Operation of the Coast as a System

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What is involved in a coastal system?
It is a dynamic open system, it has inputs and outputs of energy and material (sediment).
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What contributes to dynamic change?
The coast has stores of materials and energy, with a wide range of processes operating in order to move these, e.g. rivers, waves and ocean currents, and atmospheric processes such as wind. These contribute to dynamic change.
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What is a sediment budget?
In order to manage a stretch of coastline it is necessary to know how mcuh sediment is available, where it comes from, where it is stored and how it leaves a coastal section. The identification of these factors is referred to a sediment budget.
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What outputs are there in a sediment budget?
Longshore Drift - Large volumes of sediment are temp. lost to the sediment budget in stores.
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What is a balanced sediment budget?
Input and output volumes should be in equilibrium.
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What does human actions do to the sediment budget?
Building dams etc. upsets the sediment balance as the output suddenly declines.
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What can help balance the sediment budget?
Beach nourishment - it represents a major input to help balance the budget.
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What is a sediment cell?
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What contributes to dynamic change?

Back

The coast has stores of materials and energy, with a wide range of processes operating in order to move these, e.g. rivers, waves and ocean currents, and atmospheric processes such as wind. These contribute to dynamic change.

Card 3

Front

What is a sediment budget?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What outputs are there in a sediment budget?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What is a balanced sediment budget?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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