Landscapes and Features of the Littoral Zone
Littoral Zone: 2B.1A
Positive feedback
- As waves erode the cliff, material is released
- This material abrades the cliff which results in even more cliff
erosion
Negative feedback
- As the shore is eroded, the material makes the wave-cut platform
wider
- This can absorb wave energy and reduce the impact at the base
of the cliff
The Littoral Zone
This is the area of the coast that can be affected by wave action.
It is dynamic zone which means that it is constantly changing due to
the interaction between processes on land and in the sea.
,Classifying Coasts: 2B.1B
Long Term Processes Short Term Processes
Geology Inputs From Rivers
Concordant – where
different rock types run
parallel to the coast
Discordant – where
different rock types run at
right angles to the coast
Sea Level Change Waves
Can occur as a result of
global warming or tectonic
activity Tides
Longer-term sea level
changes can be:
o Eustatic – when the Storm Events
sea level itself changes
o Isostatic – when the
land rises or falls
relative to the sea
These lead to emergent or
submergent coasts
These factors create coastlines that can be:
Retreating or advancing
Dominated by land-based processes (primary coasts) or marine
processes (secondary coasts)
Large or small tidal range – the difference between high and low tide
High or low energy – based on wave power and its impact on the
shoreline
,Impact of High and Low Energy Environments: 2B.1C
Rocky Coasts
Result from geology that is more resistant to erosion
Often in high-energy environments – erosion is more dominant
than deposition
Marine erosion and sub-aerial erosion
Cliffs can vary in height and steepness along rocky coastlines:
- Steep cliffs tend to be found in high energy environments
- Cliffs with a gentle slope tend to be found in low energy
environments
Coastal Plain Landscapes
Found near areas of low relief where land gradually slopes down
towards the sea
Sediment comes from terrestrial and offshore sources
Usually low energy environments
Form due to coastal accretion – when deposition is greater than
erosion
Form sandy and estuarine coasts
Dunes form, helping to stabilise the coast and reduce erosion
Wetlands and marshes form due to poor drainage
Estuarine coastlines form at the mouths of rivers and are formed
from clay and silt
, Influence of Geology
Concordant and Discordant Coasts: 2B.2A
o Discordant coastlines: run perpendicular to the coast
o Concordant coastlines: run parallel to the coast
Littoral Zone: 2B.1A
Positive feedback
- As waves erode the cliff, material is released
- This material abrades the cliff which results in even more cliff
erosion
Negative feedback
- As the shore is eroded, the material makes the wave-cut platform
wider
- This can absorb wave energy and reduce the impact at the base
of the cliff
The Littoral Zone
This is the area of the coast that can be affected by wave action.
It is dynamic zone which means that it is constantly changing due to
the interaction between processes on land and in the sea.
,Classifying Coasts: 2B.1B
Long Term Processes Short Term Processes
Geology Inputs From Rivers
Concordant – where
different rock types run
parallel to the coast
Discordant – where
different rock types run at
right angles to the coast
Sea Level Change Waves
Can occur as a result of
global warming or tectonic
activity Tides
Longer-term sea level
changes can be:
o Eustatic – when the Storm Events
sea level itself changes
o Isostatic – when the
land rises or falls
relative to the sea
These lead to emergent or
submergent coasts
These factors create coastlines that can be:
Retreating or advancing
Dominated by land-based processes (primary coasts) or marine
processes (secondary coasts)
Large or small tidal range – the difference between high and low tide
High or low energy – based on wave power and its impact on the
shoreline
,Impact of High and Low Energy Environments: 2B.1C
Rocky Coasts
Result from geology that is more resistant to erosion
Often in high-energy environments – erosion is more dominant
than deposition
Marine erosion and sub-aerial erosion
Cliffs can vary in height and steepness along rocky coastlines:
- Steep cliffs tend to be found in high energy environments
- Cliffs with a gentle slope tend to be found in low energy
environments
Coastal Plain Landscapes
Found near areas of low relief where land gradually slopes down
towards the sea
Sediment comes from terrestrial and offshore sources
Usually low energy environments
Form due to coastal accretion – when deposition is greater than
erosion
Form sandy and estuarine coasts
Dunes form, helping to stabilise the coast and reduce erosion
Wetlands and marshes form due to poor drainage
Estuarine coastlines form at the mouths of rivers and are formed
from clay and silt
, Influence of Geology
Concordant and Discordant Coasts: 2B.2A
o Discordant coastlines: run perpendicular to the coast
o Concordant coastlines: run parallel to the coast
