Fieldwork   for   submission   in   2020-21

How    do   geomorphic   processes 

affect   the   coastline   in   Sitges,  Spain? 

(2000 words & 27.5% of your iGCSE Grade)

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Objective: To have an overview of what needs to be done for the geography fieldwork. 

Background Research - Sitges, Spain.

Task 1 - The Location
Using Google Earth or Google Maps, locate Sitges. Make a note of its location. Where is it in Europe? Where is it within Spain (NESW, coastline). How far is it from Toulouse?

End Product - Map to show location with written description

Task 2 - History of Sitges and other research
Carry out some research into the town. Find out about the original functions of Sitges and which particular alcoholic product it is famous for. Find out about the main sites and attractions and its beaches. 

End Product - A4 fact sheet with the information above and some images to show main features.

Task 3 - The Virtual Visit
Study the Google Street View beneath. Take a tour along the promenade looking left (residential) and right (towards the beach). Describe what you see. What are some of the features that are visible on the beach and in the sea? You may need to do some further research to find out more ......

Interesting point - the house directly to your left is Russian owned and cost over €8 million! 

End Product - Written description of physical and human characteristics of this coastline with some screen shots from Google Street View of interesting features. 

1. What  are  geomorphic  processes  &


 how  do  they  affect  the  coastline? 

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Objective: To find out how different rock types influence the features and levels of erosion that occur in coastal areas. 

Background Research - Watch the video beneath. This is an old school video introduced by the very lovely Elliot Brown! It focuses on the United Kingdom, but the processes are the same in Sitges. Listen out for all the processes that he talks about relating to erosion, transportation and deposition. Make some notes.
Key Words - Here are some of the key words that you heard in the video. Can you complete the definitions and explain how it works*?

1. Fetch ?
2. Cove ?
3. Hard Rock e.g.?
4. Soft Rock e.g.?
5. Erosion*?
6. Beach Sediment ?
7. Long Short Drift* ?
8. Spit ?
9. Groynes* ?
10. Beach Replenishment ?
11. Beach starvation*?
12. Rotational Cliff Slumping*?

2. What the textbook says

Turn to page 32 - 33 of the OCR B Geography textbook. Make notes under the following headings please:

1. The Three Types of Marine Erosion
a. Abrasion
b. Hydraulic Pressure
c. Attrition

2. Weathering in coastal areas
a. Solution
b. Wetting/drying
c. Mass Movement

3. Impact of geology on coastal landforms

4. Copy the geology map into a Word document. Annotate any areas where you would expect rapid and gradual erosion to take place. 

Compare & Contrast! 

5. Now look carefully at the Google Map below. Match up the areas that you identified as being vulnerable to rapid (fast) erosion. 

What do you notice?

6. Remember back to Elliot! How do people try to stop erosion and control long shore drift? What evidence can you see here of humans trying to control coastal processes in Sitges?

Zoom in closer to get a better view. 

7. Remember 'beach starvation'? Can you see an example here in Sitges (like in Barton-upon-Sea). 

Clue, long shore drift is going from north east to south west.
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Thanks to the Barcelona Field Studies Centre.

Hard  Rock  &  Features

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Objective: To find out about some hard rock features caused by erosion


So, you remember about erosion, transportation and deposition? Erosion to the clay under Sitges is being slowed down by a number of different sea defences (groynes, rock islets) and the feature is a beach.

What happens when sea erodes away at hard rock then? You don't often find coastal protection in front of cliffs as they aren't worth protecting. Look at the picture to the right. Here is an example of a famous hard rock feature.

Background: Watch the two videos underneath. Try to 'get over' how cool the presenter man is....!
Task 1. Turn to page 34 of the OCR B textbook and make a sketch (skill) of figure 1.55 including the annotated labels. 

Essential  Resources

The documents underneath are vital to your fieldwork study. You already have a paper copy of the Fieldwork Booklet, but you will need to save a copy onto your computer and download the other documents underneath. 

Getting  Started...

Part 1 - Introduction

Word Count 400 - This involves 
  1. the investigation question: How do geomorphic processes affect the coastline in Sitges? 
  2. the research question: How have geomorphic processes altered the coastline in Sitges & how successfully have people tried to manage these processes?
  3. At this point, you must formulate two hypotheses to test against the question. (A hypothesis is a statement that you can test. A well written hypothesis is clear, directional and measurable) - See right for examples..
  4. relevant information about the place chosen as the focus for the investigation - introduction to Sitges, a brief history of the town and two hand drawn maps showing its location within Europe and within Spain together with a written description of location. 
  5. the expected outcomes - from what you have already learned about coastal processes and geology, what do you expect to find? Don't forget to show off your knowledge and include some of the theory above including definitions. 
  6. an explanation of how the question and hypothesis/hypotheses link to the specification - "this piece of coursework relates to Unit 2 Natural Environments, sub unit 3 - Coasts​​



Part 2 - Methodology

Word Count 300

You are going to be writing up your methodology in table format. You must be precise and detailed in your descriptions to be able to access full marks on this section. 

Here are the methods that you employed in Sitges:

1. Beach profile (this splits into several parts)
a. Width
b.. depth from groyne to beach

2. Longshore drift data on the pebble beach

3. Bi-Polar analysis of sea defences

4. Field Sketches of unprotected beach past the nightclub.

5. Photos & other observations - A list of equipment that you used can be found on the right hand side. It is important that you use the right names in the methodology.

