As sediment takes a finite time to move, there is a lag in the morphological response to hydrodynamic forcing.
Morphodynamic processes exhibit positive and negative feedbacks (such that beaches can, over different timescales, be considered to be both self-forcing and self-organised systems), nonlinearities and threshold behaviour.
Reflective beaches are typically steep in profile with a narrow shoaling and surf zone, composed of coarse sediment, and characterised by surging breakers.
Coarser sediment allows percolation during the swash part of the wave cycle, thus reducing the strength of backwash and allowing material to be deposited in the swash zone Depending on beach state, near bottom currents show variations in the relative dominance of motions due to: incident waves, subharmonic oscillations, infragravity oscillations, and mean longshore and rip currents.
Morphodynamic processes are also associated with other coastal landforms, for example spur and groove formation topography on coral reefs and tidal flats in infilling estuaries.