Geography Component 1 - Physical Landscapes

name four types of distinctive landscapes.

* river
* coastal
* lowland
* upland

name four factors that influence UK landscapes.

* land use
* geology
* people and culture
* vegetation

what makes Studland Bay distinctive (culture)?

* an area to be enjoyed, recreational, a place for stress relief
* a place to visit when the weather is good, for a day trip, one weekend break from areas within the SE of England
* an area that is important to protect
* an area for creativity e.g. music videos

what makes Studland Bay distinctive (geology)?

* geology of the area being a mix of hard and soft rock had led to the formation of some distinctive features, namely, Old Harry and his wife (stack and stump)
* big sandybay
* (bigger) headland in South and North
* clay and sand (soft)
* chalk and limestone (hard)
* headlands where rock is hard and doesn’t erode
* bays where rock is soft and does erode

what makes Studland Bay distinctive (land use)?

* in the bay the main land use is tourism and recreation
* car parking
* recreational activities e.g. horse riding stables
* commerce, a small shop and cafe
* national trust education centre in the bay
* further inland the use becomes more varied and there is an oil field

what makes Studland Bay distinctive (vegetation)?

* many types of vegetation can be found, mainly part of a sand dune and heathland ecosystem
* for example, there is a lot of marram grass, which is a pioneer species within a sand dune ecosystem
* marram grass is important as itts roots help bind soil tigether and reduce erosion by waves
* the different vegetation has created many different habitats to support animal species too

What type of landscape is Snowdonia, Llanberis Pass

upland

what makes Snowdonia distinctive (geology)?

* diverse upland landscape shaped by volcanic eruptions and extensive glaciation
* numerous glacial features such as cories, U-shaped vallies and arretes
* mountain range that drops quickly to the sea
* contains the highest mountain in Wales , Snowdon, 1085 m

what makes Snowdonia distinctive (land use)?

* the landscape in many areas has been shaped by slate mining
* large areas of agriculture (mainly pastoral) and forestry
* National Park status - attracts thousands of tourists each year, which has led to the growth of B&Bs, camp sites and other tourist facilities

what makes Snowdonia distinctive (vegetation)?

* diverse range of both plant and animal life due to the varied physical evironments and habitats found
* unique and rare species such as the Snowdon lily and the Snowdon beetle
* large areas of natural mixed deciduous forests including species such as Welsh oak and birch; and planted coniferous trees which are often harvested

what makes Snowdonia distinctive (people and culture)?

* Snowdonia has a rich cultural history with many World Heritage sites including Celtic shrines and fortresses
* Welsh language widely spoken

how are physical landscapes in the UK affected by human activity (Studland Bay)?

* key terms: honeypot site, carrying capacity, visitor pressure
* litter, on a busy day up to 25,000 people
* in dry summer months increased risk of fire as a result of many tourists (BBQs, etc)
* 90% of visitors come by car
* parking spaces are limited, full at 11:00am
* illegal parking
* footpath erosion - a loss of vegetation due to people and animals trampling along countryside or coastal areas

carrying capacity

number of people that a landscape can sustain without creating lasting damage

positives of human activity on the landscape (generally).

* an increase in employment in the tourism industry
* many other indirect jobs see a boost in trade due to tourism e.g. taxi drivers
* am increase in wealth in residents in the local economy (more money flowing)
* tourism jobs help to compensate for the decline of employment in farming and agriculture
* employment keeps young people in the local, rural settlements, which in turn maintains local srvices e.g. schools and shops

negatives of human activity on the landscape (generally).

* seasonal jobs means people aren’t employed all year round
* loss of local shops to gift shops and cafes
* erosion of footpaths and natural land
* traffic and parking problems can lead to conflict with local residents
* tourists buy second homes which increases house prices and locals are forced to move out
* an increase in air pollution, and litter from cars and coaches

overall summary of vistor pros in Studland Bay, Dorset.

* money used to protect the area (environmental)
* old beach huts used for education purposes (environmental)
* employment (social) e.g. in management, 50-60 usually, 120 peak time
* local shops and services make profit (economic)
* money made from car park (economic)

overall summary of vistor cons in Studland Bay, Dorset.

* litter 4 and 1/2 kilos accumulated on a busy weekend left by tourists after a picnic or bbq. this causes visual pollution as well as helping fires to spread quickly in the dunes during the summer months. animals eat litter which puts biodiversity at risk. National Trust have to pay for each kil of litter left behind (expensive)
* pollution - 90% of travellers come by car
* erosion of dunes because people walk on sand dunes, resulting in plants dying and the formation of blowouts in the sand dune
* illegal parking causes congestion
* nudity
* noise pollution
* money needed to repair damage
* some visitors drive cars on the beach and sand dunes. This causes erosion on the beach and destroys plants, such as marram grass, which are vital in stabilising embryo dunes. This effects the succession of the sand dune system
* dogs’ excrement on the beach has a negative effect on the vegetation on the sand dunes. It is not easily broken down and can stay on the surface for a long time.

how can landscapes in the UK be managed (Studland Bay)?

