Chapter 5 Answers

Europe: Landscapes

Pages 122-123

The Central Uplands are high plateau like uplands. They are block mountains formed by faulting. They are much lower than the Alps which are high, fold mountains formed by the compression and uplifting of folded rocks caused by the collision of tectonic plates.

Weathering is when rocks are broken down into smaller fragments by the action of the weather, plants or animals, usually on the surface or close to it. Once weathered the fragments remain in situ unless or until they are eroded, transported and deposited elsewhere by the action of wind ice, water or the wind.

Pages 124-125

STUDENT CHOICE

Should include this sequence:

•Snow fall exceeds snowmelt

•Snow collects and builds up in a dip or hollow on high mountain slopes

•Over time the weight of the snow compresses to form a coarser snow called firn

•Eventually (after hundreds of years) this forms glacier ice

•Eventually the ice starts to move slowly downhill into valleys below – as a glacier

A U-shaped valley is left after a glacier has occupied a v-shaped river valley. Glaciers move downhill to occupy existing v-shaped river valleys. As they move they erode the land through plucking (ripping away the rock which comes in contact with the ice) and abrasion (rocks embedded in the ice scraping and smoothing the bedrock it comes in contact with as the glacier moves. When the glacier retreats or the ice melts, a deep, steep-sided valley is left, having eroded the interlocking spurs of the more gently sloped river valley it occupied.

In Figure 5 the ice has left a much-changed glacial landscape. The snowfield has left behind a deep, steep-sided basin called a corrie now occupied by a lake or tarn, open on the fourth side. Where two corries were next to each other, a steep sided ridge called an arête can be found separating them. Above them is a steep central pyramidal peak, formed where corries have eroded all around the original mountain

The former V-shaped river valley has been eroded into a much bigger, deeper and steeper u-shaped valley (see answer to Q2). Hanging valleys are left above the main valley where smaller tributaries once joined the river – often marked by waterfalls. Material carried by the ice (moraines) is deposited on the valley floor, especially where the end or snout of the glacier once was. The valley is occupied by a long, narrow ribbon lake with a small stream called a misfit stream.

Pages 126-129

Should describe and explain the clear link between population density and relief i.e. the Alps are sparsely populated compared to flatter or lower areas.

STUDENT CHOICE / OPEN ANSWERS

Farms have had to become larger to survive, affecting the alpine meadows used for grazing. Fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides are used to help improve grazing. This has meant that there is little variety apart from pasture, reducing biodiversity.

DEPENDS ON MAP / ATLAS USED

When a site attracts high numbers of tourists (a honey-pot site) the impact on what is often a fragile landscape is also high. Footpaths become eroded, soil erosion can take place and vegetation damaged. Ski runs may cause long term damage to mountainsides e.g. removing trees can increase avalanche risks. Careful management is needed to protect such areas and/or lessen the impact of visitors.

Pages 130-131

STUDENT CHOICE

•In the upper course the valley is steep sided, v-shaped and with little or no valley floor. The river channel is small and shallow

•By the middle course there is a valley floor / flood plain and the sides are less steep, but still quite close to the river channel. The channel is wider and deeper.

•The valley in the lower course is very wide and flat. The valley sides are a long way from the river channel which is deep and wide.

STUDENT CHOICE

(i)should show valley covered by water

(ii)should show deposition across flood plain, higher embankments and more deposition on bed of channel

Pages 132-135

(i)It is high in the mountains (Alps) so fed by glaciers and mountain streams, rain and snow melt

(ii)STUDENT CALCULATION / may vary according to map used

•Reduces the length of the river to navigate along

•Increases the velocity / speed of flow

STUDENT ANSWER

Should include explanation of river meander and river gorge; why castle there; barge on the river etc

•On the confluence of the Rivers Rhine and Ruhr on the lower course of the Rhine.

