12. Formation Of Coastal Landscapes

• Cliffs can be formed by erosion or tectonic uplift.
• The main types of coastlines are cliffed, rocky, sandy, muddy, and peaty.
• Coastal landforms include headlands, bays, coves, arches, stacks, sea caves, spits, bars, tombolos, lagoons, salt marshes, estuaries, deltas, and barrier islands.
• Bays are curved sections of the shoreline with an opening facing the ocean.
• Headlands are high points on the shoreline that project out into the sea.
• Bays are curved sections of coastline with an opening to the sea.
• Headlands are high points on the shoreline that project into the sea.
• Coves are small indentations along the coastline.
• Arches are natural bridges created by wave action on soft rock.
• Stacks are isolated pillars of rock left behind as the rest of the rock is eroded away.
• Coves are small indentations along the shoreline.
• Stacks are isolated rocks left behind as the rest of the headland is eroded away.
• Blowholes are vertical shafts through which water is forced upwards during storm surges.
• Salt marshes are low-lying areas near the coast where saltwater mixes with freshwater from rivers.
• The shape of the land affects how waves break onto the shore.
• Estuaries are areas where rivers meet the sea, often forming deltas or estuarine plains.
• Beaches can be made from sand, shingle (pebbles), or boulders.
• Sand dunes protect the beach from wind erosion and store freshwater runoff.
• Tidal range refers to the difference between high tide and low tide.
• Rivers carry sediment to the mouth of an estuary, creating delta deposits that can be reworked by tidal currents into sandbars and spit systems.
• Cliff retreat occurs due to wave action and undercutting at the base of the cliff.