Coastal systems & lansdscapes- slides

• Coastal zone


  A dynamic environment with distinctive landscapes formed by wind processes, marine processes, and terrestrial processes

  
• About half the world's population live on coastal plains
• The majority of major cities are found on the coast
• System


  A type of model used by geographers to simplify aspects of the highly complex earth
• Open system


  Where matter and energy can be transferred from the system across the boundary into the surrounding environment
• Components of an open coastal system


  • Inputs
  • Components/stores
  • Flows/transfers
  • Outputs
• Dynamic equilibrium


  When there is a balance between inputs and outputs in the system
• If one of the elements of the system changes, then the beach features may change and the equilibrium is upset
• Coastal zones


  • Backshore
  • Foreshore
  • Inshore
  • Offshore
  • Nearshore

  
• The nearshore zone is missing from the previous diagram
• The nearshore zone is located between the low water mark and the point where waves cease to impact the seabed