•At the western edge of Germany’s Ruhr industrial region

•Easy route downstream along the Rhine to Rotterdam for seagoing ships and upstream across mainland Europe = large hinterland

STUDENT CHOICE

Depends on atlas used but should name North Sea, main distributaries and waterways, barriers and settlements

Pages 136-137

•They are high energy waves with a stronger backwash than swash, so takes material away/out to sea/ along the coast

•They can wear away land through a number of processes, especially abrasion = waves throwing sand, pebbles and rock against the coastline and hydraulic action = waves hit the coast, trapping air in cracks or spaces, building up then releasing pressure which can cause rocks to break up

STUDENT CHOICE

NB Describe not explain

•How hard or soft it is / how resistant to erosion

•The structure of the rock

•The dip or slope of the rock where it meets the sea

Pages 138-141

(i)STUDENT CHOICE

(ii)The South Downs is a chalk escarpment stretching west to east along the south coast of SE England across the counties of Hampshire and Sussex.

(i)It has no river or stream running along it, but was clearly formed by one

(ii)Chalk is a porous rock, so water flowing over it normally sinks into the ground. During the last glacial period the ground here was not ice covered but it was frozen, allowing streams to run on the surface, eroding into it and forming small valleys. The streams disappeared later when the ground thawed out.

STUDENT CHOICE

Should emphasise horizontal nature of rocks / bedding planes = has to be completely undercut to fall

STUDENT CHOICE

Should include:

•Waves erode at the base of a headland/cliff forming a notch

•The notch gets bigger until the overhanging rock is completely undercut

•The unsupported rock collapses

•The new cliff face has retreated further inland

•The process continues

STUDENT SKETCH

Coastal features only - include: cliff, headland, beach, wave-cut platform

(i)It is quite a rare undeveloped, chalk coastline of considerable interest.

(ii)Parts of it are designated as: SSSIs; AONB; Heritage coast and National Park. Each manage and protect it in some way, some with legal backing e.g. preventing development / building etc.

Pages 142-143

They are low energy waves with a stronger wash than backwash, so they push and deposit material they have been carrying up the beach / along the coast

They need shallow, tidal water along a flat, muddy coastline with some protection from strong waves e.g. behind a spit, sea defences or inlet to allow the build-up of sediment in the inter-tidal zone between low and high water.

•Grass covered sand

•Footpaths and steps

•Fences

Pages 144-147

•Older dunes were originally formed 5500 years ago. After being destroyed by storms they reformed much later, only for the sand to be blown further inland.

•New dunes then formed nearer the coast as sand piled up at the back of beaches.

STUDENT DIAGRAM

Should include:

•Dry sand blown inland up a beach

•Sand starts to build/pile-up against an obstruction forming a small embryonic dune

•Over time these become fore dunes up to 5 metres high

•Fore dunes are blown further inland forming old dunes

•New fore dunes develop in their place

Good and varied access to the edge of the park via road (several car parks), train, cycle – good answers will name stations etc.

However, only one paved road through the park means it is well protected from traffic/ emissions. Instead, many cycleways and footpaths throughout the park.

•Closer to the coast: fore dunes = exposed; limited vegetation/biodiversity e.g. marram grass and wheat grass

•Beyond the fore dunes: more sheltered = shrubs like sea buckthorn, sea holly and elder. Shrubs provide nesting sites for birds. Some water on surface allows plants like marsh grass and orchids to thrive and also attracts more fauna e.g. toads, frogs, lizards etc. More biodiverse than dunes nearer the sea.

•Older dunes (stable)= mainly vegetation covered. More fauna e.g. rabbits, foxes, deer and squirrels. Woodland develops – some non-native conifers planted. Mature landscape with high biodiversity.

Could include:

•New visitor centre

•Land use zoning – some areas closed to visitors; some for activities; some ‘quieter’.

•Water extraction now prohibited

•National Park authority works with local landowners, National Forest Service, Natuurmonumenten and the regional water company

The different needs of different users often causes conflict – especially here where the land has a number of owners and a number of uses.