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IGCSE Geography Classwork Notes
Please print these out before class so you can make notes on them
Revision Unit 2
Title: Coasts
Week 23
The specification for this unit
Physical processes give rise to characteristic coastal landforms.
Processes: marine (wave characteristics and erosion; longshore drift; wave deposition);
sub-aerial (weathering; mass movement).
Land forms: erosional (headlands and bays; cliffs; wave-cut platforms; caves; arches
and stacks); depositional (beaches; spits; bars).
Role of geological structure, vegetation, people and sea-level change (estuaries and
raised beaches).
Distinctive ecosystems develop along particular stretches of coastline.
Coastal ecosystems and biodiversity (coral reefs and mangroves).
Factors affecting the distribution of coastal ecosystems.
Management of both physical processes and human activities is needed to sustain
coastal environments.
Coastal ecosystems are of value to people, but are threatened by tourism and other
developments (industrialisation; agricultural practices; deforestation).
Conflicts between different users of the coast and between development and
conservation.
Coasts as a natural system of interdependent places. Coastal retreat, flooding and
natural processes. Coastal protection: soft and hard defences; management retreat.
Different views on coastal protection.
Case studies
Case study of a located coral reef or a mangrove stand and its management.
Case study of a stretch of a coastline under pressure.
Case study of one stretch of retreating coastline
Define coast:
List of processes to check out in rivers:
2 special words meaning processes similar to hydraulic action (slide 5)
2 types of waves and what they do.
1.
2.
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Diagrams to learn:
Submergant coasts: Explain and give example
1.
2.
3.
Emergent coast – explain and give example
Summary of the effects of geology on coasts:
Hard rocks
Soft rocks
Summary of vegetation on coasts
Effects of humans on coasts
1.
2.
3.
Coral – what it needs
Where?
Threats to corals
(case study see end of notes)
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Mangroves – what it needs
Where?
Why are mangroves a good thing?
Why are they being cleared?
(case study see end)
Why Lyme Bay is under pressure
How can coasts under pressure be managed – ICZM =
Managing a retreating coast: Hard engineering
Managing a retreating coast: Soft engineering
Managing a retreating coast: Managed retreat
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Case Studies:
Case Study : Coral at Soufriere, St Lucia
When do you need it?
With reference to named examples …
 … explain why is management of coral
coasts is needed
 ….., explain how a coral coast can be
managed
Problems that arise from human use of the coast at Soufriere
How is the coast being protected?
Case Study : Mangrove - Sunderban, Bangladesh
When do you need it?
With reference to named examples …
 … what is the value of the mangroves
 ….., explain how mangroves coasts can
be managed
Value of mangroves
How is the coast being protected?
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The Holderness coast: Case study of a stretch of a coastline under pressure.
Case study of one stretch of retreating coastline.
When do you need it?
With reference to named examples
…
 … explain why some coasts are
under pressure from human activity
(1)
 ….., explain how coasts under
pressure can be managed (2)
 ….. explain why coasts retreat(3)
 …….. how retreating coasts can be
managed (4)
Interest groups and their need on
Holderness (needed for 1)
How is the coast pressure being protected?(2) Not much here – just explain how
ICZM is working with different groups (slide 34)
Why is Holderness retreating?(3)
Examples of different measures of coastal management on Holderness(4)
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