GeoBytesGCSE

A Case Study of Tourism in an LEDC - Kenya

2008-04-29T05:24:00.000-07:00

Where is Kenya?

Kenya is located in East Africa, its capital city is Nairobi and it has a population of approximately 30 million people.

Why visit Kenya?

- it has an attractive climate (tropical) with sunshine all year round, hot and humid at the coast; temperate inland and dry in the NE (rainy season - April-June and Oct-Dec, heavy rainfall in the afternoon and early evening)

- Safari holidays are popular - e.g. in the Maasai Mara / Nakuru National Park - Kenya has spectacular wildlife - including the big 5 - Lion, Elephant, Rhinoceros, Leopard and Buffalo

- Cultural experience - many tourists visit local tribes such as the Maasai to find out more about their lifestyle and traditions

- Coastal Holidays - SE of Kenya has fine sands and coral reefs with spectacular marine life - e.g. Mombassa

Why have numbers of tourists visiting Kenya increased?

- Kenya was one of the first LEDC countries to acheive mass tourism and in the 1970s and 1980s there was a rapid increase in the numbers of tourists, particularly following the release of the films Born Free and Out of Africa.

- Tourist numbers have also increased as larger aircraft in the 1980s brought prices of air travel down.

Advantages of Tourism to Kenya:

- Tourism encourages the building of new roads and better communications
- Jobs in tourism have helped develop people's business skills
- Tourism has created all year round jobs for Kenyans
- Tourism is Kenya's biggest earner of foreign exchange
-Tourism has stimulated farming, by creating a demand for local food from farmers
- National Parks have been created - encouraging people to protect the environment.

Disadvantages of Tourism for Kenya:

- there is leakage of income - with a lot of the money paid for holidays never actually reaching Kenya (travel companies and foreign owned hotels get it instead)

- Safari minibuses disturb animals - often getting too close (e.g. can be 30-40 buses around a single animal in the Maasai Mara), they also cause soil erosion as the wheels churn up the grass

- many Maasai are traditionally nomadic, but many have been forced out of the National Parks - losing their land and also losing their traditional lifestyles.

- Hot air balloons in parks disturb animals - by casting shadows and from the noise of the burners.

- Coastal Environments such as those in Mombassa have been damaged - e.g. destruction of coral reefs as tourists step on the coral and also take souvenirs.

- Drugs and crime has increased and AIDS is a major problem

Working towards sustainable tourism in Kenya - KIGO CONSERVANCY - An example of ECOTOURISM.

Kigio Conservancy was set up in 1997 on an old beef / dairy ranch with the aim of providing a wildlife sanctuary and a sustainable eco-tourism destination.

The accommodation at Kigio is in "cottages" built of mud, timber and thatch, using local and reclaimed materials and methods. The furniture is built from re-claimed timber from the ground and there is no electricity, oil lamps are instead used.

Kigio has a number of ecotourism activities it is involved in:

- partnerships with local communities - helping to fund and work on community projects
- provides links with local schools with schools in the UK, raising money for new classrooms and other projects (e.g. water tanks)
- partnerships with conservation organisations such as the Tusk Trust - which has involved setting up conservation centre for use by local schools and providing sustainable development education for local communities
- employees local people - e.g. guides and other workers
- conservation activities - e.g. looking after orphaned wildlife - e.g. 2003 relocation of giraffe into the area - including a baby giraffe from the Karen Blixen Giraffe Orphange in Nairobi.

Links:

Kigio Conservancy Centre - External Link
Tourism in Kenya - Kenya Web - External Link

A Case Study of Tourism in an MEDC - Menorca

2008-04-29T05:23:00.002-07:00

Menorca is the second largest of the Spanish Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea. It has a population of 67,000 and it has a total land area of 702km2.

