GCSE Geography Paper 1:

Living with the physical environment

This booklet includes:

A list of case studies and examples you should know for this paper
The knowledge organisers
The revision clocks
The Know it, Grasp it, Think it sheets
The flashcard questions and answers
Section Case studies Examples
The challenge of How the effects and Physical processes taking place at different
natural hazards responses to a tectonic types of plate margin; constructive (Mid-
hazard vary between two Atlantic ridge), destructive (Japan - Pacific and
areas of contrasting levels Eurasian plates) and conservative (San
of wealth: LIC Nepal Andreas fault – North American and Pacific
earthquake 2015 and NEE plates) that lead to earthquakes and volcanic
Chile earthquake 2010 activity

A tropical storm to show its Reasons why people continue to live in areas at
effects and responses: risk from a tectonic hazard: Hawaii fertile soils,
Typhoon Haiyan 2013 geothermal energy Iceland, tourism
Yellowstone National Park, USA

A recent extreme weather

event in the UK: Somerset How monitoring, prediction, protection, and
Level floods 2014 planning can reduce the risks from a tectonic
hazard: monitoring (San Andreas fault,
California, USA) planning (California, USA –
shaking maps and building codes, and
earthquake drills in Japan), protection (seismic
dampers in the Torre Mayor skyscraper in
Mexico City, Mexico, bamboo as a building
material in Indonesia)

The effects of climate change on people and

the environment: Arctic Sea ice

Managing climate change by mitigation;

alternative energy production (wind power in
the UK) and international agreements (COP 21
and 26)

Managing climate change by adaptation;

change in agricultural systems (drought-
resistant crops in The Gambia), managing
water supply (ice stupa in the Himalayas), and
reducing risk from rising sea levels (Male’s sea
wall, Maldives)
The Living World A small-scale UK How plants (Kapok emergent trees), drip tips,
ecosystem: Sutton Park buttress roots and animals (Black spider
deciduous woodland monkey) adapt to the physical conditions of
tropical rainforests (climate and soils)

Causes and impacts of

tropical rainforest Strategies used to manage the rainforest
sustainably – selective logging and replanting
 deforestation: Amazon, (Malayasia), conservation, education, and
Brazil, OR Malaysia ecotourism (Heart of Borneo scheme and
Rainforest Alliance certification), and
international agreements about the use of
Development opportunities tropical hardwoods (hardwood sustainable
and challenges in a cold forestry - the Forest Stewardship Council
environment: Svalbard certification and the 2006 International
Tropical Timber Agreement (ITTA) ), debt
reduction (debt-for-nature swaps between
USA and Brazil)

How plants (bearberry) and animals (polar

bears) adapt to the physical conditions of cold
environments

The value of cold environments as wilderness

areas and why these fragile environments
should be protected: The Arctic

Strategies used to balance the needs of

economic development and conservation in
cold environments – use of technology (Trans-
Alaskan pipeline, USA), role of governments
(Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, USA),
international agreements (Antarctic Treaty)
and conservation groups (the Worldwide Fund
for Nature’s activities in Arctic Canada)
Physical A section of coastline in the
landscapes in the UK to identify its major
UK landforms of erosion and
deposition: Swanage Bay
and Studland, Dorset, UK

A coastal management
scheme: Lyme Regis, UK

An upland area in the UK

affected by glaciation to
identify its major landforms
of erosion and deposition:
Lake District, England OR
Snowdonia, Wales

A glaciated upland area in

the UK used for tourism to
show attractions for
tourists, the impacts of
tourism, and strategies
used to manage the
impacts: Lake District
 The structure of the Earth Convection Currents Why do people continue to live in areas at risk from tectonic hazards? Reducing the risk from volcanic eruptions
Varies in thickness: 5-10km beneath the ocean, and The crust is divided into tectonic plates which In Hawaii, volcanic lava has produced fertile soil which is Monitoring and prediction
The Crust 30-80km on the continents. are moved by convection currents in the mantle. Fertile perfect for growing crops such as pineapple; farmers choose
Made up of large tectonic plates. soils to live in these areas because their yields are increased, Seismometers record small earthquakes caused by magma rising from the volcano’s magma
When the lower parts of the mantle are heated boosting their profits. chamber.
Heat and pressure causes the rock to be ‘plastic’; a they become less dense and slowly rise. As they
Volcanologists record changes in the volume of volcanic gases being released by the
The Mantle solid that flows very slowly as convection currents move towards the crust they cool, become more
In Iceland, groundwater is heated by magma and provides volcano.
move through it. dense, and slowly sink. Geothermal
hot water for people’s homes. Geothermal power also Volcanic hazard maps are produced based on previous lava flows and ash deposits.
These circular movements drag the tectonic power
Largely consists of iron and nickel; the Inner core is plates around; where convection currents provides 70% of Iceland’s electricity needs. MONITOR > PREDICT > ISSUE WARNINGS > EVACUATE
The Inner
solid whereas the outer core is liquid. converge, destructive plate boundaries are
and outer In many LICs and NEEs, people living in poverty cannot
The heat of the core drives convection currents in created, and where convection currents diverge,
Poverty Protection
Core the mantle. constructive plate boundaries are form. afford to relocate to safer areas,
Buildings should have steeply-pitched roofs to prevent buildings collapsing under the weight
Earthquake in a LIC: Nepal 25th April 2015 of volcanic ash.
Sabo dams trap large boulders being transported by lahars.
Cause: collision zone where the Indo-Australian Plate is moving towards the Eurasian Plate.
Characteristics: magnitude 7.9, epicentre only 80 km north-west from the capital Kathmandu, a very shallow focus of 15km depth. Planning
Impacts: over 8 million people affected, 9,000 people killed, 22,000 injured, 500,000 homes collapsed or were severely damaged, making 3 million people homeless, estimated total cost - $10 billion (50% of GNI).
Evacuation plans are prepared to quickly move residents away from areas that the volcanic
Immediate responses are actions that occur in the first few days after a disaster hazard maps have identified as high-risk.
Primary effects
that focus on ensuring people survive: aid workers from charities such as the
Electricity, water supplies, sanitation, and communications interrupted for over 8 million people, and 50% of shops were
destroyed, interrupting food supplies.
Red Cross arrived quickly to supply food and water, and temporary housing was Reducing the risk from earthquakes
provided, including ‘Tent city’ in Kathmandu.
Several culturally important locations were damaged, including many very old Buddhist monuments.
Monitoring
Secondary effects Long-term responses are actions that may take months or years and focus on
re-building and reducing future risk: aid for rebuilding was received from many Satellites, laser reflectors, and creep meters record measurement across fault lines to
Landslides blocked roads, isolating remote rural for weeks, and an avalanche killed at least 19 people at Everest base camp. determine if the fault is locked, and to estimate how much strain is being stored.
countries, temporary learning centres were set up while schools were being
Tourism income was reduced; this accounts for 10% of Nepal’s GN, with Everest closed for the 2015 climbing season. rebuilt, and roads and bridges at risk of collapse have been strengthened.
Protection
Types of plate margins (boundaries) Why was the impact of the earthquake in Nepal worse than the earthquake in Chile?
Earthquake-resistant buildings are designed not to collapse in an earthquake by reducing
Nepal is a LIC, and Chile is a NEE, with a much higher GNI. vibrations using:
Destructive
Base-isolation systems that ‘decouple’ the structure from the ground underneath.
People in Nepal were more vulnerable: some lived in areas of very high population density in urban slums containing
When oceanic and continental plates move towards each Seismic dampers which convert the buildings kinetic energy into heat energy.
poor quality housing which collapsed, no savings to rebuild their homes and replace their possessions, and a lack of clean
other, the more dense oceanic crust subducts (sinks) water and sanitation made secondary impacts e.g. disease epidemics (cholera) more severe.
beneath the less dense continental crust.
Responses were less effective: poor roads and communication networks hindered rescue efforts, which were made by Planning
Friction causes it to melt, creating magma which is less fewer (and less well-trained and equipped) emergency services personnel.
dense than the surrounding mantle, causing it to flow Raise public awareness using earthquake practice drills, with people being told to ‘drop,
upwards to form volcanoes on the surface.
Subduction zones also produce very large earthquakes. The Challenge of Natural Hazards cover, and hold on’.

Collision What is a Natural Hazard? Earthquake in an NEE: Chile 27th February 2010

When two continental plates move towards each other, A natural hazard is a natural event which could cause death or injury to people, damage their Causes: destructive boundary where the oceanic Nazca Plate is moving towards, and being subducted below,
neither can be subducted because they are the same possessions, or disrupt their activities. the continental South American Plate.
density. Characteristics: magnitude 8.8, the epicentre was in the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of central Chile,
The two sections of crust collide and crumple upwards to Tectonic hazards Weather hazards producing a tsunami.
form fold mountains and large earthquakes. Impacts: 500 people were killed, 12,000 were injured, 220,00 homes destroyed, over 1 million people were
These are hazards caused by tectonic processes These are hazards caused by atmospheric made homeless, the total cost to the national economy was estimated to be US$30 billion.
e.g volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis. processes e.g. heavy rainfall causing flooding,
Constructive drought, and tropical storms.
Primary effects Immediate responses
When two oceanic plates are moving apart, the mantle 4,500 schools, and 53 ports and 56 hospitals Emergency services acted quickly, and route 5, the main
can flow upwards, pushing the seafloor upwards to form Earthquakes
were destroyed south-north highway was temporary repaired.
a mid-ocean ridge.
friction causes the fault to lock > strain accumulates > the fault slips > the stored Electricity, water supplies, sanitation, and Power and water supplies were restored to 90% of
The magma flowing upwards from the mantle forms long communications were interrupted for a large homes with 10 days.
chains of submarine volcanoes along the mid-ocean ridge. elastic energy is released as seismic waves > the ground shakes proportion of the population. International help supplied field hospitals and satellite
phones
Conservative The point directly above the focus, where the seismic waves
reach first, is called the EPICENTRE; the shaking is worst here. Secondary effects Long-term responses
Where plates of any type slide past each other in opposite
directions, or in the same direction but at different speeds, 1,500km of roads damaged, mostly by A month after the earthquake, the government launched
friction causes the fault (the boundary where the plates SEISMIC WAVES radiate out in every direction from the focus. landslides. a housing reconstruction plan to rebuild or repair almost
meet) to lock. Tsunamis struck coastal villages. 220,000 damaged homes; the Chilean president
The point at which the fault first slips and the stored elastic announced that it would take 4 years to fully recover
Strain accumulates until the fault slips, releasing the
from the damage.
stored elastic energy as seismic waves (an earthquake). energy is released is called the FOCUS.
Reducing the impacts Why people live in areas that experience tectonic hazards Structure of the Earth and convection currents The 4 types of plate
of tectonic hazards boundary (margin)

Natural
Other factors that affect the severity of the impact of tectonic hazards hazards: The causes of volcanoes at destructive plate boundaries

Why the impacts of tectonic hazards are worse in LICs than in NEES and HICs Tectonic The causes of earthquakes at plate boundaries

Hazards

Nepal earthquake –
immediate and long-term Chile earthquake – primary
responses Nepal earthquake – primary and secondary impacts Chile earthquake – immediate and long-term responses and secondary impacts
Know it! 30. What are immediate responses to natural disasters?
31. What are long-term responses to natural disasters?
Answer these questions to test your knowledge:
32. What was an immediate response to the Nepal earthquake?
1. What are the 4 main layers of the earth?
33. What was a long-term response to the Nepal earthquake?
2. What is a tectonic plate?
34. What was the cause of the 2010 Chile earthquake?
3. How do tectonic plates move?
35. What was a primary economic impact of the Chile earthquake?
4. What direction are plates moving in at a constructive plate boundary?
36. What was a secondary economic impact of the Chile earthquake?
5. Why do shield volcanoes form at constructive plate boundary?
37. What was a primary social impact of the Chile earthquake?
6. Name an example of a constructive plate boundary.
38. What was a secondary social impact of the Chile earthquake?
7. What direction are plates moving in at a collision plate boundary?
39. What was an immediate response to the Chile earthquake?
8. Why do fold mountains form at a collision plate boundary?
40. What was a long-term response to the Chile earthquake?
9. Name an example of a collision plate boundary.
41. Which country is wealthier (has a higher GNI) - Nepal or Chile?
10. What direction are plates moving in at a destructive plate boundary?
42. In which country were the impacts of the earthquakes worst?
11. Why do stratovolcanoes form at a destructive plate boundary?
43. Why are people more vulnerable to the negative effects of natural disasters
12. Why do earthquakes happen at a destructive plate boundary?
in poorer countries?
13. What volcanic hazards are associated with stratovolcanoes?
44. Why are buildings more vulnerable to damage from natural disasters in
14. Name an example of a destructive plate boundary. poorer countries?
15. What direction are plates moving in at a conservative plate boundary? 45. Why are responses+ to natural disasters less effective in poorer countries?
16. Why do earthquakes happen at a conservative plate boundary? 46. Why is recovery from natural disasters slower in poorer countries?
17. Name an example of a conservative plate boundary. 47. Why is the monitoring and prediction of natural disasters less effective in
18. What is the focus of an earthquake? poorer countries?
19. What is the epicentre of an earthquake? 48. What is monitoring of natural hazards?
20. What happens to the amplitude (size) of seismic waves with increasing 49. What is predicting natural hazards?
distance from the epicentre? 50. What is planning for natural hazards?
21. What scale is used to measure the magnitude (size) of an earthquake? 51. What is evacuation?
22. What causes a volcanic hotspot? 52. What is protection against natural hazards?
23. What was the cause of the 2015 Nepal earthquake? 53. How can volcanoes be monitored?
24. What are primary impacts (effects) of natural disasters? 54. How can earthquakes be monitored?
25. What are secondary impacts (effects) of natural disasters? 55. What are volcanic hazard maps?
26. What was a primary economic impact of the Nepal earthquake? 56. What are seismic (earthquake) shaking maps?
27. What was a secondary economic impact of the Nepal earthquake? 57. What are earthquake drills?
28. What was a primary social impact of the Nepal earthquake?
29. What was a secondary social impact of the Nepal earthquake?
Tectonic Hazards
58. How do Sabo dams reduce the risk from volcanic hazards?
59. How do steeply-pitched roofs reduce the risk from volcanic hazards?
60. What is aseismic design?
61. How can using bamboo as a construction material reduce the risk from
earthquake hazards?
62. How do seismic dampers reduce the risk from earthquake hazards?
63. Why do people continue to live in Hawaii despite the risk of volcanic hazards?
64. Why do people continue to live in Iceland despite the risk of volcanic
hazards?
65. Why do people continue to live close to Yellowstone National Park in the USA
despite the risk of volcanic hazards?
66. Why might people in LICs and some NEEs be unable to move their home
away from places that are at risk from volcanic and earthquake hazards?

Grasp it!
Complete these activities to apply your knowledge:
1. Draw annotated diagrams of constructive, destructive, and conservative plate
boundaries, explaining which hazards are found at each.
2. Make a set of flash cards to summarise the causes, impacts, and responses to
the Nepal and Chile earthquakes.
3. Draw a mind map to summarise the ways that the risk rom tectonic hazards
can be managed - include the following branches: Prediction and monitoring,
Planning, and Protection.