* zoning: safe swimming zones (no boats), kite surfing, naturists, horse riding zoned by time (banned completely in July and August, only after 7pm in May and June), limit to number of bookings taken at a time, affects business, banned during peak times
* BBQ safe zones needed to reduce the risk of fires, especially on marram grass, most of the heat from BBQ goes down, a fire can start 150m away
* roping and replanting - to prevent people from eroding the dunes, helps speed up regenerational process of sealine, dune under stress
* boardwalks - provide access for disabled people/better access to beach + prevent erosion through tramplingin places without grass to keep sand in place. however, expensive as each slab costs £2 not including labour + boards have to be maintained
* fences used to keep visitors on footpaths and to reduce footpath erosion on sensitive, fragile areas of the landscape. this allows vegetation to regrow
* litter and recycling bins - these are placed in different landscapes in order to encourage visitors to dispose of their waste. It is important that they are emptied regularly in order to avoid birds from eating the contents of the bins
* replanting vegetation - replanting vulnerable or sensitive plant species can help repair damage to landscapes. For example, in Ynyslas they plant marram grass in order to encourage the growth of embryo dunes.

why are some coastal communities vulnerable to erosion and flooding?

* age (social)
* health - an ill person is lessly likely able to evcuate from an oncoming hazard (social)
* population density (social)
* education - illiterate people will not be able to read advice given to them to prepare for a flood (social)
* lack of government support (economic)
* wealth - poorer people are less likely to have insurance and will take longer to recover from an event (economic)
* rescue services - an LIC is unlikely to have emergency services that can rescue people quickly following an event (economic)
* time - the longer an event lasts, the greater its effects (physical)
* geology - weak cliffs erode quicker (physical)
* magnitude/size of storm
* predictability - less predictable events will have more harmful effects
* climate
* being on a floodplain
* proximity of community to coast
* elevation
* if area relies on agriculture, which is devastated by flooding
* remoteness to emergency services
* high value land more prone to economic damage
* effectiveness or ineffectiveness of management

storm surge definition and formation

* an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm, over and above the predicted astronomical tide. water is pushed towards the shore by the force of the winds.
* main cause is high winds pushing the sea towards the coast, causing it to pile up there. there is also a smaller contribution frmo the low pressure, water level rises by about 1cm for every 1 millibar fall in pressure
* the strong winds in the storm generate large waves on top of the surge which can casue damage to sea defences, or spill over the top adding to the flood risk
* in the case of tropical storms (such as hurricanes) there may also be a very large amount of rain which further increases the risk of flooding

formation of a hurricane

* storms are a result of low-pressure systems, or depressions
* in a depression the air is rising
* as air rises, it cools and condenses, producing rain
* as the air rises more air, from higher pressure systems, moves in to take the space.air always moves from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure to try and create an equilibrium. the movement of air from one place to another causes wind.
* hurricanes are very large low-pressure systems where wind speeds reach at least 74mph. they are initiated by warm seas (at least 26 degrees Celsius) causing the air above to increas in temperature and rise. the moist, rising air produces a lot of rainfall
* a bigger hazard of a hurricane is a storm surge.

how do coastal defences work to reduce hazards?

* absorbing wave energy so that less energy is reaches the cliffs and erosion rate is reduced
* dissipating wave energy, so there is less power for erosion
* reflecting wave energy back out to sea
* reducing eroison will help reduce flood risk, it keeps a natural barrier in place

how can managed retreat reduce the problem of coastal squeeze?

* saltmarsh species are adapted to be periodically covered and uncovered by the tide.
* as sea levels rise the zone in which this happens is moving inland, and so plants will naturally move inland.
* however, where man made structures have been built to protect communities from coastal flood and erosion risks, such as sea walls, the habitat will be prevented from moving landward
* the saltmarsh is squeezed up against these defences
* this is known as coastal squeeze and means the extent and functioning of the salt marsh reduces over time

sea wall pros and cons

* reflects and absorbs wave energy
* long-lasting (50-75 years)
* very effective
* provides public with a sense of security
* sea-water can penetrate the wall where it ends and water can build up behind it making it unstable
* waves bouncing off the wall can erode the beach so that the beach becomes narrow and low
* expensive to build and maintain (£5,000 per metre)
* visually unattractive
* interferes with drainage from the land to the sea
* can make beach access to difficult

groyne pros and cons

* highly attractive at trapping longshore drift to create a beach to protect the land - tourist amenity
* relatively cheap to construct - £10,000 each
* wood rots - needs to be replaced fairly frequently
* deprives areas downdrift of beach sediment, leading to erosion at this point
* can make beach access difficult

rock armour pros and cons

* effective at dissipating wave energy especially because they are permeable
* allows land to sea drainage
* visually unattractive
* dangerous - young children on them
* restricts access to beach
* quarrying has an environmental impact
* short term lifespan

gabion baskets pros and cons

* permeable, therefore dissipates wave energy
* cheap
* wire cages rust in seawater and then break, and stones escape to erode cliff by abrasion

