AQA. Geography. Questions, mark schemes and commentaries. Amanda Barker, David Redfern and Malcolm Skinner

Transcription

1 AQA A2 Gography Qustions, mark schms and commntaris Amanda Barkr, David Rdfrn and Malcolm Skinnr

2 Contnts Introduction Plat tctonics and associatd hazards Qustion Qustion Qustion Qustion Wathr and climat and associatd hazards Qustion Qustion Qustion Qustion Ecosystms: chang and challng Qustion Qustion Qustion Qustion World citis Qustion Qustion Qustion Qustion Dvlopmnt and globalisation Qustion Qustion Qustion Qustion Contmporary conflicts and challngs Qustion Qustion Qustion Qustion P01404 Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 2

3 Introduction This wbsit contains som xampls of th typs of qustions you will fac in th AQA Unit 3 gography xamination at A2. You may wish to us ths qustions as practic qustions in your work or for rvision. Qustions ar in bold typ. Each on has a mark schm togthr with commntary in purpl on how bst to answr it. Sampl studnt answrs to som of th qustions, with xaminr commnts, appar in th AQA A2 Gography Studnt Unit Guid: Unit 3 publishd by Philip Allan Updats. Bfor attmpting to answr any of th qustions, it is important that you undrstand th procsss by which ths qustions will b markd by th xaminr in th ral xamination. Blow is a summary of thos procsss. Gnral marking critria Th philosophy Marking at AQA is positiv rathr than ngativ. This mans that xaminrs crdit matrial you gt right, rathr than dduct marks for what you gt wrong. Examinrs do not start with a modl answr in thir hads, nor do thy compar your answr with a modl answr. Thy crdit you for th way in which you answr th qustion st, awarding mor marks for th appropriat dtail and dpth of rspons that you giv. Lvls marking For all qustions worth mor than 5 marks lvls marking is usd. For qustions with 5 8 marks thr is a maximum of two lvls; for qustions with btwn 9 and 15 marks thr ar thr lvls. For qustions with mor than 15 marks, including th ssays on Unit 3, thr ar four lvls. Evryon involvd in th lvls marking procss (xaminrs, tachrs, studnts) should undrstand th critria for moving from on lvl to th nxt th triggrs. In simpl trms, you should know what you must do to tak your answr from Lvl 1 to Lvl 2, Lvl 2 to Lvl 3, and Lvl 3 to Lvl 4. Although th prcis triggrs will vary from qustion to qustion, thr ar gnral ruls you should follow to nabl you to mak this progrssion. In broad trms th lvls can b dscribd as follows. Lvl 1: you attmpt th qustion to som xtnt, giving a basic rspons An answr at this lvl is likly to: display a basic undrstanding of th topic mak on or two points without support of appropriat xmplification or application of principl giv a basic list of charactristics, rasons and attituds provid a basic account of a cas study, or provid no cas study vidnc giv a rspons to on command of a qustion whr two (or mor) commands ar statd,.g. dscrib and suggst rasons dmonstrat a simplistic styl of writing prhaps lacking clos rlation to th trms of th qustion lack organisation, rlvanc and spcialist vocabulary dmonstrat dficincis in lgibility, splling, grammar and punctuation Lvl 2: you answr th qustion clarly An answr at this lvl is likly to: display a clar undrstanding of th topic mak on or two points supportd by appropriat xmplification Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 3

4 giv a numbr of charactristics, rasons, attituds ( mor than on ) provid clar us of cas studis giv rsponss to mor than on command,.g. dscrib and xplain dmonstrat a styl of writing which matchs th rquirmnts of th qustion dmonstrat rlvanc and cohrnc with appropriat us of spcialist vocabulary dmonstrat lgibility of txt, and qualitis of splling, grammar and punctuation which nabl clarity of maning Lvl 3: you answr th qustion vry wll An answr at this lvl is likly to: display a dtaild undrstanding of th topic mak svral points with support of appropriat xmplification giv a wid rang of charactristics, rasons, attituds tc. provid dtaild accounts of a rang of cas studis rspond wll to mor than on command dmonstrat vidnc of discussion, valuation, assssmnt and synthsis dmonstrat a sophisticatd styl of writing incorporating masurd and qualifid xplanation and commnt as rquird by th qustion dmonstrat a clar sns of purpos so that th rspons is sn to closly rlat to th rquirmnts of th qustion with confidnt us of spcialist vocabulary dmonstrat lgibility of txt, and qualitis of splling, grammar and punctuation that contribut to complt clarity of maning Lvl 4: you answr th qustion with dpth, flair, crativity and insight In addition to th rquirmnts of Lvl 3, an answr at this lvl is likly to: provid strong vidnc of thorough, dtaild and accurat knowldg, and critical undrstanding of concpts and principls and of spcialist vocabulary giv xplanations, argumnts and assssmnts or valuations that ar dirct, logical, prcptiv, purposful, and show both balanc and flair dmonstrat a high lvl of insight, and an ability to idntify, intrprt and synthsis a wid rang of matrial with crativity dmonstrat vidnc of maturity in undrstanding th rol of valus, attituds and dcision-making procsss Qustion typs Unit 3 has a combination of structurd qustions carrying 25 marks and ssay qustions carrying 40 marks. Structurd qustions Structurd qustions hav a gradint of difficulty. Th initial sub-qustions ar lss dmanding than th latr ons, and thrfor carry fwr marks. Thus sub-qustion (a) oftn uss command words such as commnt on, dscrib or outlin, whil subsqunt qustions may rquir xplanation, xampls and valuation. Stimulus matrials ar usd both dirctly and indirctly. For dirct us, OS maps and photographs ar providd to assss ky skills such as map rading and intrprtation. Charts and sktch maps may b supplid to assss your ability to summaris and rcognis spatial pattrns and trnds. For indirct us, stimulus matrials ar prsntd as a catalyst for assssing your widr knowldg and undrstanding of a topic. Essay qustions Essay qustions hav a numbr of common faturs: thy rquir dscription and xplanation thy rquir som valuation, assssmnt or discussion Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 4

