Paper 2: Uk's Evolving Physical Landscape Flashcards
(121 cards)
1
Q
Where is Malham cove located and what was it?
A
Yorkshire Pennines, north of England. It was once a huge water fall, 80m high.
2
Q
Why does Malham cove form a mystery for geologists?
A
The rock it is made from co sissy of limestone but it contains crushed shells of coral that lived in the sea 300 million years ago.
3
Q
What 3 factors form Malham cove today?
A
- Geology
- Past tectonic activity
- passed processes caused by glaciation
4
Q
His did geology affect the formation of Malham cove today?
A
300 million years ago the UK was covered by tropical sea where tropical sea and coral thrived. As they died they fell to the ocean bed forming a horizontal layer called strata. Two processes then turned them into rock:
- as more skeletons fell they crushed those beneath them, eventually squeezing the water out and compacting it into rock.
- calcium carbonate (occurs naturally in sea water) crystallised around the fragments this cemented them together and persevered fossils.
5
Q
How do geologists now the age of the fossils in Malham Cove?
A
Using Carbon dating. This means they now the fossils lived in the Carboniferous period.
6
Q
Why does the rocks in Malham cove vary in resistance?
A
Other rock strata was deposited on top of the limestone. It consists of more resistant rock, e.g millstone grit. It resists erosion and forms the highest peaks in the Pennines and protects weaker sands and snakes beneath.
7
Q
What is carbon dating?
A
Using radioactive testing to find the age of rocks, which contained living materials.
8
Q
What is erosion?
A
The wearing away of a landscape.
9
Q
What sort of rocks does upland UK consist of?
A
They consist of more resistant rock, such as metamorphic and igneous rock and some sandstone.
10
Q
What sort of rocks does lowland areas of the UK consist of?
A
Younger, less resistant sedimentary rock.
11
Q
How did past tectonic processes affect how Malham cove looks today?
A
- the plates on which the UK sits shifted away from the tropics.
- convention currents from beneath the sea uplifted rocks that became land.
- During uplift some of the rocks snapped and moved along faults in a series of earthquakes over thousands of years. Each movement disturbed the strata so that they tilted. Sometimes, the the faults form a steep edge where uplift had raised some parts more than others.
12
Q
How did past glaciation processes affect how Malham cove looks today?
A
As the Pennines were uplifted, rivers life the wharf eroded into them creating v-shaped valleys. But he most recent ice age brought glaciers.
They had 2 affects:
-They altered river valleys making them u-shaped valleys (made them deeper and wider)
-as the glaciers meltted they left features like these.
13
Q
Give two points that prove Britain’s geology is of value:
A
- Cornwall has large amounts of tin and copper which made the county wealthy.
- Huge strata of coal helped to make Britain the world first industrial nation other resources include building stone (marble) and raw materials (iron core).
14
Q
What are igneous rocks?
A
Earths oldest rock, formed from lavas and deep magmas that have cooled and crystallised. They have interlocking crystals and the crystal size depends on how long the magma takes to cool. This rock is usually resistant to erosion.
15
Q
What are sediments rocks?
A
Formed from sediments eroded and deposited by rivers or the sea on the sea bed. Some are resistant (sandstone) while others crumble easily. Can contain fossils and have round porous grains. Rock is permeable.
16
Q
What is metamorphic rock?
A
These are sedimentary rocks that are heated and then compressed, they form under extreme pressure and temperatures. They are resistant and have arranged crystals.
17
Q
North West of of the England the rocks are?
A
Older
More resistant such as igneous and metamorphic
More faults where upload areas were uplifted by tectonic activity
It is the opposite in the southeast.
18
Q
Examples of igneous rock?
A
Basalt
Granite -formed underground large crystals.
Both are resistant.
19
Q
Examples of sediments rock?
A
Sandstone Limestone Chalk - medium slightly porous Millstone grit - very resistant clay - soft and crumbly generally weak.
Vary in resistance
20
Q
Example of metamorphic rock?
A
Slate
Schist
Marble
all very resistant
21
Q
What is scree?
A
Rock fragments these make the ground ruff. The are often found in places like the Lake District.
22
Q
What does scree consist of?
A
Angular rock pieces created by freeze thaw weathering .
23
Q
How does freeze thaw weathering occur?
A
In the winter temperatures are often below freezing in the night but warmer during the day. Rainwater gets into cracks in the rocks freezes and expands by 10%. Expansion widens the crack and eventually the rock breaks into pieces. This forms scree.
