Study Guides

Unit Summary

This unit, comprising of three variants, teaches pupils about processes and landforms associated with coastal, river and glacial landscapes. Pupils will learn about the formative processes involved in creating distinctive landforms and of the need for management.

Lesson Summary

You will learn to use GIS aerial imagery and webmaps to visualise the impact of physical and human processes on coastal landscapes.

Key Notes

• GIS uses historical imagery to visualise and analyse how the coastline changes over time. This is called temporal data.
• GIS uses historical maps to analyse how the coastline changes using georeferenced older maps.
• GIS apps which enable visualisation of temporal data include Esri Wayback and NLS Maps.
• GIS apps use historical imagery and historical maps to visualise and measure change such as the rate of coastal erosion.

Vocabulary To Learn

• historical imagery: photographs from any time in the past which can be compared with more recent photographs including aerial, satellite or conventional
• temporal data: information which is tied to a particular point in time, so that data can be time-enabled (also known as spatiotemporal data)
• historical maps: maps from any time in the past which can be compared with more recent maps
• georeferenced: information which has been tied to a particular location (geolocated), using an agreed system such as latitude and longitude

Common Mistakes To Avoid

• Confusion between similar sounding GIS tools in Esri Wayback; Use of 'Measure tools' in NLS Maps.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

More Lessons In This Unit

• Coastal erosion landforms Study Guide
• Costs and benefits of coastal management strategies Study Guide
• Example of a coastal management scheme Study Guide
• Examples of coastal landforms Study Guide
• Landforms of coastal deposition Study Guide
• The role of geology at the coast Study Guide
• Wave processes at the coast Study Guide
• Weathering and mass movement at the coast Study Guide