geography-theme 1

• What makes landscapes distinctive in wales?

  Geology, Landuse, Vegetation, People and Culture
• How are physical landscapes in Wales affected by human activity?

  ✅ Income used to preserve and restore areas.

  ✅Increase in rural income.

  ✅Employment opportunities.

  ❌Congestion.

  ❌Footpath erosion.

  ❌Litter.

  ❌Increase in 2nd homes.

  ❌Loss of culture.
• Management for visitors in Snowdonia

  Footpaths to provide controlled access to visitors.

  Marked car parks to show visitors where they should be parking.

  Information boards about the vegetation/geology in the area.

  Strict control when planning and building in the area.
• Footpath maintenance

  Volunteers used to repair footpaths (using hard wearing materials such as stone for floor to help reduce erosion)

  Replanting vegetation surrounding footpaths.
• UPPER COURSE: How does a V-Shaped valley form?

  1.A small stream will naturally follow small depressions in the landscape.

  2. As the small stream flows downhill steeply, the bed load will erode downwards and scrape away the bottom of the channel (vertical erosion).

  3. This vertical erosion deepens the valley, making the sides steeper. The valley cannot support the weight of the rock and so collapses forming a V shape.

  4. Over time, weathering and gravity wear away the steep valley sides, forcing material into the stream, which it uses to cut the valley deeper.
• MIDDLE/LOWER COURSE: Floodplains

  Floodplains are made by a meander eroding sideways as it travels downstream. When the river floods it leaves alluvium (silt) behind. The silt builds up creating floor for the plain.
• Headlands and bays

  Headlands and bays are created when there are bands of hard and soft rock. Soft rock is eroded quicker than hard rock by hydraulic action and abrasion.
• Formation of landforms caused by erosion

  A large crack/weakness forms in the headland. This is opened up further by hydraulic action.

  The crack grows into a cave through the process of hydraulic action and abrasion.

  The cave becomes larger as the process of hydraulic action and abrasion continue over time.

  The cave is eroded all the way through the headland to form an arch.

  The arch is eroded and collapses.

  This leaves a tall rock called a stack.

  Over time, the stack is eroded and collapses to form a stump.
• Formation of a wavecut platform

  1.Waves attack the foot of a cliff.

  2. A wavecut notch is created due to hydraulic action and abrasion.

  3. Weathering weakens the top of the cliff.

  4. The cliff collapses due to being unsupported.

  5. The cliff then retreats leaving a wavecut platform.

  6. As differential erosion occurs on the wave cut platform, rock pools can form. This is a small scale feature.
• Longshore-drift

  Longshore drift is the movement of material along the shore by wave action. It happens when waves approach the beach at an angle due to prevailing winds. The swash (waves moving up the beach) carries material up and along the beach.
• Landforms created by deposition

  Beach is created because of deposition - a build-up of sand, shingle and pebbles deposited by waves.
• Landforms created by deposition - formation of a spit

  1.Prevailing winds bring waves towards the beach at an angle.

  2. Material moves along the beach in a zig-zag way.

  3. The coastline then changes direction.

  4. Material deposited in shallow, calm water to form a spit.

  5. Wind cannot get behind the spit so salt marshes will form here. Also, wind may blow sand over the spit crating sand dunes.
• What factors affect the rates of landform change in river and coastal landscapes in the UK?

  Geology - Softer rock erodes quicker. Impermeable rocks will increase the speed of overland flow. Also, increasing erosion.

  Climate - Extreme weather speeds up erosion. For example, stormy weather conditions.

  Human activity - Hard and soft engineering can reduce erosion. Humans can help speed up erosion through their activity e.g. building near floodplains/cliffs etc
• Types of erosion

  Hydraulic action - the force of the river against river banks can cause air to be trapped in cracks and crevices. Pressure weakens banks -> gradually wears it away.

  Abrasion - rocks carried along by river bed and banks.

