Coastal Environments

Mechanical Weathering
Freeze thaw
Salt Crystal growth
Exfoliation

Rock crystals expand and contract very

common as sea has high salt content
Water expands 9% when it freezes to form
ice less common as sea keeps coast mild

Wet/dry

As crystals grow they exert pressure

Granular disintegration

Weight is taken off the rock

Block disintegration

Surface layer flakes off

Pressure release

Expands when wet and contracts when dry,

very common in inter tidal areas
Jointed rock

Match the starter with the correct ending

Which mechanical processes are shown in the photographs?

Chemical weathering
Oxidation

- speeds up in moist coastal areas

Carbonation - limestones dissolve in carbonic acid

Hydrolysis

- this affects rocks with feldspar minerals

Hydration

- when minerals absorb water, expand and change

Solution

- some rocks dissolve in water

Acids

- acid rain from pollution ( coastal power stations)

Which chemical processes are shown in the photographs?

Biological weathering

Mass Movement
Remember.. The processes that shape a river
environment are also affected by slope processes as
well as weathering processes.
Mass movement is. The movement of material under the force
of gravity. It tends to reduce the slope angle,
It is classified on speed and water content
Slow ~ soil creep and rain splash
Fast ~ flows (wet), slides and slumps (dry)
Very fast~ falls, avalanches

Factors which control type and rate of movement~

Climate
Rock type
Rock structure
Relief
Vegetation
Rates of weathering
Aspect
Shock from something to trigger it eg storm
Human activity

Wave terminology

Constructive waves

Destructive waves

Wave factors
Waves control ENERGY and MOVEMENT
Wave shape
Wave size
Fetch
Roughness
Depth and gradient
Load
Tides
Storm surges

EROSION
Abrasion~load wearing away cliff
Hydraulic action~ sheer force and weight of falling
water; especially in cracks ( air pressure)
Attrition~ load collides and grinds away (results in
sand)
Solution~ removal of chemical ions
Factors controlling rate of erosion ~ marine factors
and coastal factors p15 revision book
http://gatm.org.uk/geographyatthemovies/coasts.html

Landforms of erosion
Remember there are large scale and small scale landforms
and you have studied these using named areas.

video

Remember to link
landform description to
processes

video 2

Blowholes and cliff slumping

video

Transportation processes~

Gatm lsd video

Traction~ rolled along the bed

4th one down

Saltation~ bouncing along the bed

Solution~ dissolved in the water

Tester GATM
Bond
20th down

Suspension~ held in the water

Flotation ~ on the surface
Deposition
Rate of deposition is determined by energy loss and the
weight of the load. A shallow gradient, wider beach,
calmer climate and meeting a river are examples.
Marine deposits include:Bed load, Suspension, Solution

Depositional Landforms
Video spit formation

Remember for depostion to

take place the following
factors are important:~
Plentiful supply of sediment
Longshore drift to transport sediment
An indented coastline coastline changes direction
Energy levels drop slow down for example at a river
mouth
Bioconstruction plants to help stabilize the sediment

Tombolo

Video - tombolo

Coastal Protection
Physical reasons for protection:~
Climate global warming
Relief low-lying areas
Aspect open to large wave fetch
Depth of water
Drainage deltas flooding threats
Vegetation
Ecosystem
Geology

Human reasons for coastal protection:~

Settlement Tenby lots of expensive properties
Source of raw materials Hallsands sands and gravels
Industrial needs
Transport Mappleton on the Holderness coast
Ports

Coastal management and defence - gatm

Fishing
Military ranges MOD in Castlemartin Pembrokeshire
Tourism & Recreation Tenby Pembrokeshire
Cultural and historic sites
Case studies:- Tenby, Holderness,
Hallsands, Abbotts Hall Farm,

Hard Engineering Protection

Schemes

Groynes and beach renourishment gatm

Identify the scheme

describe how it works

Soft Engineering Protection

Schemes

Which shows:~
Replenishment
Beach re-profiling
Fencing to trap blown sand
Planting vegetation like marram

Managed Retreat

Land allowed to flood and

forms salt marshes that
absorb wave energy.
Managed retreat is cheap
and natural but needs and
area with little or no
population.