24
Q
How do slope processes affect the country side?
A
- scree fragments are unstable and move easily during rockfalls, increasing dangers for walkers.
- Landslides are common. The Lake District is the UK’s wettest region (Over 2000mm of rain a year) Rain adds to the weight of weathered rocks so it slides easily.
25
What is weathering?
The physical, chemical or biological breakdown of solid rock by the action of weather or plants.
26
Where is the Weald located?
Southern England, Kent, Sussex. This area consists of undulating (gently rolling hills) it is lower than the Lake District.
27
How has the Weald’s landscape been affected?
By geology. The Weald was once a dome of folded rocks, forming an arch called the anticline. The strata used to be continuous but, linking what is now known as the south and north downs. However erosion has left alternate strata and less resistant rock to form a landscape known as scarp and vale topography.
28
What is the landscape of the Weald like currently?
-resistant rocks, like chalk, form escarpments.
-behind the escarpment, gently slopes follow the angle at which the rocks were tilted.
_softer clays are lower and flatter, forming the vales.
29
What different types of weathering occur in the Lake District and the Weald and why?
Different types of weathering occur because of the different weather.
Chalk(calcium carbonate) is an alkali so is affected by rain/acid rain.
Tree and shrub roots break up solid rock.
30
What are the three different types of weathering? Give examples.
Physical weathering - freeze thaw, onion skin
Chemical - rain (naturally, slightly acidic), acid rain
Biological - roots breaking through rocks and animals.
31
Why is it unusual to find chalk near water sources?
Because it is porous. (Not wet unless saturated after weather).
32
Why are rivers common in vales?
Because clay is impermeable.
33
Why is clay impermeable?
During and after the last ice age, water in the clay froze, making it impermeable. Then fresh water formed rivers and valleys. As the climate warmed, water speeded the clay once again leaving dry valley where rivers had once flowed.
34
What is soil creep?
This is a slope process and is a very slow process. This is caused when rain dislodged particles of soil causing it to slowly creep down the slope. In general slope processes are slower in the Lake District.
35
What did the Norse Farmers in the Yorkshire Dales use to build?
They used limestone as it was strong. They also used the boulders and rocks left by rivers or melting glaciers in the valley bottom. They used these to also build dry stone walls as field boundaries.
36
What were the Norse farmers in the Yorkshire Dales influenced by and what did they do to adapt?
Influenced by the Pennine climate.
-cold winters and short growing season meant sheep farming was best. In winter sheep were kept at the bottom of valley fields.in summer they grazed upland. Fields in valley bottom produced hay for winter.
-winter hay stored in stone barns. Farmers tended to love near their animals due to convenience. They built long houses consisting of a house and a barn together so animals could be kept inside during bad weather. This led to a disperse pattern of isolated farms.
37
Where is East Anglia located and how is it different to the Pennines?
Located in Eastern England and is low lying unlike Pennines. Flat and less than 100 meters above sea level. It’s coastline faves Europe.
38
What is East Anglia’s geology? And how is this used for benefit?
Mainly sands, clays known as till, which were deposited by glaciers from the last ice age. Till produced fertile soil for Arable crop farming, hedges are used for field boundaries instead if stone walls. Below the surface the geology is chalk. Chalk is too crumbly for building.
39
What is scree?
Rock fragments these make the ground ruff. The are often found in places like the Lake District.
40
What does scree consist of?
Angular rock pieces created by freeze thaw weathering .
41
How does freeze thaw weathering occur?
In the winter temperatures are often below freezing in the night but warmer during the day. Rainwater gets into cracks in the rocks freezes and expands by 10%. Expansion widens the crack and eventually the rock breaks into pieces. This forms scree.
42
How do slope processes affect the country side?
- scree fragments are unstable and move easily during rockfalls, increasing dangers for walkers.
- Landslides are common. The Lake District is the UK’s wettest region (Over 2000mm of rain a year) Rain adds to the weight of weathered rocks so it slides easily.
43
What is weathering?
The physical, chemical or biological breakdown of solid rock by the action of weather or plants.
44
Where is the Weald located?
Southern England, Kent, Sussex. This area consists of undulating (gently rolling hills) it is lower than the Lake District.
45
How has the Weald’s landscape been affected?
By geology. The Weald was once a dome of folded rocks, forming an arch called the anticline. The strata used to be continuous but, linking what is now known as the south and north downs. However erosion has left alternate strata and less resistant rock to form a landscape known as scarp and vale topography.
46
What is the landscape of the Weald like currently?