Tectonic Hazards
Think it!
Answer these questions to deepen your understanding:
1. ‘Earthquakes don’t kill people, buildings do’. To what extent do you agree
with this statement?
2. ‘Natural disasters cause greater loss of life in LICs while creating greater
economic damage in HICs’. To what extent do you agree with this statement?
3. Will the negative impacts of tectonic hazards increase or decrease in the
future? Why?
 Global atmospheric circulation Primary effects of tropical storms Management of tropical storms

The large-scale movement of air which transfers heat around the Earth. • High wind speeds can damage buildings and injure people hit by flying Prediction - monitoring by satellites allows scientists to predict the
Warm air moves towards the Poles, and cold air towards the Tropics. debris. track of the tropical storm, and particularly where it is expected to
• Heavy rainfall causes river flooding which can damage infrastructure. make landfall. e.g. National Hurricane Centre, Florida.
Air flows towards the equator • Storm surges flood low-lying coastlines destroying buildings and Warnings allow people living on the coast to be evacuated.
Hadley
at the surface; these trade High drowning people.
cells
winds converge, air rises, Low Planning - training emergency services and educating the public
30°N to
creating low pressure, clouds, The impact of climate change on tropical storms about how to respond to a tropical storm. This includes planning
the High
and rain (tropical rainforests). evacuation routes inland away from storm surge flooding.
equator Climate change is expected to increase the intensity of tropical storms.
Low
and Warmer ocean temperatures will increase evaporation which increases the Protection – sea walls can reduce the risk of storm surge flooding. In
At high altitudes, air flows High
30°S to amount of water vapour (moisture) in the atmosphere, possibly increasing Bangladesh, large public shelters made from concrete, constructed on
towards the poles and sinks
the Low rainfall by 20%. stilts allow people to shelter from flooding. Homes have shutters
at 30°, creating high pressure
equator Warmer ocean temperatures will warm the air above more, increasing the fitted over their windows to prevent damage from debris blown
and clear skies (hot deserts). High
rate at which it rises, increasing wind speeds by 10% as air rushes in to around by high wind speeds.
replace the rising air.
Distribution of tropical storms. High and Low Pressure Case Study: Typhoon Haiyan 2013
Warmer ocean temperatures will extend the distribution of tropical storms
Known as hurricanes (North Atlantic), further from the equator.
Low High
cyclones (Indian Ocean) and typhoons Also, rising sea levels will allow storm surges to reach farther inland. A Category 5 “super typhoon” in the Pacific Ocean, making landfall on
Pressure Pressure
(Pacific Ocean). the Philippines, devastating the city of Tacloban.
They occur in a band of latitude between Caused by Caused by
Effects Immediate responses
5-15° on both sides of the Equator over warm air cool air
• 7,000 deaths (Soc) • PAGASA, the Philippines'
warm tropical oceans. rising. sinking.
• 130,000 homes destroyed meteorological agency
Causes Causes clear
and 1.9 million people made broadcasted public warnings
cloudy and and calm
homeless (Soc) two days before Typhoon
wet weather. weather.
• Major rice, corn and sugar Haiyan hit, leading to the
crops were destroyed evacuation of 750,000
reducing the country’s food people
supply, food exports, GNI, • The UK government
and farmers' incomes (Ec) provided food, shelter, clean
• Fishing communities lost water, medicine and other
30,000 boats (Ec) supplies for 800,000 victims
• 6 million workers lost their Long-term responses
Formation of tropical storms source of income (Ec) • Several charities helped
• Total cost of $5.8 billion (Ec) people get their livelihoods
The sun’s energy heats large areas of tropical ocean in the summer
1 • Thousands of trees were back, for example by
and autumn to over 27°C.
uprooted (Env) repairing fishing boats or
Close to the equator, the trade winds converge, causing air to rise, • Soil in farming areas was distributing rice seeds
creating low pressure and a cluster of thunderstorms. contaminated by salty water • The UN pledged funds for
2 (Env) rebuilding
Air is sucked in to the centre of the low pressure, creating strong Storm surges
winds.

The Coriolis force deflects the winds as they blow in towards the low
3 pressure, causing the storm to start to spin.

As the storm moves over the warm ocean, evaporation adds

4 moisture and heat energy to the storm, increasing its intensity.

As the warm air rises it cools, forming bands of cloud and heavy
5 rain. Some cool air sinks in the centre of the storm, creating the
cloud-free eye of the storm.

When the tropical storm reaches land, it loses its energy source (the
6 warm ocean) and it begins to reduce in intensity.
 What is climate change? Extreme weather in the UK

Climate change is a long-term global shift in the planet's weather patterns and average temperatures. The Earth’s climate fluctuates between warmer glacials Extreme weather is unusual because it is outside of the normal range (climate) for
and cooler interglacials. Our current warmer Holocene epoch began 12,000 years ago at the end of the most recent glacial period. that place, for example snow in July in the UK.
Recent evidence for climate change Types of extreme weather in the UK
Global temperature Average global temperatures have increased by more than 0.6°C since 1950. Storms with high wind speeds
Wind is the movement of air in the atmosphere caused by differences in atmospheric pressure -
Ice sheets & glaciers Many of the world’s glaciers, ice sheets, and areas of sea ice are visibly shrinking (Arctic sea ice cover -30%).
air moves from the higher to the lower pressure area.
Sea Level Change Average global sea level has risen by 10-20 cm in the past 100 years. Sometimes, the remnants of hurricanes travel across the Atlantic from the USA bringing high
wind speeds which:
• bring down power lines causing blackouts
Pre-instrumental evidence for climate change
• cause trees to fall which blocks roads
Scientists can measure the concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in air bubbles trapped in the Antarctic ice sheet and use • create dangerous driving conditions, particularly for high-sided vehicles, causing road and
Ice cores bridge closures
the result to estimate what temperatures would have been at that time.
• damage buildings, particularly their roofs
Tree rings In a warmer and wetter year, the growth ring of a tree is wider than in colder and drier years.
Heat waves and drought
The Greenhouse Effect Long periods of hot, dry weather caused by anticyclones (high pressure) and Tropical Continental
air masses result in:
During the daytime, sunlight warms the Earth's surface. The Earth then reradiates this absorbed energy as infrared radiation back into space. • drought – a period with no rainfall, causing hosepipe bans and crop failures
However, greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere temporarily stop this radiation from escaping, warming the atmosphere. • falling river, lake and reservoir levels causing water insecurity
Human activities increase the concentration of these greenhouse gases, increasing their effectiveness – this is the enhanced greenhouse effect. • very high temperatures (heatwaves) can be very dangerous to people with certain
medical conditions e.g. heart problems.
Natural causes of climate change
Cold waves and snowfall
Variations in the shape of the Earth’s orbit, angle of tilt, and its wobble as it rotates change the amount of energy for the Arctic maritime and Polar continental air masses can bring heavy snowfall to the UK in the
The Milankovitch cycles winter, and a Polar continental air mass can cause extremely cold winter conditions to the UK:
Sun that the Earth receives. Approximately once every 100,000 years the three cycles combine to produce a glacial period.
• roads blocked by snow disrupts transport
When sunspot activity is at its maximum, the Sun produces solar flares and radiates more energy, increasing the amount • icy roads reduce vehicle speeds and increase the number of accidents
Sunspot activity • airport runways iced or blocked by snow
received by the Earth, increasing temperatures.
• deep snow buries and kills sheep on hills and mountains
Volcanic activity Volcanoes produce carbon dioxide during eruptions.
Case Study: Somerset Levels river floods 2014
Human causes of climate change - sources of anthropogenic greenhouse gases
A series of low-pressure systems crossed the Atlantic Ocean bringing heavy rainfall for several
Power stations that burn fossil fuels to produce electricity, and motor vehicles, planes, and ships that use oil. weeks (in January and February 350 mm of rainfall), causing:
Carbon dioxide
Deforestation by burning, and cement-making. • soil to become saturated (‘full’ of water) which reduced infiltration and increased surface
run-off
Methane From rice paddy fields and cattle, and from decomposing waste in landfill sites. • this reduced the lag time and increased the peak discharge of the Rivers Tone and Parett
because more water was transferred to them more quickly
The impacts of climate change • rivers had not been dredged, so deposited silt reduced their channel capacity

Social People are injured and killed by more frequent and larger storms. People will have to migrate away from flooded coasts. Effects Immediate responses
• 290 houses were flooded and 16 farms • Local community groups and volunteers
Economic Buildings and infrastructure are damaged by flooding. Drought destroys crops which increases food prices.
were evacuated (Soc) distributed food and water
• The Council distributed sandbags to
Environmental Melting ice adds water to the oceans, increasing sea level. Droughts and wildfires destroy habitats, reducing biodiversity. • Electricity supplies were interrupted
people to protect their property
• The total estimated cost was over £10 • Police and other emergency services
Mitigating climate change - reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere million (Ec) evacuated people requiring assistance
• Over 14,000 hectares of agricultural land Long-term responses
Renewable energy Carbon capture and storage
Wind, solar, and geothermal power are alternatives to fossil fuels which CO2 from power stations can be captured, liquified, and pumped was under water for up to 4 weeks, over • A £20 million Flood Action Plan has been
produce no CO2, reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. underground for storage, reducing emissions of greenhouse gases. 1,000 livestock (mostly cows) had to be launched by Somerset County Council
moved (Ec) and the Environment Agency
International agreements Afforestation • 8 km of the River Tone and Parrett were
• The Bristol to Taunton railway line was
Countries agree to reduce emissions of greenhouses gases e.g.at COP26, 30 Planting tree removes CO2 from the atmosphere by photosynthesis, reducing dredged to increase the river channel’s
closed at Bridgewater (Ec) capacity and bankfull discharge
countries pledge to stop deforestation by 2030. the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
• Floodwaters were heavily • Vulnerable communities will have their
Adapting to climate change - changing our behaviour to reduce our vulnerability contaminated by sewage and own flood defences e.g. embankments
other pollutants (Env) • pumping stations will drain the soils of
Ice stupa are artificial glaciers created in winter to maintain water security Drought-resistant seeds for staple foods such as maize have been introduced the Somerset Levels more effectively,
during the summers which are becoming hotter and drier. into 13 African countries, including The Gambia to maintain food security. preventing them becoming saturated
Adaptation – agriculture Adaptation - rising sea level Pre-instrumental evidence for climate change Recent evidence
and water supply for climate change

Natural
Mitigation – international agreements hazards: Natural causes of climate change – orbital changes

Mitigation – planting trees and carbon capture Climate Natural causes of climate change – solar activity
Change

Natural causes of climate

Mitigation – renewable
Sources of greenhouse gases from human activity How the greenhouse effect works change – volcanic activity
energy sources
Reducing the damaging Reducing the damaging effects of tropical storms: Global Atmospheric Circulation Distribution of
effects of tropical Bangladesh case study tropical storms
storms: protection and
planning

Natural
Formation of tropical storms
Reducing the damaging effects of tropical storms: monitoring and prediction Hazards:
Typhoon Haiyan: long-term responses Tropical Structure of tropical storms

storms

Typhoon Haiyan: How might climate change affect

immediate responses Typhoon Haiyan: impacts tropical storms? Tropical storm hazards
Somerset Levels floods How climate change might affect the UK’s What is weather? What is climate?
2014 – immediate and long- weather hazards
term responses

Natural
Somerset Levels floods 2014 - impacts hazards: What is extreme weather?

Causes of the Somerset Levels floods 2014

Weather
How do different air masses affect the UK’s weather?
hazards in
the UK

The social impacts of Types of extreme weather in

The economic impacts of weather hazards The three types of rainfall
weather hazards the UK
Know it! 26. What was an immediate response to Typhoon Haiyan?
27. What was a long-term response to Typhoon Haiyan?
Answer these questions to test your knowledge:
28. How can the effects of tropical storms be reduced by monitoring and
Tropical storms prediction?
1. What is a tropical storm? 29. How do strengthened roofs and windows reduce the effects of tropical
2. How do the trade winds that blow towards the Equator from the northern storms?
and southern hemispheres contribute to the formation of tropical storms? 30. How do sea walls reduce the effects of tropical storms?
3. What is formed when the warm moist air is forced to rise? How? 31. How does building homes on stilts reduce the effects of tropical storms?
4. What is the minimum sea-surface temperature required for the formation of 32. How does land use planning reduce the effects of tropical storms?
tropical storms? Why are warm oceans required? 33. How do community education and evacuation routes reduce the effects of
5. Why is air drawn into the centre of the tropical storm? tropical storms?
6. How does the Coriolis Effect affect the air being drawn into the centre of the 34. How have the effects of tropical storms been reduced in Bangladesh?
storm? 35. How are the cyclone shelters in Bangladesh designed to protect people?
7. Why does the centre of the tropical storm have a cloud-free eye? 36. How might climate change affect the intensity (severity) of tropical storms?
8. Why do tropical storms begin to dissipate (weaken) when they make landfall Why?
(pass over land)? 37. How might climate change affect the distribution of tropical storms? Why?
9. What are the different names used for tropical storms around the World? 38. How does population growth increase the risk from tropical storms?
10. Describe the global distribution of tropical storms.
Climate change
11. What are the three hazards associated with tropical storms?
1. What is a glacial?
12. What is a storm surge?
2. What is an interglacial?
13. What scale is used to measure the severity of a tropical storm?
3. What is the recent evidence for climate change?
14. Describe the features of a category 5 tropical storm.
4. What is the pre-instrumental evidence for climate change?
15. What is the track of a tropical storm?
5. How does the greenhouse effect keep the Earth warm?
16. What is the cone of uncertainty?
6. How do sunspots affect the Earth’s climate?
17. What has happened to the annual frequency of tropical storms between
1980 and 2010? 7. How does volcanic activity affect the Earth’s climate?
18. Where did Typhoon Haiyan cause a natural disaster in 2013? 8. How do wildfires affect the Earth’s climate?
19. What are the primary impacts (effects) of a natural disaster? 9. How do the Milankovitch Cycles affect the Earth’s climate?
20. What are the secondary impacts (effects) of a natural disaster? 10. What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?
21. What was a social impact of Typhoon Haiyan? 11. What are the four main greenhouse gases released by human activities that
cause the enhanced greenhouse effect?
22. What was an economic impact of Typhoon Haiyan?
12. What is a source of carbon dioxide (CO2) from burning fossil fuels?
23. What was an environmental impact of Typhoon Haiyan?
24. What are immediate responses to natural disasters?
25. What are long-term responses to natural disasters?
Weather Hazards
 11. How does prolonged rainfall cause flooding?
12. What is a drought?
13. How does drought have social and economic impacts?
13. What is a source of carbon dioxide (CO2) from other activities? 14. What is a heatwave?
14. What is a source of methane? 15. How does a heatwave have social and economic impacts?
15. By how much has the Earth warmed compared to the long-term average? 16. How do heavy snow and extreme cold have negative social and economic
16. Which two countries emit (release) the most carbon dioxide? impacts?
17. How does climate change cause sea level to rise? 17. How do high wind speeds have social and economic impacts?
18. What will be an impact of rising sea level? 18. What are the Somerset levels?
19. How will climate change reduce food security? 19. What were the physical causes of the 2014 Somerset Level floods?
20. How will climate change reduce biodiversity? 20. Why did not dredging the rivers make the flooding worse?
21. How will climate change have a negative economic impact on countries? 21. What was a social impact of the flooding?
22. What was an economic impact of the flooding?
22. What is mitigation?
23. What was an environmental impact of the flooding?
23. What is adaptation?
24. What was an immediate response to the flooding?
24. What is resilience?
25. What was a long-term response to the flooding?
25. How do renewable energy sources mitigate climate change?
26. By how much has the UK warmed since the 1950s?
26. How does energy conservation mitigate climate change?
27. How much more water can the atmosphere hold for every 1°C increase in
27. How does carbon capture and storage mitigate climate change?
temperature?
28. How does energy afforestation mitigate climate change?
28. How do higher temperatures increase the risk of flooding?
29. How do international agreements like COP 21 and COP 26 mitigate climate
29. How do higher temperatures and less rainfall in summer increase the risk of
change?
wildfires?
30. How are ice stupa an example of adapting to climate change?
31. How are drought-resistant seeds an example of adapting to climate change?
32. How are rainwater harvesting and greywater recycling examples of adapting Grasp it!
to climate change?
Complete these activities to apply your knowledge:
Weather hazards in the UK 1. Make a glossary of key terms for weather hazards.
1. What is weather? 2. Draw an annotated diagram to explain the formation of a tropical storm.
2. What is climate? 3. Draw a mind map to summarise the climate change - causes, impacts, and
3. What is extreme weather? management.
4. What air masses bring snow to the UK in winter? Why?
5. What air mass can bring very hot weather (a heatwave) to the UK in summer?
Why?
Weather Hazards
6. Why is the west of the UK wetter than the east? Think it!
7. What causes relief rainfall? Answer these questions to deepen your understanding:
8. What causes frontal rainfall? 1. Do you think that COP 21’s target of limiting global warming to 1.5°C be
9. What causes convectional rainfall? achieved? Why?
10. What weather hazards are associated with thunderstorms? 2. What is the UK’s most disruptive type of extreme weather? Why?
What is an Ecosystem? The major biomes