beach nourishment pros and cons

* good at dissipating wave energy
* provides a tourist amenity
* expensive
* sediment lost by wave action, therefore has to be periodically replenished
* public do not perceive it as an effective method of defence
* sediment colour may not blend in with the landscape

cliff stabalisation pros and cons

* roots of grass help to bind the soil together
* drainage removes water from the cliff reducing the risk of slumping
* lowering angle reduces risk of slope failure
* visually pleasing
* reduces cliff erosion
* can be expensive
* may destroy geological structure and botanical habitats when reprofiled

sand-dune stabalisation pros and cons

* visually pleasing
* encourages wildlife habitats
* cheap
* takes time for Marram to become established
* public may feel defence does not give a sense of security

salt-marsh re-establishment pros and cons

* salt-marsh surface dissipitates wave energy
* roots trap further sediment encouraging marsh to grow upwards
* provides wetland habitat
* could become a tourist attraction
* takes time to become established
* may not encourage a sense of security

how does monitoring reduce the risk of coastal floods?

* hazard mapping - the Environment Agency have mapped places at risk of flooding based on the topography of the land and the coastal conditions - can sign up to get free flood warning and alerts sent to mobile phone; finding out which areas are vulnerable to floods and choosing not to build on them
* monitoring and forecast - the Met Office and Environment Agency operate the Flood Forecasting Centre, operating conditions such as height, tidal range and wind patterns; they input this data into computer models to predict areas that are at risk of flooding, media is used to circulate warning when they are needed
* emergency planning - emergency services have action plans on what to do when there is a flood and what equipment they will need.

discuss the effectiveness of the Medmerry Realignment Scheme

* in 2008 £5m of damage was caused
* was spending up to £300,000 per year for defence, this method will be much cheaper, £23m
* safer from risk of flooding, protected to a standard of 1 flood in 100 years as opposed to 1 flood in 1 year

why are sea levels rising?

* thermal expansion - water in the ocean expands with rising temperatures
* climate change - ice sheets are melting - interglacial period
* rebound - during interglacial periods ice builds up on land. the weight of this causes the earth’s crust to sink into the mantle. sea levels will thus rise relative to the land. when the ice melts the land will rebound and sea levels fall relative to land. this is a very slow process.

which areas are most at risk of coastal flooding?

* those which are low-lying, such as deltas (Bhangladesh)
* those where are isostatic rebound means they are falling relative to sea level
* tectonically active areas where shifts in plates can cause sudden changes in land height
* areas that are subsiding due to human actions (the Low lying Somerset Levels are a good example here)

facts about Tuvalu case study

* at risk because sea levels are rising and changes in weather patterns
* no point on Tuvalu being higher than 4.5m above sea level
* dried coconut kernel is practically the only export commodity
* increased salinisation of the soil threatens traditional subsistence (growing for survival) farming
* does not have complex economy
* fish number declining
* reliance on exported goods - creates extra waste
* coral bleaching due to increase sea temperatures
* salt resistant crops are being trialed - won’t die when inundated with salt water so people’s livelihoods won’t be lost each time it floods. this helps encourage economy growth and help break the poverty trap.
* trapped in the poverty cycle; as more land becomes degraded, more commodities lost, increased waste, farming land decreases, climate change exacerbates this
* GDP per capita is $5,600

arguments for and against managing sea level rise in Tuvalu

* raising housing
* planting salt resistant crops
* sea walls
* planting mangroves - roots will help bind together sediment and reduce coastal erosion. the plants also increase friction in the water, slowing down waves and reducing the waves’ energy at the coast. this reduces erosion

Tuval Coastal Adaptation Project

* increase the coverage of coastal protection from 570m to 2,780m
* benefits nearly 29% of the population directly and 62% indirectly
* saves money - $650,000 over 40 year time period, but not much compared to $38.9m
* population too small, not worth it, cost-beneficial, around 12,000 residents
* least visited country in the world, no tourism industry to be protected
* needs to be maintained - financial burden on future generations
* not sustainable
* too expensive

MEDC country coastal management i.e. the UK

* Thames Barrier protects London against flooding by high tides (storm surges) and heavy rainfall
* protects an estimated 1.25 million people and £200 billion worth of properties, a large proportion of the London tube network and many historic buildings, power supplies
* second largest defence in the world
* £6m per year to run and requires 80 staff
* cost £1.6 billion in today’s money to build the structure
* UK population is 68 million
* GDP per capita $36,000

LEDS country coastal management i.e. Bhangladesh

* 25% of the country is less than 1m above the sea, being belt on the delta of 3 large rivers
* GDP per capita is $3190
* average population density per square mile is 1237
* as sea levels rise eusatically and Bangladesh sinks isostatically
* a 1.5m level in sea rise would affect 17 million people and 22000km square of land
* authorities using hard engineering methods - coastal embankments and houses built on silts
* also adaptation - plant crops more resistant to waterlogged soil and can tolerate higher levels of salt in the ground