Our coastlines are shaped by two main processes; erosion and deposition.
Deposition features, such as beaches, sand dunes, mudflats, bars and spits, are all formed by the accumulation of sediments that have been eroded elsewhere and transported to a new location. When the transported material is dropped, or deposited, it accumulates. For example, as silt settles out of water, it may slowly build up to form a mud flat, or as sand is deposited on a sheltered part of the shore it may begin to form a beach.
The main depositional features covered in GCSE geography are explained on the pages below…