Reasons why people visit Menorca:

- Mediterranean Climate - average temperature of 16oC with an average of 24oC in the summer months and little rainfall in the summer
- Menorca has a beautiul and varied landscape - Northern Menorca has an uneven and rugged coastline and in the south there are many white sandy beaches
- There are a wide range of watersports available (windsurfing; water skiing, scuba-diving etc.)
- Other outdoor activities include horse riding, cycling and potholing.

What are the advantages of tourism to Menorca?

- Job creation - tourism is the largest employer in Menorca
- tourism has had a multiplier effect and helps to support many different sectors of the economy e.g. jobs in farming (providing food for hotels and cafes), jobs in the craft industry (providing locally made souvenirs) and it is recognised that ice-cream is a major business
- tourism in Menorca has also raised awareness of the need to preserve the environment

What are the disadvantages of tourism to Menorca?

- as tourism is very much a seasonal industry - employment fluctuates at different times of the year
- the demands of the tourists have led to changes in the local way of life and there is also resentment of the number of villas and other properties being bought up as second homes by foreigners
- some of the earliest hotels which were built did not fit in with the local landscape and contrast dramatically against the beauty of the natural coastline
- the local culture has suffered some 'erosion' as changes have been made to meet the demands of tourists

Working towards more sustainable tourism in Menorca

In recognition of the importance of tourism to Menorca, as well as the importance of protecting the natural landscape which attracts tourists in the first place there have been increasing attempts in Menorca to make tourism more sustainable. These attempts include:

- the UN have declared the island a Biosphere Reserve with the aim of continuing to profit from tourism in Menorca whilst also protecting the island
- as part of the Biosphere - urban development has been controlled and beaches have been managed
- endangered species have been protected
- education programmes have been adopted in schools to raise environmental awareness
-tight planning controls have been implemented on the island restricting the growth of multi-storey hotels within 250km of the coastline to conserve the natural beauty of the landscape.
- government attempts to protect the impact on the local culture includes ensuring that all signage is in the traditional Menorqui language.

Photo Credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/gerriet/

Case Study of a Distribution Industry - Argos Distribution Centre, Stafford

2008-04-29T03:01:00.001-07:00

What needs to be considered in the location of a distribution centre?

The operating costs and customer service will be very important in influencing the location of a new distribution centre and the new location must be considered in relation to its suppliers (transport networks) and promixity to its customers location (this will determine response time)

(photo credit: D Bagshaw - www.geograph.org.uk/photo/83754 -CCL)

Therefore things to consider will be:

Access to Motorways
Adequacy of surrounding infrastructure for the transport of goods in and out
Transport costs
Availability of workers and labour costs

CASE STUDY: ARGOS DISTRIBUTION CENTRE Acton Gate, Stafford (Staffordshire, E Midlands)

Argos, the pioneer of catalogue retailing is one of the UK's leading retailers with a total of 474 stores in the UK / Republic Ireland and with annual sales of over £3 billion, serving over 41 million customers per year.

As well as outlet shops based on their catalogue, there is Argos Direct, the home shopping service (based on both telephone and web based orders).

For a company like Argos, the location of its distribution warehouses is essential. Argos has a number of distribution centres, but its Home Delivery service (Argos Direct) has its national operations centre at the Acton Gate Distribution warehouse, Stafford which was opened in 1998.

The map opposite shows the location of the distribution centre. Why then did Argos choose to locate at this site?

- Easy access to the motorway and main access roads (J13 of the M6 crossed by the A449) for the transport of goods and access for workers
- The central location of the site in the Midlands means that drivers can have easy access to Argos's regional bases and drive through the night without exceeding their permitted number of work hours.
- Large, flat greenfield site (the warehouse itself is 600,000ft2), providing plenty of room for storage (essential for a distribution industry dealing with large volumes of stock), as well as transport and office facilities
- A plentiful labour supply from nearby Stafford.

There were however some problems with the location:
The site itself, although having excellent accessibility was not ideal for expansion opportunities due to be constrained by the surrounding transport networks (A440, M6 and railway - see map)

Since the opening of the Acton Gate centre a new centre has now opened at Milton Keynes (Marsh Leys) and a third and largest centre opened in Darlington in 2005, further helping to reduce delivery distances.

