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What are submergent landscapes?
shaped by rising sea levels → warming climate
What happened during the Holocene period?
began ~11,700 years ago → earth clinate warmed after last glacial period
warm temp → ice sheets + glaciers melt → rise in global sea levels
sea level rose 120m from lowest point
what are rias?
estuarine drowned river valleys formed by sea level rise → flood river valleys that were excavated by rivers
how are rias formed?
as sea levels rise, river valleys flooded → deep, branching estuaries with irregular shorelines + steep sides
what are fjords?
glacially-carved submerged valleys → deepened + widened by advancing glaciers during past ice ages
how are fjords formed?
glaciers melted + retreated due to warm climates → u-shaped valleys submerged by rising sea levels → create deep, narrow inlets with steep cliff sides
what are shingle beaches?
beaches composed of coarse, rounded pebbles and cobbles
how are shingle beaches formed?
rising sea levels + coastal erosion transport + deposit large sediments → create distinct beaches that reflect current dynamic coastal processes
how does present climate change modify these landforms?
accelerated sea level rise, mainly due to thermal seawater expansion + melting of ice caps + glaciers
sea level rise → increase coastal erosion → alter stability of submerging landforms
how does future climate change modify these landforms?
sea level rise → flood coastal areas → submerge low-lying coastal plains
rias + fjords → change in sedimentation patterns + erosion rates → affect ecological + geomorphic characteristics
shingle beach → shift/disappear as sea level rises → impact coastal protection + biodiversity
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