A Level Geography WJEC
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107 topics in 15 modules
☑️ Coastal Landscapes 10 topics
- The operation of the coast as a system
- Temporal variations and their influence on coastal environments
- Landforms and landscape systems, their distinctive features and distribution
- Factors affecting coastal processes and landforms
- Processes of coastal weathering, mass movement, erosion and the characteristics and formation of associated landforms
- Processes of coastal transport and deposition and the characteristics and formation of associated landforms
- Aeolian, fluvial and biotic processes and the characteristics and formation of landforms in coastal environments
- Variations in coastal processes, coastal landforms and landscapes over different time scales
- 9 Coastal processes are a vital context for human activity
- The impact of human activity on coastal landscape systems
☑️ Glaciated Landscapes 10 topics
- The operation of a glacier as a system
- Climate change and the glacier budget over different time scales
- Glacier Movement
- The range of glacial environments and their distribution
- Processes of glacial weathering, erosion and the characteristics and formation of associated landforms
- Processes of glacial and fluvioglacial transport, glacial and fluvioglacial deposition and the characteristics and formation of associated landforms
- Suites of landforms within glacial landscapes
- Periglacial processes and the formation of associated features
- Variations in glacial processes, glacial landforms and landscapes over different time scales
- Glacial processes are a vital context for human activity
☑️ Tetonic Hazards 5 topics
- Tectonic processes and hazards
- Volcanoes, processes, hazards and their impacts
- Earthquakes, processes, hazards and their impacts
- Human factors affecting risk and vulnerability
- Responses to tectonic hazards
☑️ Changing Places 10 topics
- Changing place; changing places - relationships and connections
- Changing place; changing places - meaning and representation
- Changes over time in the economic characteristics of places
- Economic change and social inequalities in deindustrialised urban places
- The service economy (tertiary) and its social and economic impacts
- The 21st Century knowledge economy (quaternary) and its social and economic impacts
- The rebranding process and players in rural places
- Rural management and the challenges of continuity and change
- The rebranding process and players in urban places
- Urban management and the challenges of continuity and change
☑️ Fieldwork Investigation in Physical and Human Geography 6 topics
- Context and planning - what is the geographical enquiry process?
- Data collection - how is data and information (evidence) collected?
- Presentation and display - how is the collected data and information presented?
- . Analysis and interpretation of findings - how can the evidence be analysed?
- Conclusion - what conclusions can be drawn and how do these relate to the initial aim of the enquiry?
- Evaluation of the whole investigation - what evaluative techniques should be applied to the enquiry process?
☑️ Water and Carbon Cycles 10 topics
- The concepts of system and mass balance
- Catchment hydrology - the drainage basin as a system
- Temporal variations in river discharge
- Precipitation and excess runoff within the water cycle
- Deficit within the water cycle
- The global carbon cycle
- Carbon stores in different biomes
- Changing carbon stores in peatlands over time
- Links between the water and carbon cycles
- Feedback within and between the carbon and water cycles
☑️ Global Governance: Change and Challenges 5 topics
- Globalisation, migration and a shrinking world
- Causes of international economic migration
- Consequences and management of international economic migration
- Causes, consequences, and management of refugee movements
- Causes, consequences, and management of rural-urban migration in developing countries
☑️ Global Governance of the Earth’s Oceans 5 topics
- Global governance of the Earth's oceans
- Global flows of shipping and sea cables
- Sovereignty of ocean resources
- Managing marine environments
- Managing ocean pollution
☑️ Tectonic Hazards 6 topics
- Tectonic processes and hazards
- Volcanoes, processes, hazards and their impacts
- Earthquakes and tsunami. Processes, hazards and their impacts
- Human factors affecting risk and vulnerability
- Responses to volcanic hazards
- Responses to earthquakes and tsunami
☑️ Ecosystems 7 topics
- The value and distribution of ecosystems
- The structure and functioning of ecosystems
- Biodiversity under threat
- Conserving biodiversity
- Ecosystems at a local scale
- The Arctic tundra biome
- Sustainable use of the Arctic tundra biome
☑️ Global Governance of the Earth's Oceans 5 topics