5 thy always rquir dtaild xmplification using cas studis highr lvls of rspons rquir clar vidnc of synopticity You should rsrv 4 or 5 minuts for thinking tim and for writing a brif plan of your answr. Th plan should outlin th gnral contnt of ach paragraph and th gographical xampls you intnd to us to support your answr. Your answr should hav thr main componnts: an introduction, a main body and a conclusion. Th introduction should (a) dfin any ky trms usd in th qustion, and (b) indicat th broad structur of your answr. It should b brif and businsslik: four or fiv lins should b sufficint. Th main body is whr you dvlop th list of points in your introduction by mans of a sris of paragraphs that follow ach othr in a logical squnc.whn discussing or valuating an issu, and thrfor prsnting a numbr of viwpoints, put ach ida into a sparat paragraph.this will nsur that th radr dos not bcom confusd by your argumnt. Th conclusion should b a brif summary of th points dvlopd in your answr. Whr appropriat, it may nd to includ som valuation or ovrall assssmnt. Finally, all qustions will covr som aspct of th gographical procss summarisd in Figur A. It is important to rcognis which part of th procss th qustion is asking you about. In gnral, th squnc of qustions in an xam is logical.you may b askd to xplain causs, thn to dscrib changs, nxt to idntify problms and finally to suggst solutions. Gographical issus bgin with causs. Procsss thn occur which lad to changs taking plac. Ths can b changs to natural or human systms. Th changs oftn hav consquncs; ths can b positiv or ngativ (problms) for popl and/or th nvironmnt th problms and issus rquir managmnt to find solutions and minimis conflict Figur A Th gographical procss Th ssays in Unit 3 will b markd using a gnric mark schm. This mans that th sam gnral principls will b usd to assss your ssay, only th contxt, contnt and command words will vary. Tabl A illustrats this mark schm. Tabl A Essay mark schm Lvl Marks/40 Assssmnt critria Th answr shows a basic grasp of concpts and idas, but points lack dvlopmnt or dpth Explanations ar incomplt, argumnts partial and lack cohrnt organisation or rasond conclusions Exampls ar suprficial Thr is no vidnc of synopticity Th answr is rlvant and accurat, and shows rasonabl knowldg and critical undrstanding of concpts and principls with som us of spcialist vocabulary Argumnts ar not fully dvlopd and th organisation of idas and th us of xampls and gnral thoris show imbalancs Som ability to idntify, intrprt and synthsis som of th matrial Limitd ability to undrstand th rols of valus, attituds and dcision-making procsss Sktch maps/diagrams ar not usd ffctivly Evidnc of synopticity is limitd Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 5

6 Lvl Marks/40 Assssmnt critria Sound and frqunt vidnc of thorough, dtaild and accurat knowldg and critical undrstanding of concpts and principls, and of spcialist vocabulary Explanations, argumnts and assssmnts or valuations ar dirct, logical, purposful and gnrally balancd Som ability to idntify, intrprt and synthsis a rang of matrial Som ability to undrstand th rols of valus, attituds and dcision-making procsss Exampls ar dvlopd and sktch maps/diagrams ar usd ffctivly Thr is strong vidnc of synopticity Strong vidnc of thorough, dtaild and accurat knowldg and critical undrstanding of concpts and principls and of spcialist vocabulary Explanations, argumnts and assssmnts or valuations ar dirct, logical, prcptiv, purposful, and show both balanc and flair Thr is a high lvl of insight, and an ability to idntify, intrprt and synthsis a wid rang of matrial with crativity Evidnc of maturity in undrstanding th rol of valus, attituds and dcisionmaking procsss Exampls ar wll-dvlopd and sktch maps/diagrams ar fully intgratd Th answr is fully synoptic Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 6

7 Plat tctonics and associatd hazards Qustion 1 a Study Figur 1, which shows th global distribution of arthquaks. Plat margins Earthquak zon Eurasian plat North Amrican plat Mid- Atlantic ridg African plat Indo-Australian plat Pacific plat Cocos plat Nazca plat South Amrican plat Caribban plat Antarctic plat Figur 1 Global distribution of arthquaks Antarctic plat Dscrib th distribution of th arthquaks and attmpt to xplain th pattrn that is shown. Mark schm (7 marks) Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Basic/simpl statmnts with rgard to distribution, mainly nams of countris or aras affctd by arthquaks. Explanation confind to plat boundaris. Widr pictur sn, such as th Pacific Ring of Fir. Som rfrnc to th larg aras whr thr ar no or fw rcordd instancs. Mor dtails on plat boundaris such as th nam, th activity taking plac thr which rsults in arthquaks and activity within fold mountains. Som attmpt to xplain why som aras ar fr/rlativly fr from arthquaks. (5 7 marks) As this qustion is lvls markd, you will rciv only Lvl 1 marks if you dscrib th distribution in picmal form, i.. simply a list of countris/aras. You must dscrib a widr pattrn to rach Lvl 2. Similarly, xplanations must go dpr than simply stating that th arthquaks ar on or nar plat boundaris.you could stat what is happning to caus arthquaks at spcific boundaris (must b thos shown on th map, not arthquaks in gnral) such as on th consrvativ margin in California. b Dscrib th ffcts that a major arthquak can hav on th population of an ara. Mark schm (8 marks) Lvl 1 Simpl statmnts giving nothing mor than a list of th ffcts. Lvl 2 Rcogniss that ffcts can b dividd into primary and scondary and givs xampls of ach (accpt candidat s own dfinition of primary/scondary as long as it is logical). Links ar clarly mad btwn primary and scondary hazards,.g. ground shaking can caus buildings to fall, Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 7

