Book contents
- Essentials of Geomorphology
- Reviews
- Essentials of Geomorphology
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Introduction to Geomorphology
- 2 History and Foundations of Geomorphology
- 3 Dating Methods in Geomorphology
- 4 Climate Change Throughout Earth History
- 5 Geomorphology’s Resisting Framework: Minerals, Rocks, and Biota
- 6 Tectonics and Mountain Building
- 7 Landforms on Volcanic and Plutonic Rocks
- 8 Landforms on Horizontal and Weakly Dipping Rocks
- 9 Landforms Developed on Folded Rocks
- 10 Landforms on Faulted Rocks
- 11 Weathering
- 12 Karst and Landforms of Dissolution
- 13 Soils and Paleosols
- 14 Mass Movements and Slope Processes
- 15 Surface Water, Drainage Basins, and Sediment Transport
- 16 Landforms of Fluvial Erosion and Deposition
- 17 Coastal Processes and Landforms
- 18 Glacial Systems
- 19 Glacial Sediments and Landforms
- 20 Periglacial Processes and Landforms
- 21 Eolian Processes, Deposits, Landforms, and Systems
- 22 Biogeomorphology
- 23 Planetary Geomorphology
- Glossary
- References
- Index
- References
17 - Coastal Processes and Landforms
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 12 November 2025
Book contents
- Essentials of Geomorphology
- Reviews
- Essentials of Geomorphology
- Copyright page
- Contents
- Contributors
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- 1 Introduction to Geomorphology
- 2 History and Foundations of Geomorphology
- 3 Dating Methods in Geomorphology
- 4 Climate Change Throughout Earth History
- 5 Geomorphology’s Resisting Framework: Minerals, Rocks, and Biota
- 6 Tectonics and Mountain Building
- 7 Landforms on Volcanic and Plutonic Rocks
- 8 Landforms on Horizontal and Weakly Dipping Rocks
- 9 Landforms Developed on Folded Rocks
- 10 Landforms on Faulted Rocks
- 11 Weathering
- 12 Karst and Landforms of Dissolution
- 13 Soils and Paleosols
- 14 Mass Movements and Slope Processes
- 15 Surface Water, Drainage Basins, and Sediment Transport
- 16 Landforms of Fluvial Erosion and Deposition
- 17 Coastal Processes and Landforms
- 18 Glacial Systems
- 19 Glacial Sediments and Landforms
- 20 Periglacial Processes and Landforms
- 21 Eolian Processes, Deposits, Landforms, and Systems
- 22 Biogeomorphology
- 23 Planetary Geomorphology
- Glossary
- References
- Index
- References
Summary
Who doesn’t love the beach? Beaches and coastlines are beautiful landscapes that provide a wealth of recreational, economic, and environmental benefits. In many locations, coastal areas are highly developed, which can make managing these dynamic landscapes challenging. The study of these landscapes is essential for developing land management practices that balance natural coastal processes with the challenges associated with coastal development.
Coasts are shaped by a variety of processes, such as waves, tides, and water level fluctuations. These processes operate on different timescales, ranging from short-lived storm events to sea level fluctuations that span millennia, and from local to global spatial scales. In some cases, coastal processes interact to enhance risk and vulnerability along the coast. For example, a hurricane that makes landfall at a spring (high) tide can be far more devastating than one that landfalls at a neap (low) tide.
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- Essentials of Geomorphology , pp. 352 - 377Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025
References
Further Reading
Davidson-Arnott, R., Bauer, B., and Houser, C. 2019. Introduction to Coastal Processes and Geomorphology. 2nd ed. Cambridge University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McCoy, K. and Bascom, W. 2020. Waves and Beaches: The Powerful Dynamics of Sea and Coasts. Patagonia Works.Google Scholar
Moore, L. J. and Murray, A. B. 2018. Barrier Dynamics and Response to Changing Climate. Springer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wolanski, E., Day, J. W., Elliott, M., and Ranachandran, R. 2019. Coasts and Estuaries: The Future. Elsevier.Google Scholar
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