-resistant rocks, like chalk, form escarpments.
-behind the escarpment, gently slopes follow the angle at which the rocks were tilted.
_softer clays are lower and flatter, forming the vales.
47
What different types of weathering occur in the Lake District and the Weald and why?
Different types of weathering occur because of the different weather.
Chalk(calcium carbonate) is an alkali so is affected by rain/acid rain.
Tree and shrub roots break up solid rock.
48
What are the three different types of weathering? Give examples.
Physical weathering - freeze thaw, onion skin
Chemical - rain (naturally, slightly acidic), acid rain
Biological - roots breaking through rocks and animals.
49
Why is it unusual to find chalk near water sources?
Because it is porous. (Not wet unless saturated after weather).
50
Why are rivers common in vales?
Because clay is impermeable.
51
Why is clay impermeable?
During and after the last ice age, water in the clay froze, making it impermeable. Then fresh water formed rivers and valleys. As the climate warmed, water speeded the clay once again leaving dry valley where rivers had once flowed.
52
What is soil creep?
This is a slope process and is a very slow process. This is caused when rain dislodged particles of soil causing it to slowly creep down the slope. In general slope processes are slower in the Lake District.
53
What did the Norse Farmers in the Yorkshire Dales use to build?
They used limestone as it was strong. They also used the boulders and rocks left by rivers or melting glaciers in the valley bottom. They used these to also build dry stone walls as field boundaries.
54
What were the Norse farmers in the Yorkshire Dales influenced by and what did they do to adapt?
Influenced by the Pennine climate.
-cold winters and short growing season meant sheep farming was best. In winter sheep were kept at the bottom of valley fields.in summer they grazed upland. Fields in valley bottom produced hay for winter.
-winter hay stored in stone barns. Farmers tended to love near their animals due to convenience. They built long houses consisting of a house and a barn together so animals could be kept inside during bad weather. This led to a disperse pattern of isolated farms.
55
Where is East Anglia located and how is it different to the Pennines?
Located in Eastern England and is low lying unlike Pennines. Flat and less than 100 meters above sea level. It’s coastline faves Europe.
56
What is East Anglia’s geology? And how is this used for benefit?
Mainly sands, clays known as till, which were deposited by glaciers from the last ice age. Till produced fertile soil for Arable crop farming, hedges are used for field boundaries instead if stone walls. Below the surface the geology is chalk. Chalk is too crumbly for building.
57
Why is the coast a popular place?
- trade
- fishing
- resources such as oil and gas
- easy access to sea
- tourism
- popular place to live
58
What are hard rock coasts?
They consist of resistant rock, such as igneous, granite or resistant sedimentary rocks. E.g sandstone, limestone and chalk. These create coves. (Lulworth cove in Dorset or Flamborough head in East Yorkshire)
59
What is a soft rock coast?
Consist of less resistant sedimentary rock such as shakes or clay which are easily eroded. (E.g holderness bay in East Yorkshire and North Norfolk coast)
60
What is meant by rock structure?
This is the way different rock strata is arranged. There are often several rock types on one cliff but rock strata can be arranged in only two ways.
61
What two ways on a coast can rock strata be arranged?
Discordant: when rock strata is at right angles to the coast. These have different rock types.
Concordant: when strata is parallel to the coastline. These have the same type rocks parallel to the coastline.
62
What do discordant coasts form? Give examples:
They form headlands and bays. Examples include south west Ireland’s coast.
63
What do concordant coasts form? Give examples.
Cliffs and coves. Such as Lulworth Cove in Dorset.
64
How do coves (such as Lulworth Cove) form?
- A resistant layer of hard rock runs along the coast.
- Erosion processes create a gap through the layer of resistant rock. Exposing less resistant rock (e.g sands and clays) behind.
- as waves reach the less resistant rock it erodes quickly and widens.
- at the back of the cove waves have reached the more resistant rock, which forms a steep cliff.
65
Give two examples of weaknesses in rock:
Joints - small, usually vertical cracks found in many rocks.
Faults - larger cracks caused by past tectonic movements, where rocks have moved.
The more faults and joints found in rocks, the weaker they are and the more easily waves can erode them.
66
How is a headland formed?
- large crack opened up by hydraulic action.
- the crack grows into a cave by abrasion and hydraulic action.
- the cave becomes larger.
- cave breaks through the headland and forms a natural arch.
- the arch is eroded and collapses.
- this leaves a tall stack of rocks.
- this gets eroded into a stump.