Exam Practice - a typical question based on this case study might be:
Name and locate an example of a distribution industry which you have studied in the UK. Explain why the distribution industry is located there. (6 marks)

Case Study - Manufacturing Industry - The Whitbread Brewery

2008-04-29T02:59:00.000-07:00

Traditionally all beer was brewed in local market towns on a small scale as it was bulky and expensive to move around. Today the trend is for large 'jumbo' breweries, but they are still market orientated (i.e. locate close to major markets).

(Photo credit at end of post)

What influences the choice of location for the brewing industry?

Raw materials required - malt; water; sugar; hops and yeast

The raw material needed in the largest quantity is water, but this is not significant to the location of the brewing industry as it is possible to source water either through the main system or by digging a borehole.
Hops and Malt are also easily available and for a reasonable price (transport costs are relatively low)
The costs of transporting the raw materials are therefore far less than the costs of transporting the beer to market
Therefore the brewing industry (market-orientated) tends to locate as close to the market as possible.

CASE STUDY: WHITBREAD BREWERY, Luton

Where was the original location of the brewery?

originally opened in London in 1796
in 1960s it needed a vast brewery to supply the large market area - the urban location of London meant that there was no room for expansion and transport costs to the rest of the South and East were expensive.

Where did the Brewery locate to and why?

A new "jumbo" brewery was built at Leagrave in Luton in 1976 - this site was chosen because:

it was the optimum least cost site for the market
very close to London and major towns (e.g. Watford, Stevenage
well placed for the SE England and W Midlands market
industrial land was available in the area
plenty of water was available from the boreholes in the Chiltern Hills
Raw materials could be transported easily by road - e.g. the M1 and M10
500 workers - skilled and local were available due to the closure of a small brewery at the time.

EXAM PRACTICE
An example of an exam question based on this case study:

Name and locate an example of a manufacturing industry or factory which you have studied in the UK. Explain why the manufacturing industry is located there. (6 marks)

Photo Credit: B Harris-Roxas http://www.flickr.com/photos/34546323@N00/103834807 - Creative Commons)

The Green Revolution

2008-04-29T02:54:00.000-07:00

In the 1960s, there was concern from the Indian government that the country would not be able to grow enough food to support the ever increasing population, so they put into place what was called the 'Green Revolution'. The idea of the 'Green Revolution' was to use technology to increase food output and as a result, over the last 50 years a series of changes have taken place in farming in India with the introduction of more 'Western-type' farming techniques.

What changes in farming in India did the Green Revolution bring about?

1. LAND REFORM -

The problem: Efficient farming was difficult in India due to the many small farms (75% less than 3ha), which had become a product of the 'Laws of Divided Inheritance' (with farms being split between the sons of the farmer on his death), many of the poor didn't even own land, whereas large amounts of land were owned by a few rich land owners

The GR (Green Revolution) solution: Land Reform - aimed to increase farm size, setting a limit on the amount of land the more wealthy could own and redistributing surplus land to those without.

2. HIGH YIELDING VARIETIES

The problem: existing rice varities, grew rapidly but very tall so fell over easily and had to be grown quite far apart.

The GR solution: money provided by MEDCs such as the UK, USA etc. enabled new high yielding varities of rice to be developed - resulting in the development of a new rice plant known as IR8. This was shorter and stronger; could be planted much closer together, enabling more crop per area; had a shorter growing season and produced almost 3-4 times as much yield per hectare.

3. MECHANISATION

The problem: rice growing is labour intensive, with many jobs to be done requiring great human input

The GR solution: technology such as tractors and mechanised ploughs were introduced from MEDCs, replacing water buffalo and increasing efficiency, reducing the required human input.