• An ecosystem is a natural interconnected system made up of plants, Biome Location Links to the global atmospheric circulation Temperature Rainfall Biodiversity
animals and the environment
• Living (biotic) components e.g. plants and animals Air is rising (low pressure) which produces A very wide range of species grow in
• Non-living (abiotic) components e.g. soil and water) clouds and rain; moist air is drawn in from the the sunny, hot, and wet conditions.
Very high (over
Tropical Centred along the ocean to ‘replace’ the rising air. Lots of plant growth provides food for
Hot all year (28-30°C). 2000
Food Web and Chains rainforest Equator. Receive a lot of energy from the overhead sun animals.
mm/year)
at the Equator (but temperatures are cooler Different layers of vegetation provide
• Show the movement of food energy between different organisms in an than deserts because of cloud cover). varying habitats for animals.
ecosystem.
• Energy is lost at each trophic level in a food chain because of respiration Centred Air is sinking (high pressure) producing clear
Limited range of plant species; only
and not all an organism is eaten, e.g. roots, or fur and bones. approximately 30° skies and very high temperatures. Hot by day (over 35°C); Low (below
Hot desert those adapted to low rainfall.
north & south of Receive a lot of energy from the sun because cooler at night. 250 mm/year)
Limited food for animals.
Components of a food web the Equator. they are relatively close to the Equator.

Plants convert energy form sunlight into sugars Limited range of species; only those
Producer From the Arctic Cold winters (- 30°C);
(glucose) by photosynthesis. Receives little energy from the sun because of Low (below plants adapted to cold and dry
Tundra circle to 70° north cool summers (below
its distance from the Equator. 250mm/year) conditions.
of the Equator. 10°C)
Primary consumer Get energy from eating producers. Limited food for animals.

Secondary consumer Get energy from eating primary consumers. Arctic (north) and Air is sinking (high pressure) producing clear No months above 0°C; Very low (< Very limited range of species; e.g.
Polar
Antarctic (south). skies and very low temperatures. winters down to -50°C. 100 mm/year) lichens and mosses on exposed rock.
Bacteria and fungi break down plant and animal
Decomposer A small-scale ecosystem: Deciduous woodland, Sutton Park
matter, returning nutrients to the soil.

Biomes Unit 1b • A deciduous woodland ecosystem

• Sutton Park is a National Nature Reserve: the trees are cut down when they
•

•
A biome is a global ecosystem; it is a large geographical area with
distinctive plant and animal groups, adapted to the climate.
The latitude (distance from the Equator) of a place affects its climate and
what type of biome can exist in that region.
The Living World •
threaten the health of the lowland heathland by shading plants out
Cows and ponied graze to prevent the spread of the woodland

Trophic level Examples Habitat

Interdependence in the rainforest
• The most productive biomes (have the greatest biomass and biodiversity) Primary producer Grass Ground surface (grows in soil)
are in climates that are hot and wet, e.g. tropical rainforests The climate, soils, and plants and animals are interdependent.
• The least productive biomes are cold and dry, e.g. Polar and tundra
The Equatorial climate of tropical rainforests Primary consumer Rabbit Underground in warrens

Arctic – Canada, Greenland, Northern Europe and Russia • High temperatures - a daily average of up to 30°C because the Equator receives a lot Secondary
of sunlight. Fox Underground dens
consumer
• High rainfall (over 2,000 mm of rainfall per year), mostly as daily convectional rainfall.
• A very small annual range of temperature of 2°C (the difference between the hottest
and coldest months), because the Sun is directly overhead for much of the year. Decomposer Fungi Fallen tree branches

Rainforest climate and soils

Layers of the Rainforest
• Heavy convectional rainfall quickly washes away nutrients (leaching), leaving behind
an infertile soil called a latosol. Emergents Highest layer with trees up to 50 metres.
• Most nutrients are found on the soil surface, where leaf litter decomposes rapidly in
the hot and humid conditions; they are quickly absorbed by a ‘carpet’ of plant roots. Most life is found here as It receives over
Canopy
70% of the sunlight.
Plant and animal adaptations to the rainforest
Under-canopy Trees that reach 20 metres in height.
Orangutans Have long, strong arms to move between branches to collect the fruit
Lowest layer with small trees that have
that grows in the canopy. Shrub Layer
adapted to living in the shade.
Distribution of Tropical Rainforests Emergents Some trees grow taller than the canopy to compete for sunlight.
Nutrient cycling
• Tropical rainforests are centred along the Equator between the Tropic of Buttress Emergents have a wide base to support them; the roots are shallow to
Cancer and Capricorn. roots collects nutrients before they are leached (washed away) by the heavy • Trees drop leaves on to the soil – leaf litter
• Rainforests can be found in South America, Central Africa and South-East rainfall. • Decomposers break down the leaves, releasing
Asia their nutrients into the soil
• The Amazon is the world’s largest rainforest and takes up the majority of Drip tips Leaves have elongated tips to quickly shed water to prevent the growth • Trees photosynthesis ad use these nutrients to
northern South American countries such as Brazil and Peru. of mould which would reduce photosynthesis. grow new leaves
 Tropical Rainforests: Case Study Malaysia Cold Environments: Svalbard
Malaysia is a NEE in south-east Asia; 67% of Malaysia is covered by tropical rainforest (18% is untouched ‘virgin’ forest). • There are two polar regions - the Arctic (north) and Antarctic (south); tundra regions are on the fringe of the polar regions.
However, Malaysia has the fastest rate of deforestation anywhere in the world. • Svalbard is a Norwegian territory, an archipelago (group of islands) located in the Arctic Ocean, within the Arctic Circle; the
largest island is Spitzbergen, and the main town is Longyearbyen.
Issues related to biodiversity What are the causes and impacts of deforestation?
The climate and soils of Svalbard

Precipitation (rain/snow) mm
Why is there high biodiversity? Logging Subsistence agriculture (farming)
• Winter temperatures often fall below -30°C because
• Biodiversity is the number of different plant • Timber is cut for • Slash and burn agriculture Svalbard is a long way from the Equator, reducing the
and animal species found in an ecosystem. construction and industry uses fire to clear trees; crops amount of sunlight it receives.
• The warm and wet equatorial climate provides • Clear-cutting is very are grown for food before • Snow and ice have a high albedo (the % of sunlight
a 12-month growing season for plants. damaging because all trees the soil becomes infertile reflected) reducing the warming effect of the Sun.
• The plants provide food for animals. are cut down in an area. and the people move on. • The soil is permanently frozen – permafrost.
• The different layers of the rainforest • Precipitation is low (less than 250 mm/year) because
vegetation provide habitats for animals. Mineral Extraction Commercial agriculture Why is there low biodiversity? most water is frozen, which prevents evaporation.
• June to September have average temperatures above
Main issues with biodiversity decline • Resources e.g. gold and iron • Forests is burnt to create • The soil is frozen for most of the year, and the short freezing, which thaws the top layer of permafrost, and
are found in the rainforest grassland for pasture for growing season limits the amount of food for animals. allows a short growing season for plants.
• When the forest is lost, habitats and food and can be used by industry grazing cattle.
supply are reduced causing animal numbers to • Areas mined can experience • Plantations produce palm oil Plant and animal adaptations to cold environments
decrease and species to become extinct. soil and water pollution for export for profit.
• Many rainforest plants contain chemicals used Polar bears Have two layers of fur and a thick layer of fat to insulate them from the extreme cold (in air and water).
to make medicines; these and other untested Energy Development Road Building
plants are at risk of extinction. Bearberry Grows low to the ground to avoid strong winds and has fine hairs on leaves to retain heat.
• High rainfall creates large • Roads are needed to bring
rivers; dams built on them workers and supplies, and to Opportunities and challenges in Svalbard
Impacts of deforestation generate cheap hydro- transport extracted
electric power (HEP) for resources from mining and Opportunities for economic activity Challenges
Positive: economic development
industry e.g. the Bakun Dam logging areas.
• The activities that cause deforestation create • Mineral extraction - Svalbard has large reserves of coal; Extreme cold temperatures:
jobs and a multiplier effect. Sustainable management of tropical rainforests mining was the main economic activity, employing more • Outside work is uncomfortable and potentially
• Companies pay tax to the government which than 300 people until the Norwegian government closed dangerous (e.g. frostbite and hypothermia).
can be spent on e.g. an electricity grid • Sustainable management allows us to extract resources from the them. • Construction and providing services are expensive
• Products such as palm oil provide valuable rainforest while protecting it for future generations. • Tourism - Svalbard’s cold climate produces a landscape because of the permafrost, water and sewage pipes
export income for the country. • Conservation uses resources wisely without damaging ecosystems. with glaciers, sea ice, and wildlife such as polar bears; its cannot be buried underground because they would thaw
• Resources like timber provide raw materials • Selective logging - only fully-grown and valuable hardwood trees northerly latitude makes it an ideal location to see the the permafrost which would destabilise buildings
for manufacturing industry. are cut down, and new trees are then planted. The canopy is left Northern Lights in winter. Over 70,000 tourists visited constructed on it; the pipes are instead located above
• Food for a growing population intact which prevents soil erosion, and habitats and food webs are Longyearbyen, creating many jobs. ground and heated to prevent them from freezing.
protected; this allows countries to cut timber and earn money • Fishing - The Barents Sea is an important breeding and • Many buildings are constructed above ground on pile
Negative: soil erosion without damaging the rainforest. nursing ground for fish stocks, including cod. foundations which extend deep underground.
• Ecotourism – tourists visit the rainforest to see the plants and Commercial fishing creates jobs, however, these are on Remote and inaccessible location
When the canopy is removed, heavy convectional animals. This makes the rainforest worth more when left intact Norwegian and Russian trawlers. • Svalbard is in a remote part of Europe and can only be
rainfall erodes the soil by washing it away in than when cleared; also, profits can be invested in conservation. • Future energy developments - Svalbard is located close reached by plane or boat, limiting tourist numbers.
surface run-off. • Forest reserves/conservation areas/National Parks - areas where to the Mid-Atlantic ridge, a constructive plate boundary; • Importing products is very expensive, increasing the cost
The soil is washed into rivers, reducing their plants and animals are protected because all damaging economic a geothermal power station could be constructed to of visiting the islands, reducing visitor numbers.
capacity, increasing flood risk. activities are banned. generate and sell electricity, creating jobs and income.
• Harvesting rainforest resources – fruits and nuts can be collected
Negative: climate change by indigenous tribes (local people) without harming the forest; this Why are cold environments under threat? Managing cold environments
provides an alternative source of income to deforestation.
When rainforests are cut down, the water cycle is • The Forest Stewardship Council - timber products sourced from • Off-road vehicle driving in Alaska - 4x4 vehicles destroy • Wilderness is a natural area unaffected by human activity.
disrupted and the local climate becomes drier. sustainably managed forests carry the FSC label which allows the vegetation and erode the soil. • The use of technology – the Trans-Alaskan pipeline
Forests are carbon ‘sinks’; burning the forest consumers to choose to buy sustainable hardwoods, encouraging • Oil and gas extraction in Alaska – there is always a risk protects the tundra by reducing the risk of oil spills which
produces carbon dioxide which causes global more countries to introduce selective logging. of oil spills e.g. the Exxon Valdez oil tanker spilled 10.8 would pollute the soil and water by being raised above
warming. • International agreements – At the COP26 summit, 100 countries million gallons of crude oil in Prince William Sound in ground and insulated to prevent melting the permafrost
agreed to end tropical rainforest deforestation by 2030 to limit 1989. and being high enough to allow caribou to migrate
climate change; rainforests are massive sinks (stores) of carbon. • Overfishing – commercial trawlers catch fish at a underneath).
quicker rate than the fish can replace their numbers. • Action by governments – the ANWR (Arctic National
Why are cold environments fragile? • Climate change in Alaska – global warming has melted Wildlife Refuge) in Alaska, protects wilderness areas by
permafrost and sea ice; animal habitats are lost and prohibiting oil and gas extraction.
• Over 4 million people live in the Arctic, e.g. the Inuit of Canada, living in balance with the environment. species face extinction. • International agreements – the Antarctic Treaty prohibits
• Tundra has very slow-growing vegetation which only recovers very slowly from disturbance, e.g. oil spills. any form of economic activity; at COP26 countries agreed
• Tundra has low biodiversity and a simple food web with less links; if one species is lost, there are less species to ‘fill the gap’ to take action to limit climate change.
Distribution and Distribution and characteristics of polar ecosystems What is an ecosystem? Nutrient cycling
characteristics of temperate
(deciduous) woodland
ecosystems

Living World:
Distribution and characteristics of hot desert ecosystems Food webs
Ecosystems
Distribution and characteristics of tropical rainforest ecosystems A small-scale ecosystem case study: deciduous woodland
and biomes