67
What is wind responsible for creating and how does it do this?
Wind is responsible for creating waves. When wind blows across the sea, friction between the wind and water surface causes waves.
68
What two factors do waves depend on?
- Wind strength
| - How long the wind blows for
69
What is fetch?
The length of water the wind blows over.
(Waves reaching Cornwall begin bear Florida and travel around 6000km across the Atlantic Ocean.
70
How do waves form?
- out at sea the wind tugs in the surface of the water, causing the wave shape to move.
- within a wave each water particle moves in a circular motion.
- when a wave moves into shallow waters near a coast it is distorted until it breaks.
- from this moment on its nots only the energy but also the water moving forward.
- water rushes up the beach (this is called the swash)
- it then drains back down beach (called back wash)
71
What is does beach profile mean and what forms it?
The shake of the beach formed by the way waves break.
72
Characteristics of a summer/constructive wave:
- waves are small also known as spilling waves
- as they break they spill up the beach.
- arrive slowly with long wavelengths and low amplitudes.
- strong swash, which transports sand up the beach.
- gentle slope means that back swash is slow so sand is deposited.
- deposited sand forms a berm
73
Characteristics of a winter/destructive wave:
- waves have a larger amplitude and shorter wavelength.
- also called plunging waves and arrive quickly.
- have a strong backwash, eroding sand from the beach.
- the backwash flows under the next incoming wave forming a rip current. These are very strong.
- create a steep beach profile
- sand carried and deposited off shore forming a bar.
74
How is a wave cut platform formed?
- Wave power is concentrated at the cliff base where abrasion forms a wave cut notch.
- as the notch grows, a cliff overhang develops.
- the over hang becomes unstable and eventually collapses forming a pile of rock debris. This protects the cliff from further erosion.
- over time the rock de Eros is eroded through attrition exposing the cliff to erosion again.
- over thousands of years this process repeats and a level of smooth rock is left where the cliff once was stretching out to sea. This is the wave cut platform.
75
What is hydraulic action?
Water is forced into cracks into the rocks. This compresses the air. when the wave retreats the compressed air blasts out thus can force the rock apart.
76
What is abrasion?
Loose rocks called sediment, are thrown against the cliff by waves. This wears the cliff away and chips bits of rock off the cliff. This is called abrasion.
77
What is attrition?
Loose sediment, knocked off the cliff by hydraulic action and abrasion is swirled around by waves. It constantly collides with other sediment and gradually gets worn down into smaller and rounder sediments.
78
What happens to sediment over time.
(Sediment is material eroded from cliffs).
Attrition makes sediment smaller and rounder
Sediment is transported form where it was eroded to new locations.
79
What is long shore drift?
This happens when wave break at right angles to the coat rather than parallel to it. It transports sediment and then deposits it. Because prevailing winds are mostly form one direction, long shore drift usually occurs in one direction.
80
What features does deposition of sand and sediment form?
- Beaches and coves. These can be sheltered areas so trap sediment.
- strong onshore winds can blow sand inland forming sand dunes parallel to the shore line.
- bars of sand grow across the mouth of a bay due to long shore drift. Behind the bar a shallow lagoon forms.
- spits form because long shore drift carries sand along shore u TIL it reaches estuary, where it gets pushed in to river channel. River flow halts drift so sand is deposited forming a long sandy neck.
- salt marshes form because the river moves out to sea at low tide, whilst at high tide it flows inland. Each tide eroded spit and causes it to curve In on itself causing it to have a curved end. Water behind the spit is protected from storms and tides allowing salt marshes to form.
81
Why are depositional land forms not stable?
Made from loose sediment. However plant dunes can be stabilised by plants growing on the sand.
82
Why do plants in beaches need to be tough?
- have to have long roots to hold them in place during strong winds. E.g. marram grass
- have to have tough, waxy leaves to stop them getting sandblasted.
- have to be able to survive being soar aged by salt water.
83
What impacts of human activity affect the coast or put pressure on it?
- development
- agriculture
- industry
- coast management
- housing and office development put pressure on the coast.
84
How does housing put pressure if UKs coast?
Many people who work in London can no longer afford housing there, so some coastal towns and cities offer alternatives for people who commute everyday. Also important for this who retire popular destinations include Bournemouth, Blackpool and Scarborough.
85
How does office development put pressure in the coast?
High coast of London’s property also affects companies as they can’t afford it so they move out. Such as JP Morgan an investment bank which moved to Bournemouth. Employs over 4000 people making it Bournemouth’s largest private sector. Over 2000 financial and business service companies have stabilised headquarters, major corporate centres or back office operations here.