Other changes bought about by the Green Revolution:

(i) - Irrigation schemes, including the introduction of electric / diesel pumps to help ensure a more steady and reliable source of water for the new IR8 HYVs and large scale projects such as the Narmada River Project (a series of dams built to help provide water for irrigation of the land)

(ii) As the introduction of tractors and other 'Western' style technology was not as successful as first hoped, Alternative, 'Appropriate Technology' has been introduced which is suited to the local people's wealth, skills and knowledge, for example low cost irrigation schemes etc.

What were the successes of the Green Revolution?

(i) Those that could afford the new Hybrid seeds, technology etc. saw an increase of 300% in crop yields;

(ii) The overall increase in food production helped to feed the ever increasing poulation with India becoming largely self-sufficient

(iii) Increased output overall meant that some subsistence farmers had a surplus which they were also able to sell, helping to raise living standards further. Money raised in this was was also reinvested into the farm, helping with the costs of machinery etc. or to buy more land

(iv) Areas in which the Green Revolution was successful became richer and more money was available for investment in schools, clinics, industry etc.

What were the failures of the Green Revolution? (see also this excellent BBC Article for specific examples)

(i) Unfortunately for many farmers the cost of machinery was too much and they simply couldn't afford it, as well as the high initial outlay, money was also required for fuel and repair.

(ii) Many very poor farmers, were tenant farmers, with little money to buy even the new seeds or fertiliser that was required.

(iii) New irrigation schemes were required to provide the reliable source of water required by the HYVs (High Yielding Varieties of rice). As well as being expensive, in some cases where inappropriate schemes were used salinisation became a problem. Dam construction in some areas also resulted in the flooding of some good farming land.

(iv) The large amounts of fertilisers and pesticides required by the HYVs also led to serious environmental problems as they entered water supplies

(v) In areas where there was an increase in mechanisation, there was an increase in unemployment with fewer people needed to do the jobs that were now done using tractors etc.

(vi) The consequent increase in unemployment in rural areas led to an increase in rural-urban migration with more people moving to the cities, causing urban problems

(vii) Many farmers who had tried to take on the new technologies became heavily in debt, leading to increase stress and in some instances suicide.

Key Terms:

Green Revolution - the introduction of changes in farming in India since the 1960s, using new technologies to increase farming output

HYVs - New 'High Yielding Varities' of rice designed to increase output

Appropriate Technology - that which is economically and environmentally sustainable meeting the needs of the people in relation to their wealth, skills and knowledge

Links
Green Revolution (Wikipedia) - External Link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_Revolution
India’s Green Revolution - External Link http://www.indiaonestop.com/Greenrevolution.htm
The limits of a Green Revolution (BBC Article) - External Link http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/6496585.stm
India – The Green Revolution - External Link http://countrystudies.us/india/104.htm
Green Revolution in India: A Case Study -External Link http://teacherweb.ftl.pinecrest.edu/SNYDERD/APHG/Unit%205/GreenRev.htm

Photo Credit: Jonathan Talbot, World Resources Institute. 2004. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/wricontest/466492667/)

Case Study of Subsistence Farming - Rice Farming in India

2008-04-29T02:50:00.000-07:00

Why Rice Farming in India?

1. CLIMATE - the Monsoon climate stays above 21oC with a long wet season, plenty of moisture available for growth, followed by dry, sunny weather which is ideal for ripening and the harvest

2. HUGE DEMAND - Rice is the staple food of 65% of the population of India and forms 90% of the total diet. India is indeed the world's second largest rice producer, producing 20% of the world's total)

3. FLAT LAND - ideal for paddy fields as it stops water draining away, allowing rice to grow in it

4. FERTILE SOILS - increases productivity and good crops are grown

5. WATER SUPPLY - plentiful water usually available due to the monsoon climate

6. LARGE LABOUR FORCE - rice farming is labour intensive and provides direct employment to about 70% of the working people in India where large numbers of workers are available.

What are the characteristics of the rice farms in India?

- many farms are very small (may only be one hectare - size of a football pitch)

- consequently rice farming is intensive, with large amounts of inputs compared to the size of the actual farm

- due to the small farm size and the poverty, often there is little no mechanisation and the farms are labour intensive (e.g. preparation of fields, planting, weeding etc.)

