Geography paper 1

Natural Hazards -

What is a natural hazard?

A natural hazard’s a natural event that poses a threat to people / has the potential to cause damage, destruction, + death.

Natural Hazards -

What are the two main types of natural hazards?

Geological (e.g. earthquakes, volcanoes) + meteorological (e.g. storms, droughts).

Natural Hazards -

What factors affect hazard risk?

Urbanisation, poverty, farming, + climate change.

Tectonic Hazards -

What are the three types of plate margins?

Constructive, destructive, + conservative.

Tectonic Hazards -

What happens at a destructive plate margin?

An oceanic plate is subducted beneath a continental plate, causing earthquakes + volcanoes.

Tectonic Hazards -

Why do people live in areas at risk from tectonic hazards?

Fertile soil, geothermal energy, tourism, lack of alternatives.

Tectonic Hazards -

Name two primary effects of an earthquake.

Buildings collapse, roads + infrastructure damaged.

Tectonic Hazards -

Name two secondary effects of an earthquake.

Fires from ruptured gas pipes, disease from lack of clean water.

Tectonic Hazards -

How can the effects of tectonic hazards be reduced?

Monitoring, prediction, protection, + planning.

Tectonic Hazards -

Compare the effects of a tectonic hazard in a LIC + a HIC.

LICS suffer more deaths + slower response, while HICs have better infrastructure + quicker recovery.

Weather Hazards -

What are tropical storms + how do they form?

Intense storms w/ high winds + heavy rain, forming over warm ocean water (over 27.C), needing low wind shear + rotation from the Coriolis effect.

Weather Hazards -

What are the primary effects of a tropical storm?

High winds, storm surges, flooding, damage to infrastructure.

Weather Hazards -

What are the secondary effects of a tropical storm?

Homelessness, spread of disease, economic disruption.

Weather Hazards -

How can the effects of tropical storms be reduced?

Prediction (tracking storms), protection (storm shelters), planning (emergency services, evacuation routes).

Weather Hazards -

How might climate change affect tropical storms?

Increase in intensity + possible frequency due to warmer seas.

Weather Hazards -

Give an example of a tropical storm + its effects.

Typhoon Haiyan (2013) in the Phillipines: over 6 000 deaths, widespread destruction, slow aid response.

UK Weather Hazards -

What types of extreme weather affect the UK?

Flooding, heatwaves, droughts, snow + ice, storms.

UK Weather Hazards -

Give an example of extreme weather in the UK.

The Somerset Levels floods (2014): caused by heavy rainfall, led to homes flooded, infrastructure damaged, + farmland affected.

UK Weather Hazards -

Why is the UK’s weather becoming more extreme?

Possibly linked to climate change - more energy in the atmosphere + shifting jet streams.

Climate Change -

What evidence is there for climate change?

Rising global temperatures, shrinking glaciers, rising sea levels, changes in wildlife distribution.

Climate Change -

What are the natural causes of climate change?

Orbital changes, volcanic activity, solar output.

Climate Change -

What are the human causes of climate change?

Burning fossil fuels, deforestation, agriculture (methane from cattle).

Climate Change -

What are the effects of climate change on the environment?

Ice caps melting, sea levels rising, ecosystems disrupted.

Climate Change -

What are the effects of climate change on people?

Coastal flooding, reduced crop yields, water shortages, migration.

Climate Change -

What is mitigation in relation to climate change?

Actions to reduce / prevent the causes of climate change.

Climate Change -

What is adaptation in relation to climate change?

Adjusting to the impacts of climate change.

Ecosystems -

What is an ecosystem?

A natural system made up of plants, animals, + the environment, interacting w/ one another.

Ecosystems -

What is the difference between a biotic + abiotic component?

Biotic = living (plants, animals), Abiotic = non-living (climate, soil, water).

Ecosystems -

What is a small-scale UK ecosystem example?

A freshwater pond / hedgerow ecosystem.

Ecosystems -

What is a food chain?

A sequence showing the feeding relationships + energy flow between organisms.

Ecosystems -

What is nutrient cycling?

The transfer of nutrients between living organisms + the physical environment.

Global Ecosystems (Biomes) -

Name five major global biomes.

Tropical rainforest, hot desert, tundra, temperate deciduous forest, tropical grassland (savanna).

Global Ecosystems (Biomes) -

What factors influence global distribution of ecosystems?

Latitude, temperature, rainfall, altitude, ocean currents, + prevailing winds.

Tropical Rainforests -

Where are tropical rainforests found?

Around the equator (e.g. Amazon Basin, Congo, Indonesia).

Tropical Rainforests -

What is the climate like in tropical rainforests?

Hot + wet all year - high rainfall + consistently high temperatures.

Tropical Rainforests -

What is biodiversity like in tropical rainforests?

Very high - they have the highest biodiversity of any biome.

Tropical Rainforests -

How are rainforest plants adapted to the climate?

Drip-tip leaves, buttress roots, thin bark, fast-growing emergents.

Tropical Rainforests -

Name three causes of deforestation in the Amazon.

Logging, cattle ranching, commercial farming (soy), mining, road building, hydroelectric power.

Tropical Rainforests -

What are the impacts of deforestation?

Loss of biodiversity, climate change, soil erosion, disruption to water cycle.

Tropical Rainforests -

What is sustainable managment in rainforests?

Methods like selective logging, ecotourism, education, debt-for-nature swaps, conservation.

Hot Deserts -

Where are hot deserts found?

Between 15 degrees and 30 degrees north + south of the equator.

Hot Deserts -

What is the climate like in hot deserts?

Very low rainfall, hot days + cold nights.

Hot Deserts -

How are desert plants adapted to the environment?

