Factors affecting coastal processes (WJEC Eduqas GCSE Geography B): Revision Note

Specification links

The notes on this page cover part of 2.1.1 of the WJEC Eduqas B specification – How do people and processes contribute to the development of distinctive coastal landscapes in the UK?

• Ways in which climate, geology and human activity influence coastal processes and landscapes in the UK, to include:

  • how seasonal weather patterns and extreme events influence coastal processes.

  • how geology influences rates of erosion and the creation of distinctive coastal landscapes.

  • an overview of how past human activity has modified the UK’s coastal landscapes for economic benefit.

Influence of climate on coastal processes

1. The UK has a temperate maritime climate

2. This means it has a mild, seasonal climate – cool, wet winters and warm, wet summers

3. Continentality, the North Atlantic Drift and air masses affect the UK coastal weather

   • Continentality:

     • Coastal areas are warmer in winter and cooler in summer 

     • Seas take up the heat in the summer, cooling the surrounding land

     • During the winter, the heat is released, keeping the coastal land warmer

   • North Atlantic Drift:

     • Ocean currents bring warm waters from the Caribbean to the west coast of the UK

     • This keeps the west coast of the UK warmer than other regions of the UK

   • Air masses:

     • Large volumes of air with similar water content and temperatures

     • Maritime air masses form over the water and bring wet weather

     • Continental air masses form over land and bring dry weather

Impact of the UK climate on coastal erosion

• The UK's climate impacts coastal erosion in the following ways:

  • The UK seasons affect the rate of weathering and erosion

    • Cold temperatures lead to freeze-thaw weathering on cliff faces, increasing rockfalls

    • Winds are stronger in winter than in summer, and stronger winds give energy to waves

  • Prevailing winds in the UK are from the south-west

    • This brings frequent rainfall and increases the rate of weathering

  • Storm frequency is high in many areas of the UK

    • Coasts are exposed to strong winds, which increases destructive wave power 

    • Rainfall is heavily leading to flooding and increases in the mass movement

Influence of geology on coastal processes

• Geology shapes the coastline over time and space

• Softer, less resistant rocks like sands and clays along a coastline erode easily due to destructive waves, creating low, flat landscapes like bays and beaches

• Coastlines with harder, more resistant rock erode slowly and create rugged landscapes like headlands

• Hard and soft rocks affect the shape and characteristics of cliffs

How rock type affects the coastline

Hard rock

• Shape of the cliff: usually high and steep

• Cliff face: has bare rock and rugged outcrops

• The foot of the cliff has boulders and rocks at the base

Soft rock

• Shape of cliff: generally, the cliff face is lower and less steep

• Cliff face: is smoother with evidence of slumping

• The foot of cliff: there are few rocks at the base, and usually there is some sand and mud

• Geology shapes the coastline vertically by determining the height and profile of cliffs and horizontally by creating bays and headlands

Influence of human activity on coastal processes

• Human activities affect coastal processes by:

  • Disrupting the natural flow of sediment with dams and sand mining

    • Dams stop sediment from moving to the coast, which starves beaches of sand and causes more erosion downstream

    • Sand and gravel removed for construction reduces beach and offshore bar sand.

    • Mining coral destroys a natural flood barrier

    • Dredging removes sediment from the seabed and alters wave patterns, causing coastal erosion

  • Alter coastlines through the construction of coastal defence structures such as sea walls and groynes

    • Residential, industrial, and tourist development on the coast displaces natural habitats, increases erosion risk, and disrupts longshore drift

    • Seawalls, groynes, and breakwaters can disrupt sediment transport, causing erosion in downdrift areas

  • Pollution and development degrade ecosystems

    • Agriculture, sewage, and industrial runoff change water and rock chemistry, weakening coastal structures and increasing erosion

    • The loss of coral reefs and mangrove forests due to development or pollution removes natural barriers that protect the coastline from waves and erosion

• However, some human activities also try to lessen these effects through

  • Engineering and management to slow erosion and prevent coastal flooding

  • Relocating development away from vulnerable areas

  • Managed realignment to create natural buffer zones

How has past human activity modified the UK’s coastal landscape?

• This has been through agriculture, development, industry, and tourism

  • Some marshes and wetlands have been drained for growing crops or grazing livestock

    • For centuries, the boggy Somerset Levels have been drained for farming

    • However, there is now a focus on restoring wetland reserves like Shapwick Heath in the Somerset Levels

  • Building settlements and infrastructure on the coast

    • Coastal towns and cities have been expanded to accommodate housing, including for commuters and retirees, with development often placing pressure on the coastline

  • Creating industrial harbours and ports

    • High land costs in major cities have led to the relocation of some office developments to coastal areas

    • Coastal locations are vital for port and industrial activities like those in Southampton and estuaries like the Thames

  • Constructing resorts to attract visitors

    • Coastal areas, such as the Jurassic Coast, Dorset, have been developed into tourist resorts with hotels, campsites, and attractions to generate local income and jobs

• Coastal management projects, such as hard and soft engineering defences along with building ports, are also built to protect resources and promote trade and fishing