Bournemouth and Brighton are also popular locations with younger populations as universities and companies expand there,
86
What pressures does the Romney Marsh, on the Kent coast, face?
- price of good farmland has risen from £2400 per hectare in 1995 to £30000 in 2015. Farmers have to maximise their income by using whatever land they can.
- climate change and rising sea levels are likely to lead to flooding by salt water during winter high tides, which could threaten pastures.
87
Give an example on the effect of industry on tourists near the coast:
Bacton is a village on the Norfolk coast and critical to UKs economy. North Sea gas is piped out on the shore at the terminal. This brings conflict with tourists as this ruins the scenery and nit what they want.
88
Give examples of industrial developments that have taken place in the coast:
The Solent (Southampton), The Seven (Bristol), The Mersey and Dee (Liverpool) estuaries are all important oil and chemical refining locations with huge industrial installations.
The Thames estuary (east London) is important for shipping and power station to supply London.
89
How much will sea levels rise by 2100 (estimate)?
Between 30cm and 1 meter. The sea is warming up and expanding, melting ice sheets are adding to this to speed it up.
90
What affects will rising sea levels have on people who,live in low lying land next to the sea?
- In Bangladesh, if sea levels rose by 1 m, up to 15% of the country might be flooded.
- in the UK, London and Essex are at risk because they are low lying.
- many small coral islands in the Pacific and Indian oceans, like Maldives and Tuvalu could disappear underwater.
91
In what ways are sea levels constantly changing?
- Twice a day due to gravity of the moon, high tides cause rises sea levels.
- twice a month there are exceptionally high tides, claws spring tides. During this period the flood risk rises. If spring tides concise with large waves, the sea rises even more.
- Storm surges
92
What is s storm surge and how is it formed?
If air pressure falls to very low levels then a storm surge occurs. During a surge, sea level rises 10mm for every 1 millibar drop in air pressure.
Worst situations occur when spring tides and later waves coincide with low air pressure, forming severe surges. Global warming would rise sea levels more so these would become more severe and more frequent.
93
What was the storm surge of December 2013 like?
This storm surge struck coastal areas of eastern and south east England. This consisted of high winds and a 7m surge causing the worst flooding since 1953.
94
What were the impacts if the 2013 storm surge?
- two people died
- 1400 home flooded (300 in Lincolnshire, 500 in Humber region and 500 in Kent)
- thousands of residents evacuated in Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Lincolnshire.
- Total damage was 100 million.
However, I proved flood barriers and tidal walls prevented the same damage from 1953 that killed 326 people. Environment agency now claims that 800,000 are protected.
95
What sort of affect will higher sea levels and increased storm surges have in the future?
- climate scientists estimate that 1 in 50 year events like 2013 storm surge will become 1 in 20.
- beaches spits and river deltas may be eroded faster and become submerged.
- for coastal southern and eastern parts of the UK a sea level rise of 50com would make existing sea defences useless. The only options would be build higher or abandon areas.
96
How does geology affect erosion of a coastline?
E.g Cornwall’s coast has many resistant cliffs of granite and slate. They withstand the energy of even the biggest Atlantic waves for long periods.
97
How do cliff processes affect erosion of a coastline?
Areas in North Norfolk, East Yorkshire and some coastal areas in Hampshire and Dorset have high erosion rated due to weak geology. They suffer from cliff foot erosion. However, weathering and mass movement make the problem worse. Together these are known as sub-aerial processes and are the cause of cliff face erosion. This causes weak areas to collapse.
98
How do waves cause erosion?
As well as geology the wave nerdy can affect the making of erosion. The wave energy depends on the wave fetch. More energy means stronger wave and causes more erosion.
99
Why did cliffs collapse?
1- Marine cliff foot process: base if cliff eroded by hydraulic action and abrasion, making the cliff face steeper.
2- sub-aerial cliff face processes: weathering weakens the cliff face this can be through bio, chem or physical weathering.
3- Heavy rain saturates the permeable rock at the cliff top. Rainwater may also erode the cliff as it runs down the face or emerges from a spring
4-the water flows through permeable rock, adding weight to the cliff geology which is too weak to support itself.
5-Human actions: building in top of a cliff adds to the load, which can weigh down on the weakened cliff.
100
What is mass movement?
The movement of materials downslope, such as rock falls, landslides or cliff collapse.
101
What sis the difference between hard and soft engineering?