How biomes and the global How human activity affects a small-
atmospheric circulation are Natural changes to a small-scale ecosystem: scale ecosystem: maintaining lowland
The global atmospheric circulation drought and wildfires in Sutton Park heathland in Sutton Park
linked
Sustainable Sustainable Management: international agreements Distribution of tropical rainforests (TRFs) Describing and
Management: and FSC certification explaining the
conservation and
equatorial climate
ecotourism

Living
Sustainable Management: selective logging Living World
World: How the rainforest’s soil is linked to the climate

Why TRFs should be protected Tropical

Tropical How plants and animals have adapted to the soils and climate
Rainforests
rainforests

Positive economic Negative environmental and social impacts Causes of Deforestation: commercial and Causes of deforestation:
impacts of deforestation of deforestation subsistence farming and HEP logging, and mining
 Managing cold Managing cold environments: conservation groups Location and climate of polar and tundra environments How the tundra soil
environments: international
agreements and action by is linked to the
governments climate

Managing cold environments: technology Living World: How plants and animals have adapted to the climate
Cold
Should cold environments be protected as wilderness areas? How the environment provides opportunities for development in
Environments Svalbard: tourism

How the environment

provides opportunities for
development in Svalbard:
Challenges in Svalbard: remote location and Challenges in Svalbard: extreme climate and fishing and energy
Threats to cold environments inaccessibility permafrost developments
Know it! Large-scale global ecosystems
1. What is a biome?
Answer these questions to test your knowledge: 2. What biome is found along the Equator?
Small-scale local ecosystem 3. What biome is found at 30° north and 30° south from the Equator?
1. What is an ecosystem? 4. What biome is found between the tropical rainforest and hot desert biomes?
2. What is a food chain? 5. What biome is found at the North and South Poles?
3. Why is energy lost between each (trophic) level of a food chain? 6. What biome is found on the edge of the Polar regions?
4. What is a food web? 7. What biome is found mostly in the Northern Hemisphere, between
5. What is the difference between a food chain and a food web? the Tropic of Cancer and latitudes of 50° North, with particularly large regions
6. What does ‘temperate’ mean? in eastern North America, East Asia, and a large area of Europe?
7. What does ‘deciduous ‘ mean? Tropical rainforests
8. What are the main features of the climate of the temperate deciduous 1. Why are tropical rainforests located on or close to the equator?
woodland ecosystem? 2. What is the typical annual range of temperature in tropical rainforests?
9. What are the main features of the vegetation of the temperate deciduous 3. What is the typical annual rainfall total for tropical rainforests?
woodland ecosystem? 4. What type of rainfall do tropical rainforests receive?
10. How are nutrients cycled in temperate deciduous woodland? 5. What is leaching?
11. What is a producer? Give an example from a deciduous woodland 6. Why are tropical rainforest soils infertile?
ecosystem. 7. What are the four layers of tropical rainforest vegetation?
12. What is a primary consumer? Give an example from a deciduous woodland 8. What are emergents?
ecosystem. 9. Why do emergent grow so tall?
13. What is a secondary consumer? Give an example from a deciduous 10. What are buttress roots?
woodland ecosystem. 11. Why do trees have buttress roots?
14. What is a decomposer? Give an example from a deciduous woodland 12. What are drip tips?
ecosystem. 13. Why do plants have drip tips?
15. Why is some energy lost between each (trophic) level of a food chain? 14. How have monkeys adapted to live in the canopy?
16. What are the two ecosystem types found in Sutton Park? 15. What is biodiversity?
17. Why is Sutton park managed as a National Nature Reserve? 16. Why do tropical rainforests have high biodiversity?
18. How has natural change had an impact on the ecosystems of Sutton Park? 17. What is deforestation?
19. How has grazing had an impact on the ecosystem of Sutton Park? 18. What is the main causes of deforestation in Brazil?
20. How has grazing had an impact on the ecosystem of Sutton Park?

Ecosystems and tropical rainforests

19. What is subsistence farming? 50. What are the limitations of the sustainable management strategies?
20. What is commercial farming? 51. What five strategies have been used in Malaysia to sustainably manage their
21. What are the other causes of deforestation in Brazil? tropical rainforests?
22. How and why has the rate of deforestation changed in Brazil since 2000?
23. How is Brazil’s population changing?
24. Why is it difficult to reduce the rate of deforestation in Brazil?
Grasp it!
25. How does deforestation create jobs for Brazil?
Complete these activities to apply your knowledge:
26. How does deforestation produce resources for Brazil?
27. How does deforestation produce food for Brazil? 1. Draw a food web for a deciduous woodland ecosystem, showing
28. Why does the Amazon rainforest contribute 8% of Brazil’s GNI? organisms in their habitat; label each organism as either a producer, a
29. How does deforestation cause soil erosion? primary, secondary or tertiary consumer, or a decomposer.
30. How does deforestation cause river flooding?
31. How does mining cause water pollution?
2. Draw a mind map to show the causes and effects of deforestation.
32. How does deforestation reduce biodiversity? 3. Make a set of flashcards about how tropical rainforests can be
33. How does deforestation cause local climate change? sustainably managed.
34. How does deforestation cause global climate change?
35. How does deforestation affect indigenous people? 4. Find a photograph of tropical rainforest vegetation. Annotate the
36. Why are tropical rainforests important to people? photograph to describe and explain how the vegetation has adapted
37. Why are tropical rainforests important to the environment? to the climate and soils of the tropical rainforests ecosystem.
38. What is sustainable management of tropical rainforests?
39. What is selective logging and replanting?
40.
41.
How does selective logging reduce the impacts of deforestation?
What is ecotourism?
Ecosystems and tropical rainforests
42. How does ecotourism reduce the rate of deforestation?
43. What is conservation and education? Think it!
44. How do conservation and education reduce the rate of deforestation?
45. What is the aim of the ITTA international agreement about the use of tropical Answer these questions to deepen your understanding:
hardwoods?
1. Are tropical rainforests worth more when they are left intact or when
46. How does the FSC aim to reduce the rate of deforestation?
47. What is debt reduction?
they are cut down? Justify your answer.
48. How can debt reduction reduce the rate of deforestation? 2. Will Earth have any areas of tropical rainforest left by 2100? Justify
49. How can indigenous people earn money without deforestation? your answer.
Know it! 22. Why is Svalbard’s cold climate a challenge (barrier) to
increasing the number of tourists that visit?
Answer these questions to test your knowledge: 23. Why are cold environments fragile (easily damaged by
1. Describe the distribution of polar regions. economic activity)?
2. Describe the distribution of tundra regions. 24. How many people live in the Arctic?
3. What is latitude? 25. How do cold environments provide food for the world’s
population?
4. How does their latitude make polar and tundra regions cold?
26. How does extracting oil and gas threaten cold environments?
5. What is the albedo of a surface?
6. How does their albedo make polar and tundra regions cold? 27. How can technology like the Trans-Alaskan pipeline reduce
the risk of damage caused by extracting oil and gas?
7. What is precipitation?
28. How does climate change threaten cold environments?
8. Why do polar and tundra regions have low precipitation?
29. How can international treaties like the Antarctic Treaty
9. What is permafrost?
protect cold environments?
10. What is biodiversity?
30. How can governments protect cold environments?
11. Why do polar and tundra regions have low biodiversity?
12. How have polar bears adapted to a cold climate?
13. How has bearberry adapted to a cold climate? Cold environments: polar and tundra regions
14. Describe the location of Svalbard.
15. What is economic activity/economic development?
Grasp it!
16. How does Svalbard’s northerly latitude create an opportunity
for tourism? Complete this activity to apply your knowledge:
17. How does Svalbard’s cold climate create an opportunity for
1. Draw a mind map to summarise the importance of cold
tourism?
environments; think about people, resources, and global
18. Why have Svalbard’s coal mines been closed? climate.
19. Why is the Barents Sea such an important location for
fishing?
20. How does Svalbard’s location allow it to in the future Think it!
generate and sell electricity generated by geothermal power? Answer this question to deepen your understanding:
21. Why is Svalbard’s remote and inaccessible location a
challenge (barrier) to increasing its number of tourists? 1. Should cold environments be protected as wilderness areas?
 Formation of Spits by longshore drift and deposition Types of erosion Types of transportation Mass Movements
The direction of the prevailing wind creates longshore drift which transports sand along the beach. When rocks are broken into pieces and transported away as sediment. Mass movement is the downhill movement of rock and
Eroded material (sediment) is carried by waves.
When the coastline changes direction, longshore drift deposits the sand in the sea. sediment because of gravity; e.g. rockfalls, landslides,
Over time, this deposition causes the beach to extend out from the coastline, forming a spit. Rocks collide together as they are being and slumps (see below).
Soluble minerals are dissolved in the
A change in the prevailing wind direction or ocean currents can form a hooked (or recurved) spit. Attrition transported, becoming smaller and more Solution sea water.
In the sheltered area behind the spit, waves and rivers deposit silt and sand forming mudflats and a rounded. Rain saturates a layer of sediment and permeable rock
1 above a layer of impermeable rock, increasing its weight.
saltmarsh.
A chemical reaction that dissolves the The smallest sediment (e.g. clay) is
Solution soluble minerals in rocks. Suspension carried along by turbulence in the
waves. 2 Waves erode the base of the slope making it unstable.
Pieces of rock are scraped or thrown
Abrasion against cliffs by breaking waves, creating
Larger sediment (e.g. sand) is bounced Eventually the weight of the rock and sediment is greater
a ‘sandpapering’ effect. Saltation along by swash and backwash. 3 than the strength of the underlying rock, the slope
collapses along a curved plane and the cliff retreats inland.
When waves break against a cliff water
Hydraulic and air is compressed in to joints (cracks) The largest sediment (e.g. pebbles) roll
Action which exerts a force on the surrounding Traction and slide as they are pushed along by The loose material at the base of the slope is then eroded
rock, eventually making the joint larger. swash and backwash. 4 and transported away by waves.

Types of Weathering What is deposition, and where does it occur? Formation of wave-cut notches and platforms
Weathering is the breakdown of rocks in situ (where Deposition occurs when waves drop the sediment Waves erode the base of the cliff between the high and low tide
they are) without the pieces being transported away they are transporting. levels, forming a wave-cut notch by the processes of abrasion and
hydraulic action .
Protecting the coastline against erosion, mass movements, and flooding Deposition on a beach happens when the swash is
The breakdown of a rock by As the notch increases in size, the overhanging cliff becomes
reactions that change its chemical stronger than the backwash and is associated with unstable, collapses, and retreats inland.
Hard Engineering – building physical structures Chemical constructive waves.
composition; e.g. carbonation – Waves erode the collapsed material, leaving a wave-cut platform.
weathering limestone dissolves in weakly acidic
Concrete walls reflect wave energy Lasts a long time The process repeats.
back to sea and prevent hydraulic sea water.
Provides a high level of
action and abrasion by being a Formation of Bays and Headlands e.g. Swanage Bay
protection for valuable land uses The breakdown of rock without
physical barrier between the breaking
waves and the cliff. Very expensive changing its chemical composition
Sea Walls because of physical forces e.g. When waves erode the coastline the softer rock is eroded more
Curved or stepped sea walls absorb The reflected wave energy can Mechanical quickly, forming a bay; e.g. the clay of Swanage Bay.
freeze-thaw weathering (water
some wave energy because of erode the beach, undermining weathering collects in cracks and expands when Deposition of eroded sediment in the bay forms a beach.
friction between the breaking wave the sea wall, causing it to
it freezes, and contracts when it The harder rock is eroded more slowly and is left jutting out in to
and the sloped wall. collapse
cools, causing rocks to disintegrate). the sea forming a headland; e.g. the chalk of Ballard Point.
Cheaper than sea walls
Rock Boulders placed at the base of a Local rocks look more natural
Longshore drift
armour cliff reflect and absorb wave than concrete
(rip-rap) energy. Restricts beach access for
visitors

Wooden barriers are built at right

angles from the beach to interrupt A larger beach can attract more
longshore drift. Sand is deposited, tourists
Groynes increasing the width and height of the The transport of sand further
beach which absorbs more wave down the coast is reduced, and
energy by friction between the as beaches shrink, erosion
breaking wave and the sand. increases
Coastal landscapes in the UK
Soft Engineering – maintaining and enhancing natural processes
How do waves form? Types of Wave Formation of caves, arches, stacks and stumps
Beach nourishment

Sediment is added to the Cheaper than hard

beach to increase its width engineering
Wind blowing over the surface of Constructive Waves Destructive Waves Hydraulic action and abrasion erodes the joints and other
Sediment is
and height to absorb more the sea transfers its energy to the lines of weakness in the cliff.
removed by
wave energy by friction destructive waves
water below by friction; water is Low wave height in proportion to wavelength. High wave height in proportion to wavelength. These are enlarged to form a cave.
between the breaking wave lifted before falling under gravity,
during storms and
and the beach. creating a circular motion. Wave refraction focuses wave energy and erosion on both
must be replaced
A higher wave has more sides of the headland; caves from both sides of the headland
Old sea defences on low- energy. join together to form an arch.
The mudflats and salt
value areas of the coast are marshes are wildlife Fetch - the length of open sea that Weathering (e.g. freeze-thaw) and erosion (e.g. abrasion)
Managed retreat

breached and the sea is habitats, and carbon the wind blows over; a longer fetch causes the arch to collapse forming a stack.
stores which mitigate > higher wave.
allowed to flood the area Further weathering and erosion forms a stump.
climate change
behind them, creating a salt Wind speed – higher wind speed >
Expensive because Eventually the stump is eroded, leaving a wave-cut platform.
marsh to store flood water, compensation must higher wave.
preventing flooding be paid to landowners Wind duration – how long the wind Swash is stronger than backwash, sand is deposited Backwash is stronger than swash, sand is eroded from Joint > Cave > Arch > Stack > Stump
elsewhere. for the ‘lost’ land. has blown for; longer > higher wave. on the beach. beach.
Depositional landforms: Coastal landscape case study: Studland and Swanage Waves Constructive and
beaches and sand dunes destructive waves

Coastal
Landscapes in
Depositional landforms: spits, bars, and tombolos Weathering processes
the UK:
Erosional landforms: caves, arches, stacks, and stumps processes and Processes of erosion
landforms

Erosional landforms:
cliffs, wave cut-notches,
and wave-cut platforms Erosional landforms: headlands and bays Longshore Drift Mass movements
Managing the negative Managing the negative environmental impact of Opportunities for economic activities in Why conflict
environmental impacts footpath erosion glaciated upland areas occurs in
of traffic congestion glaciated upland
and litter areas

Glacial
The negative environmental impacts of tourism Landscapes in Conflict case study: wind farms in the Lake District
the UK: conflict
Managing the negative social and economic impacts of tourism Tourism in the Lake District facts and figures
and
management

