Coastal Systems and Landscapes Glossary

Flashcards covering key terms related to coastal systems and landscapes from AQA Geography A Level & AS Physical Geography.

What is a constructive wave?

A powerful wave with a strong swash that surges up a beach, builds beaches (accretion), and usually forms a berm.

What is corrasion in coastal erosion?

It occurs when material (such as sand and pebbles) that has been picked up by the waves gets hurled at the cliff foot as the waves break, thus chipping away at the rock.

What is a cost-benefit analysis (CBA)?

A process by which the financial, social, and environmental costs are weighed up against the benefits of a proposal in terms of social outcomes as well as in terms of profit and loss.

Describe a cusp.

Crescent-shaped beach formations with graded sediment; coarse material collects at the 'horns' and finer material collects in the 'bay' area (a small-scale feature/landform).

What is a Dalmatian coast?

A submergent landscape of ridges and valleys running parallel to the coast.

What is a destructive wave?

A wave formed by a local storm that crashes onto a beach, removes material, and has a powerful backwash.

When does a double spit form?

When two spits extend from opposite sides of an estuary.

How is a drift-aligned beach formed?

Formed when beach deposits (sand and pebbles) are transferred along a coastline by longshore drift and accumulate to form a wide beach at a headland where the lateral drift is interrupted, with waves usually hitting at an angle.

What defines an emergent coastline?

A coastline created when a fall in sea level exposes land previously covered by the sea.

Who is considered an environmental refugee?

Somebody who has been forced to migrate as a result of changes to the environment, e.g., Kiribati.

What is eustatic change?

Variations in relative sea level resulting from changes in the amount of liquid water entering the oceans (e.g., glacial meltwater at the end of an ice age) - also thermal expansion.

How is a fjord created?

Created when a rise in sea level floods a deep glacial trough.

What is a halophyte?

A salt-tolerant plant species.

What is hard-engineering in coastal management?

Human-made, artificial structures which are designed to protect the land from erosion.