8 braking gas pips which could lad to firs braking out. Svral ffcts can b linkd togthr in a chain; anothr xampl could b ground shaking rsulting in dams cracking, collapsing and lading to flooding downstram. To rach th highr mark lvl, you must do mor than writ a list of ffcts. With many hazards it is important to rcognis that thr ar both primary ffcts and latr scondary ffcts, which may last for a considrabl priod of tim aftr th vnt. It is also ssntial to s that on ffct may b th caus of anothr. If you can link th hazards in this way, your mark will b at th top of th rang. c Discuss th ffctivnss of th mthods usd to lssn th impact of arthquaks on th population of an ara. Mark schm (10 marks) Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Lvl 3 Simpl statmnts of mthods, in ffct littl mor than a list of th ways popl can attmpt to lssn th impact. Rcogniss that thr can b catgoris, or shows th gnral aim bhind th mthods. Bgins to show how ths mthods work and how ffctiv thy hav bn, prhaps with som small rfrncs to locatd xampls. Shows a clar indication that mthods can b dividd into catgoris and discusss th purposs of such attmpts. Clarly maks critical valuations of th mthods with dtails on how thy can b mad to work. Links mthodology and its ffctivnss with clar rfrncs to locatd xampls. (9 10 marks) As with (b), txt that is ffctivly a list of mthods will rciv crdit only at th lowst lvl. Th ky word in th qustion is ffctivnss, and you must show to what xtnt th mthods you quot work. Although xampls ar not mntiond in th qustion, it is a good ida to link ffctivnss to ral-world situations. If a particular mthod was ffctiv/inffctiv at a crtain vnt, say so, as this will rciv crdit at th highr lvls. Qustion 2 a Study Figur 2 which shows th distribution of tctonic plats and thir movmnts. Eurasian plat C North Amrican plat Eurasian plat C African plat Pacific plat Nazca plat South Amrican plat Indo-Australian plat Transform fault Antarctic plat Dirction of plat movmnt Convrgnt (dstructiv) subduction zons Divrgnt (constructiv) sa-floor sprading Figur 2 Tctonic plats C Consrvativ zons Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 8

9 Slct on plat boundary whr volcanic activity is taking plac. Nam it, and with th aid of an annotatd diagram(s) xplain what is happning thr as a rsult of th movmnt of th plats. (7 marks) Mark schm Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Simpl statmnts/labls such as nams of plats and dnsity (but not both). Lablling incomplt. Squnc of vnts from plat movmnt to volcanic activity not stablishd. Plat lablling includs nams and dnsity (figurs would indicat top of lvl answr). Dtails givn, with clar squnc stablishd from movmnt to volcanic activity. Particular dtails givn on volcanic activity. (5 7 marks) Slction is vry important hr. You should choos a boundary with a lot of activity and whr thr is a clar link btwn th plat movmnt and volcanic action.th qustion stats with th aid of diagrams, which mans that you could produc som txt but you MUST draw an annotatd diagram to achiv a rasonabl mark.th most important point concrning th diagram is that th radr must b abl to s th squnc from th initial movmnt of th plat to th ultimat production of volcanic activity. b A tsunami can rsult from tctonic activity. Explain how such larg wavs ar formd and why thy can b so dstructiv. Mark schm (8 marks) Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Simpl statmnts rlating to caus, such as arthquaks or volcanic ruptions. Simpl list of ffcts, with no strss on why tsunamis can b so dvastating. Mor dtaild xplanations as to th caus. Explains why tsunamis can caus such dstruction, particularly th lack of prparation/prcption of th hazard in th past. Dtails on siz, pntration, tc., and indications that tsunamis may consist of mor than on wav. Shows that dbris in watr can also b vry dstructiv. To achiv a mark byond Lvl 1 you must rcognis that formation of a tsunami rquirs mor than an arthquak/volcanic action. You must xplain not only th damag that tsunamis can do, but why thy can b so dstructiv (.g. Indian Ocan tsunami, Dcmbr 2004). Simply listing th ffcts will rciv crdit only at Lvl 1. c Discuss th ways in which popl and organisations hav attmptd to minimis th ffct of volcanic ruptions. Mark schm (10 marks) Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Lvl 3 Simpl statmnts of rsponss which could apply to any volcanic ruption. Answr littl mor than a short list. Rcogniss that thr can b catgoris, or shows gnral aim bhind th mthods. Bgins to show how such mthods work with som small rfrncs to xampls. Vry clar indication that attmpts can b catgorisd. Rcogniss that volcanic activity will occur and that popl ar unabl to stop it so thir main thrust should b to minimis th ffcts upon thm. Critical valuation mad of th succss of any attmpts mad, with clar rfrnc to xampls. (9 10 marks) As with (c), it is important to us xampls, vn though thr is no rfrnc to thm in th qustion wording. As with all qustions of this typ, you should avoid stating only th mthods that ar applid. Most mthods can b dividd into catgoris and you must Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 9