To avoid the tight word count, we are going to avoid this by putting the methodology into a table. Click on the button below to be taken to an example crib sheet.
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You may also include some annotated photos on a separate page to show you carrying out the methods in the field (your photos)

Part 3 - Data Presentation 

(graphs, photos, charts)

You are going to need to present your data to enable you to effectively answer both of your research questions. 

First part of RQ -  How have geomorphic processes altered the coastline in Sitges? 

For this question you will need to present:

1. The geology map of Sitges (complete your own sketch version)

2. Your field sketch of the hard rock features beyond the nightclub. A neat hand drawn copy would be best.

3. Your erosion and wave attack information sheet

4. Longshore drift data sheet & compass rose plotting sheet from the pebble beach.

Second part of RQ - ...... how successfully have people tried to manage these processes?  

For this question you will need to present:

1. Beach profile data (needs to be collated by the class) and presented as a located bar chart. Data at the bottom of this page. 

2. Bi Polar Analysis

3. Photos and other observations
*Hypothesis  - Not all beaches are eroded equally in Sitges
*Hypothesis - Humans are effective in preventing erosion
*Hypothesis - Erosion is the main problem in Sitges
*Hypothesis - Humans are not effective in preventing LSD
*Hypothesis - Groynes work in Sitges but create problems down drift
*Hypothesis - LSD is in a constant direction in Sitges
*Hypothesis - Features in Sitges are largely created by destructive waves


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Equipment used in Sitges field study – Sitges

Here is a list of the equipment that you used on the Sitges study. You need this information for your methodology.

Beach profile measuring

·        Ranging Pole
·        Clinometer and support pole (with spike on)
·        Measuring Tape
·        Camera to take photos
·        Table in workbooklet to record data

Coastal Defence
·        Camera
·        Bi Polar Evaluation technique
·        Assessment and Evaluation of coastal defences   at Sitges

Pebble measurement to determine LSD
·        Compass
·        Ruler
·        Recording table in booklet

Field sketches
·        Pencils
·        Outline sketch sheet


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Images from Barcelona Field Studies Centre. Thanks to Derek Gearry.

How to do a located bar chart .... by Mr Podbury ..... and an annoying cat!  

Zoom in slightly to create base for located bar chart - see video

Part 4  -  Data Interpretation

Click the tab zabove for the full instruction sheet for this section of work. Follow the instructions carefully.

Word Count - 1000

How have geomorphic processes altered the coastline in Sitges & how successfully have people tried to manage these processes?

Consider this….

Physical

Dynamic (ever changing) stretch of coastline permeated by bands of resistant and less resistant rock. Fetch of up to 600km (coast of Sardinia). Frequency of fetch and direction of wave energy is predominately in two directions. Winter storms accelerate the levels of coastal erosion and sedimentary rocks such as limestone are more susceptible to corrasion. Sitges lies directly on top of soft clays and gravels and these are susceptible to faster and more dramatic rates of erosion.

Think about the two different types of coastline in Sitges and the associated features (hard rock & soft rock). Beaches and where the clay is found and just beyond the nightclub, there are hard rock features including wave cut notches, stumps and blow holes (plenty of photos). What causes these features? Link in to the different types of erosion.

How and where does LSD take place? What do your measurement tell you from the pebble beach? Does this match up with the groyne depth measurements on beaches 1-5?

Consider this ....

Human

Sitges has been referred to as the St. Tropez of Spain with property prices approaching those of the most expensive European cities, the main reason for this being the setting by the sea and the surrounding . Proximity to Barcelona International Airport is also a major advantage. Tourism numbers every year are large and hotels, shops, bars and restaurants are spread over the resort.  The resort generates €millions every year in tourism and is well known as one of the largest gay resorts in Europe. Expensive property on the sea front such as the €8 million Russian mansion!!

All this is worth protecting, especially when you have seen what geomorphic processes are at work above. 

What have humans done to alter the coastline? What types of protection have they put into place, where and why and do they work? 

How do these protection methods affect the geomorphic processes at work on this piece of coastline? You will need to study carefully your beach profile data sheet and bi-polar analysis.

Part 5 - Conclusions & Solutions

Word Count 200 

A conclusion is just that. You have short number of words to revisit your two original research questions (RQ's) and answer them succinctly. 


Make sure you also answer your hypotheses by summarising the main evidence that supports or rejects the hypothesis statement. 

Part 6 - Evaluation

Word Count 100

An effective evaluation must re-visit each of the methods you used in the methodology, but critically evaluate their strengths and weaknesses. e.g.

Bi-Polar Analysis (Groynes) - This was my perception only on the day and my view of their effectiveness could vary from somebody who lives in Sitges and has seen the long term problem. A way to improve the method would be to ask a cross section of people from the local community. 

Checklist before final hand in

  1. Contents Page
  2. All pages numbered
  3. All photos, graphs, charts etc numbered in order e.g. fig 1, fig 2 etc
  4. Header of your name & Candidate Number
  5. Footer of International School of Toulouse FR042
  6. Front Cover with the following:

How do geomorphic processes affect the coast in Sitges, Spain? 


Your Full Name


International School of Toulouse
FR042


Paper 3 - Coursework
iGCSE Geography 0460


Word Count (should be and cannot be no more than 2000). Even one word over will affect your final grade. 
All content copyright geographypods unless otherwise stated.