an entire bay, forms when there is no strong flow of water from the land to stop continued sedimentation
74
landscapes of deposition : define barrier beach
usually permanently exposed sand ridge pout at sea, protecting a lagoon behind, once a spit connected with land again
75
landscapes of deposition : define sand dune
a depositional feature in which sand, blown from a beach by onshore winds, is shaped into mounds and stabilised by plants
76
landscapes of deposition : define psammosere
development of an ecosystem through succession starting with bare sand
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landscapes of deposition : define pioneer species
first organism to colonise a bare surface
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landscapes of deposition : define climatic climax vegetation
the plants which form the last stage of vegetation succession
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landscapes of deposition : define mudflat
area of fine deposited material often exposed at low tide and not yet colonised by plants
80
landscapes of deposition : define salt marsh
estuarine ecosystem formed of salt-tolerant plants which cause mud to be deposited and eventually become dry land
81
landscapes of deposition : define halophyte
plant capable of surviving in salty conditions, such as a tidal marsh
82
the effects of past, present and future climate change: define ice age
period of global cooling where ice advances from the poles across the land, and sea level falls
83
the effects of past, present and future climate change: define sea level rise
as land-ice melts during warmer interglacial periods, water returns to the oceans and sea levels rise
84
the effects of past, present and future climate change: define isostatic change
a local change in the level of the land relative to a fixed sea level
85
the effects of past, present and future climate change: define eustatic change
a type of change in the sea level that affects the whole planet, caused by the changes in the volume of water stored in the oceans
86
the effects of past, present and future climate change: define isostatic readjustment
the surface height of a land mass rebounds to its previous level following ice melting and therefore pressure release
87
the effects of past, present and future climate change: define raised beach
a deposit of sand or gravel which is now above sea level, formed when sea level was higher than today
88
the effects of past, present and future climate change: define relic features
landforms such as cliffs that are above current sea level - they are not affected by subaerial weathering rather then the sea
89
the effects of past, present and future climate change: define ria
a river valley, or a system of river valleys, that is flooded during sea-level rise
90
the effects of past, present and future climate change: define fjord
a glacial valley that has been flooded during sea-level rise
91
the effects of past, present and future climate change: define thermal expansion
water expands as it warms - this is why climate change could cause sea levels to rise, even without the addition of new water
92
the effects of past, present and future climate change: define adaptation
changing ways of life and building defences to cope with the effects of rising sea level, rather then trying to reduce sea level rise
93
coastal management: define coastal management
technique of controlling the rate of coastal erosion and the level of protection
94
coastal management: define hard engineering
the construction of large-scale construction schemes to disrupt natural processes, in order to defend an area against flooding or coastal erosion
95
coastal management: define soft engineering
the use of the natural environments and materials that work with natural processes to provide defence against flooding or coastal erosion
96
coastal management: define sustainable management
policies which promote long-lasting, beneficial administration of the coastal zone
97
coastal management: define shoreline management plans (SMPs)
policies, plans and methods used to protect coastal margins from erosion while some areas may be protected, others may be sacrificed
98
integrated coastal zone management (ICZM)
sustainable development within coastal areas, encompassing the system as a whole, and accounting for different land uses and players