10 us thm, bcaus this givs a clarr insight into how popl hop to minimis th ffct of such hazards. Essay qustions Th gnric mark schm for th ssays is givn on pags 5 6. Blow is a summary of th rquirmnts for a good answr to ths qustions. A ky lmnt is th nd to dmonstrat synopticity. Synoptic assssmnt is built into th mark schm, and is loosly dfind as follows: Synoptic assssmnt involvs assssmnt of candidats ability to draw on thir undrstanding of th connctions btwn diffrnt aspcts of th subjct rprsntd in th spcification and dmonstrat thir ability to think lik a gographr. Qustion 3 Th hazards prsntd by arthquaks and volcanic activity hav th gratst impact on th poorst mmbrs of th world s population. To what xtnt do you agr with this viw? (40 marks) Appropriat contnt Appropriat contnt for a rspons to this qustion might includ: th concpt of a hazard an undrstanding of volcanos and arthquaks as hazards and th xtnt to which thy impact upon human conomis and socitis th possibility of managmnt aras at risk compard with th incom/conomic dvlopmnt of th popl living thr variations in th capacity to adapt to/manag procsss and impacts varying impacts on diffrnt groups within th sam population, such as th vulnrability of informal sttlmnts cas study matrial/xampls Synopticity This could mrg with som of th following: a critical undrstanding of th procsss that produc volcanic and arthquak hazard vnts and th contxt in which thy ar producd undrstanding th contxt of varying timscals (frquncy tc.) an undrstanding of th impact of volcanic and arthquak vnts an undrstanding of th vulnrability of diffrnt populations to ths hazards a critical undrstanding of th vulnrability of diffrnt rgions, particularly th diffrncs btwn richr and poorr aras and th contrast btwn urban and rural nvironmnts undrstanding th capacity and willingnss of popl to dal with ths hazards vidnc of bradth/dpth of cas study matrial Th qustion rquirs a discussion and th rspons should rach a viw. Any conclusion can b crditd as long as it is masurd and rasonabl, and rlatd to th contnt of th answr. To answr this qustion you should carfully rad th abov bullt points to gt an ida of what your discussion should involv. Th obvious conclusion is that th statmnt is mainly corrct. Poor popl ar not abl to prpar for or manag hazards in th sam way that popl in richr countris can. Richr countris can build structurs to withstand arthquaks, warning of volcanic ruptions is bttr and popl ar bttr placd to do somthing about it.you could also argu, though, that th ovrall montary cost to richr Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 10

11 populations is much highr as thr is mor to los. You could dvlop this thm, showing how an arthquak in India dos not hav th sam cost in financial trms as on, say, in Los Angls In trms of loss of lif and impact upon an ara s conomy, howvr, you would hav to argu th opposit. Hazard vnts in poorr countris oftn hav a long rcovry priod, with hlp ndd from richr aras. If California, for xampl, suffrs an arthquak, fdral aid and othr forms of hlp ar almost always immdiatly availabl, but th ffctivnss of this vry much dpnds on th scal of th vnt. Qustion 4 To what xtnt do you agr with th viw that th hazards rsulting from arthquaks and volcanic activity cannot b managd but mrly adaptd to. (40 marks) Appropriat contnt Appropriat contnt for a rspons to this qustion might includ: a rviw of th two gomorphological procsss with som dtaild dscription and xplanation th xtnt to which arthquaks and volcanic activity impact upon human affairs ithr intrmittntly or prsistntly th scal of th procsss and thir rol in th opration of widr natural systms th potntial for managmnt th potntial to adapt to th procsss, with risk accptanc bing justifiabl in crtain contxts managmnt, in trms of lvls of dvlopmnt, tchnical capacity, typs of conomy and cultural disposition Synopticity This could b achivd by som of th following: a critical undrstanding of th procsss that produc volcanic and arthquak hazard vnts and th contxt in which thy ar producd undrstanding th frquncy of vnts and how this impacts on populations an undrstanding of th impacts of arthquak and volcanic vnts a critical undrstanding of how such vnts can b prpard for and possibly managd a critical undrstanding of th vulnrability of diffrnt popls an undrstanding of th ability of popl to rspond dpnding upon thir lvls of walth, tchnical capacity and thir cultural disposition an undrstanding of th prcption of risk takn by various popls and how thy rspond givn thir prcptions vidnc of bradth/dpth of cas study matrial Th qustion clarly rquirs a discussion and th rspons should rach a viw. Any conclusion can b crditd as long as it is rasonabl and rlatd to th matrial undr discussion. Carfully rad th abov bullt points as thy will giv you a clar insight as to what is rquird whn attmpting an answr to this qustion. You should undrstand what managmnt ntails in th contxt of ths hazards. It is difficult to act dirctly against a spcific arthquak vnt, although prparation in arthquak-pron aras will sav livs and infrastructur whn an vnt happns. Volcanic activity cannot b prvntd ithr, but warnings can b givn to vacuat populations and popl can act to control lava flows. Again, this dpnds upon th scal of th disastr. Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 11

12 An ovrall conclusion will probably b that it is not rally possibl to manag ths hazards in trms of trying to control or vn stop thm, but som tchniqus can mitigat th ffcts. You could also intrprt th qustion as implying that popl in som aras simply accpt that th ara is pron to such hazards and fl that, with som prparation, thy can liv with th situation. Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 12

13 Wathr and climat and associatd hazards Qustion 1 Figur 3 is a synoptic chart showing wathr conditions for hours GMT on a July day ovr north Africa, southrn Europ and th middl ast N High km 1, Low Low Tropic of Cancr High 40 N Low Equator Dry bulb tmpratur Dw point Figur 3 Synoptic chart a Us Figur 3 to account for th diffrncs in th wathr in Africa btwn th quator and th Tropic of Cancr. Mark schm (7 marks) Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Simpl and gnralisd statmnts that prdominantly dscrib diffrncs in th wathr btwn th quator and th Tropic of Cancr. Mor undrstanding hr of th rasons why th wathr in th ara btwn th two locations diffrs. Expct rfrnc to and undrstanding of at last two aspcts of th wathr for 7 marks. (5 7 marks) Th ky hr is to mak sur that you rfr to diffrncs in trms of tmpratur (dry bulb and dw point), wind spds, cloud conditions and humidity. Having dscribd th diffrncs you should thn try to xplain thm in trms of th vidnc givn on th map.this will rlat to diffrncs in prssur and associatd pattrns of air movmnt. b Explain why som climats within th tropics xprinc both a distinct wt and dry sason, yt othrs show vry littl sasonal variation. (8 marks) Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 13

