case study examples for all of paper 1

give a case study for the water and carbon cycle 

The Amazon Basin

• covers about 7 million km2 across 9 South American countries, mainly Brazil.

• it contains the world’s largest tropical rainforest and the Amazon River (the largest river by discharge volume)

• annual rainfall of 2000-3000 mm

• the Amazon plays a crucial role in both the water and carbon cycles

• water; high evapotranspiration rates generate around half of the amazon’s rainfall.

• carbon; the amazon stores about 90-140 billion tonnes of carbon.

• human impacts include logging, land use changes, agriculture, forest fires.

• changes in water cycle due to deforestation impact carbon storage, and vice versa

how much carbon does the amazon store

90-140 billion tonnes

how much land does the Amazon basin cover

70 million km2 across 9 countries

how much annual rainfall does the amazon basin receive 

2000-3000 mm

what is a case study for coastal erosion and landforms

• The Holderness Coast, East Yorkshire, UK

• one of Europes fastest eroding coastlines (average erosion rate 1.8m/year)

• soft boulder clay cliffs are easily eroded and prone to slumping

• large fetch so is exposed to powerful destructive waves from the North Sea

• hard engineering at Mappleton (groins, sea wall)

• issue is groynes at Mappleton starve other areas of sediment, increasing erosion

what is the rate of erosion at the Holderness Coast 

1.8m/year

what are the cliffs along the Holderness coast mainly made of

soft boulder clay

what sea does the holderness coast look out on

North Sea

give a place name for where hard engineering strategies are being used

mappleton

give a case study for spit formation and deposition 

Spurn Head, Holderness Coast

• spit formed by longshore drift moving south along Holderness

• curved end due to wave refraction and wind direction 

• salt marsh behind the spit due to sheltered water 

what way is longshore drift that created spurn head moving along the holderness coast

south

what is a case study for sea level change

maldives

• example of eustatic sea level rise

• low lying island nation (average elevation 1.5m above sea level)

• threatened by sea level rise due to climate change

• social impacts; displacement of people

• environmental impacts; coral reef degradation, saltwater intrusion

• responses; government has invested in sea walls (e.g. around Male), plans to purchase land abroad (Australia), eco-tourism initiatives

how high above sea level is the land of the Maldives 

1.5m above sea level 

give some social impacts of sea level change in the Maldives

displacement of people, loss of culture

give some environmental impacts of sea level change in the Maldives

coral reef degradation, saltwater intrusion

give a case study for sustainable coastal management

Medmerry managed Realignment

• prone to flooding

• in 2013, managed realignment allowed breaching of sea defences

• 7km of new flood embankments built inland

• created new intertidal habitats (salt marsh), enhancing biodiversity

• cost £28 million, but provides long-term sustainable flood risk reduction

what distance of flood embankments were built in Medmerry

7 km or flood embankments 

how much did the Medmerry managed Realignment cost

£28 million

what was an environmental benefit of the embankments in Medmerry

created new intertidal habitats (salt marshes) which enhanced biodiversity.

what case study can be used for coastal management and coastal erosion 

Odisha

• located on the east coast of India, along the Bay of Bengal

• has a coastline of 480 km

• Odisha is very vulnerable to natural hazards, such as cyclones, storm surges, tsunamis, flooding in monsoon season, sea level rise due to climate change

what are the importances of Mangroves in Odisha

• act as a natural coastal defence by absorbing wave energy

• bind and stabilise sediment to reduce erosion

• act as a buffer zone between sea and land

• home to over 60 species of mangrove plants

• critical for fish breeding

• essential for fisherfolk and crab farmers

• basis for ecotourism

give some threats to the mangroves in Odisha

• deforestation for agriculture, especially shrimp farming.

• pollution from industrial development e.g. oil refineries

• climate change- sea level rise and changes in salinity threaten delicate ecosystems

• cyclones

what case study can be used for peat bogs 

The Pennines 

what are examples of restoration projects of peat bogs in the Pennines

moorLIFE, Moors fro the future

• they restore degraded peat bogs

• by blocking drainage systems

• revegetation

• fencing off areas

what case study can be used for water and carbon cycles (in the UK)

The River Exe (which also includes the Exmoor Mired Project)

what is the topography like in Exmoor

steep slopes

what are human impacts on the River Exe

urbanisation (e.g. in Exter) increases impermeable surfaces

what is the Wimbleball Reservoir 

stores water during periods of high discharge 

reduces flood risk 

what is the Exmoor Mires Project

• purpose was to restore peat bogs in Exmoor

• this would reduce flood risk (by slowing runoff), enhance carbon storage and improve biodiversity

• did this by:

• booking drainage ditches to re-wet peat

• replanting vegetation

what does Odisha’s ICZM aim to do

1. establish sustainable levels of economic and social activity

2. resolve social, environmental and economic challenges

3. protect coastal environments

• it has done this by: planting mangroves, promoting eco-tourism, creating alternative livelihoods (to reduce pressure on coastal resources)