geography keywords

upland

areas that are above sea levels, often, but not always mountainous

Geology

the scientific study of the solid earth, its rocks and processes

honeypot site

a location attracting a large number of tourists who place pressure on the environment

diversity

race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, social and economic backgrounds

carrying capacity

a species' average population size in a particular habitat

national parks

areas of outstanding natural beauty which have been preserved for the people of the future

footpath erosion

where the vegetation and soil structure has been lost or substantially altered due to concentrated people pressures

river processes

processes that relate to rivers and streams

transport

the process by which rivers carry materials as they flow

solution

when sea water dissolves certain types of rocks

suspension

a method of transporting very fine sediment in a river

traction

when large, heavy pebbled are rolled along the riverbed

load

the material transported by a river

deposition

When the sea loses energy, it drops the sand, rock particles and pebbles it has been carrying.

hydraulic action

The sheer power of the waves as they smash against the cliff. Air becomes trapped in the cracks in the rock and causes the rock to break apart.

abrasion

When pebbles grind along the river bank and bed in a sand-papering effect.

attrition

When rocks that the sea is carrying knock against each other. They break apart to become smaller and more rounded.

vertical erosion

Downward erosion of a river bed.

interlocking spurs

Projections of high land that alternate from either side of a valley and project into the valley floor

meanders

Large bends in a river

lateral erosion

erosion by a river on the outside of a meander channel

slip off slope

where the deposition leaves the sediment

point bar

a mound of deposited material found in a riverbed

flood plain

an area along a river that forms from sediments deposited when the river overflows its banks

waterfalls

A river's steep fall over a rocky ledge into a plunge pool below

plunge pool

A deepened part of the river bed at the base of the waterfall caused by the impact of the falling water

gorge

A narrow steep-sided valley that is usually found immediately downstream of a waterfall. It is formed by the gradual retreat of a waterfall over hundreds or even thousands of years.

waves

a disturbance involving the transfer of energy from place to place

fetch

the distance of the sea, over which the wind has travelled

wave cut notch

An area of erosion at the base of a cliff formed by the waves.

mass movement

The downhill movement of weathered material due to the force of gravity

wave-cut platform

a wide gently-sloping surface found at the foot of a cliff

rock fall

rock fragments breaking away from the cliff face, often due to freeze-thaw weathering

landslide

arises when rocks and unconsolidated material on the cliff face are saturated with water

slumping

downward intermittent movement of rock debris

unconsolidated

a sediment that is loosely arranged or unstratified

gulleys

trench cut into land by the erosion of an accelerated stream of water

arches

formed when a cave continues to be eroded and expanded until it cuts right through a headland

stacks

an isolated column of rock

longshore drift

the movement of material along the shore by wave action

backwash

when water from a wave retreats back into the sea

swash

When a wave reaches the shore, the water that rushes up the beach

offshore bar

ridges of sand or shingle running parallel to the coast in an offshore zone

spit

A stretch of beach at one end of a coastline caused by waves depositing material.

porosity

a measure of the void spaces in a material

permeability

a measure of a material's ability to transmit water

groundwater store

The storage of water underground in permeable rock strata

permeable

a measure of the ease of flow of a liquid through a porous solid

impermeable

does not allow water or liquid to pass though

surface stores

rivers, lakes, groundwater and the moisture held in solids and vegetation

drainage basin

The area of land drained by a river

tributaries

Smaller rivers or streams that flow into larger rivers

overland flow

The flow of water across the ground surface.

infiltration

the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil

through flow

Water which moves through soil

groundwater flow

Water flowing slowly below the water table through permeable rock

flash floods

Sudden floods caused by torrential rain in a small period of time.

steep slopes

a sharp incline

gentle slopes

a slight incline

Aforestation

the process of planting trees in an areas where there was previously no trees

discharge

the volume of water that passes a given point on a stream or river-bank within a given period of time

cumecs

Cubic metres per second

annual regime

the annual variation in the discharge of a river

flood defences

earth banks, stones and concrete walls, or sheet-piling that is used to prevent or control the extent of flooding

soft engineering

where the natural environment is used to help reduce coastal erosion and river flooding

hard engineering

building artificial structures which try to control natural processes

river management

the construction of structures built to control water flow and reduce flooding