The negative social impacts of The positive economic impacts of tourism in the Cultural and historical attractions of Physical attractions of the
tourism in the Lake District Lake District the Lake District Lake District for tourists
 22. What is solution (process of transportation)?
Coastal landscapes in the UK 23. What is longshore drift?
24. What is deposition?
Know it! 25. When and where does deposition occur?
26. What is a mass movement?
Answer these questions to test your knowledge: 27. How do slumps occur?
28. What is a headland? What type of rock do headlands form in?
1. What is fetch? How does it affect wave height? 29. What is a bay? What type of rock do headlands form in?
2. How does wind speed affect wave height? 30. What is a wave-cut notch? How does it form?
3. How does wind duration affect wave height? 31. What is a wave-cut platform? How does it form?
4. What is the relationship between wave height and wave energy? 32. What is a joint?
5. What is swash? 33. What is a cave? How does it form?
6. What is backwash? 34. What is an arch? How does it form?
7. What is a constructive wave? How does it affect a beach? 35. What is a stack? How does it form?
8. What is a destructive wave? How does it affect a beach? 36. What is a stump? How does it form?
9. What is erosion? 37. What is a spit?
10. What is attrition 38. How does a spit form?
11. What is solution (process of erosion)? 39. Why do some spits have a hooked (recurved) end?
12. What is abrasion? 40. What often forms behind a spit? Why?
13. What is hydraulic action? 41. What processes do coastal protection schemes protect against?
14. What is weathering? 42. What is hard engineering?
15. What is chemical weathering? Name an example. 43. What is a sea wall? How does it reduce erosion?
16. What is mechanical weathering? Name an example. 44. What is an advantage of a sea wall?
17. What is freeze-thaw weathering? 45. What is a disadvantage of a sea wall?
18. What is transportation? 46. What is a rock armour? How does it reduce erosion?
19. What is suspension? 47. What is an advantage of rock armour?
20. What is saltation? 48. What is a disadvantage of rock armour?
21. What is traction? 49. What are groynes? How do they reduce erosion?
50. What is an advantage of groynes? 4. Draw a series of annotated diagrams to explain the formation of
51. What is a disadvantage of groynes? headlands and bays.
52. What is soft engineering? 5. List the advantages and disadvantages of each type of hard and
53. What is beach nourishment? How does it reduce erosion?
soft engineering in a table.
54. What is an advantage of beach nourishment?
55. What is a disadvantage of beach nourishment? Think it!
56. What is managed retreat (realignment)? How does it reduce erosion?
57. What is an advantage of managed retreat?
Complete these questions to deepen your
58. What is a disadvantage of managed retreat? understanding:
59. Why did Lyme Regis need a coastal protection scheme? 1. Is hard or soft engineering the most effective approach to
60. What hard and soft engineering strategies were used to protect Lyme
protecting the coastline from natural processes?
Regis?
2. How might climate change affect coastal processes and
61. How has the Lyme Regis scheme been successful?
landforms?
62. What have been the limitations and issues of the Lyme Regis scheme?

Grasp it!
Complete these activities to apply your
knowledge:
1. Draw annotated diagrams to compare the characteristics of
constructive and destructive waves.
2. Make a set of flash cards for the processes of weathering,
erosion, transportation, and mass movements.
3. Draw a simple diagram (flowchart) to explain how weathering,
erosion, mass movements, and deposition combine to shape
the coastline.
 Glacial processes Glacial erosional landforms
Formation of a corrie
The last glacial (cold period) in the UK finished around 11,500 years ago. How a corrie forms and changes over time
At its maximum extent, an ice sheet covered the north of the UK.
In the northern hemisphere, snow accumulates in a north-facing hollow on the side of a mountain.
A glacier is a large mass of dense ice that is constantly moving.
The snow doesn't melt in the summer because it is cooler at higher altitudes and sheltered from sunlight.
A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds ablation (melting) over many years; as the snow is
compressed by the layer above, air is squeezed out, forming dense ice. Every winter, more snow collects in the hollow; the snow below becomes compacted by the layers above, and the
air is squeezed out forming ice, which creates a glacier.
How glaciers move As the glacier grows in size it gets heavier and begins to moves downhill out of the hollow in a circular motion
called rotational slip.
Rotational slip Basal slip The back wall of the hollow gets steeper due to freeze-thaw weathering and plucking.
Weathering processes
The base of the hollow becomes deeper due to abrasion.
Although ice is a solid, glaciers can slowly deform and In the summer, meltwater forms between the base of
move downhill in a circular motion. the glacier and the rocks underneath reducing the Because Freeze-thaw
there is lessweathering
erosion at is
thethe main
front ofweathering
the hollow process. In the
a corrie lip summermoraine
is formed; water flows
is deposited here when the
friction between them, allowing the glacier to slide into after
ice melts; cracksthein glacier
the rocks,
has during
meltedwinter
a lake the
formswater freezes
in the expanding
hollow; the rock.
this is called Thislake or tarn.
a corrie
downhill. freezing and thawing process happens daily but is more intense freezing is seasonal.
Freeze-thaw is important process inAretes glacial and pyramidal peaks
environments:
• This helps to shape the jagged mountain landscape
How glaciers erode Glaciated valley landforms An arete• is Rocks
a long,are
very narrow (‘knife-edge’)
weakened, so erosion takesridgeplace
which separates two corries.
quicker
•
They form Piles of
when angular,
erosion andbroken rock called
weathering of theSCREE
steepcollect at the
back walls of foot of the mountains,
two back-to-back corries narrows the gap
Abrasion Plucking
between them. which helps erode quicker when trapped underneath a moving glacier
As a glacier moves downhill, rocks that have been When meltwater freezes beneath a glacier and sticks When three or more corries develop on a mountain, glacial erosion and weathering creates a pyramidal peak.
frozen into its base and sides scrape against the rock its base to the rocky surface below, the movement of
leaving scratches called striations. the glacier downhill ‘plucks’ rocks away from the Glaciated valley landforms
This has a ‘sandpapering effect’. surface.
A glacial trough is a U-shaped valley with steep sides, and a wide and flat-bottomed base.
Most glacial troughs begin as winding V-shaped river valleys because glaciers usually follow the easiest route down
Freeze-thaw weathering a mountain, which is often an old river valley.
Occurs in cold climates where temperatures fluctuate around freezing point and where rocks have many cracks. As the glacier moves downhill it erodes everything in its path through abrasion and plucking creating a wider,
deeper, and straighter U-shaped valley.
Water enters cracks during the warmer day. During the colder night it freezes, expanding as it turns into ice,
exerting enormous pressure on the surrounding rock, causing angular pieces called scree to break off. Interlocking spurs which were created by the river are eroded to create steep-sided truncated spurs.
Hanging valleys form when a smaller tributary glacier joins a larger valley glacier.
How glaciers transport sediment Because its valley is not as deep as the main one, its base is at a higher in elevation than the main glacier's base.
Different types of moraine When the glaciers eventually melt and retreat, the valley eroded by the smaller glacier is ‘left hanging’ - the floor of
Bulldozing - as the glacier moves downhill it pushes loose material ahead of its snout (end).
its valley is high above above the main glacier’s valley.
Moraine - any eroded or weathered material transported on, under, or at the side by the ice.
Waterfalls often form at this point when rivers begin flow through the glacier valleys.
Lateral moraine Terminal moraine Medial moraine Ribbon lakes are long narrow lakes that form in the the glacial trough after the glacier has melted and retreated.

Forms at the edge of the glacier, Material deposited at the snout Material deposited in the Glacial deposition landforms
mostly scree material that has fallen (end) of the glacier when the middle of the glacier when
due to freeze-thaw weathering, where glacier melts and retreats. the lateral moraines of two Glaciers transport weathered and eroded material called moraine, from upland to lowland areas, on top, below, at
the material is pushed to the sides of glaciers meet and merge. the side, or within the ice.
the valley. When deposited by the melting ice, this sediment can form a blanket of material up to several metres thick.
Glacial till - as the snout (end) of the glacier retreats it leaves behind a bed of broken rock fragments called till; this
Drumlins consists of (coarse) larger jagged unsorted rocks of all sizes.
Glacial outwash - ahead of the glacier, meltwater stream transport and then deposit fine (smaller) sediment.
The deposited material is sorted; the heavier particles of sand and gravel are deposited in the glaciated valley, with
the lighter particles such as clay, are deposited much further away from the glacier in the outwash plain.

Erratics are large boulders that have been transported by glaciers away from their area of origin and then
deposited when the ice melted in an area of different rock types.
Glacial outwash Drumlins are mounds of deposited sand and gravel (moraine) approximately 10 metres high and hundreds of
metres long ,with a steep side (stoss end) and a more-gently sloping side (lee slope).
Because they are often found in clusters on the floor of a glacial trough, they are sometimes described as having a
Unit 1c 'basket of eggs' topography because of the unusual landscape they create.
They are formed by moraine being deposited because of an obstruction to the glacier’s flow which slows its

Glacial till
Glacial Landscapes in the UK movement by friction.
The flow of the glacier over this deposited material then shapes it into the distinctive shape of a drumlin.
 Economic opportunities and conflict in the UK’s glacial landscapes areas in the UK Case study: Tourism in the Lake District National Park, England
Economic opportunities occur when the environment provides the potential for activities that create jobs and produce wealth. The Lake District National park has a population of 40,000 and is visited by 20 million tourists every year.
Conflict occurs when different groups of people disagree about how a resource or landscape should be used. Physical attractions - lakes (e.g. Windermere) for watersports, fishing and cruises, mountains (e.g. Scafell Pike) for hiking and mountain biking.
Conservation prevents the wasteful use of a resource, including protecting them from harmful development. Cultural attractions - National Trust properties (e.g. Hill Top Farm where Beatrix Potter lived), scenic towns and villages (e.g. Ambleside) for shopping and eating and drinking.

Economic opportunities Positive impacts of tourism:

Tourism in the Lake District supports 18,500 jobs*, and visitors spend £1.5 billion every year.
Farming Quarrying Tourism provides jobs directly, for example in in hotels and other accommodation, restaurants, visitor attractions, and leisure facilities.
Upland areas have a cool and wet climate with steep slopes, and glacial Upland areas have resistant, hard rocks which are Tourism also creates a multiplier effect, creating other jobs indirectly, for example in shops, offices, and banks.
erosion left thin, acidic soils with little vegetation other than grass which extracted for the construction and chemical industries. Workers pay taxes which are used by local and national government to provide essential services such as education, healthcare, and public transport.
cannot be used for arable (crop) farming. Used for sheep grazing. Lowland areas have sand and gravel deposited by *However, many of these jobs are low-paid and seasonal; also, some places are very dependent on tourism for employment, with over half of all jobs being linked with tourism; this can
Lowland areas have till deposited by glaciers which has produced thick, meltwater streams which are extracted for construction. cause high unemployment if tourist numbers decline, for example during COVID.
fertile soils used to grow crops and graze cattle.
Negative impacts of tourism: Management of tourism:
Forestry Tourism Economic and social A policy of providing affordable housing which is priced much lower than the market
Upland areas with poor soils and a cool and wet climate can be used for Upland areas have attractive glaciated scenery which Average house prices are higher because over 20% of homes are second homes; young value and is ONLY for local people has been introduced; to qualify, a person must prove
growing coniferous trees which can be felled to provide timber. attracts visitors for sightseeing and outdoor adventurous people must leave the area because they cannot afford to rent or buy a home. that they have lived or worked in the local area for at least three years.
activities. Environmental Park and ride schemes e.g. the Honister Rambler encourage people to leave their cars
outside the park.
Because 87% of visitors arrive by car, there is seasonal traffic congestion, parking
Conflict problems and air pollution. “Last bin until” message boards have been placed in car parks, town centres, and other
locations to encourage people to leave waste in bins.
Some visitors drop litter; broken glass can lead to cuts on sheep’s feet that.
Wind turbines Tourism The Upland Path Landscape Restoration Project and ‘Fix the Fells’ group have
10 million walkers cause footpath erosion; their footsteps compact the soil and trample
Upland areas are very windy, and turbines can be used to produce Tourism creates employment and a multiplier effect. maintained and repaired footpaths using stone pitching.
vegetation, reduced the permeability of the soil, causing soil erosion as rain flows over
renewable energy. However, large numbers of visitors can cause traffic congestion, the ground surface because it cannot infiltrate into the soil.
However, they have a negative visual impact on the landscape, and visitors purchasing second homes increase house prices.
and can reduce house prices. Case study: Glenridding zip-wire, Lake District, England. Recognising glacial landforms on Ordnance Survey maps and photographs
Case study: Kirkstone Pass, Lake District, England. In 2014, Treetop Trek, an adventurous activities company proposed
In 2011, the Lake District National Park Authority granted planning installing 4 zip-wires above Glenridding.
permission for three 16-metre wind turbines to be installed to The scheme was supported by some people because it would
generate electricity for the Kirkstone Pass Inn. create jobs for local people and increased the income of local shops
The proposal was supported by the “Friends of the Lake District” and services.
because it would provide power without air pollution from a However, many groups opposed the proposal because it would
diesel generator, and would reduce the energy costs of the have a negative visual impact on the landscape and increase traffic
business, securing jobs. congestion.
Other people objected to the scheme because of the negative Treetop Trek withdrew their proposal because of the objections.
visual impact on the landscape of the turbines.

Corrie

Truncated
spur
Hanging
valley
Pyramidal Peak
Glacial trough Corrie
Arete Arete
U-shaped valley

Ribbon lake

Tarn

Drumlin
 Glacial deposition: erratics and drumlins Ice ages, ice sheets, glaciers, glacials, and interglacials Processes of erosion
Glacial deposition:
types of moraine

Glacial
Landscapes in Weathering processes
Glacial deposition: till, meltwater streams, and outwash
the UK:
Glacial transportation processes Erosional landforms: corries and tarns
Processes and
landforms

Erosional landforms: truncated

spurs, and hanging valleys Erosional landforms: glacial troughs and ribbon lakes Erosional landforms: Pyramidal Peaks and Aretes
Managing the negative Managing the negative environmental impact of Opportunities for economic activities in Why conflict
environmental impacts footpath erosion glaciated upland areas occurs in
of traffic congestion glaciated upland
and litter areas

Glacial
The negative environmental impacts of tourism Landscapes in Conflict case study: wind farms in the Lake District
the UK: conflict
Managing the negative social and economic impacts of tourism Tourism in the Lake District facts and figures
and
management

The negative social impacts of The positive economic impacts of tourism in the Cultural and historical attractions of Physical attractions of the
tourism in the Lake District Lake District the Lake District Lake District for tourists
 26. What is bulldozing?
Know it! 27. When does material get deposited by a glacier?
Answer these questions to test your knowledge: 28. What is moraine?
1. What is a glacier? 29. What is lateral moraine?
2. What is a glacial? 30. Describe the location of lateral moraine.
3. How much of the UK was covered by the ice sheet at the end of the 31. Explain the formation of lateral moraine.
last glacial 20,000 years ago? 32. What is medial moraine?
4. How does snow accumulate to become ice? 33. Describe the location of medial moraine.
5. Why do glaciers move downhill? 34. Explain the formation of medial moraine.
6. Describe the erosion process of plucking. 35. What is terminal moraine?
7. Describe the erosion process of abrasion. 36. Describe the location of terminal moraine.
8. Describe how a glacier moves by the process of rotational slip. 37. Explain the formation of terminal moraine.
9. Describe the freeze-thaw weathering process. 38. What is ground moraine?
10. Describe the shape of a corrie. 39. Describe the location of ground moraine.
11. Explain how a corrie forms. 40. Explain the formation of ground moraine.
12. What is a tarn? 41. What is a drumlin?
13. Describe the shape of an arete.
42. Describe the shape of a drumlin.
14. Explain how an arete forms. 43. Explain the shape of a drumlin.
15. Describe the shape of a pyramidal peak. 44. What is an erratic?
16. Explain how a pyramidal peak forms. 45. Explain the location of an erratic.
17. Describe the shape of a glacial trough. 46. How can you identify that a rock is an erratic?
18. Explain how a glacial trough forms. 47. What is outwash and what is it deposited by?
19. Describe the location and shape of a truncated spur. 48. What is the difference between till and outwash?
20. Explain how a truncated spur forms.
21. Describe the shape and location of a hanging valley.
22. Explain how a hanging valley forms. Glacial landscapes in the UK:
23. Describe the shape and location of a ribbon lake.
24. Explain how a ribbon lake forms. Processes and landforms
25. What is glacial till and what is it deposited by?
Grasp it! Think it!
Complete these activities to apply your knowledge: Complete this question to deepen your understanding:
1. Make a set of flashcards to test your knowledge of glacial landforms 1. The glacial system consists of inputs of energy and matter, processes,
(erosional and depositional). On one side of the card draw (or print a and outputs of energy and matter. Use a systems approach to explain
photograph or diagram of) the landform and on the other side write its the formation of a corrie.
name.
2. Find named examples of glacial landforms from the Lake District
National Park.
3. Make a set of flashcards to test your knowledge of glacial processes -
weathering, erosion, transportation, and deposition.

