Coastal Landforms

Wave-cut platform

A flat area at the base of a cliff formed by the action of waves eroding the rock and creating a notch.

Hydraulic action

The process of erosion caused by the force of water hitting a surface, often leading to the formation of cracks.

Abrasion

Erosion that occurs when materials carried by waves scrape against rock surfaces.

Caves, arches, and stacks

Landforms that are created through the erosion of hard rock at headlands.

Longshore drift

The movement of sediment along a coastline due to the angle of waves, playing a key role in beach formation.

Spit

A narrow landform extending into a body of water, formed by deposition where the coastline changes direction.

Tombolo

A landform that connects an island to the mainland, formed by sediment deposition.

Bar (or barrier beach)

A coastal landform consisting of a ridge of sand or gravel that runs parallel to the shoreline.

Salt marsh

A coastal wetland area that is flooded and drained by saltwater brought in by the tides.

Sand dunes

Mounds of sand formed by wind action, commonly found on beaches.

Eustatic change

Global sea level rise or fall due to changes in the volume of water in ocean basins.

Isostatic change

Local changes in sea level resulting from the rise or fall of land, such as after glacial melting.

Thermal expansion

The increase in volume of water as it warms, contributing to sea level rise.

Post-glacial adjustment

The rebound of land after the melting of heavy glacial ice, leading to a rise in land level.

Emergent landforms

Coastal features that appear as a result of a fall in sea level, such as raised beaches.

Submergent landforms

Coastal features that emerge due to a rise in sea level, such as rias and fjords.

Fjord

A deep, narrow inlet of the sea between high cliffs or steep slopes, formed by glacial activity.

Ria

A drowned river valley that has been filled with seawater due to rising sea levels.

Dalmatian coast

A submergent coastline characterized by a series of islands formed from a landscape of parallel valleys.

Constructive waves

Waves that deposit more sediment than they erode, leading to beach formation.

Destructive waves

Waves that erode the coastline, causing features like cliffs and wave-cut platforms to develop.

Coastal deposition

The process in which sediment is dropped by waves after being transported along the coastline.

Sediment cell

A section of the coastline that is a self-contained system of sediment movement.

Plant succession

The gradual process of change in species composition and the development of the ecosystem over time.

Climate change impact on sea level

The phenomenon where rising global temperatures contribute to increased sea levels due to melting ice and thermal expansion.

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, an organization that assesses the science related to climate change.

Coastal flooding

The inundation of land areas adjacent to coastal waters due to excessive sea level rise or storm surges.

Salinisation

The process by which freshwater aquifers become contaminated with seawater, often due to rising sea levels.

High-energy coastlines

Coastlines that experience strong wave action and erosion, leading to the formation of pronounced coastal features.

Low-energy coastlines

Coastlines characterized by gentle waves that are conducive to sediment deposition.

Erosion

The process by which natural forces like water, wind, and ice wear away soil and rock.

Depositional landforms

Landforms created by the accumulation of sediment, such as beaches, spits, and bars.

Weathering

The breaking down of rocks and soil through processes like temperature changes, water, and biological activity.

Cliff retreat

The process of a cliff moving backward due to erosion at its base, leaving behind wave-cut platforms.

Wave refraction

The bending of wave fronts as they approach the coastline, focusing energy onto headlands.

Caves

Hollows or voids formed in rock due to erosion by waves.

Stacks

Isolated columns of rock that were once part of a cliff, resulting from erosion.

Under-cutting

The process by which waves erode the base of a cliff, leading to structural collapse.

Coastal ecosystems

Natural communities in coastal areas that are shaped by the interaction of ocean and land.

Net deposition

The long-term accumulation of sediment in a specific area, often altering the landscape.

Tectonics

Movements of the Earth's crust that can impact sea levels through processes like uplift or subsidence.

Aquifer

A geological formation that can hold and transmit water, important for freshwater supplies.