Physical Processes

• Physical processes affected by climate

  • Weathering
  • Erosion
  • Post-glacial river processes
  • Slope processes
• Weathering

  Breakdown of rock into smaller pieces, can be mechanical, chemical or biological
• Erosion


  Wears away rock. Rivers and seas now constantly erode the landscape
• Post-glacial river processes


  Melting ice at the end of glacial periods made rivers much bigger than normal with more power to erode the landscape
• Slope processes


  Includes mass movements, e.g. rockfalls, slides, slumps and soil creep
• HUMANS HAVE CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE THROUGH AGRICULTURE
• Agriculture


  1. Cleared the land of forest to make space for farming

  2. Over time hedgerows and walls have been put to mark out fields
• Landscapes adapted for different types of farming

  • Arable - flat land with good soil
  • Dairy - warm and wet areas good for dairy farming
  • Sheep - Takes place in the harsher conditions in the uplands, led to a lack of trees
• HUMANS HAVE CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE THROUGH FORESTRY
• Forestry


  The management of areas of woodland, can be used for timber, recreation or conservation
• The UK used to be covered in deciduous woodland, but little natural woodland left
• Coniferous forests have been planted for timber, the trees are often planted in straight lines
• In some places deciduous woodland is being replanted to try to return the area to a more natural state
• HUMANS HAVE CHANGED THE LANDSCAPE THROUGH SETTLEMENT
• Settlement


  1. Early settlers needed a water supply, flat land to build on or a place that could easily be defended

  2. Land was concreted over for roads and buildings which affected drainage patterns

  3. Some rivers were diverted through underground channels

  4. Some river channels were straightened or had embankments built to prevent flooding