Glacial landscapes in the UK:

Processes and landforms
 24. Why was the site a suitable location for the proposed scheme?
Know it! 25. What were the possible benefits of the scheme?
Answer these questions to test your knowledge: 26. What were the disadvantages of the scheme?
1. What is economic activity? 27. Which stakeholders supported the scheme?
2. Why are glaciated upland areas unsuitable for arable farming? 28. Which stakeholders opposed the scheme?
3. Why can glaciated upland areas be used for sheep farming? 29. What is a National Park?
4. Why are glaciated lowland areas suitable for arable farming? 30. What are the two goals (roles) of National Parks, and how do they
5. Why are glaciated upland areas suitable for forestry? create conflict?
6. What is quarrying? 31. Describe the location of the Lake District National Park (LDNP).
7. Why are glaciated upland areas suitable for quarrying? 32. How many people live in the LDNP?
8. Why are glaciated lowland areas suitable for quarrying? 33. How many tourists visit the LDNP every year?
9. Why are glaciated upland areas suitable for tourism? 34. What is a honeypot site? Name an example in the LDNP.
10. What activities are available for tourists at Aviemore in the Cairngorm 35. What are the physical attractions of the LDNP for tourists?
Mountains in Scotland? 36. What activities do these physical attractions allow visitors to do?
11. What is conflict? 37. What are the cultural and historical attractions of the LDNP for tourists?
12. What is conservation? 38. What activities do these cultural and historical attractions allow visitors
13. How can quarrying cause conflict with other activities? to do?
14. How can tourism cause conflict with other activities and groups of 39. How much do tourists to the LDNP spend every year?
people? 40. How many jobs does tourism to the LDNP support?
15. How can water storage in reservoirs cause conflict with other 41. What types of jobs does tourism directly support?
activities? 42. What types of jobs does tourism indirectly support?
16. Why is the Lake District a suitable location for wind farms? 43. Why might the jobs supported by tourism be considered an ’unreliable’
17. What were built at Kirkstone Pass in 2012? source of employment?
18. What are the benefits of Kirkstone Pass scheme? 44. What is a second (holiday home)?
19. What were the disadvantages of the scheme? 45. How do second (holiday) homes increase average house prices?
20. Which stakeholders supported the scheme? 46. How can a higher proportion of second (holiday) homes cause local
21. Which stakeholders opposed the scheme?
22. In 2014 the UK company ‘Treetop Trek’ put forward a proposal to
construct what above Glenridding in Patterdale, in the Lake District?
Glacial landscapes in the UK:
23. Was the proposal accepted or rejected? Economic activities, conflict, tourism, and its management
 businesses to close?
Grasp it!
47. How can a higher proportion of second (holiday) homes cause local
young people to move away from the area (out-migration)? Complete these activities to apply your knowledge:
48. What is affordable housing, and who qualifies for it in the LDNP? 1. Draw a mind map to summarise the positive and negative impacts of
tourism to the Lake District National Park. Categorise the impacts as
49. How does affordable housing support local businesses?
social, economic, and environmental.
50. How does affordable housing reduce the number of young people who 2. Make a set of flashcards to test your knowledge of the negative impacts
leave the area? of tourism and the planning solutions to tackle them.
51. How can litter be harmful to wildlife? 3. Make a set of flashcards to test your knowledge of the opportunities
52. How does introducing “last bin until” message boards in car parks, and and conflict found in glaciated upland and lowland areas.
other locations reduce the amount of litter dropped by tourists?
53. How can traffic cause economic problems?
54. What issues are caused by badly parked vehicles? Think it!
55. How can traffic affect human health? Complete these questions to deepen your understanding:
56. How can traffic affect wildlife? 1. To what extent are the opportunities created by glaciated upland areas
57. What is a park and ride scheme? compatible with each other?
58. How does a park and ride scheme reduce traffic in the park? 2. Do the advantages of tourism to the Lake District National Park
outweigh the disadvantages?
59. How do walkers cause footpath erosion?
3. Can tourism to glaciated upland areas ever be made sustainable?
60. What is a deep ditch that has been cut into the ground by
water running over the surface called?
61. Who are Fix the Fells?
62. How does ‘pigeon-holing’ repair damage to footpaths?
63. What is stone pitching?
64. What is sheep fleece path repair?
65. Why is sheep fleece path used to repair footpaths in boggy are-

Glacial landscapes in the UK:

Economic activities, conflict, tourism, and its management
AQA GCSE Geography
Paper 1 Living with the physical environment
revision flash cards
Making your flash cards
Write the question on one side of the flash card, and the answer on the other side.

Using your flash cards

Use spaced repetition to memorise your flash cards.

Test yourself multiple times, at intervals that depend on how well you remember the answers to the
questions.

An easy way to use spaced repetition is to sort your flash cards into three piles as you revise:

• I am confident answering this question.

• I am not sure about the answer to this question.
• I don’t know the answer to this question.
You should retest yourself most often with the questions that you did not know the answer to; this
could be daily.

You could read the relevant sections of your notes or knowledge organiser before you retest yourself.

You should retest yourself least often with the questions that you are confident answering; perhaps
only once a month - just often enough for you not to forget them!

When you become more confident answering a question, remember to move it to one of the other
two piles.

Over time, your ‘confident’ pile should grow, and your ‘don’t know’ pile should shrink (or even
disappear).
Section A: The challenge of natural hazards
Natural hazards and tectonic hazards
What is a natural hazard?
A natural event that threatens human life and property.
What is a natural disaster?
A natural event that kills people and/or damages property.
What are atmospheric hazards?
Natural hazards caused by processes that occur in the atmosphere, e.g. tropical storms and flooding.
What are tectonic hazards?
Natural hazards caused by the movement of tectonic plates, e.g. volcanoes, earthquakes, and
tsunamis.
What factors affect hazard risk?

What are the four layers that make up the structure of the Earth?

Inner core, outer core, mantle, and crust.

What is another name for a plate boundary?

Plate margin.

In what direction are plates moving in at a constructive plate boundary?

Apart.

In what direction are plates moving in at a collision plate boundary?

Towards each other.

In what direction are plates moving in at a destructive plate boundary?

Towards each other; the denser oceanic crust sinks under the less dense continental crust.

Why do volcanoes form at a destructive plate boundary?

The denser oceanic crust sinks under the less dense continental crust, in a process called subduction.

The heat of the mantle causes the subducting plate to melt, forming magma that is less dense than
the surrounding rock.

The magma rises to the surface to form explosive stratovolcanoes.

What are four volcanic hazards?

Lava flows, lahars, ash, and pyroclastic flows.

In what direction are plates moving in at a conservative plate boundary?

Sliding past each other.

Why do earthquakes happen at plate boundaries?

The friction between the plates causes the fault to lock and strain slowly builds up until the fault
slips.

The stored elastic energy is suddenly released in the form of seismic waves - an earthquake.

What is the epicentre of an earthquake?

The point on the surface directly above where the earthquake starts underground, where the
shaking is worst.

What are primary impacts (effects) of natural disasters?

Impacts that happen as a direct result of the hazard, e.g. the ground shaking in an earthquake.

What is an example of a primary impact of an earthquake?

People’s homes are destroyed by the ground shaking.

What are secondary impacts (effects) of natural disasters?

Impacts that happen because of the primary impacts.

What is an example of a secondary impact of an earthquake?

Homeless people are relocated to temporary evacuation centres where disease outbreaks such as
cholera occur.

What is the purpose of immediate responses to natural disasters?

To save lives.

What is an example of an immediate response to a natural disaster?

Emergency shelter, food, water, and medicine.

What is the purpose of long-term responses to natural disasters?

To restore people’s quality of life and standard of living.

What are examples of long-term responses to a natural disaster?

Rebuilding people’s homes and repairing infrastructure.

What is infrastructure?

Roads and railways, water, electricity, and sewerage systems, and telecommunications.

What scale is used to measure the magnitude (size) of an earthquake?

The Richter Scale.

What was the magnitude of the 2010 Chile earthquake?

8.8.

How many people were killed in the 2010 Chile earthquake?

500.

What was the magnitude of the 2015 Nepal earthquake?

7.9.

How many people were killed in the 2015 Nepal earthquake?

9,000.

At what level of economic development is Chile?

A NEE.

At what level of economic development is Nepal?

A LIC.

What was secondary hazard of the Chile earthquake?

A tsunami.

What were secondary hazards of the Nepal earthquake?

Avalanches and landslide.

Why were buildings more likely to collapse during the Nepal earthquake?

In Nepal building codes were not enforced and poor-quality construction materials were used in
urban slums.

Why were buildings less likely to collapse during the Chile earthquake?

In Chile public buildings were designed with anti-earthquake technology, e.g. base-isolation systems.

Why were the immediate responses to the Nepal earthquake less effective?

The emergency services were less well equipped and trained.

What was a challenge that delayed the immediate response to the Nepal earthquake?

Help to remote communities was delayed because roads were blocked by landslides.

Why were the immediate responses to the Chile earthquake more effective?

Search and rescue teams used technology like FINDER to save people trapped in rubble.

What is FINDER?

Finding Individuals for Disaster Emergency Response; a microwave radar sensor used by search and
rescue teams to find survivors trapped in collapsed buildings by remotely detecting their heartbeat
and breathing.

What was a challenge that delayed the immediate response to the Chile earthquake?

Help to remote communities was delayed because roads were blocked by debris from the tsunami.

Why were the long-term responses to the Nepal earthquake less effective?

The government had less money which slowed down the process of clearing debris and rebuilding.

Why were the long-term responses to the Chile earthquake more effective?

The government had more money which sped up the process of clearing debris and rebuilding.
How did poverty cause the impacts of the Nepal earthquake to be more severe?

Many people were living in areas of very high population density in urban slums in Kathmandu.

Poor people could not afford to insure their home or property and had no savings to rebuild their
homes or replace their possessions.

What other factors explain why the impacts of an earthquake vary?

A larger magnitude earthquake does more damage.

A shallower earthquake does more damage.

An earthquake with an epicentre closer to a large city does more damage.

Which tectonic hazard cannot be predicted?

Earthquakes: geologists can only produce what are their best guesses in hazard maps where they
calculate the percentage probability of an earthquake occurring within a timeframe of several years.

How can the faults that cause earthquakes be monitored?

Satellites can be used to measure how much a fault is moving.

When a fault stops ‘creeping’ strain will accumulate, increasing the risk of an earthquake.

How can planning reduce the risk from an earthquake?

Earthquake hazard maps predict how much the ground is expected to shake during an earthquake.

These maps are used to establish building codes – laws specifying how buildings are designed and
built to survive the magnitude of earthquake predicted to occur in that place.

How can buildings in HICs and NEEs be designed to reduce the risk from an earthquake?

Some buildings have seismic dampers which act like shock-absorbers for a building, reducing damage
by decreasing vibrations.

How can buildings in LICs be designed to reduce the risk from an earthquake?

Bamboo is a low-cost, strong, and flexible building material which will bend rather than break when
shaken in an earthquake.

How can volcanoes be monitored?

Scientists can measure changes to the amount of sulphur dioxide gas that is released.

An increase can be a warning sign that an eruption may occur soon.

How can planning reduce the risk from volcanoes?

Volcanic hazard maps predict the area expected to be affected by lava flows, ash fall, pyroclastic
flows, and lahars.

No new development should be allowed in the areas at risk from these hazards.

How can buildings be designed to reduce the risk from volcanoes?

Steeply pitched roofs cause volcanic ash to fall to the ground instead of accumulating on the roof,
making the building less likely to collapse.

Why do people continue to live in Hawaii despite the risk from volcanic hazards?

Volcanic lava breaks down quickly in the hot, wet tropical climate to produce fertile soil which is
perfect for growing crops such as pineapple.

This increases the profits of farmers.

Why do people continue to live in Iceland despite the risk from volcanic hazards?

Geothermal power provides electricity that is cheap and almost pollution-free.

This reduces business costs and makes heating homes less expensive.

Why do people continue to live close to Yellowstone National Park despite the risk from volcanic
hazards?

Geysers such as Old Faithful are major tourist attractions.

People live in the area because there are many jobs available providing tourists with goods and
services.

Weather hazards: tropical storms

What is the name given to tropical storms in the Atlantic and north-east Pacific oceans?

Hurricanes.

What is the name given to tropical storms in the Indian Ocean?

Cyclones.

What is the name given to tropical storms in East Asia?

Typhoons.

What is the name of the part of the global atmospheric circulation where tropical storms form?

The Hadley Cell.

In the Hadley Cell, what happens to air at the Equator?

The trade winds converge (blow towards each other) causing air to rise and cool, forming clouds and
heavy rainfall that create tropical rainforests.

In the Hadley Cell, what happens to air at 30⁰ north and south of the Equator?

It sinks and warms, causing clear skies and low rainfall that creates hot deserts.

What is the minimum sea-surface temperature required for the formation of tropical storms?

26-27⁰C.

Why is a warm ocean required for the formation of a tropical storm?

Air is warmed causing it to rise, creating an area of low pressure.

Water is evaporated which then condenses as the air rises to form clouds and rain.

Why do tropical storms have high wind speeds?

Air is quickly drawn ‘sucked’ into the centre of the storm to replace the rising air.

How does the Coriolis Effect affect the air being drawn into the centre of the storm?

It causes the air to spin (rotate) around it, ant-clockwise in the northern hemisphere?

What is the name of the cloud-free area at the centre of the tropical storm, caused by sinking cool
air?

The eye.

Where in the tropical storm does the heaviest rainfall occur?

The eye wall.

What surrounds the eye in the centre of the tropical storm?

Spiral bands of rain from towering cumulonimbus clouds.

What happens when tropical storms make landfall (they pass over land)?

