Shore Processes and their Palaeoenvironmental Applications (eBook)

Front Cover 1
Shore Processes and Their Palaeoenvironmental Applications 4
Copyright Page 5
Contents 6
Acknowledgements 14
Introduction 16
A Definition and Overview of the Shore and of Shore Processes 17
The Palaeoenvironmental Context of Shores 18
The Choice of a Paradigm 20
Chapter 1. Progress in Research Techniques on Shore Processes and on Process Applications to Palaeoenvironments 22
1.1. Introduction 22
1.2. Developments in Instrumentation on Hydrodynamics and Sediment Transport 23
1.3. Technical Progress in Research on Aeolian Processes 28
1.4. Measurement of Erosion, Sedimentation Rates and Sediment Budgets in Tidal Environments 32
1.5. Extracting Process-Related Information from Particle Characteristics 34
1.6. Progress in Data Acquisition from Terrestrial and Airborne Surveying and Remote Sensing 36
1.7. Extracting Process-Related Information from Internal Structures and Stratigraphy 41
1.8. Extracting Process-Related Information from Short- to Medium-Term Dating and from Radionuclide Signatures 42
1.9. Extracting Process-Related Information from Biological Indicators 43
1.10. Technical Progress in the Monitoring of Rocky Shores 44
Further Work 46
Chapter 2. Clastic Sediment Supply to the Shore: Processes and Palaeoenvironmental Considerations 48
2.1. Introduction 48
2.2. Water Mixing and Fluvial Sediment Trapping and Concentration on the Shore 48
2.3. Sediment Supply from the Shoreface 62
2.4. Longshore Sand Redistribution on the Inner Shoreface 68
Further Work 70
Chapter 3. Tidal Flats 72
3.1. Introduction 72
3.2. Non-Vegetated Tidal Flats: Sand Flats and Mudflats 73
3.3. Mangroves and Salt Marshes 96
3.4. Palaeoenvironmental Considerations 137
Further Work 149
Chapter 4. High Mud-Supply Shores 152
4.1. Introduction 152
4.2. Coastal ’Mud Streams’ and Processes of Mud Bank Formation 154
4.3. Mud Bank-Shore Interaction Processes 157
4.4. Meso-Scale Mud Bank and Shoreline Dynamics: ’Bank’ and ’Inter-Bank’ Phases 170
4.5. Large-Scale Muddy Sedimentation and Clinoform Development: The Primacy of High Sediment Supply 174
Further Work 179
Chapter 5. Sandy Beaches and Barriers 180
5.1. Introduction 180
5.2. From the Surf Zone to the Beachface 181
5.3. From the Beachface to the Backshore 233
5.4. A Medium-Term (Meso-scale) Approach to Beach and Barrier Processes 262
5.5. Shore Processes and Long-Term (Large-Scale) Barrier Development 282
Further Work 308
Chapter 6. Gravel Beaches and Barriers 310
6.1. Introduction 310
6.2. Research Approaches and Data Acquisition on Gravel Beaches 311
6.3. Hydrodynamics 314
6.4. Beachface Processes 318
6.5. Significant Morphological Features of Gravel Beaches 320
6.6. Short-Term Gravel Beach Response to Storms 324
6.7. Tidal Modulation of Processes on Gravel Beaches 325
6.8. Sediment Transport 327
6.9. Sediment Sorting, Grading and Bedform Development 332
6.10. Long-Term Gravel Beach and Barrier Development 336
6.11. Modelling of Gravel Barrier Development 345
Further Work 345
Chapter 7. Coral Reef and Carbonate Shores 346
7.1. Introduction 346
7.2. Reef Types 347
7.3. Bioerosion and Bioconstruction: Biogeomorphological Reef-Stability Implications 347
7.4. Sediment Supply to Reef Systems 353
7.5. Hydrodynamic Processes, Sediment Transport and Reef Development 356
7.6. Reef Chronostratigraphy and Models of Development 375
7.7. Beachrock Development 384
7.8. Palaeoreef and Carbonate Shoreline Identification 388
Further Work 388
Chapter 8. Rocky Shores 390
8.1. Introduction 390
8.2. Processes and the Weathering Versus Wave Debate 393
8.3. Coastal Cliffs 401
8.4. Long-Term Shore Platform and Cliff Development: Modelling Approaches 406
8.5. Boulder and Gravel Deposits Related to High-Energy Events 411
8.6. Clifftop Storm Deposits 413
8.7. Bioconstruction and Bioerosion on Rocky Limestone Shores 415
8.8. The Problems of Palaeoenvironmental Analyses of Rocky Shores 416
Further Work 420
Chapter 9. Shore Processes and Deposits Associated with Exceptional Events 422
9.1. Introduction 422
9.2. Exceptional Storms: Processes, Products and Palaeoenvironmental Aspects 423
9.3. Tsunamis: Processes, Products and Palaeoenvironmental Aspects 432
9.4. Tsunamiites and the Cyclone Versus Tsunami Debate 445
Further Work 457
Chapter 10. Shore Processes and Human Intervention: A Palaeoenvironmental Perspective 458
10.1. Introduction 458
10.2. Ancient Harbour Development in the Mediterranean 458
10.3. Effects of Land Reclamation and the Dynamics of Abandoned Reclamations 461
Further Work 464
Chapter 11. Future Directions in Shore Process Studies and their Palaeoenvironmental Applications 466
11.1. Introduction 466
11.2. Technological Improvements and Data Acquisition 466
11.3. Models and Exploratory Theories 467
11.4. Cross-Disciplinary Research 468
11.5. The Problem of Scale in Shore Processes 469
References 470
Subject Index 534