Long roots, water storage tissues, small/no leaves, spines.

Hot Deserts -

What are the opportunities for development in the Thar Desert?

Tourism, energy (solar + wind), mineral extraction, farming, irrigation from the Indira Gandhi Canal.

Hot Deserts -

What are the challenges to development in the Thar Desert?

Extreme temperatures, water supply, accessibility (limited roads).

Hot Deserts -

What is desertification?

The process by which land becomes drier + less productive, often turning into desert.

Hot Deserts -

What causes desertification?

Climate change, overgrazing, overcultivation, deforestation, poor irrigation.

Hot Deserts -

How can desertification be reduced?

Planting trees (windbreaks), crop rotation, appropriate technology, water management.

Overview -

What are the main upland + lowland areas in the UK?

Upland: Scotland, North Wales, Lake District, Pennines.

Lowland: South East England, East Anglia.

Overview -

What are the main rock types in the UK?

Igneous (e.g. granite), sedimentary (e.g. limestone, chalk), + metamorphic (e.g. slate, schist).

Coastal Landscapes in the UK - Coastal Processes -

What is mechanical weathering?

Breakdown of rock without chemical change.

Coastal Landscapes in the UK - Coastal Processes -

What is chemical weathering?

Breakdown of rock by chemical reactions.

Coastal Landscapes in the UK - Coastal Processes -

What is mass movement?

The downhill movement of material due to gravity.

Coastal Landscapes in the UK - Coastal Processes -

What are the four types of coastal erosion?

Hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition, solution.

Coastal Landscapes in the UK - Coastal Processes -

What are the four types of transportation in the sea?

Traction, saltation, suspension, solution.

Coastal Landscapes in the UK - Coastal Processes -

What is longshore drift?

The movement of sediment along the coast by wave action at an angle.

Coastal Landscapes in the UK - Coastal Erosional Landforms -

How is a wave-cut platform formed?

Erosion forms a wave-cut notch; the cliff collapses + retreats, leaving a platform.

Coastal Landscapes in the UK - Coastal Erosional Landforms -

How are headlands + bays formed?

Through differential erosion of hard + soft rock.

Coastal Landscapes in the UK - Coastal Erosional Landforms -

How are caves, arches, stacks, + stumps formed?

Erosion of cracks in a headland enlarges into a cave, which becomes an arch. The arch collapses, forming a stack, which erodes into a stump.

Coastal Landscapes in the UK - Coastal Deposition & Landforms -

How are beaches formed?

By deposition of sediment in sheltered areas, usually in bays.

Coastal Landscapes in the UK - Coastal Deposition & Landforms -

How is a spit formed?

Longshore drift transports material, which builds up across a river mouth / bay; it may develop a hooked end + form a salt marsh behind it.

Coastal Landscapes in the UK - Coastal Management -

What are hard engineering strategies for managing coasts?

Sea walls, groynes, rock armour (riprap), gabions.

Coastal Landscapes in the UK - Coastal Management -

What are soft engineering strategies?

Beach nourishment, dune regeneration, managed retreat.

Coastal Landscapes in the UK - Coastal Management -

What is managed retreat?

Allowing low-value land to flood to reduce pressure on defences elsewhere.

Coastal Landscapes in the UK - Coastal Management -

Give a case study of a coastal management scheme in the UK.

Holderness Coast: use of rock armour + groynes to reduce erosion threatening settlements + infrastructure.

River Landscapes in the UK - River Processes -

What are the four types of river erosion?

Hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition, solution.

River Landscapes in the UK - River Processes -

What are the four types of transportation in rivers?

Traction, saltation, suspension, solution.

River Landscapes in the UK - River Processes -

What is deposition + when does it occur?

Deposition is when a river loses energy + drops its sediment. Occurs on inside bends / where the river slows down.

River Landscapes in the UK - River Landforms (Upper Course) -

What are the characteristics of the upper course of a river?

Steep gradient, narrow, shallow channel, vertical erosion.

River Landscapes in the UK - River Landforms (Upper Course) -

How are interlocking spurs formed?

In the upper course, the river winds around hard rock, creating protruding ridges.

River Landscapes in the UK - River Landforms (Upper Course) -

How are waterfalls + gorges formed?

Waterfalls form over bands of hard rock; erosion undercuts the softer rock, leading to collapse + retreat forming a gorge.

River Landscapes in the UK - River Landforms (Middle & Lower Course) -

How are meanders formed?

Through lateral erosion on the outside bend + deposition on the inside bend.

River Landscapes in the UK - River Landforms (Middle & Lower Course) -

How are ox-bow lakes formed?

A meander becomes very curved, the neck is cut off during a flood, + deposition seals off the old meander.

River Landscapes in the UK - River Landforms (Middle & Lower Course) -

What are floodplains + how do they form?

Wide, flat areas formed by repeated flooding + deposition of sediment.

River Landscapes in the UK - River Landforms (Middle & Lower Course) -

What is a levee?

Natural embankments formed by sediment deposited during flood events.

River Landscapes in the UK - River Landforms (Middle & Lower Course) -

What is an estuary?

A tidal mouth of a river where fresh + saltwater mix; important for mudflats + salt marshes.

River Landscapes in the UK - River Management -

What are hard engineering strategies for rivers?

Dams + reservoirs, channel straightening, embankments, flood relief channels.

River Landscapes in the UK - River Management -

What are soft engineering strategies for rivers?

Flood warnings, preparation, floodplain zoning, planting trees (aforestation).

River Landscapes in the UK - River Management -

Give a UK case study of a river management scheme.

Banbury (River Cherwell) : flood storage areas, earth embankments, pumping stations, biodiversity improvements.