They begin to weaken (dissipate) because they lose their source of energy and moisture, the warm
ocean.

Why do tropical storms not form far beyond the tropics?

The water is too cold.

What are the three hazards associated with tropical storms?

High wind speeds, heavy rainfall, and storm surges.

What is a storm surge?

A flood caused by a temporary rise of sea level because the tropical storm’s rotating winds push on
the ocean's surface, forcing it upwards.

What is the name of the scale used to measure the severity of a tropical storm from 1 to 5?

The Saffir-Simpson scale.

What is the name of the path taken by a tropical storm?

Track.

Where did Typhoon Haiyan cause most damage in 2013?

The Philippines in South-East Asia.

What was the intensity of Typhoon Haiyan?

Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale.

Wind speeds over 300 kilometres per hour, 5-metre-high storm surge, over 280 mm of rainfall in
under 12 hours.

How many people were killed by Typhoon Haiyan?

More than 7,000.

What was the total cost of the damage caused by Typhoon Haiyan?

$5.8 billion.

How did Typhoon Haiyan have an impact on the economy of the Philippines?

Rice, corn, and sugar crops were damaged by winds.

The city of Tacloban's airport was severely damaged by winds.

Over 30,000 fishing boats were destroyed by the storm surge.

How did Typhoon Haiyan have an impact on the environment with the Philippines?

Thousands of trees were uprooted by winds and 71,000 hectares of farmland was flooded by from
the storm surge.

What was an immediate response to Typhoon Haiyan?

Foreign governments provided emergency aid – water, food, tents for shelter, and medicine.

What was a long-term response to Typhoon Haiyan?

The charity Oxfam replaced lost fishing boats, allowing people to return to work and to obtain food.

How have the effects of tropical storms been reduced by prediction in the USA?

Meteorologists at the National Hurricane Centre use satellites to monitor the movement of a tropical
storm to predict where it will make landfall allowing warnings to be issued and people evacuated to
higher ground inland away from low-lying coastal areas at risk from storm surge flooding.

How have the effects of tropical storms been reduced by protection in Galveston, Texas?

A 5-metre-high, 5-kilometre-long sea wall has been built to prevent storm surge flooding.

How have the effects of tropical storms been reduced by protection in Bangladesh?

Over 2,000 cyclone shelters have been built on higher ground; they have stilts to protect people
against storm surges and are constructed from concrete with shutters over the windows to protect
against high wind speeds.

How have the effects of tropical storms been reduced by planning in the USA?

An annual National Hurricane Preparedness Week educates the public about the hazards associated
with tropical storms and encourages people to make their own evacuation plan if a Hurricane
Warning is issued.

How might climate change affect the frequency of tropical storms?

The frequency of tropical storms is not expected to change.

How might climate change affect the intensity (severity) of tropical storms?
Intensity will increase (+20% rainfall, +10% wind speeds) because higher sea-surface temperatures
will provide more energy for tropical storms.

Also, sea-level rise will allow storm surge flooding to reach further inland.

How might climate change affect the distribution of tropical storms?

Higher sea-surface temperatures in oceans further from the tropics will allow tropical storms to
develop.

This will mean that the distribution of tropical storms will extend beyond the tropics to the mid-
latitudes.

Weather hazards: weather hazards in the UK

What is weather?
The day-to-day state of the atmosphere.
What is climate?
Is the long-term (usually 30 years) average weather for a place.
What is extreme weather?
Weather that is unusual because it is outside of the normal range (climate) for that place, for
example in the UK, snow in July.
What is an air mass?
A large body of air that creates distinctive weather conditions.
What weather does a depression (low pressure) bring to the UK?
Rain, strong winds, mild temperatures.
What weather does an anticyclone (high pressure) bring to the UK in summer?
Clear skies, light winds, high temperatures.
What weather does an anticyclone (high pressure) bring to the UK in winter?
Clear skies, light winds, low temperatures.
Why is the west of the UK wetter than the east?
Because it has mountains that cause relief rainfall.
The prevailing south-westerly winds bring moisture from the Atlantic Ocean, and are forced
to rise over the mountains.
As the air rises it cools, causing condensation to form clouds and rain.
The east of the UK is in the rain shadow of the mountains of the west.
The air is dry because most of its moisture fell as rainfall on the west.
What causes convectional rainfall?
The ground is heated by the Sun.
The ground heats the air making it less dense.
The air rises, cools and condensation forms clouds and rainfall.
What causes frontal rainfall?
Warm air meets cool air at a front (a boundary between two air masses).
The cooler air is denser than the warm air and sinks.
The warmer air rises, cools and condensation forms clouds and rainfall.
What types of cloud produces thunderstorms?
Cumulonimbus.
What weather hazards are associated with thunderstorms?
Lightning, heavy rainfall, and hail.
How does lightning affect people?
When lightning strikes a building, it can cause a power surge which damages electrical
equipment that is plugged in to wall sockets.
How does heavy rainfall cause flooding?
The soil becomes saturated.
Rainfall cannot infiltrate into the soil and instead quickly flows to the river as surface runoff.
The river’s discharge increases until water spills out of the channel on to its floodplain.
How does hail affect people?
It damages crops, reducing the availability of food, increasing their prices.
What air mass can bring very hot weather (a heatwave) to the UK in summer?
Tropical continental (from the continent of Europe).
What is a heatwave?
At least three days with abnormally high temperatures.
How does a heatwave affect people?
Negative impacts on human health, including heat exhaustion, heat stroke, and death,
particularly in people with existing health problems.
What is a drought?
A prolonged period without rainfall.
How does a drought affect people?
The amount of water stored in reservoirs is reduced, creating water shortages, which makes
it necessary to introduce hosepipe band to conserve water.
Vegetation dies, becoming fuel for wildfires.
What air mass commonly brings snow to the UK in winter?
Arctic Maritime (from the oceans to the north of the UK).
How does heavy snow affect people?
Roads become blocked by snow drifts, causing long delays.
Sheep can be buried in deep snow causing them to die from hypothermia.
How do icy conditions affect people?
Driving conditions are made dangerous by ice on roads, increasing the risk of accidents and
injuries.
How do high wind speeds create a hazard?
Electrical power lines are damaged, causing power cuts.
The roofs of buildings are damaged.
Trees are uprooted.
What are the Somerset levels?
A large area of low-lying farmland and wetlands in Somerset in the south-west of England.
How much rainfall fell in In January and February 2014?
350 mm.
How did the heavy rainfall cause the 2014 floods?
The soil became saturated.
Rainfall could not infiltrate into the soil and instead quickly flowed to the river Parrett as
surface runoff.
The river’s discharge increased until wat spilled out of the channel on to its floodplain.
What human factors made the flooding worse?
The rivers had not been dredged for 20 years.
Sediment (silt) deposited by the river had slowly been accumulating on the bed of the
channel.
This reduced the capacity of the river channel.
A lower discharge was required for the river to flood.
What is dredging?
The removal of silt from river channels by diggers or pumps to increase their depth and
capacity, to reduce the risk of flooding.
What were some of the social impacts of the flooding?
290 houses and 16 farms were flooded, and the people evacuated to temporary
accommodation where they remained for months.
Hundreds of people lost their electricity supply (lighting, heating, etc).
What were some economic impacts of the flooding?
Local roads were flooded, preventing people from reaching local businesses, reducing their
income.
Insurance premiums increased because so many claims had been made.
What was an environmental impact of the flooding?
Floodwaters were heavily contaminated by sewage and other pollutants including oil and
chemicals, causing soil and water pollution.
What were some immediate responses to the flooding?
South Somerset District Council distributed sandbags to people to protect their property
from the floodwater.
Police and other emergency services evacuated people requiring assistance, e.g. the elderly
and disabled.
What were some long-term responses to the flooding?
In 2014, 8 km of the River Parrett were dredged to increase their channel capacity.
New pumping stations were built to drain the soils of the Somerset Levels more effectively,
preventing them from becoming saturated, to increase infiltration and reduce surface runoff.
What is a Jet Stream?
A jet stream is a fast-flowing current of air that occurs when warmer air from the south
meets cooler air from the north.
The one that affects weather in the UK is called the Polar Front Jet.
How does the Polar Front Jet Stream affect the UK’s weather?
When the jet stream is north of the UK, it creates high pressure in the atmosphere, making
drier, calmer, and hotter conditions.
When the jet stream is south of the UK, it creates low pressure in the atmosphere, making
wetter, windier and cooler conditions.
How can the changing position of the jet stream cause extreme weather in the UK?
Normally in July, the jet stream is positioned north of the UK.
In July 2012, the jet stream was located much further south than normal.
This meant that the UK’s weather was much cooler and wetter than normal.
Why might climate change cause the UK to have more extreme weather events in the
future?
As temperatures in the UK increase, heatwaves will become more likely.
Warmer temperatures increase the amount of water evaporated from the Earth’s surface
into the atmosphere.
This extra water vapour will then condense to form clouds and larger amounts of rainfall
which will increase the risk of river flooding.

Climate change
What is a glacial?

A cold period.

What is an interglacial?

A warm period.

What is a recent source of evidence for climate change?

Glaciers are retreating as they melt.

How are wider tree rings a source of pre-instrumental evidence for climate change?

Trees grow more during warmer years.

How does the number of sunspots on the surface of the Sun cause natural climate change?

When there are more sunspots solar output increases.

How does the sulphur dioxide from volcanic eruptions that mixes with water in the atmosphere
cause natural climate change?

It creates billions of tiny droplets (aerosols) of sulphuric acid which reflect sunlight, cooling the Earth.

What is the name of the three cycles that combine to affect the amount of energy that the Earth
receives from the Sun, which causes natural climate change?

The Milankovitch Cycles.

What is the name of the natural process caused by some gases in the atmosphere that keeps the
Earth warm?

The greenhouse effect.

Carbon dioxide and methane are greenhouse gases; what is a greenhouse gas?

A gas that causes the greenhouse effect.

What happens to a large proportion of the Sun’s incoming energy (short-wave radiation)?

It passes through the atmosphere and heats the Earth’s surface.

What happens to some of the Earth’s outgoing energy (long-wave radiation)?

It is trapped by greenhouse gases, warming the atmosphere.

Name three fossil fuels.

Coal, oil, and gas.

How do power stations produce carbon dioxide?

Coal is burnt to produce electricity.

How do cars, planes, and boats produce carbon dioxide?

Petrol and diesel are burnt in engines.

How does deforestation produce carbon dioxide?

Trees are burnt to create pastureland for cattle.

What is the current concentration of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere?

420 parts per million.

How does cattle ranching produce methane?

When cows burp.

How do landfill sites produce methane?

When organic waste rots.

By how much has the Earth warmed since 1880?

1.1 degrees centigrade.

How does climate change cause sea level to rise?

Ice sheets and valley glaciers melt, increasing the amount of water in the ocean.

What will be an impact of rising sea level?

Millions of people will be forced to relocate inland to higher ground.

How will climate change reduce food security (a reliable supply of affordable food)?

Hotter temperatures and droughts will reduce crop yields.

How will climate change reduce biodiversity (the range of plant and animal species in a place)?

Ocean acidification and coral bleaching will disrupt the coral reef ecosystem and food web.

What is mitigation?

Reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

What is adaptation?

Preparing for current and expected future climate change to reduce our risks from its harmful
effects.

How do renewable energy sources mitigate climate change?

Less coal is burnt in power stations to supply the demand for electricity.

How does energy conservation mitigate climate change?

Th demand for electricity is reduced so less coal is burnt in power stations.

How does carbon capture and storage mitigate climate change?

Carbon dioxide from a power station that burns coal is captured before it enters the atmospheres
and is stored underground.
How does energy afforestation mitigate climate change?

Photosynthesis stores carbon from the atmosphere in growing trees.

How do international agreements like COP 21 and COP 26 mitigate climate change?

Countries agreed to stop deforestation to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

How do ice stupa allow people to adapt to climate change?

Artificial glaciers are created in winter and slowly melt in summer, providing people with water for
drinking and farming when shortages occur.

How do drought-resistant seeds allow people to adapt to climate change?

The crops require less rainfall to grow to produce a reliable supply of food.

How do sea walls allow people to adapt to climate change?

They protect people from flooding caused by sea level rise.

Section B: The Living World

Ecosystems
What is an ecosystem?
A natural system made up of plants, animals, and the environment.
What is a food chain?
Food chains show the movement of energy and food between different organisms in an ecosystem.
What is a producer?
Plants that change sunlight into food by photosynthesis.
What is a consumer?
An organism that gains energy by eating producers.
Why is energy lost between each (trophic) level of a food chain?
Not all the plant (e.g. roots) or animal (e.g. fur) is consumed.
What is a decomposer?
Bacteria and fungi that break down dead plants (e.g. leaf litter) and animals and return the nutrients
that they contained to the soil.
What is nutrient cycling?
Decomposers breakdown dead leaves releasing nutrients that are absorbed by living plant roots to
produce new leaves.
What ecosystems are found in Sutton Park?
Deciduous woodland and lowland heathland.
What is an example of a producer in a deciduous woodland ecosystem?
Grass.
What is an example of a primary consumer in a deciduous woodland ecosystem?
Rabbit.
What is an example of a secondary consumer in a deciduous woodland ecosystem?
Fox.
What would happen to the food chain if a disease reduced the population of primary consumers?
The population of secondary consumers (foxes) would decrease because there would be less food
(rabbits) available for them.
How is Sutton Park managed?
Grazing by ponies and cows, and tree clearance.
Why is Sutton Park managed?
To prevent the lowland heathland being replaced by deciduous woodland.
How does the management protect the lowland heathland?
Trees create dense shade which prevents the growth of native lowland heathland species.
Without tree cover, more sunlight reaches the ground, allowing many different species of heathland
plants to grow again.

What is the benefit of protecting lowland heathland?

By maintain a larger range of ecosystems and habitats, a wider range of species of insects, birds, and
mammals are attracted than were found in the woodland alone.
What is a biome?
A large-scale natural global ecosystem.
What are the characteristics of the polar biome?
Regions permanently covered by ice surrounding the North Pole (the Arctic) and South Pole
(Antarctic).
What are the characteristics of the tundra biome?
Cold and dry treeless regions found on the edge of polar regions.
What are the characteristics of the boreal forest biome?
Coniferous (evergreen) trees with needles and cones rather than leaves and flowers that are
adapted to survive cold winters.
What are the characteristics of the temperate deciduous woodland biome?
Large seasonal differences in temperature cause trees to shed their leaves before winter.
What are the characteristics of the grassland biome?
Large areas of grasses, flowers and herbs grow in dry regions with cold winters.
What are the characteristics of the hot desert biome?
Regions with very high temperatures and very low rainfall, sandy or rocky soils, and little vegetation.
What are the characteristics of the tropical grassland (savannah) biome?
Regions with a wet and dry season that supports grassland with shrubs and isolated trees.
What are the characteristics of the tropical rainforest biome?
High temperatures and rainfall produce forests of broad-leaved tress that form a continuous canopy.
What is the global atmospheric circulation?
The pattern of movement of air across the planet which occurs in three cells in each hemisphere.
What cell of the global atmospheric circulation occurs between the Equator and latitude 30⁰
north?
The Hadley Cell.
What is the movement of air in the Hadley Cell?
At the Equator, surface winds converge causing air to rise and move poleward.
The rising air sinks at 30⁰ north and moves back towards the Equator.
How is the Hadley Cell linked with the tropical rainforest and hot desert biomes?
The rising air at the Equator creates clouds and rain which produces the tropical rainforest biome.
The sinking air at 30⁰ north creates cloud free skies and very little rainfall which produces the hot
desert biome.

