Backshore The upper part of the beach above the normal reach of the tides (high water), but affected by large waves occurring during high tide.
Coast protection Protection of the land from erosion and encroachment by the sea.
Deflation surface Solid surface formed by, for example, the water table or bedrock, exposed by wind erosion of overlying sand and on which no further wind erosion can occur.
Fixed dunes Area of dunes furthest from the sea, where vegetation growth, usually in the form of a closed turf, has stabilised the sand.
Machair Relatively smooth, shell-rich, blown sand surface stabilised by vegetation forming a continuous short grass and herb rich sward.
Mobile dunes Area of proper dunes (as opposed to embryo dunes on the upper beach) nearest the sea, where vegetation, usually dominated by Marram or Lyme Grass, is scattered and with significant areas of bare, loose sand.
Hard defences General term applied to impermeable coastal defence structures of concrete, timber, steel, masonry etc, which reflect a high proportion of incident wave energy.
Revetment A sloping surface of stone, concrete or other material used to protect an embankment, natural coast or shoreline against erosion.
Rip-rap Large boulders dumped on shoreline to act as hard defence.
Semi-fixed dunes Area of dunes between mobile and fixed dunes, with greater vegetation cover and stability than the former, but with still some areas of loose, bare sand.
Soft defences Usually refers to beaches, but may also relate to energy- absorbing beach-control structures, including those constructed of rock, where these are used to control or redirect coastal processes rather than opposing or preventing them.
