Virtual
Fieldtrip – US West Coast
versus US East Coast
Comparing Coastal Features and
Processes along Opposite Coasts
Click
here for .doc file of this document
Two Virtual Field
Trips:
Introduction: This virtual fieldtrip is actually two
fieldtrips, and it takes you first to the west coast and then to the east coast
to compare coastal features and processes, including wave action, beach sand
source and movement, coastal bluff and dunes, and human interferences. The first fieldtrip is to the shoreline of
San Diego North County in Southern California, and your trip guide is Chris
Metzler, earth science professor at MiraCosta College (Part I). The second fieldtrip is to northeast Atlantic
shore of Florida, and your trip guide is Joann Mossa,
geography professor at the University of Florida (Part II). The
due date for this extra credit, and all other extra credit, is listed in your
syllabus.
This extra credit
assignment is worth a maximum of 10 points.
Directions: Below are the two links where you will be taking your virtual
fieldtrips. There is a question-set
worksheet below for each fieldtrip. There is a total
of 30 questions. Fill out the questions
as you go, or after you are finished with each trip.
Fieldtrip #1: The first virtual fieldtrip to the San Diego
North County beaches can be found at Chris Metzler’s Coastal Erosion Field Trip
Webpage at URL:
http://www.miracosta.cc.ca.us/home/cmetzler/field_trip/top.html
Fieldtrip #2: The second virtual fieldtrip to a Northeast
Florida beaches can be found at Joann Mossa's
Coastal Dynamics of Northwestern Florida webpage URL:
http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/teacher/science/mod2/resources/coastal.pdf
virtual Fieldtrip Worksheet
A
.doc file of this document can be downloaded by clicking here
PART I:
Chis Metzler's Virtual Fieldtrip on Coastal
Erosion of San Diego's North County Beaches and Bluffs
http://www.miracosta.cc.ca.us/home/cmetzler/field_trip/top.html
Directions: Below are 15 questions that
pertain to the virtual fieldtrip found at the above URL. The questions are
arranged according to the various topics covered throughout the trip.
Classification of San Diego North County
Shoreline
1) What type of shoreline does San Diego North
County have? Describe it.
What are the Major Rock Units of San Diego
North County Sea Bluffs
2) List
the following information for ALL THREE of the major rock formations observed
along the bluffs.
a) Rock
formation name
b) Principle type(s) of rock that makes up
each formation
c) The geologic
age of each rock formation
d) Relative erodability (Strong, medium,
or weak)
3) Which of these rock units is considered the
most durable, resistant unit – forming the steepest part of a bluff?
4) Which of these rock units is considered the
least durable, resistant unit – prone to greatest bluff failure?
Agents,
Processes and Activities that Cause Sea Bluff Erosion
5) List thee (3) natural agents, processes or
features that help cause bluff erosion?
6) List the two (2) human activities that help
cause bluff erosion?
7) How does climate fluctuations over the last
few centuries compare with today’s climate in terms of local bluff
erosion?
Agents, Processes and Activities that Reduce
or Slow Sea Bluff Erosion
8) List
the three (3) human activities that help reduce or slow bluff erosion?
9) Which
one appears to be the most affective in reducing bluff erosion? Why?
10) List the two (2) adverse (negative) effects
that seawalls have on the beach.
Seawalls and Rip-Rap
11)
Describe and explain the seawalls along the North County shoreline, in
terms of:
a) Where the
seawalls are constructed along a beach
b) The various
materials that make up a seawall.
c) How much they
cost.
d) Their intended
purpose.
e) Some
negative, uninteded effects.
12) Where
are piles of rip rap
placed along a beach, what are they made of, how much do they cost, and what is
their intended purpose?
13) List
advantages that rip-rap has over seawalls in protecting bluffs.
14) List
disadvantages that rip-rap has over seawalls in protecting bluffs.
15) Which one would you choose if you were a
bluff homeowner? Why?
PART II: Joann Mossa's Virtual Fieldtrip on Coastal Dynamics of Northeast
Florida's Beaches and Dunes
http://fcit.usf.edu/florida/teacher/science/mod2/resources/coastal.pdf
Directions: Below are 15 questions that
pertain to the virtual fieldtrip found at the above URL. The questions are arranged according to the
various topics covered throughout the trip.
Beach and Dune Shoreline Geography
1) What
are the two principle materials that Florida beaches made of?
List and describe the
following:
a) Principle mineral(s)
b) Sediment grain size(s)
c) Source of the
sediment?
2) Describe the beaches in Northeastern Florida
Make sure to include
dimensional characteristics like Width and Slope
3) What are the
List and describe the
following
a) Principle
mineral(s)
b) Sediment grain size(s)
c) Source of the
sediment?
4) Describe the coastal dunes in Northeastern Florida
Make sure to include
dimensional characteristics like Width and Slope
5) Compare and contrast the two different
shorelines of the local barrier islands:
a) Describe the similarities and between the
open-ocean shorelines
and
the lagoonal shorelines, in terms of beach size, slope and sediment
characteristics. Why the similaries
between the two?
b) Describe the similarities
and differences between the open-ocean shorelines
and
the lagoonal shorelines, in terms of beach size, slope and sediment
characteristics. Why the difference between the two?
Agents, Processes and
Activities that Cause Changes to Beaches and Dunes
6) List and describe the agents or processes
that move the beach material.
7) List and describe the agents or processes
that move the dune material.
8) What is the relationship between the beaches
and the coastal dunes?
9) Did you see examples of both beach and dune
erosion and deposition? List and
describe what you observed.
10) What are the significant causes of beach and
dunes erosion here?
Processes and Activities that Reduce or Slow
Down Beach and Dune Erosion
11) What are the natural means of stabilizing
the coastal dunes? How and why does it
work?
12) List the ways that humans have tried to help
reduce or slow coastal erosion.
Processes and Activities that have Adverse
Effects on Beaches and Dunes
13) What are the similarities and differences between groins and rip rap
revetments, in terms of:
a) What they are made of.
b) Their location/orientation to the shore.
c) Their intended purpose.
14) What are the negative effects that groins
and rip rap revetments have on beaches and dunes?
Comparison of West and East Coast Shorelines
15) Make a simple comparison between the two
shorelines that you studied during the two virtual fieldtrips.
a) What did you find similar,
in terms of the features and processes that occur on both West and East coast
shorelines?
b) What did you find
significantly different?
c) Which shoreline would you
prefer to spend time at? Why?