- the farmers are subsistence farmers - although they may sell what little surplus they might have and many poor farmers are only tenants as opposed to land owners.

Changes to the Rice Farming System:

- Natural disasters may severely affect farms - e.g. Typhoon Damage in October 1998 damaged yields
- Use of hybrid rice requires fertilisers and pesticides – expensive and can lead to health problems
- the characteristics of rice farms have also changed dramatically due to the Green Revolution

Photo Credit: treesftf http://www.flickr.com/photos/plant-trees/2805586701/

Changes in Farming in the UK

2008-04-29T02:44:00.001-07:00

After World War II the government launched a campaign to increase agricultural production to try and solve the problems of food shortages and eliminate the need for rationing that had occured during the war. The aim was quite simply to make the UK self-sufficient. As part of the government drive to increase farm production and efficiency, in 1973 the UK joined the Common Market (now known as the European Union) and adopted what was known as the Common Agricultural Policy.

The aims of the Common Agricultural Policy:

1. Stabilise markets, creating a single market in which the free movement of agricultural products could take place
2. Increase self-sufficiency by restricting imports and giving preference to produce from the European Union.
3. increase average field and farm size as well as to increase profit for farmers
4. Increase agricultural production by guaranteed prices for farmers

3 main policies were used to achieve the aims above, these were:

1. Subsidies and Grants - money was given to support farmers by supplmenting their income, in the form of subsidies. Grants were also given to enable farmers to fund schemes to increase production
2. Tarrifs (Import Taxes) - import taxes were used to restrict imports and therefore stimulate the market for products from the EU, further encouraging increased production.
3. Guaranteed Prices - regardless of world market prices, CAP ensured that farmers were guaranteed a fixed price for what they produced

By the mid-1980s, the Common Agricultural Policy had been so successful that over-production had become a problem with large surpluses of produce resulting in 'grain mountains'. A number of changes were made to CAP to try and control the problem of over-production, these included:

1. QUOTAS - these involved setting amounts for how much milk or crops could be produced. If farms exceeded these amounts then they were fined.
2. SET-ASIDE - the European Union funded set-aside in order to reduce the problems of surplus. This is where farmers were paid not to farm some of their land which would for example be left fallow or used for non-agricultural purposes. In 1995, due to the EU shortage of vegetable oil, farmers were paid a high subsidy of £445 per hectare for planting oilseed rape.
3. DIVERSIFICATION - farmers were encouraged to move into other areas of business to make money, this included PYO (Pick Your Own), Farm Shops, Bed and Breakfast, Renting out land etc.

Overall in response to the Common Agricutural Policy and the drive to increase agricultural production since World War II, there have been a number of key changes in arable farming in East Anglia over the last 50 years:

Key changes in Farming in East Anglia since 1950:

1. AGRIBUSINESS - farming has become large scale and 'capital intensive', now often run by large companies as opposed to being owned by individual farmers. These agribusiness companies use hi-technology and agrochemicals to maximise yields and maximise profits

2. FIELD SIZE & MECHANISATION - hedgerows have been removed to increase field size to increase production and also to enable machinery such as tractors, combine harvesters etc. to be used more efficiently.

3. LAND RECLAMATION - land, previously not used for agricultural production has been reclaimed in order to provide more opportunities for agricultural land-use. This has involved clearing woodlands, draining marshlands and fertilising sandy soils.

4. IMPROVED BUILDINGS - specialised buildings are now constructed, including temperature controlled storage sheds for drying grain and keeping harvested crops at optimum temperatures

5. CHEMICALS - there has been an increasing use of fertilisers to support new hybrid seeds and to increase yields, by allowing crops to continually be grown in the same fields without the need for crop rotation. There has also been an increase in the use of pesticides and herbicides.

6. DIVERSIFICATION - increasingly farmland is being used for other purposes such as camping, Bed and Breakfast facilities etc.

