Geography

• What is Quarrying?


  Drilling out Rock to build material
• Feature of the Upper Course?(4)

  • Vertical Erosion - Hydraulic action & Abrasion
  • Shallow & Narrow Channel
  • Large Sediment
  • Some Transportation - saltation & Solution
• Features of the Middle Course?(4)

  • More Lateral Erosion less Vertical Erosion
  • More Transportation - Traction & Suspension
  • Wider and deeper channel
  • Smaller Sediment
• Features of the Lower Course?(4)

  • Limited Erosion
  • Shallow and flat
  • Fine sediment
  • Deposition
• Costal Processes?

  • Hydraulic Action - force of water between crack
  • Abrasion - Load repeatedly hitting beds or bank
  • Attrition - Load knocking against eachother
  • Solution - Rock is dissolved by slightly acidic rainwater
• Transportation:

  • Traction - large particles roll on seabed
  • Suspension - Small sediment held in river
  • Saltation - Particles bouncing on seabed
  • Solution - Dissolved load
• Interlocking Spurs / V-shaped valleys

  In the upper course, as fast flowing water weaves between obstructions it causes vertical erosion. Land sticking out into the channels is what forms the interlocking spurs
• How are waterfalls formed?

  In the upper course, discordant coastline causes waterfalls to form, water flows down the cliff. It erodes the soft rock underneath and creates an overhang. Eventually weight of hard rock it no longer supported so it falls into the plunge pool below. As the water fall retreats upstream it leaves a Gorge behind.
• How are meanders formed?

  In the middle course, the thalweg (line of fastest current) travel on the outside bend abrading the bank. In the inner bed the slower flowing water causes deposition.
• How are Ox-bow lakes formed?

  In the middle course, as the thalweg abrades the bank of outer bend the neck of the meanders get closer. Eventually they will be erodes all the way through at meet again. Deposition seals the old meander.
• What is a Floodplain?

  Made from alluvium - material carried & deposited by the rivers which occur during flooding. Usually flat areas on either side of the channel.
• How are Leeves formed?

  Raised banks of deposition, in times of flood deposition is pulled into the river, raising the river beds.
• How are Estauries formed?

  The water does not have enough energy to carry its load so it is deposited usually at the mouth of the river.
• Causes of flooding...

  • Gradient
  • Impermeable
  • Lack of vegetation
  • Surface run-off
• Dams and Reservoirs (Hard Engineering)

  Advantages: Regulate water flow, Store water - released when rainfall is low

  Disadvantages: Very expensive, Reservoirs can flood
• Channel Straightening (Hard Engineering)

  Advantages: Speeds up waterflow, Prevents banks collapsing

  Disadvantages: May increase flood risk downstream, Concrete channels cuase environmental issues
• Embankments (Hard engineering)

  Advantages: River channel can hold more water, Cheap & Sustainable

  Disadvantage: Easily destroyed
• Flood- relief channels (Hard engineering)

  Advantage: Space for excess water, Slows water down & Bank erosion

  Disadvantage: Expensive & Not natural
• Wetlands and Flood storage areas (Soft engineering)

  Advantage: Stores water

  Disadvantage: Has to flood first
• River Restoration (Soft engineering)

  Advantage: Natural process, uses rivers features & slows down waterflow

  Disadvantages: Can cuase flooding, Increased erosion & loss of biodiversity
• Floodplain Zoning(Soft engineering)

  Advantage: Reduces loss cuased by flooding, Resourceful

  Disadvanatge: Lowers land prices
• Case study: Banbury

  Where: Cotswold Hill, River Cherwell

  History: Prone to flooding (1995: 1.2 Billion loss due to damage)

  Soft engineering:

  • Storage areas & Flood control structure's
  • Motorways raised

  Hard engineering:

  • Dam & Reservoir
  • Channel straightening
• Managing Retreatment: When is it appropiate?


  When..

  Land is at low value

  Budget is low

  Desire to create new habitat

  When defending the coastline becomes increasingly difficult
• Why did Med merry need protecting? What were the 3 objectives of the scheme?

  Med-merry needed protecting from High tides, storms and Flooding

  1. Sustainable Flood management
  2. Intertidal
  3. Community Involvement
• Managing Retreat: What were the locals afraid off and how were they involved?

  Afraid of losing their properties

  Meetings/ council heard locals concerns and worked with them
• Management Retreat Med merry: Benefits

  • Best level of protection in Uk
  • Areas of saltmarsh used for grazing cattle
  • Tourism increased
  • More ecosystems
  • Fish industry improved
• What is an Ecosystem?

  An environment including Abiotic and Biotic features that interact with help from the climate in order to survive
• Features of an Ecosystem?

  Producer - Plants, they can produce their own energy via photosynthesis

  Primary Consumer - Animals that eat producers

  Secondary Consumer - Animals that eat other animals

  Decomposer - break down animals & plants and provide nutrients for producers
• Balance an Ecosystem:

  Need balance to survive

  • Nutrient cycle: Plants -> Herbivore -> Carnivore -> Decomposes -> nutrients reabsorb by plants
  • Human activity disrupts this balance e.g. Deforestation
• Global Ecosystems: Temperate Grasslands

  Temperature Grasslands

  • North of Tropic of cancer, south of tropic of capricorn
  • Warm winters and cold summer
  • Little trees
• Global Ecosystems: Boreal Forest

  Boreal Forest

  • Thin belt south of Artic circle
  • Mild summer and very cold winters
  • Coniferous trees
  • e.g. Central Canada

  
• Global Ecosystems: Tropical Rainforest 


  Tropical Rainforest

  • Found along equator between tropics of cancer & Capricorn
  • Hot, wet & humid Climate

  e.g. Amazon - Brazil, Southern Hemisphere

  
• Global Ecosystems: Polar Regions

  Polar Regions

  • Above artic circle & below Antartic circle
  • Very cold all year, little precipitation
  • e.g. Greenland

  
• Global Ecosystem: Tropical Grasslands

  Tropical Grasslands

  • Along tropics of cancer & Capricorn
  • Long dry and brief wet seasons
  • Little trees

  e.g. Savannas in central Africa

  
• Global Ecosystems: Temperature Grasslands

  Temperature Grasslands

  • North of Tropic of cancer, south of tropic of Capricorn
  • Warm winters and cold summer
  • Little trees

  
• Global Ecosystems: Temperate Forest

  Temperate forest

  • Northern Hemisphere south of the artic circle
  • Warm, damp summer and mild winters
  • Deciduous trees

  
• Global Ecosystems: Tundra

  Tundra

  • High latitudes, south of Artic circle
  • Very cold
  • Little tree coverage

  e.g. Russia, Canada

  
• Global Atmospheric Circulation


  Fluctuates due to air movement pressure patterns can be predicted by seasonal trends.

  Wind movement is affected by coasts, mountains and rivers. The location of ecosystems are influenced by the existence and movement of high and low pressure areas and wind patterns.