Coasts

What is the littoral zone?

Area of the coast that can be affected by wave action

What are the different zones of the littoral zone?

Backshore , Foreshore intertidal area (covered twice a day) and recieves the most regular wave action, Nearshore - friction of the seabed and waves causes them to break and the Offshore - area outside the influence of waves

Backshore

sits above high tide level backshore is only affected during storms and extreme weather events otherwise unnafected by waves - furthest away from the sea

Foreshore

Many wave processes take place, between low and high tide so covered twice a day

Nearshore

area just of the coastline beyond low tide, where the friction between the seabed and the waves cause the waves to break, consists of mostly shallow seawater

Offshore

area outside the influence of waves, deep water