  Attraction - rocks carried by river smash together -> smaller, smoother, rounder particles.

  Solution - soluble particles dissolved in river.
• Transformational processes

  Solution - minerals are dissolved in water and carried along in solution.

  Suspension - fine, light material carried along in the water.

  Saltation - small pebbles and stones bounce along the river bed.

  Traction - large, boulders and rocks roll along river.
• Drainage basins: the movement of water

  • Precipitation
  • Stem flow
  • Interception
  • Transpiration
  • Surface storage
  • Soil moisture
  • Infiltration
  • Percolation
  • Groundwater
  • Groundwater flow
  • Through flow
  • Surface run off
  • Evaporation
• Precipitation

  Rain, snow or sleet
• Stem flow

  The flow of intercepted water down the trunk or stem of a plant
• Interception

  Precipitation that does not reach the soil as it's intercepted by the leaves, branches, plants and the forest floor
• Transpiration

  The process of water vapour being released from plants and soil
• Surface storage

  Any water that is held on the surface of the earth (puddles)
• Soil moisture

  The total amount of water, including the water vapour, in an unsaturated soil
• Infiltration

  The process of water moving through soil and rock layers that make up the earth's surface, to be stored as groundwater
• Percolation

  Similar to infiltration but a deeper transfer of water into permeable rocks
• Groundwater

  Water that exists underground in saturated zones beneath the land surface
• Groundwater flow

  The very slow transfer of percolated water through permeable or porous rocks
• Through flow

  The lateral unsaturated flow of water in the soil zone, typically through a highly permeable geologic unit overlying a less permeable one
• Surface run off

  The flow of water that occurs when excess storm water, melt water or other sources flow over the earth's surface
• Evaporation

  The process by which a water turns into a gas
• HUMAN: why do rivers in the UK flood?

  Urbanisation = more impermeable surfaces e.g. concrete = no infiltration = no overland flow.

  Deforestation = speeds up the water cycle - no interception, stem flow, infiltration or percolation.
• PHYSICAL: why do rivers in the UK flood?

  Heavy rainfall - long periods of rain = lots of infiltration = more overland flow.

  Steep slopes - water hasn`t got time to infiltrate = overland flow happens quicker.

  Impermeable rock - water cant infiltrate or percolate - more overland flow.
• Cumbrian Floods - Carlisle 2015


  PHYSICAL - two storms in the space of two weeks = heavy rainfall. Ground couldn't infiltrate because the ground was saturated.

  EFFECT - homes flooded, extra river energy meaning increased erosion.

  HUMAN - lots of impermeable surfaces like concrete roads speed up overland flow and the amount of water in the river = extreme flooding.

  EFFECTS - expensive to rebuild area, houses losing power, strain on services for rescue missions.
• Dams - hard engineering - use of technology


  POSITIVE - multipurpose ~ used for hydroelectricity, to supply water, for agriculture.

  Store water during dry periods.

  NEGATIVE - where water is diverted from the dam it can be harmful to the animals/fish in the area and their habitats.

  Time consuming to construct and are very expensive.
• Embankments - hard engineering - use of technology


  POSITIVE - cheap ~ one off cost to build the wall.

  Allows flood water to be contained within the river because of the raised banks.

  NEGATIVE - looks unnatural.

  Speeds up flow of river and increases flood risk downstream.
• Afforestation - soft engineering - works alongside natural processes


  POSITIVE

  More trees - regulates water supply, more processes e.g. interception.

  Low cost and maintenance.

  NEGATIVE

  Cannot prevent flooding but it can produce it.
• Warning systems - soft engineering - works alongside natural processes


  POSITIVE

  People can protect their property and have time to respond.

  NEGATIVE

  Do not stop the land from flooding just warn people
• Land use zoning - soft engineering - works alongside natural processes


  POSITIVE - Less damage caused to expensive property because its built further away from the river.

  NEGATIVE - Not always possible to change existing land use.