14 Mark schm Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Simpl and gnralisd dscriptiv statmnts comparing th quatorial climat with on othr tropical climat. A hint of undrstanding is displayd, most likly rlatd to th angl of incidnc of th sun, and its ffct on tmpraturs within th tropics. A clar answr which xplains why sasonal diffrncs in tmpratur, prcipitation and/or wind dirction occur furthr away from th Equator. An undrstanding of global prssur and circulation is convyd. This qustion rquirs an undrstanding of th variations in prssur pattrns and winds in tropical rgions.you should xplain ths variations with rfrncs to th following: Clos to th quator th climat shows uniformity throughout th yar, oftn with littl sasonal diffrnc in tmpratur or prcipitation. This is bcaus this latitudinal blt lis undr th influnc of th doldrums low prssur all yar round. Tropical continntal climats ar xprincd btwn 5º and 15ºN and S of th quator, mainly in Africa and ast cntral South Amrica. Thy ar influncd by th trad winds and subtropical high prssur for part of th yar (dry sason) and low prssur whn th ITCZ movs in lin with th ovrhad sun for th rst of th yar. Th tropical monsoon climat is xprincd in som tropical latituds, whr sasonal wind pattrns xrt a hug influnc on prcipitation pattrns.this climat is bst dvlopd ovr southast Asia and northrn Australia. For on sason th winds blow from th sa to th land, bringing havy rainfall, and for anothr sason th sourc of th winds is from th land, giving littl or no rain. c Assss th possibl ffcts of global warming on a tropical rgion you hav studid. Mark schm (10 marks) Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Lvl 3 Simpl statmnts rlating to on or mor vagu tropical rgion. No dpth to th answr. Limitd us of xmplification and/or sns of plac. Som dtail and dpth rlating to on clarly dfind climat typ/rgion, with dvlopmnt of at last on of th listd bullt points blow, including simpl valuation/assssmnt of th ffct/s. Fully dvlopd answr, with sound assssmnt of at last two of th bullt points blow rlating to th statd climat. Locations usd to laborat ar accurat. (9 10 marks) B clar in your idntification of th chosn tropical rgion and rlat th possibl impacts of global warming to that ara.th mor spcific your answr th bttr, but in gnral trms you should considr rfrncs to: tmpratur chang prcipitation lvls (total amounts and variability) impact on rivr discharg lvls sa lvl chang impact on biodivrsity (fauna and flora) impact on human activitis Th ky command of th qustion is assss hnc you should giv an ovrviw of th impact basd on your prvious argumnt. Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 14

15 Qustion 2 Tabls 1 and 2 show climat data for Grnwich, London, and Tnby, on th Wlsh coast ( avrags). Tabl 1 Grnwich, London (altitud 7 m) Month Max tmp Min tmp Days of air Sunshin hours Rainfall (ºC) (ºC) frost (hours) (mm) Jan Fb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Spt Oct Nov Dc Tabl 2 Tnby, south Wals (altitud 5 m) Month Max tmp Min tmp Days of air Sunshin hours Rainfall (ºC) (ºC) frost (hours) (mm) Jan Fb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Spt Oct Nov Dc a Dscrib and suggst rasons for th diffrncs in th climats of Grnwich and Tnby. (7 marks) Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 15

16 Mark schm Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Straightforward dscription of climat diffrncs with littl attmpt to us th valus in support. Explanation is basic. Clar dscription and xplanation of climatic diffrncs using valus from th figurs.two or mor aspcts of th climat must b xplaind for full marks. (5 7 marks) Not thr ar two commands for this qustion. You must rspond clarly to both to accss Lvl 2. In ach cas diffrncs should form th focus of your answr. Diffrncs should b idntifid in trms of tmpratur, days of air frost, sunshin hours and rainfall. Explanation could involv factors such as distanc from th sa, location in a larg urban ara or othrwis (urban climat) and rlativ position within th UK (ast vrsus wst). b Explain how th wathr xprincd in th British Isls is influncd by its global position. Mark schm (8 marks) Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Simpl and gnralisd dscriptiv statmnts about th wathr will b givn with prhaps just a tokn xplanation in rlation to Britain s latitud or coastal location. A clar dscription and xplanation of two or mor aspcts of th wathr, showing good undrstanding of atmosphric procsss. A rang of influncs can b citd hr: Latitud Th British Isls is locatd in th tmprat mid-latituds, roughly btwn 50º and 60ºN. Latitud has a strong influnc on tmpratur. Air masss Britain can b affctd by polar or tropical air masss which will dprss or rais tmpraturs. Additionally, whn a continntal air mass locats itslf ovr Britain dry wathr is th norm, but whn a moist maritim air mass is locatd ovr th ara, humidity is highr and prcipitation occurs. Ocan currnt Th British Isls is locatd on th wstrn margin of a major continnt, undr th influnc of a warm ocan currnt. Its coastal location modifis both summr and wintr tmpraturs bcaus of th diffrntial hat capacitis of land and sa. Summr tmpraturs ar lowr than might b xpctd, wintr tmpraturs highr. Wstrly winds affct prcipitation as wll as tmpratur. Subtropical and sub-polar air masss mt in ths latituds, giving ris to low-prssur wathr systms and frqunt prcipitation. c Evaluat th influnc of ocanic circulation on global climats. Mark schm (10 marks) Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Lvl 3 A simpl apprciation of th influnc of warm and cold ocan currnts on climat. No dpth to th answr and limitd us of locations. A clar answr, whr a good undrstanding of th influnc of ocanic circulation on global climats is dmonstratd. On othr influnc, probably latitud, will b notd, but valuation will b implicit. Mor dtaild knowldg and undrstanding of th factors influncing global climats, using locations is shown.th candidat is abl to highlight th most important factors and undrstands that ocanic circulation is of lssr importanc than othr factors. (9 10 marks) Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 16

