Coastal Landforms Notes PDF

★ Coastal/Landform Notes (SLIDES) Coastal Notes Coast: The land or area next to the ocean (seashore). Marine Coasts: Also called the seashore, they are dynamic regions that constantly change. They are classified into: Primary Coasts – Formed by land-based processes such as erosion, sedim...

★ Coastal/Landform Notes (SLIDES) Coastal Notes Coast: The land or area next to the ocean (seashore). Marine Coasts: Also called the seashore, they are dynamic regions that constantly change. They are classified into: Primary Coasts – Formed by land-based processes such as erosion, sediment deposition, tectonic activity (earthquakes, volcanoes), and sea level changes. ​ Delta – Deposit of sand and soil at a river’s mouth. ​ Drowned River Valley – Eroded by water or glaciers. ​ Fault Coast – Created by tectonic movement in the Earth's crust. ​ Lava Coast – Formed by volcanic eruptions. Secondary Coasts – Formed by ocean-based processes like wave erosion, water chemistry, and marine life. ​ Reef – Ridge of rock, sand, or coral rising toward the water's surface. (e.g., Great Barrier Reef) ​ Mangrove Swamp – Tropical evergreens growing along tidal shores with above-ground roots. ​ Salt Marsh – Marshy grassland often flooded by seawater. ​ Sea Stacks – Durable coastal formations left after erosion remove loose sediment. Primary Coast Features (Shaped by land-driven processes) ​ Volcanic Activity ​ Earthquake Activity ​ Land-driven Processes ​ Sea Level Rise ​ Glacier Erosion ​ Drowned River Mouths ​ Deltas ​ Estuaries ​ Mangrove Swamps Secondary Coast Features (Shaped by ocean-driven processes) ​ Sea Stacks ​ Barrier Islands ​ Kelp Forests ​ Sand Bars ​ Coral Reefs ​ Sand Spits ​ Ocean-driven Processes ​ Salt Marshes ​ Wave Erosion Landforms Notes Processes: ​ Coastal Deposition: When material that is being transported is dropped by constructive waves. ​ Coastal Erosion: The process by which coastal waters wear or tear down soil, rocks, and sand along the coast. Rocky Coast Landforms Characteristics ​ High energy ​ Erosion ​ All types of rocks ​ Faults, folds, igneous intrusions ​ Profile: resistant bedrock, high-energy winds and waves Rocky Coast Landforms ​ Fjords: Glaciers carved deep valleys that eventually were filled with seawater. ​ Headlands: Small beaches that are isolated with little to no exchange of sediment (Capes!). ​ Sea Caves: Large, hollow chambers caused by sea erosion from waves. ​ Sea Arches: A natural bridge or rock formation caused when waves wear away the bottom of a rock. ​ Sea Cliffs: Steep faces of rock and soil formed by destructive waves. ​ Tidewater Glacier: A glacier that descends into the sea and typically forms icebergs. Fjords Headlands Sea Caves Sea Arches Sea Cliffs Tidewater Glacier Coastal Erosion Landforms Sandy Shore Landforms ​ Characteristics ○​ Low energy ○​ Deposition ○​ Highly complex landforms that experience constant change due to wave action and sediment transport ○​ They’re obstacles to wave activity  Sandy Shore Landforms ​ Barrier Island: Constantly changing deposit of sand that forms parallel to the coast. ​ Barrier Spit: Narrow strips of sandy landforms connected to the mainland but stretching out into the sea. ​ Beach: Narrow strip of land separating a body of water from inland areas, made up of tiny rocks and minerals. ​ Dune: Ridge or hill of loose sand that acts as a buffer from the effects of storm waves. ​ Tombolo: A piece of land or sand that connects a previous island to the mainland. Barrier Island Barrier Spit Beach Dune Tombolo Coastal Depositional Landforms Summer: ​ Well-developed berms ​ Higher water ​ Gently sloped ​ Calmer waves Winter: ​ May or may not have a berm ​ Lower water ​ Steep-sloped ​ Intense waves Summer vs Winter Causes Erosion: ​ Summer has less erosion and calmer waters. ​ Winter has more erosion and intense waters. Deposition: ​ Summer has more deposition and lower energy. ​ Winter has less deposition and higher energy. Seasons: ​ Summers typically have less intense storms and therefore smaller waves. ​ Winters typically have more intense storms and therefore larger waves.