A/S REVISION 2007
THIS IS A SHORT SUMMARY OF THE KEY AREAS AND TERMS NEEDED FOR YOUR AS EXAMINATIONS i HOPE THEY HELP!
Coastal Environments
Coastal processes create characteristic landforms
MECHANISMS BY WHICH THE SEA ERODES/TRANSPORTS/DEPOSITS
Types of Waves(Constructive/Destructive,high energy, low energy waves, storm, tsunamis, Swash, Backwash,crest, wave height,wavelength,wave period, wave velocity, wave steppness,orbital motion, swell, plunge line,breaker zone,frictional drag, refraction, orthogonals, ridges and runnels, berms,beach cusps, storm beaches, breakpoint bar, beach - upper and lower, intertidal zone )
Other influences - tides (spring, neap),storm surges, currents (north atlantic drift/ gulf stream) coriolis force, global warming,
Others factors affecting coasts - -terrestrial (tectonics, geology, rock structure (discordant, concordant) weathering deposition, biotic features.... like mangroves
- human impact - pollution, conservation, sea defences, building, tourism, energy, etc.
Erosion = CASH/togeher with pounding,biological, human,weathering, tides, storm surges, currents, coriolis force
Deposition..when ,where, why this occurs and the sequential nature of this process
Spatial and temporal variation
Landscape that these processes act on
Landforms - beaches ...(particle size ..shingle, sand,) berms, HWM/LWM, cracks, crevasses, caves, arches, stacks, longshore drift,(littoral) stumps, spits, bars, tombolos, barrier islands,
Describe and explain the formation of each landform, draw an annotated sketch or series of diagrams . A named and located example needed, from differing coastlines
Aran -northern Ireland
CHANGES IN SEA LEVEL OVER TIME INFLUENCE COASTAL LANDFORMS
Changes in the long term should be considered and how these may relate to actual changes in the past and/or possible changes (eustatic, isostatic, orogeny..uplift, epeirogeny ...tilting, volcanic)
describe and explain each landform (diagrams and sketches..located and named from different areas of coastline) incuding ... estuaries (drowned river valleys, rias, dalmation coasts, fjords, fiards, ...micro tidal, meso tidal, macro tidal) erosion surfaces, marine platforms, raised beaches.
Impacts of this type of change
Future sea level rises ...global warming, interglacials, etc.
Raised Beaches - Arran Scotland
COASTAL AREAS HAVE DISTINCTIVE ECOSYSTEMS WHICH CHANGE OVER TIME
Succession... describe and explain in located examples (transects=spatial and temporal) Psammosere (Arran Formbypoint/Southport), Saltmarshes (Haloseres) eg Estuaries ...swardzones, intertidal, salt pans, etc. Lakes, pools = (Hydroseres)
Modifications can be short-term or long term, deliberate or unintentional
COASTAL PROCESSES CAN BE MANAGED
Problems from cliff or dune erosion to longshore drift problems
Different management approaches may be used including managed retreat , hold the line, do nothing, etc.
Effectiveness, impacts (both positive and negative) of human intervention
cornish coast
groynes along east coast
cornish coast
Guernsey
Located examples of all of the above
Impact of settlement and development should also be included
PLEASE REVISE :-
YOUR CHOSEN AREA OF COASTLINE,
YOUR COASTAL DAY IN ARRAN
ALL EXAMPLES THAT I HAVE GIVEN YOU PARTICUALRLY WITH REFERENCE TO HUMAN IMPACT ON COASTS
GOOD LUCK!
EXAMINATION QUESTIONS
2003
Study figure 4 which shows the storm hydrograph for a river in France in May 2001
(a)
(i) Define the term discharge. (2)
(ii) With reference to figure 4;
(ii) Estimate the lag time of this event. (1)
(ii) Shade and label the contribution that groundwater flow makes to the discharge (1)
(iv) Suggest how antecedent conditions in this basin are likely to have influenced the shape of the hydrograph (3)
(b)
(i) Outline the causes of river deposition (3)
(ii) Explain how deposition influences the formation and characteristics of levees. (4)
(c) With references to a named river, describe and explain the downstream changes in its velocity. You may use a graph or diagram to help your answer. Named river....... (6)
2005
Study figure 6 which shows zonation of plant species in a salt marsh ecosystems.
(a) With reerence to figure 6:
(i) what term is used to describe plant succession in a salt marsh ecosystem? (1)
(ii) identify a pioneer species (1)
(iii) outline the environmental conditions likely to be experienced in the lower marsh and mudflats zones: (3)
(iv) explain why these conditions may gradually changes in the long term. (4)
(b)
(i) Describe the process of longshore drift (3)
(ii) Explain why rates of longshore drift might vary due to the influence of:
1. physical factors (4)
2. human factors (4)
Next question
Study Figure 5 which shows sea level changes for the south east of eEngland during the last 9,000 years.
(a) estimate the net sea level rise between 9,000 and 7,000 years before present: (i)
(ii) describe the changes in sea level during the last 9,000 years: (3)
(iii) why is sea level change best regarded as relative?(2)
(iv) suggest physical and human reasons for eustatic sea level change (5)
(b)
(i) Name and outline two processes of marine erosion. (2)
(ii)Explain how rates of marine erosion may be influenced by:
1. geological factors (4)
2. wave refraction (3)
USEFUL WEBSITES
www.btinternet.com/.../geol20060924.htm
www.geography-site.co.uk/.../defences.html
http://www.georesources.co.uk/indexvf.htm