- Global governance of the Earth's oceans
- Global flows of shipping and sea cables
- Sovereignty of ocean resources
- Managing marine environments
- Managing ocean pollution
☑️ Economic Growth and Challenge: either India or China 7 topics
- The physical background of India or China
- The demographic, social and cultural characteristics of India or China
- Opportunities and constraints of India or China's physical environment
- The economic and political background of India or China
- The global importance of India or China
- Threats to India's or China's environment associated with economic growth
- Sustainable development in India or China
☑️ Development in Sub-Saharan Africa 7 topics
- Definitions, measures and patterns of development
- The influence of physical factors on the development of selected countries
- The influence of economic factors on the development of selected countries
- The influence of political, social and cultural factors on the development of selected countries
- The impact of development on the environment
- Challenges of desertification
- Strategies to promote development
☑️ Energy Challenges and Dilemmas 7 topics
- The classification and distribution of energy resources
- Physical factors determining the supply of energy
- The changing demand for energy
- The global management of oil and gas
- Problems associated with extraction, transport and use of energy
- Energy mixes and development
- The need for sustainable solutions to meet the demand for energy
☑️ Weather and Climate 7 topics
- Global controls on climate
- 2 World's major climate types
- Climate and weather of Wales and the UK
- Extreme weather events
- Impacts and management of climatic hazards
- 6 Impacts of human activities on the atmosphere at local and regional scales
- People, climate and the future
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A Level Geography WJEC Revision Content
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A Level Geography WJEC - Coastal Landscapes - The operation of the coast as a system Content Preview
Coastal Landscapes
The operation of the coast as a system
The Coast as a System
Systems Concept
- The system in geography is used to understand and organise complex interactions and interrelationships.
- A coastal system is an open system with inputs, processes, outputs and feedback within a distinct boundary, often defined by a watershed.
Inputs, Processes, Outputs
- Inputs into the coastal system include energy from waves, wind, tides, and ocean currents, sediments from rivers, cliffs, and onshore/offshore transport, and human impact.
- Processes within the system can be divided into transport processes (longshore drift, traction, saltation, etc.) and erosional or depositional processes (hydraulic action, abrasion, attrition, solution, etc.).
- Outputs from the system consist primarily of sediment transported offshore or along the coast, changes in coastal morphology due to erosion and deposition, and altered ecosystems.
Feedback Mechanisms
- A feedback mechanism in coastal systems can be positive or negative, enhancing or constraining changes in the system.
- Positive feedback amplifies system changes - for example, coastal erosion increases as beach material is removed, allowing waves to attack the base of cliffs more easily.
- Negative feedback counteracts system changes - for example, a build-up of sediment in coastal waters can reduce wave speed and energy, limiting further erosion or deposition.
Sediment Cell Concept
- A sediment cell, or littoral cell, is a management tool used to trace the movement of sediments within a particular section of coastline.
- Sediment cells often have clearly defined boundaries, such as headlands, where the input and output of material roughly equal.
Human Influence
- Human activity introduces another variable, affecting every aspect of the coastal system, from inputs (adding or subtracting beach material), through processes (construction of sea defences), to outputs (changes in coastal development strategy).
- Understanding the role of humans in coastal systems is crucial in managing for the future, to minimise risks and maximise opportunities.
Case Studies for Coastal Landscapes
- Identify specific real-world examples that illustrate these points (e.g., Holderness Coast, UK; Chesapeake Bay, USA). Understand not only the physical aspects of the chosen coastlands, but also socio-economic factors.
- Use your chosen case studies to deepen your understanding of concepts, and to reinforce the mechanisms within the coastal system.
Question: Explain how the human influence on a coastal system can disrupt the natural inputs, processes, and outputs, and provide a specific example from your case studies to support your point.
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