Tropical rainforests
What is the distribution of the world’s tropical rainforests?
Located between 5° north and 5° south of the equator.
What is the annual average rainfall of tropical rainforests?
Over 2,000 mm.
Why do tropical rainforests receive so much rainfall?
At the Equator, the ground is intensely heated by the Sun.
This warms the air above it, making it less dense, causing it to rise.
As the air rises, it cools, forming clouds and rain.
What type of rainfall occurs in tropical rainforests?
Convectional rainfall.
What is the annual average range of temperature of tropical rainforests?
2°C (28-26°C)
Why do tropical rainforests have high temperatures?
Because they are located close to the Equator, they receive a lot of sunlight which warms them.
Why do tropical rainforests have such a small annual range of temperature?
Because they are located close to the Equator, they receive a similar amount of energy all year.
The Sun is directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer in June, and the Tropic of Capricorn in
December; the Equator is located in the middle of the two Tropics.
What is biodiversity?
The number of different plant and animal species found in an ecosystem.
Why do tropical rainforests have very high biodiversity?
The high temperatures and rainfall produce a 12-month growing season providing a lot of food for
consumers.
The vertical layers of the rainforest vegetation provide many different habitats for insects and
animals.
What are the four layers of tropical rainforest vegetation?
Emergents, canopy, under-canopy, and forest floor.
What are emergents?
Trees that grow up to 60 metres high to compete for sunlight above the canopy.
What is the canopy?
The continuous layer of treetops that are normally 20 to 40 metres above the ground.
What is the under-canopy?
A layer with very limited sunlight because of the canopy above.
Seedlings must lie dormant until larger trees die to produce a gap allowing sunlight to reach them so
that they can quickly grow upwards.
What is the forest floor?
A very dark layer where little vegetation can grow.
It is covered by a tree roots and a thick layer of dead leaves.
What are the characteristics of tropical rainforest soils?
They are infertile (with few nutrients).
How are tropical rainforest soils linked to the climate?
Heavy convectional rainfall washes away the nutrients from the soil (leaching) leaving them infertile.
What adaptation by tropical rainforest vegetation can be described as ‘wide bases of trees that
grow tall to compete for sunlight, with shallow roots that increase the amount of nutrients that
can be absorbed by the tree before they are washed away by heavy rainfall’?
Buttress roots.
What adaptation by tropical rainforest vegetation can be described as ‘an elongated leaf tip that
causes rainfall to quickly drip off the leaves preventing the growth of fungus and bacteria in the
warm, wet tropical climate which would reduce photosynthesis, and cause the leaf to rot’?
Drip tips.
How have black spider monkeys adapted to the tropical rainforest climate and vegetation?
The canopy receives lots of sunlight and produces lots of fruits and berries.
Black spider monkeys have evolved a prehensile (gripping) tail that allows them to swing between
the trees of the canopy to collect fruit and berries.
What is deforestation?
The large-scale clearance by cutting or burning of trees.
What is your case study of a tropical rainforest?
Brazil’s Amazon rainforest in South America.
How does subsistence farming cause deforestation?
Trees are cut down and/or burnt (‘slash and burn’) to create land for farms.
Food is grown by indigenous people and poor farmers to feed their families.
How does commercial farming cause deforestation?
Trees are cut down or burnt to create land for growing cash crops in plantations or for grazing cattle.
The crops (e.g. palm oil) and meat (e.g. beef) are sold for profit.
How does logging cause deforestation?
Trees are cut down for timber (wood) for building or for charcoal (for fuel).
How does road building cause deforestation?
Trees are cut down to allow roads to be built.
How does mineral extraction cause deforestation?
Trees are cut down so that resources such as gold and copper can be mined.
How do energy developments cause deforestation?
Dams are built on rivers to create reservoirs which flood large areas of rainforest.
The hydro-electric power stations generate electricity for homes and industry.
How does population growth cause deforestation?
Food is grown and cattle are grazed to feed the country’s growing population.
How does deforestation increase economic development in LICs and NEES?
Logging, mineral extraction, commercial farming, and energy developments create jobs and a
multiplier effect.
Resources are used as raw materials to manufacture products in factories which are sold in the
country and exported.
Resources are exported.
Food is exported.
Hydro-electric power stations supply factories with the electricity.
Why is the rate of deforestation increasing in some countries?
The population is growing which increases the demand for food and energy.
The country is industrialising which increases the demand for resources and energy.
Why is the rate of deforestation decreasing in some countries?
Laws are introduced (or enforced) making deforestation illegal.
How does deforestation cause soil erosion?
When the canopy is removed, rainfall lands directly on the ground rather than being intercepted by
trees.
The soil is washed away by rainfall flowing over the surface towards rivers.
How does deforestation cause climate change?
As they grow by photosynthesis, trees store a massive amount of carbon dioxide in their biomass
(roots, trunk, branches, and leaves).
When trees are burnt, this carbon is released as carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
How does deforestation reduce biodiversity?
The layers of the rainforest are destroyed causing animals to lose their habitats.
When species are lost, the food web is disturbed, and further species are lost.
Why are tropical rainforests valuable to people?
25% of modern medicines contain ingredients from plants and animals found in rainforests.
Why are tropical rainforests valuable to the environment?
As trees grow, photosynthesis removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, regulating the global
climate.
They provide habitats and food for millions of species of plants and animals, protecting the Earth’s
biodiversity.
What is sustainable development of tropical rainforests?
It meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their own needs from the ecosystem.
It provides people with an income, and governments and industries with resources, whilst protecting
the environment from long-term damage.
What is selective logging and replanting?
Older trees are marked for cutting, along with an arrow to indicate the direction of felling which will
avoid most damage to other trees.
Trees are then planted to replace those cut down.
How does selective logging and replanting manage the rainforest sustainably?
Jobs are created and timber is produced.
Because only a small number of high-value trees are cut, the forest canopy is preserved, which
prevents soil erosion and protects biodiversity.
The newly planted trees absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as they grow, mitigating
climate change.
What is conservation and education?
Conservation is the careful use and management of natural resources to protect environments from
the damaging effects of development, e.g. deforestation.
People should be educated about the need to conserve tropical rainforests.
How does education manage the rainforest sustainably?
It makes them more aware of the negative impacts of products that they buy (e.g. food containing
palm oil from tropical plantations), and may encourage them to buy ‘rainforest-friendly’ locally
produced food.
What is ecotourism?
Ecotourism is small-scale responsible tourism in exotic, often threatened, natural environments,
intended to allow visitors to observe wildlife.
How does ecotourism manage the rainforest sustainably?
It creates an alternative source of jobs for local people to development that causes deforestation.
A proportion of its profits are used to support conservation efforts.
The tropical rainforest is protected because without it, there will be no more tourists.
What is the Heart of Borneo scheme?
A conservation agreement signed by the Worldwide Fund for Nature and the governments of Brunei,
Indonesia, and Malaysia in Bali to protect a 220,000 km² forested region on the island of Borneo.
What are international agreements about the use of tropical hardwoods?
The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is an international organisation that allows products sourced
from sustainably managed forests to carry the FSC label.
How do international agreements about the use of tropical hardwoods manage the rainforest
sustainably?
The FSC label allows consumers to choose to buy a product that has not caused tropical rainforest
deforestation.
It is hoped that products without the FSC label will not be bought by consumers, and that this will
encourage suppliers to only buy wood from sustainably managed forests.
What is debt reduction?
Some HICs have reduced the debts owed to them by many LICs and NEEs in return for the setting up
of conservation projects which protect areas of tropical rainforest - ‘debt-for-nature swapping’.
How does debt reduction manage the rainforest sustainably?
To pay back debts many LICs and NEEs have raised money from massive deforestation projects.
If the debt is reduced, there is no need to continue these deforestation projects.

Cold environments
Where is Svalbard located?
It is an archipelago (group of islands) located in the Arctic Ocean.
What biomes are found in Svalbard?
Polar and tundra.
What is precipitation?
Rain and snow.
What is the annual average precipitation of Svalbard?
Less than 400 mm per year.
Why do tundra regions receive so little precipitation?
Cold temperatures cannot evaporate much water.
Most water is frozen as sea ice and permafrost which means that there is little liquid surface water
to be evaporated.
What is the coldest monthly average minimum temperature of Svalbard?
February -21⁰C.
Why do tundra regions have such low minimum temperatures?
Because they are located far from the Equator, they receive less energy from the Sun.
Because there are many white surfaces (snow and ice), a large proportion of sunlight is reflected
away before it can warm the ground.
What is albedo?
The proportion of sunlight reflected by a surface.
Why do tundra regions have very low biodiversity?
Cold temperatures, permafrost, snow cover, and very little sunlight limits plant growth, reducing the
amount of food available for consumers.
What are the characteristics of tundra soils?
They are permanently frozen (permafrost).
How are tundra soils linked to the climate?
The very cold temperatures freeze the soil except for a thin surface layer which briefly thaws during
the short summer (the active layer).
How have polar bears adapted to survive in the polar climate?
They have a thick layer of fat and two layers of dense fur to insulate them from the cold
temperatures.
How has bearberry adapted to survive in the tundra climate?
It grows low to the ground (5-15 cm) to protect it from the damaging effects of the strong, dry
winds.
It is covered by fine hairs that trap a layer of warmer air to protect it from the cold temperatures.
What are the challenges of developing cold environments?
Extremely low temperatures, inaccessibility, and difficulty in providing buildings and infrastructure.

Why are extremely low temperatures a challenge?

People working outside face a high risk of frostbite and hypothermia.
People must dress very warmly, with several layers of expensive technical clothing.
Why is inaccessibility a challenge?
A remote location, with a limited transport network increases the cost of visiting Svalbard or
importing goods and food.
It increases the cost of exporting coal making its price less competitive.
Why is providing buildings and infrastructure a challenge?
The special techniques and equipment that must be used in cold environments increase construction
costs.
Why must roads be built on raised gravel beds?
To reduce heat transfer from vehicles which could thaw the permafrost.
Why must water and sewerage pipes be raised above ground?
They cannot be buried underground because they could thaw the permafrost; they must be located
above ground to prevent melting the permafrost, and heated and insulated to prevent them from
freezing.
Why are many buildings are constructed above ground on pile foundations which extend deep
underground?
To firmly anchor them to prevent them from being damaged by sinking or tilting if the top layer of
permafrost melts.
How does Svalbard’s environment provide opportunities for tourism?
Because it is in the Arctic Circle, the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) are often visible and can be
photographed by tourists.
Its polar climate makes it a habitat for polar bears which can be photographed by visitors on polar
bear ‘safaris’.
What are the challenges that limit Svalbard’s tourism development?
Because of its remote and inaccessible location, travel to Svalbard is more expensive than many
tourists can afford, reducing visitor numbers.
Because no food can be grown on Svalbard it must be imported, making holidays more expensive,
reducing visitor numbers.
How does Svalbard’s environment provide opportunities for energy development?
Its coal reserves have been exploited, creating over 300 jobs.
Because it is located close to the Mid-Atlantic ridge which causes underwater volcanic activity, a
geothermal power station could be constructed to supply electricity to Svalbard, and the surplus
power could be exported to Europe by undersea cable creating jobs and income.
What are the challenges that limit Svalbard’s energy development?
Its coal mines have been closed by the Norwegian government because burning fossil fuels releases
carbon dioxide which causes climate change.
Building a geothermal power station and undersea cables to distribute the electricity would be very
expensive.

How does Svalbard’s environment provide opportunities for fishing?

The warm waters of the North Atlantic Drift ocean current means that the Barents Sea supports
large numbers of Arctic cod.
The cod fisheries create thousands of jobs on trawlers and in fish processing.
What are the challenges that limit Svalbard’s fishing development?
Overfishing threatens the long-term future of the cod fisheries.
What is a wilderness area?
A natural area unaffected by human activity.
Why are cold environments fragile?
Cold temperatures, permafrost, a short growing season, and low precipitation cause plants to grow
very slowly; it can take many years for them to recover from disturbance.
Climate change is already causing the Arctic to warm more quickly than anywhere else; sea ice and
permafrost are melting, and plants and animals are already stressed.
Why should cold environments be protected as wilderness areas?
They are important outdoor laboratories for scientific research investigating the effects of climate
change.
Many indigenous (first-born) people live a traditional life there, e.g. the Inuit who live in Arctic
Alaska, Canada and Greenland survive by hunting and fishing,
Cold environments are home to many birds, animals, and plants such as penguins and polar bears.
Their beauty and potential for adventure activities attract tourists.
They provide opportunities for commercial fishing.
Why should cold environments not be protected as wilderness areas?
They are rich in resources such as oil, minerals, fish, and timber.
New technologies allow cold environments to be exploited with fewer negative environmental
impacts.
How does careless recreation threaten cold environments?
When the active layer of permafrost briefly thaws during the short summer, the ground becomes
waterlogged.
Driving vehicles off-road causes soil erosion and destroys vegetation.
How does oil and gas extraction threaten cold environments?
Oil spills from pipelines and oil tankers cause water pollution which damages ocean ecosystems and
food webs, and kills fish, birds, and mammals, e.g. the Exxon Valdez oil tanker accident, 1989.
How does climate change threaten cold environments?
When sea ice melts, polar bears can no longer hunt seals; they lose body fat which gives them lower
energy reserves and less insulation from the cold, making them more vulnerable to disease.
If the deep layer of permafrost melts lakes disappear because the water can sink into the soil, and
landslides become more common.
Wildfires are becoming more frequent during warmer and drier tundra summers.
How does technology balance the needs of economic development and conservation in cold
environments?
The Trans-Alaskan Pipeline reduces the impact of oil extraction and reduces the risk of oil spills.
The pipeline is raised and insulated to prevent the warm oil from melting the permafrost.
The pipeline is supported on special brackets that allow it to move without breaking when
earthquakes happen; also, the flow of oil stops automatically if there is a leak.
The pipeline is raised to allow caribou to migrate underneath.
How do governments balance the needs of economic development and conservation in cold
environments?
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is a national wildlife refuge in northeastern Alaska,
where the US government has banned all economic development to protect the wilderness.
The ANWR protects the habitats of a large variety of species of plants and animals, such as polar
bears, grizzly bears, black bears, moose, caribou, wolves, and eagles.
How do international agreements balance the needs of economic development and conservation
in cold environments?
Countries that have signed the Antarctic Treaty agree to protect the Antarctic as wilderness.
It protects the Antarctic from environmental damage by prohibiting all harmful economic activities.
How do conservation groups balance the needs of economic development and conservation in
cold environments?
The Worldwide Fund for Nature raises public awareness of the threats to cold environments, and
lobbies governments to set up protected areas to conserve wildlife.