Environmental Issues resulting from changes in farming:

As a result of the changes above, there has been an increasing environmental impact, including:

(i) - almost 50% of the UKs hedgerows were removed between 1945-1990 resulting in the removal of important habitats, resulting in a decline in farm bird populations such as the skylark and corn bunting. Removal of the hedgerows has also resulted in increased soil erosion as there are no longer hedgerows to act as windbreaks.

(ii) the increase in use of pesticides and herbicides has increased water pollution as they are washed from the fields in runoff and leaching. This has led to eutrophication of surrounding water courses - i.e. the over-enrichment of the water with nutrients which has led to an overall decrease in species diversity as weed and other vegetation has proliferated at the expense of other water life.

Links:
Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) - Wikipedia - External Link
Q&A Common Agricultural Policy - BBC - External Link
Hedgerow Removal - Wikipedia - External Link

Photo Credit: ajgendorf25 http://www.flickr.com/photos/ajagendorf25/3181471308/

Case Study of Commercial Farming - Cereal Farming in East Anglia

2008-04-29T02:43:00.000-07:00

COMMERCIAL FARMING IN EAST ANGLIA - Lynford Hall Farm (Ely, Cambridgeshire)

Why is the area around Lynford Hall Farm ideal for arable farming?

CLIMATE - average annaul rainfall is approx 650mm , summers are warm around 26oC, ideal for ripening, cold winters break up the soil and kill off bacteria.
LAND - the land is very flat in this area, ideal for machinery
SOILS - well drained and fertile boulder clay - this area of the UK is often known as the 'bread basket of the UK' with its rich soils which are glacial in origin
MARKET - the area is close to a densely populated region (just North of London), with a large market for selling crops, supplying many major supermarkets of the East and South East.
COMMUNICATIONS - there are major road links, including the A1 and M11 which enable the rapid transport of crops to market.

What are the characteristics of the farm?

- crops grown include wheat, potatoes and peas
- it is a large farm with 570 hectares in area (it is an example of extensive farming - with relatively few inputs compared to size of farm)
- high output per hectare
- highly mechanised - uses large and specialist machinery and specialist buildings (e.g. grain store, with drying faciltiy and environmental cold stores for potatoes), there are a small number of full time workers

- uses good quality, hybrid seeds which are used to maximise the yields produced
- there is a heavy use of fertilisers and pesticides
- the output is cash crops which are produced and sold for profit
- profits are invested back into the farm - the farm is run by the family partnership, Sears Bros Ltd.

Changes to the System (for more info follow this link):

- a reduced labour force
- forced to streamline operations to save money
- have become increasingly computerised

Diversification:

- There are a number of bungalows on the land some of which have been sold, others are rented
- The farm has looked at the option of wind energy and the possibility of situation wind turbines on the land - however this has been met with objections and has not been undertaken

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT LYNFORD HALL FARM INCLUDING SPECIFIC DETAIL ON THE FARMING SYSTEM, CHANGES etc. SEE THE FACE (Farming and Countryside Education) CASE STUDY PAGE

Photo Credit: Sarahpetherbridge http://www.flickr.com/photos/25890036@N07/3150728496/

Farming - An Introduction: The Farming System

2008-04-29T02:41:00.000-07:00

An Introduction to Farming

Types of Farming:

Knowing your key terms is important, make sure you learn the following:

1. Commerical Farming - the growing of crops / rearing of aniamls to make a profit

2. Subsistence Farming - where there is just sufficient food producted to provide for the farmer's own family

3. Arable Farming - involves the growing of crops

4. Pastoral Farming - invovles the rearing of animals

5. Intensive Farming - where the farm size is small in comparison with the large amount of labour, and inputs of capital, fertilisers etc. which are required.

