Using plants distribution pattern to determine potentially unstable zone on the top of sea cliffs in Gurdim (Gulf of Oman, Iran)

Abstract

Determination of hazard zones or potentially unstable zones on the top of sea cliffs to prevent construction in coastal areas is an important issue of coastal management. On the top of the high elevated cliffs in Gurdim, in the Iranian coastline of Gulf of Oman, plants have grown and distributed along the lines parallel to cliff top line likely relating to covered and invisible cracks. In the present study, first, the probable relation between the special distribution pattern of plants and mass movements was assessed according to field observations as well as the correlation between different geometric factors of cliffs and landslides. Then, the potentially unstable zones on top of the cliffs were estimated according to the distribution pattern of plants. Also, the hazard zones were estimated and drawn on top of these cliffs using previous criteria and methods in order to be compared with the unstable zones determined by plants distribution pattern. Finally, some criteria were proposed to estimate the potentially unstable zones for the purpose of coastal management in the northern rocky coastlines of the Gulf of Oman.