GEOLOGY 202: COASTS AND BEACHES
SPRING 2007
MWF 1:00-1:50 PM IN CHC 110
Instructor:
Phone:
Office Hours:
Text:
Steve Lundblad
Office: CH119
974-7641
email: slundbla@hawaii.edu
MTW 11-12:00, W 2-3 and by appointment
Beaches and Coasts by Davis and Fitzgerald
Beaches of the Big Island by Clarke
Other Reading may be assigned during the semester
You will also need an i>clicker (available in the bookstore) for this course.
This class is intended to promote awareness of the diversity of the Earth’s coasts
and beaches, the natural forces that shape the coastline, the effect of people on the
shoreline, and the effect of natural coastal processes on human society.
Learning Goals: Students that complete this course successfully will be expected to …

Describe the effect of tectonic setting on coastal characteristics

Describe past history (and future predictions) of sea level change, the causes of sea level
change, and the effects of these changes on the coastline

Describe the effects of both hurricanes and human activities on coastal erosion, sediment
transport, and shoreline morphology

Give examples of how the scientific method is applied to understanding coastal morphology
or coastal change

Give examples—involving both modern communities and ancient Hawaiian communities—
of the interaction between the physical environment of a particular coastline and human
activities.

Describe the differences between different types of coasts, including barrier systems,
estuaries, deltas, barrier reefs, fringing reefs, rocky coasts, and glaciated coasts.

Describe the major processes that shape the shoreline and identify the circumstances under
which a particular process is significant

Characterize waves and tsunamis in scientific terms and describe their effect on coastlines.

Describe natural processes and human activity that impact coastal water quality
Date
Jan.
8
10
12
Feb.
Mar.
Mar.
Lecture Subject
Introduction to Coasts and Coastal Processes
The Earth and Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics and Coastal Evolution
Reading Assignment
Chap. 1
Chap. 2 (p. 11-31)
Chap. 2 (p. 31-45)
15
17
19
MLK Jr. Holiday
Sea Level Change
Global Climate and Climate Change
Chap. 4 (p. 56-67)
Chap. 4 (p. 67-74)
22
24
26
Impact of Climate Change on Coastal Environments
Weather and its Impact on the Ocean
Hurricanes
Chap. 4 + other reading
Chap. 5 (p. 75-87)
Chap. 5 (p. 87-100)
29
31
2
Coastal Impacts of Hurricanes
Waves
Tsunami
Chap. 6 (p. 101-114)
Chap. 6 + other reading
5
7
9
10
12
14
16
Tides
Rocky Coasts
Exam #1
Field Trip #1
Sediment and Rocks
Sediment and Rocks Project
No Class
19
21
23
Presidents Day Holiday
Beach Morphology and Types
Beach Processes and Cycles
Chap. 7 (p. 115-124)
Chap. 7 (p. 124-128)
26
28
2
Barrier Systems
Barrier Island Dynamics
Coastal Dunes
Chap. 8 (p. 130-147)
Chap. 8 (p. 148-166)
Chap. 9 (p. 167-174)
5
7
9
10
Coastal Lagoons
Tidal Inlets
Tidal Flats
Field Trip #2
Chap. 10 (p. 175-187)
Chap. 12 (p. 209-244)
Chap 13 (p. 245-262)
12
14
16
Wetlands
Estuaries
Exam #2
Chap. 14 (p. 263-277)
Chap. 15 (p. 278-288)
19
21
23
Deltas
Deltas
Coastal Erosion
Chap. 16 (p. 289-300)
Chap. 16 (p. 300-306)
Chap. 20 (p. 371-379)
26-30
Spring Break Holiday
Chap. 11 (p. 188-208)
Chap. 18 (p. 336-352)
Chap. 3 (p. 47-55)
Date
2
4
6
Lecture Topic
Reefs
Reefs Organisms
Good Friday Holiday
Reading Assignment
Chap. 19 (p. 353-370)
9
11
13
Reefs through Geologic Time
Coastal Erosion
Coastal Erosion Examples
Additional Reading
Chap. 20 (p. 371-379)
16
18
20
21
23
25
27
Exam #3
Coastal Construction
Beach Nourishment Examples
Field Trip #3
Glaciation and Climate Change Revisited
Glaciated Coasts and Examples
Water Quality
May
30
2
Water Quality
Wrapup and Review
May
7
Final Exam 11:50 AM-1:50 PM
April
Chap. 21 (p. 381-391)
Chap. 21 (p. 391-401)
Chap. 17 (p. 308-319)
Chap. 17 (p. 320-335)
Chap. 21 (p. 401-403)
Grading and Assessment:
Quizes: We will have short weekly quizes each Monday at the beginning of class covering the
major topics of the previous week.
Journal on Beaches of the Big Island: Please see the detailed explanation of what is expected
for this assignment. In addition to the written entries, you will be asked to give 2 SHORT
presentations on beaches of your choice during the latter part of the semester. We’ll decide on
the schedule as the semester rolls on.
Mid-Term Exams: We will have three mid-term exams focusing on the material covered for
that section of the course. Exams will consist of some multiple-choice questions, some short
answer questions (lists or 2-3 sentences), and a few longer “essay-type” questions.
Field Trips: Three weekend field trips will highlight the traditional use of coastal resources by
native Hawaiians and illustrate the nature of the Big Island shoreline and the processes shaping it.
You are required to attend two of the three field trips.
Final Exam: May 7th. Comprehensive exam covering the material from throughout the course.
10%
15%
10%
45%
quizes
Journal and Presentations (2)
field trips
three midterms
20% final exam
100%
SOME TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL AND HAPPY SEMESTER
(1) Do not miss a class, not one. Reading your text is NOT a substitute for attending lecture.
Please come to class on time and wait until the end of class to leave. If, for some reason you
need to arrive late or leave early, thank you for sitting next to the back door and doing so
quietly.
(2)
Read your text assignments before class. Be ready to ask questions and participate in class.
(3)
Take good, complete notes. The more you write, the better. Write the information presented
on the board, write the information presented during slide presentations, and write what I say
during lecture. If you do not understand a concept or example, ASK. If I go too quickly, ask
me to repeat the information. If you miss a lecture, get notes from fellow classmates and ASK
me questions regarding information in them.
(4)
If you do not understand a concept we discuss in class, ask questions during class or come and
see me. I am available during office hours and most other times during the day (unless I am
otherwise teaching). The only way I can help you understand the material is if you ASK for
help!
(5)
Take an active role in class. Ask questions! Have a comment on the current topic? Make it!
This class will be more educational AND fun if we all get actively involved. We are all busy
and sometimes this class will end up taking a back seat to other priorities, but…the more you
invest in this class, the more you will receive in return.
(6)
Study for the tests by going over your notes, re-reading the information in the textbook,
reviewing and answering the questions at the end of the chapter, and getting together with
classmates to discuss the information on a regular basis. You will retain the information much
better by revisiting it frequently. Don’t expect to cram everything we cover this semester into
your head the night before a test or quiz. Try to synthesize the information we have been
discussing. Make some connections between information covered in one class with that
covered last time, last week, and last month.
Any student with a documented disability who would like to request accommodations
should contact the University Disability Services Office - Hale Kauanoe A Wing Lounge,
933-0816 (V), 933-3334 (TTY), shirachi@hawaii.edu - as early in the semester as possible.