Abrasion Terrace Landscape

This is a landscape consisting of terrace-like landforms that form on exposed wave-cut platforms as a result of decreasing sea level or land uplift. Ancient sea cliffs and sea notches can often be found on the landward parts of abrasion terraces, all formed by seawater erosion in various stages. The terrace surface is often covered with gravel. The formation of abrasion terraces depends on climatic changes (i.e., sea level changes) and neotectonic movements. The former are called hydrodynamic change abrasion terraces, and the latter are known as earth movement abrasion terraces. Since the Quaternary, due to alternating ice ages and interglacial climate conditions, uplifting and subsidence have been common. As a result, many abrasion terraces of different stages and heights have formed. For example, 10-m-high terraces are widespread on Zhoushan Island, and 30-m-high terraces can be clearly identified (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2

Diagram of an abrasion terrace landscape