Human Impact on Coastal Landscapes and Management

Direct effects

Immediate results of human activities on coastlines.

Indirect effects

Consequences stemming from direct effects of human activities.

Coastal defences

Structures built to prevent coastal erosion.

How doesAgricultural land affect the coast

It is low economic value land so it's often left unprotected, this means that the sea can erode the cliffs

How does more vegetation affect the coast (agriculture)

It helps to bind the soil together and stabilise clifftops, so clearing vegetation from grazing land to make room for crops and agriculture can expose the soil and underlying rock leaving it vulnerable to weathering by wind and rain

How does Marshland reclamation affect coasts( agriculture)

Draining marshland reduces natural flood barriers that the marshland provides

How does coastal development and building on coasts affect coasts(development)

1. coasts with a lot of settlement may have more coastal defences as there are people and businesses there so this has a positive effect on the land as it's better protected against erosion

2. however it causes narrow beaches as the buildings restrict sediment supply to the beaches making them narrower and narrow beaches don't protect the coast well and so the land is more vulnerable to erosion

Impact of Gravel extraction on coasts

this removed material for the beach increases the risk of erosion as there's less material to protect cliffs

impact of coastal quarries(industry)

they expose large areas of rock making them more vulnerable to chemical weathering and erosion

impact of industrial growth (industry)

industrial growth of ports has increased pressure to build on salt marshes which act as natural flood barriers so building on then leaves the land more susceptible to erosion

Coastal management

Strategies to protect coastlines from erosion.

Coastal vulnerability

Increased risk of erosion due to human activities.

Human activity effects

Impact of human actions on coastal environments.

The holdnerness coast : overview

- east yorkshire

- about 1.8m of land is lost to the sea every year

what things make the holdnerness coast susceptible to erosion

- the cliffs are mostly made of boulder clay, it's likely to slump when wet causing the cliffs to collapse

- beaches along the holdnerness coast are narrow meaning that they don't provide enough protection for cliffs from the sea's erosional power

- the holderness coast faces the prevailing wind direction which brings waves from the norwegian sea, waves increase in power over this long distance so the coast is battered by highly erosive waves

how is the holderness coast protected against erosion

coastal defences called groynes have been built along the coast, there's also a sea wall at Hornsea and Withersea

why is the holderness coast protected against erosion

- there are towns and villages like Hornsea and Withernsea where people live

- there is a gas terminal there right at the edge of the cliff that supplies 25% of the UK's gas

what problems have the defences caused further along the Holdnerness coast

- the groynes placed interrupt the process of LSD meaning that places further down the coast such as the Linconshire coast are getting narrower beaches are so are more vulnerable to erosion