G10 Coastal landscapes in the UK mind map

Waves

• Energy: Stronger/longer wind and fetch can increase wave size
• Constructive: Stronger swash than backwash usually builds the beach
• Destructive: Relatively stronger backwash removes material; supply/tides matter

Slope / erosion

• Weathering: Breakdown in place: freeze–thaw or chemical reactions
• Mass movement: Gravity: falls, straight slides or curved slumps; rain adds instability
• Erosion: Hydraulic power/abrasion wear cliffs; attrition rounds sediment
• Transport / rock: Longshore drift zigzags; deposition loses energy; structure matters

Landforms

• Cliff retreat: Notch → unsupported collapse → wave-cut platform
• Headland: Crack → cave → arch → roof collapse → stack → stump
• Beach / dunes: Wave sediment; wind-blown sand trapped/stabilised by vegetation
• Spit / bar: Drift beyond bend; curved tip/salt marsh; bar encloses lagoon

Hard engineering

• Seawall: Protects land; expensive, reflected energy can cause scour
• Armour / gabions: Boulders/caged stones absorb energy; transport and maintenance
• Groynes: Trap drifting sediment; wider beach but less supply downdrift

Soft / decisions

• Beach work: Nourish/reprofile; natural appearance but repeated work
• Dunes: Fence/plant/control access; habitats and protection need space
• Realignment: Planned retreat can create salt marsh; land/compensation costs
• Coastal view: Compare assets, habitats, climate and sediment beyond one frontage

Dorset / Walton

• Erosion examples: Swanage headlands/bay reflect rock; Old Harry chalk stacks
• Deposition: Studland beach/dunes; Chesil shingle barrier and Fleet lagoon
• Protection: Walton frontage walls/groynes; Crag Walk rock revetment, 2011
• Evaluate: Local protection/access versus cost, sediment effects and retreat elsewhere

Connections

• Waves → Landforms: Wave energy and sediment create coastal features
• Hard engineering → Dorset / Walton: Groynes retain sediment to support protection