Hard engineering uses concrete and steel structures (man made) such as sea walls to stop waves.
Soft engineering uses smaller (usually cheaper) structures, often built from natural materials, to reduce wave energy.
102
What are the draw backs of hard engineering?
This is usually the traditional way of dealing with coastal management. It has tow problems:
- very expensive
- often makes coast look unnatural and ugly.
103
What do sea walls do?
- Hard engineering
- £2000 per meter
- reflects waves back out to sea
- can prevent easy access to beach
- can suffer from wave scour, where plunging waves erode the beach and attack walls foundations.
104
What is s sea wall with steps and a bullnose do?
- Hard engineering
- £5000 meter
- steps help to dissipate wave energy
- bullnose throws waves up and back to sea.
105
What to Revetments do?
- Hard engineering
- £1000 per meter
- breaks up incoming waves
- restricts beach access and looks ugly
- can be destroyed by big storms.
106
What are gabions?
- Hard engineering
- £100 per meter
- a cheap type of sea wall
- absorbs wave energy as they are permeable
- not very strong
107
What is rock armour?
- Hard engineering
- £300 per meter
- easy to build
- more expensive if built in the sea
- dissipates wave energy and looks natural.
108
What are groynes?
- Hard engineering
- £2000 per meter
- prevents longshore drift, trapping sand and shingle
- Larger beach dissipates wave energy reducing erosion.
- May increase erosion downstream.
- they trap sediment from long shore drift allowing a beach to build up.
109
How do engineers make a decision of what sea defence to use?
Cost benefit analysis- the costs (environmental as well as economic) versus the benefits of what is saved.
110
What does dissipate mean?
Means to reduce wave energy, which is absorbed as waves pass through or over sea defences.
111
How do beaches act as a seas defence?
These are natural sea defences. They absorb wave energy before it reaches the cliff. Coasts with rapid erosion tend to have narrow or no beaches. Groynes are often added to help creat beaches. Each stone groyne costs £250,000.
112
What is the terminal groyne syndrome?
By trapping sand in one place it stops it reaching another. Naish, holiday village suffers rapid erosion because groynes further west have started it from sand. Further east Barton-in-sea’s beach has almost disappeared for the same reason. Without a beach cliff erosion has increased rapidly.
113
What is holistic management?
This takes into account all social, economic and environmental costs and benefits. In coastal management this means looking at the coastline as a while rather than an individual bay it beach.
114
Why is holistic management taking place more now and why aren’t some places being protected with sea defences?
- the value of land and buildings might not justify the cost.
- building defences might cause more erosion elsewhere.
- climate change is likely to bring rising sea levels.
- it might be better for the environment e.g creating new areas of marsh.
115
What does holistic management take into account and what is this approach called?
- needs of different groups of people.
- economic costs and benefits of different strategies today, and in the future.
- environment, both on land and in the sea.
This is approach is called Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM
116
How do people use the (ICZM) for long stretches of coast?
A plan is drawn up called a Shoreline Management Plan (SMP), this sets out how the coast will be managed. In theory this prevents one place from building groynes if they then cause more erosion down drift.
117
What are the four possible choices that councils can make about managing the coast?
Hold the line - use sea defences to stop erosion, and so the coast stays where it is today. expensive.
Advance the line - use sea defence to move the coast further out to sea. This is very expensive.
Strategic realignment/retreat - gradually let the coast erode and move people and businesses away from areas at risk. This may involve financial compensation for people when their homes are lost.
Do nothing - take no action at all and let nature take its course.
118
What sort of conflict can the 4 coastal management choices make?
Some people loose their homes and businesses and land. What makes one place more important than protecting than another?
119
How does soft engineering attempt to prevent erosion? And what are some methods!
These limit erosion by stabilising beaches and cliffs and reducing wave energy.
Planting vegetation-£20-£50 per meter square
Beach nourishment - £500-£1000 per meter square
Offshore breakwater - £2000 per meter.
120
Why may hard engineering be more affective than soft engineering?
Soft engineering may not always work. If rocks are very weak, Hard engineering or do nothing are the only methods. Soft engineering does not always completely stop erosion just slow it down and it can’t claim but if land back that are already lost to the sea.
121
What decisions do we currently face about the coast?
- Government thinks it’s too expensive to protect farmland and isolated houses.
- residents, councils and businesses often disagree.
- hard to persuade people who have lived by the coast all their loves that protecting their property is not sustainable.
- planning defences is difficult if we don’t know exactly what the impact of rising sea levels will be.