17 Not th ky command of this qustion valuat. Your conclusion should giv an ovrall statmnt of th rol of ocan currnts on global climats. Th ovrriding influnc on global climats is latitud, and distanc from th sa/continntality is anothr important factor. Ocan currnts do play a part, but this is rlativly minor and is most markd on th wstrn sids of continnts. ENSO has an important influnc on th climat of placs bordring th Pacific Ocan, and th Gulf Stram influncs th mid-latituds on th wst coast of th Atlantic Ocan. Essay qustions Th gnric mark schm for th ssays is givn on pags 5 6. Blow is a summary of th rquirmnts for a good answr to ths qustions. A ky lmnt is th nd to dmonstrat synopticity. Synoptic assssmnt is built into th mark schm, and is loosly dfind as folows: Synoptic assssmnt involvs assssmnt of candidats ability to draw on thir undrstanding of th connctions btwn diffrnt aspcts of th subjct rprsntd in th spcification and dmonstrat thir ability to think lik a gographr. Qustion 3 Assss th impact on human activity of th wathr associatd with th varying air masss affcting th British Isls. (40 marks) Appropriat contnt Appropriat contnt for a rspons to this answr might includ: knowldg that th climat of th British Isls is influncd by svral distinctiv air masss, ach bringing with it a rang of wathr conditions dtaild accounts of th wathr associatd with ach of th arctic, polar maritim, polar continntal, tropical maritim and tropical continntal air masss dtaild accounts of th impacts of ths wathr pattrns on human activity rfrncs to xampls of significant impact Synopticity Synopticity can b achivd by: undrstanding th atmosphric procsss associatd with air masss from diffrnt gographical sourc rgions vidnc of bradth/dpth of cas study matrial undrstanding that som impacts of th wathr ar positiv, othrs ngativ assssmnt may compar th impacts of th wathr associatd with diffrnt air masss in th UK, a dvlopd country, with thos in a lss dvlopd country thr may b assssmnt of th impacts of diffrnt air masss on contrasting rgions within th British Isls,.g. a prdominantly rural rgion compard with a prdominantly urban rgion This qustion rquirs an analytical approach. Th answr should b brokn down into its constitunt parts, with an in-dpth account givn of ach lmnt. Any conclusion can b crditd as long as it is rasonabl and rlatd to th prcding contnt and argumnt. Carfully rad th abov bullt points as thy will giv you a clar insight as to what is rquird whn attmpting an answr to this qustion.you should hav a clar ida of th concpt of air masss and th varying wathr pattrns associatd with thm.tak not Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 17

18 of th ky command assss an ovrall assssmnt of th xtnt to which human activity is influncd by wathr is rquird. A rspons to this command basd on a thorough grasp of concpts and suitabl and dtaild cas study matrial should allow you to accss th uppr lvls of th mark schm. Qustion 4 Critically valuat th xtnt to which conomic activity can modify both wathr pattrns and climatic trnds. (40 marks) Appropriat contnt Appropriat contnt for a rspons to this answr might includ: knowldg that urbanisation and th dvlopmnt of mgacitis hav had a markd ffct on th wathr in such built-up aras; for xampl, tmpratur (th hat island ffct), prcipitation (incrasd frquncy and intnsity, fogs and thundrstorms), wind (spd, dirction and frquncy), air quality ( particulat pollution and photochmical smog) an valuation of th xtnt of variation in urban climats in rlation to city siz/ara/ population/location/lvl of conomic dvlopmnt rfrncs to climat chang: global warming in rcnt dcads has bn blamd on human activity in particular th burning of fossil fuls and dforstation; som may dbat whthr th vidnc points towards human activity causing rcnt changs to global climats or indd whthr global warming is a natural vnt, or thy might choos to disagr with th vidnc altogthr Synopticity Synopticity mrgs with th following: vidnc in th bradth/dpth of supporting cas study matrial dtaild critical undrstanding of th diffrntiation btwn wathr and climat and th varying lvls of impacts in th dvloping and mor dvlopd parts of th world rcognition of th complxity of th issu of global warming and som rcognition of th dbat around th issu an awarnss of th intrrlationships of th various aspcts covrd in th qustion This qustion rquirs an valuativ approach and th rspons should rach a viw. Any conclusion can b crditd as long as it is rasonabl and rlatd to th prcding contnt and argumnt. Carfully rad th abov bullt points as thy will giv you a clar insight as to what is rquird whn attmpting an answr to this qustion.you should hav a clar ida of th concpt of wathr and climat modification and th varying wathr pattrns associatd with human conomic activity. Tak not of th ky command critically valuat an ovrall valuation of th xtnt to which human activity can modify wathr/climat is rquird. A rspons to this command basd on a thorough grasp of concpts and suitabl and dtaild cas study matrial should allow you to accss th uppr lvls of th mark schm. Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 18

19 Ecosystms: chang and challng Qustion 1 Figur 4 is a kit diagram illustrating th rsults of vgtation quadrat sampling along a sand and shingl ridg in south Dvon. Pionr spcis Maritim spcialists Prcntag of vgtation sampld at ach station Madow plants 0 50 Shrubs Station numbr along transct Saward Landward Figur 4 Kit diagram showing th rsults of vgtation sampling, south Dvon a Dscrib and suggst rasons for th changs shown in Figur 4. Mark schm (7 marks) Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Simpl and gnralisd statmnts that dscrib how spcis chang inland, with only limitd xplanation offrd, most likly along th lins of conditions bcoming lss harsh inland from th sa. No prcis us of th kit diagram. Clar dscription of th changs in both xtnt and varity of spcis inland, dmonstrating an undrstanding of why ths changs occur.th answr may show knowldg of particular spcis within srs, or thr may b us of pr cnt valus dtrmind from th kit diagram. (5 7 marks) Not thr ar two commands for this qustion, dscrib and suggst rasons, and that both commands must b rspondd to clarly to accss Lvl 2. In ach cas changs should form th focus of your answr. Diffrncs should b idntifid in trms of distanc from th sa, spcis variation and rlativ proportions of shrubs. Explanation could involv factors such as soil quality, nutrint lvls, soil moistur lvls and plant succssion procsss. b Examin th circumstancs undr which succssion towards climatic climax can b arrstd. (8 marks) Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 19

