Coastal Practical Skills (Edexcel IGCSE Geography)

Coastal Fieldwork Enquiry

• To undertake a coastal fieldwork enquiry there are a range of practical skills and methods that will be used
• These can be applied to any coastal fieldwork
• The fieldwork enquiry should be linked to geographical theory and/or example:
  • In the coastal fieldwork enquiry the theories of how coastlines vary in terms of their processes, landforms and/or the effectiveness of management strategies

Aims and Hypothesis

• The aims and hypothesis come from general questions asked about the coast such as:
  • Does geology affect the shape of a stretch of coastline and its landforms?
  • How and why is hard engineering more effective along a particular stretch of coastline?
  • How and why is soft engineering used along a stretch of coastline?
  • Does beach morphology change because of wave energy?
  • Does coastal protection along a stretch of beach consider stakeholder views?
• Aims are focused on a particular place as you cannot measure everywhere
• Examples of an aim would be: 
  • To explore the impact of coastal processes on Y beach 
  • To investigate how wave energy along X beach changes beach morphology
  • To explore how geology affects the shape and landforms of W beach
• Hypotheses are statements that are tested through fieldwork
• Examples of a hypothesis would be:
  • Coastal management strategies used at Y beach have taken conflicting views into account
• A null hypothesis is a statement that is opposite to a hypothesis 
• This ensures there is no bias when collecting the evidence
  • You are not ignoring evidence because it doesn't prove the statement
• If you cannot prove the statement then the opposite must be true
• Examples of a null hypothesis would be:
  • Coastal management strategies used at Y beach have not taken conflicting views into account
• After the aims and hypothesis of the fieldwork have been established the next steps include:
  • Select the sites - this will involve sampling
  • Decide on equipment to be used
  • Consider health and safety issues - complete a risk assessment
  • Data collection methods to be used

Site Selection and Sampling

• It is not practical or feasible to collect data along all parts of the coast as there would be too much data
• To select coastal sites, getting a true sample reduces bias
• There may be situations where access to a stretch of the coast is limited due to a rock fall or unstable cliffs etc.
• Therefore, an opportunistic approach to sampling needs to be taken
• This needs to be as close as possible to the site selected using sampling 
• The most commonly used sampling strategies for a coastal enquiry are:
  • Systematic - sampling of sites at regular intervals means that all parts of the stretch of coast are covered
  • Random - the use of random sampling means that all sites have an equal chance of being selected which eliminates bias
  • Stratified - by dividing each sampling site into groups e.g. three sites from each sample section
• Site location can be recorded using GPS to give an accurate location using latitude and longitude
• Or through grid reference from an Ordnance Survey map

Equipment

• To complete the coast measurements a range of equipment is needed 
• The equipment includes the following:
  • Surveyor’s 25+ meter tape - measuring distances on a beach or between ranging poles when completing beach transects
  • Compass to measure direction
  • Ranging poles for beach transects
  • Clinometer - calculate the angle of a beach
  • Callipers - measuring pebble size
  • Quadrat - used to select sediment for sampling
  • Clipboard for holding recording sheets
  • Recording sheets
  • Roundness or angularity charts 
  • Pencil for writing in data, particularly useful if the paper becomes damp
  • Camera to take photographs of sites and coastal features

Risk Assessment

• Any fieldwork will involve consideration of health and safety using a risk assessment
• Risks associated specifically with coastal fieldwork may include:
  • Tide times
  • Weather conditions
  • Slippery rocks
  • Polluted water
  • Working in an unfamiliar place
  • Misuse of equipment

Data collection methods

• The data collection methods will depend on the aims/hypothesis of the fieldwork
• The starting point with most coastal fieldwork is a question on 'what is needed to answer the enquiry question?'
• Data collection should include both quantitative and qualitative methods
• The collection of quantitative data can be completed in several ways in a coastal study:

Beach Profile

• Beach profiles use distance and angle measurements to identify the shape of the beach
• Follow a transect line from the edge of the sea to the end of the  beach
• Split the line into segments where the slope angle changes
• Each reading is taken from one break in a slope to the next break of the slope
  • Student A stands, at a safe distance from the edge of the sea, holding a ranging pole
  • Student B stands holding a second ranging pole, further up the beach where there is a break of slope
  • Measure the distance between the two ranging poles using a tape measure
  • Measure the angle between the matching markers on the ranging pole using a clinometer
  • Repeat the process at each slope break until you reach the top of the beach

Sediment Analysis

• Sediment analysis is used to examine how beach material is sorted across the width of a beach which links to longshore drift processes
• Depending on the size of the sediment being measured, random, systematic and/or stratified sampling is used to take a sample of beach sediments (such as sand, gravel and pebbles)
• The sediment is measured at the beach using callipers to measure the axes of each pebble

Pebble Axes Points for Calliper Measurement

• The a-axis is the shortest axis
• The b-axis is the widest axis at right angles to the c-axis.
• The c-axis is the longest axis

Measuring Pebble Shape

• The easiest way to measure pebble shape is to classify the stone as either very angular, angular, sub-angular, sub-rounded, rounded or very rounded using a Power’s Scale of Roundness
• This is judged by eye
• Using a card with a concentric circle or a protractor, measure the minimum radius of curvature
• This is the sharpest corner on the c-axis

Measuring Longshore Drift

• Choose 25 to 40 pebbles of various shapes and sizes from the beach
• Using waterproof paint, mark each pebble so you can identify them
• Spread the pebbles out in the swash zone, and place a marker to show the start point for the pebbles
• Using a stopwatch, wait for 20 minutes then search for as many pebbles as you can 
• Measure how far each has travelled from the start point
• It is possible that some of the pebbles will have disappeared from the beach or gone off in a different direction , but it doesn't mean that your results are ‘wrong’.
• Record what happened to each pebble (including ‘disappeared’)
• Repeat the process 3 times, or until you judge that the 'mean' for the distance travelled by a pebble indicates that you have taken an adequate sample

Measuring Groynes

• Use a tape measure and find the height of beach material on either side of a groyne
• Measure a minimum of three heights along the beach profile of each groyne
• Compare a series of groynes along the length of the beach

Measuring Rip-rap

• Rip-rap or rock armour data can be used to measure the effectiveness of coastal defence
• Use a measuring tape to measure the length, height and width of each boulder
• Measure the angle of the boulder and note if the widest face is facing straight into oncoming waves or at an angle

Photographs and Field Sketches

• Photographs and field sketches are qualitative data 
• Just as with any data collection and presentation they have strengths and weaknesses
• In a coastal environment enquiry, photographs and field sketches can be used to show landforms and particular features such as beach load
• Photographs are also ideal for illustrating the data collection methods used

Photographs and Field Sketches

• Photographs and field sketches are qualitative data 
• Just as with any data collection and presentation they have strengths and weaknesses
• In a coastal environment enquiry, photographs and field sketches can be used to show landforms and particular features such as beach slope
• Photographs are also ideal for illustrating the data collection methods used