20 Mark schm Lvl 1 Lvl 2 A basic rspons that dscribs ithr a plagioclimax or a scondary succssion in vagu trms.thr may b som confusion in th dfinitions. Th rspons dmonstrats clar knowldg and undrstanding of ithr a plagioclimax, a scondary succssion or both.thr may b rfrnc to accurat xampls or locations. Plant succssions can b stoppd from raching th climatic climax, or dflctd towards a diffrnt climax, by human intrfrnc. Th rsulting vgtation is known as a plagioclimax. Exampls of human activity that crat plagioclimaxs ar: dforstation or afforstation animal grazing or trampling fir claranc A scondary succssion is a succssion that dvlops on land that has prviously bn vgtatd. For xampl, an ara might hav bn clard for farming, but latr abandond. This abandond land bcoms colonisd in a scondary succssion. Scondary succssion can also follow natural vnts such as a chang in climat, a disas, a mudflow, a volcanic ruption or a spontanous fir, which can b th rsult of lightning. You should rfr to a rang of th abov in ordr to accss th highr lvl. c Analys th factors that ar most rsponsibl for variations in biodivrsity at a global scal. Mark schm (10 marks) Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Lvl 3 Simpl statmnts concntrating on th impact of diffrnt typs of habitat in rlation to th numbr and typ of animal and plant spcis. Ovr-rlianc on on biom, such as th tropical rainforst. Som dtail and dpth rlating to on factor, most likly climat, in rlation to at last two bioms. Fully dvlopd answr, with good laboration of both physical and human influncs using accurat locations in rlation to th bioms statd. (9 10 marks) Climat is th ovrriding factor as it has an important influnc on soil typ and vgtation. Ths thr factors combind hav th gratst impact globally on biodivrsity. Tropical rainforst and monsoon forst ar high-nrgy bioms but th savanna grasslands hav a lowr nt primary productivity (NPP). All bioms, rgardlss of which continnt thy occur on, show similaritis in climat, soils, plants and animal lif. Lownrgy bioms ar th tundra in th high latituds and th hot dsrts in th low latituds. Hr, th vgtation is scant and NPP is low, biodivrsity among animals, birds and inscts is lowr bcaus thr is lss food availabl for th hrbivors, and this has an ffct on th highr trophic lvls.th gratst biodivrsity xists within th tropical rainforsts half th world s gn pool is thought to xist thr.tropical rainforsts hav bn stabl cosystms for up to 100 million yars and, until rcntly, hav continud to gain nw spcis in thir undisturbd stat. Human activity has gratly dpltd biodivrsity in som bioms; dforstation of th rainforsts and of th tropical monsoon forsts provids a good xampl of this. In mor Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 20

21 dvlopd countris (.g. th UK) vry littl of th natural vgtation rmains and so biodivrsity has bn affctd gratly. In som mor xtrm latituds th natural nvironmnt has bn lss affctd by human activity. Th introduction of alin spcis, usually initiatd by human activity, has had an normous impact on biodivrsity in som aras. Ensur that you giv an ovrall analysis of a rang of factors to accss th highst lvl of rspons. Qustion 2 Figur 5(a) and (b) dmonstrats sasonal diffrncs in th nutrint cycl for a dciduous wood in England. (a) Lat autumn (b) Lat spring Biomass Biomass Littr Littr Soil Stors Transfrs Soil Figur 5 Th nutrint cycl a Idntify and commnt on th sasonal variations in nutrint cycling btwn lat autumn and lat spring. Mark schm (7 marks) Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Dscription prdominantly of diffrncs in th thr stors btwn th sasons, xpct rfrnc to on of th transfrs using an accurat trm for 4 marks. Accurat dscription of th rlativ sizs of all thr transfrs and stors.th most ffctiv rsponss will also show knowldg of inputs and outputs. (5 7 marks) You should provid a dscription of th rlativ sizs of th stors, and dmonstrat an undrstanding of th trms biomass, littr and soil. You should also commnt on th comparativ siz of th transfr flows as thy chang sasonally.th bst rsponss will also show an undrstanding of inputs and outputs (not shown on th diagrams), for xampl runoff and laching ar likly to b gratr outsid of th growing sason, in lat autumn, and wathring mor rapid during spring. Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 21

22 b Suggst rasons for th variations idntifid in (a). Mark schm (8 marks) Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Prdominantly basic rasons why thr ar changs in rlativ sizs of th stors; it is unlikly that th corrct trminology for transfrs will b usd. Basic xplanation might b offrd, prhaps an undrstanding of why laf fall occurs during th autumn. Clar undrstanding why diffrncs in both stors and transfrs occur btwn th sasons.thr may b mor prcis us of dtail,.g. tmpratur valus might b usd to xplain th start of th growing sason. This qustion focuss on rasons only. Thr ar a numbr of rasons for th changs, which ar linkd to sasonal variations in th influnc of th following: tmpraturs: having an impact on both laf covrag and rats of dcomposition th activity of soil fauna such as arthworms th rats of growth of vgtation and th associatd uptak of nutrints by vgtation th rlativ rats of wathring physical and chmical A good answr will show th links btwn ths factors. c Evaluat th succss of consrvation masurs in rlation to on or mor fragil cosystms you hav studid. Mark schm (10 marks) Lvl 1 Lvl 2 Lvl 3 Th rspons is likly to giv a gnralisd dscription of consrvation stratgis, such as th cration of National Parks or othr typs of protctd ara within a gnral nvironmnt, such as a rainforst.thr will b littl or no attmpt to valuat th succss of consrvation masurs. Som dtail and dpth rlating to on clarly dfind fragil nvironmnt, with dvlopmnt of at last on consrvation stratgy, including simpl valuation/assssmnt of th ffctivnss of this. Fully dvlopd answr, with sound assssmnt of th succss of consrvation masurs rlating to th fragil nvironmnt. Locations usd to laborat ar accurat. (9 10 marks) You should b sur of th maning of th two ky trms of this qustion: consrvation th protction and possibl nhancmnt of natural nvironmnts to nsur thir survival for futur us fragil nvironmnt on that is asily disturbd and difficult to rstor onc dstroyd According to th Unitd Nations, fragil nvironmnts includ arid and smi-arid aras, mountainous aras, polar locations, frshwatr and intrtidal wtlands, rainforsts and coral rfs. Many ar rgional in scop, transcnding national boundaris; othrs ar at a smallr scal in isolatd and fragmntd pockts. You should nsur that you clarly outlin and dscrib th consrvation masurs that hav takn plac in your chosn ara(s), and xprss a judgmnt as to whthr or not thy hav bn succssful. Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 22

23 Essay qustions Th gnric mark schm for th ssays is givn on pags 5 6. Blow is a summary of th rquirmnts for a good answr to ths qustions. A ky lmnt is th nd to dmonstrat synopticity. Synoptic assssmnt is built into th mark schm, and is loosly dfind as follows: Synoptic assssmnt involvs assssmnt of candidats ability to draw on thir undrstanding of th connctions btwn diffrnt aspcts of th subjct rprsntd in th spcification and dmonstrat thir ability to think lik a gographr. Qustion 3 With rfrnc to on tropical biom, valuat th rol and xtnt of human activitis in modifying its charactristics. (40 marks) Appropriat contnt Appropriat contnt for a rspons to this answr might includ: an outlin of th main charactristics of th biom, in trms of climat, vgtation, soils and biodivrsity a discussion of a rang of human activitis in th biom, which will dpnd upon th biom slctd; dforstation is likly to b a common thm, as ar sttlmnt/agricultural land us and consrvation an xploration of th impact of climat chang causd by human activity on th biom would also b rlvant, which is likly to b valuatd as having an impact throughout th ntir biom Synopticity Synopticity mrgs with th following: contrasts in human activity in rlation to lvls of conomic dvlopmnt btwn rgions/countris locatd within th biom vidnc of bradth/dpth of cas study matrial usd in support dtaild critical undrstanding of th impact of at last on human activity on th biom clar distinction btwn th rol of human activitis and th xtnt to which human activity modifis th chosn biom This qustion rquirs an valuativ approach and th rspons should rach a viw. Any conclusion is crditabl as long as it is rasonabl and rlatd to th prcding contnt and argumnt. Carfully rad th abov bullt points to gt a clar insight into what is rquird whn attmpting an answr to this qustion. You should hav a clar ida of th concpt of vgtation chang rsulting from human activity, and b awar that th qustion rquirs a discussion of both rol and xtnt.tak not of th ky command valuat an ovrall valuation of th xtnt to which human activity can modify vgtation charactristics is rquird. A rspons to this command basd on a thorough grasp of concpts and suitabl and dtaild cas study matrial should allow you to accss th uppr lvls of th mark schm. Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 23

24 Qustion 4 Discuss th rlativ importanc of physical and human factors in accounting for changs to vgtation ovr tim in on or mor cosystms you hav studid in th British Isls. (40 marks) Appropriat contnt Appropriat contnt for a rspons to this answr might includ: th factors causing succssion towards climatic climax of a rang of plant communitis found in th British Isls, including at last on of lithosr, psammosr, hydrosr or halosr th charactristics of th climatic climax community, th tmprat dciduous woodland biom and th xtnt to which this has bn modifid; thr might b som undrstanding of rgional diffrncs in th biom,.g. th typs of location whr ash is th dominant spcis rathr than oak th human factors affcting plant succssions: scondary succssion and plagioclimax changs to cosystms rsulting from urbanisation, colonisation of wastland; th dvlopmnt of distinctiv cologis along routways and in th urban rural fring th impact of consrvation in a varity of sttings: urban and rural, and natural nvironmnts such as sand duns Synopticity Synopticity mrgs with th following: an undrstanding of both physical and human factors in rlation to changs in plant communitis ovr tim, ithr short or long trm awarnss of th intrrlationships btwn physical and human factors us of dtaild cas study support (bradth and dpth) from contrasting cosystms, manmad and natural valuativ commnts rlating to th rlativ importanc of physical and human factors ovr th short and long trm Th qustion clarly rquirs a discussion approach and th rspons should rach a viw rgarding rlativ importanc of th two factors. Any conclusion can b crditd as long as it is rasonabl and rlatd to th matrial undr discussion. Carfully rad th abov bullt points as thy will giv you a clar insight as to what is rquird whn attmpting an answr to this qustion.you should hav a clar ida of th concpt of vgtation chang rsulting from both physical and natural causs as wll as from human activitis.tak not of th ky command discuss an ovrall statmnt of rlativ importanc of th two factors is rquird. A rspons to this command basd on a thorough grasp of concpts and suitabl and dtaild cas study matrial should allow you to accss th uppr lvls of th mark schm. Supporting AQA A2 Gography Barkr, Rdfrn and Skinnr 2009 Philip Allan Updats 24