6. Extensive Farming - where the size of a farm is very large in comparison to the inputs of money, labour etc.. needed

FARMING SYSTEMS

A farm is a system in that it has INPUTS, PROCESSES and OUTPUTS

INPUTS - these are things that go into the farm and may be split into Physical Inputs (e.g. amount of rain, soil) and Human Inputs (e.g. labour, money etc.)
PROCESSES - these are things which take place on the farm in order to convert the inputs to outputs (e.g. sowing, weeding, harvesting etc.)
OUTPUTS - these are the products from the farm (i.e. wheat, barley, cattle)

Depending on the type of farming e.g. arable/ pastoral, commerical / subsisitence, the type and amount of inputs, processes and outputs will vary.

You need to make sure you are able to define and give examples of Inputs, Processes and Outputs in farming systems. You also need to be able to give the characteristics of two different types of farming system. Consequently, there are two Farming case studies you will need to learn:

1. Case Study of Commercial Farming in an MEDC - Arable Farming in E Anglia (Lynford Hall Farm - Cambridgeshire)

2. Case Study of Subsistence Farming in an LEDC - Rice Farming in India.

Distribution of Farming in the UK

The type of farming dominant in a particular area will depend on the climate, relief and soil type of an area. Within the UK different farming types are dominant in different areas (see the diagram below)

Links
Farming as a System (BBC Bitesize) - external link

Photo Credit - Paul Keleher http://www.flickr.com/photos/pkeleher/2746648333/

Case Study of Rapid Economic Growth - South Korea (An NIC)

2008-04-29T02:39:00.000-07:00

SOUTH KOREA - AN NIC

South Korea, lacks natural resources, however it has a plentiful, cheap and flexible workforce, this has led to it becoming an NIC (Newly Industrialised Country), with rapid industrialisation occuring over the last 50 years. You need to know what the CAUSES and CONSEQUENCES of this rapid industrial growth have been.

What were the CAUSES of South Korea's rapid economic growth?

- the government realised that agricultural production was not the route to economic growth and as a result encouraged foreign investment e.g. from the USA and themselves invested in large companies such as the state-owned Steel Works (Pohang Iron and Steel corporation)

- South Korean firms (such as Hyundai, Samsung and Daewoo) were also producted by high import taxes - this ensured that there was a sufficient market for goods, further stimulating production.

- the government also developed its own research and development of hi-tech goods

- large TNCs (e.g. Sony from Japan) were attracted by low wages, low taxes and they also bought know-how to South Korea

- a dedicated and substantial workforce was available, willing to work long hours

- firms were also attracted by a large consumer market of SE Asia (e.g. China)

What have the CONSEQUENCES of South Korea's rapid economic growth been?

ADVANTAGES OF RAPID INDUSTRIAL GROWTH:

(i) South Korea became very successful competing with MEDCs such as the UK

(ii) More jobs were available, helping to reduce unemployment and with the rise in income, there was more money available in the country for buying consumer goods and helping to increase standards of living

(iii) The increase in purchase of consumer goods (e.g. cars / electrical goods), created more demand for the goods and therefore led to a further increase in the market

(iv) More money was also available for leisure time (greater disposable income), resulting in a growth in the countries service sector

(v) More money was invested in the infrastructure, improving road networks and airports

(vi) The success of industrialisation and the development of South Korea's industries, led to South Korean TNCs (e.g. Samsung) investing in places such as the USA

(vii) South Korea became the leading producer of shipbuilding (due to low labour costs / modern ship building yards)

(viii) The South Korean car industry flourished, with companies such as Hyndai and Kia linking with industries in the USA / Japan and the companies have also invested in LEDC countries.

DISADVANTAGES OF RAPID INDUSTRIAL GROWTH:

SOCIAL PROBLEMS

- unequal pay (women and immigrants paid only 50-75% the wages paid to men), sweat shop working conditions for some and an increase in child labour

- working very long hours (an average of 52 hours a week)

- increased rural-urban migration (the most innovative began moving away from the countryside into the nearby cities for work)

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

- noise, air and water pollution increased due to the rapid industrialisation

- the increase in factories led to smog over cities

- increased traffic volumes led to taxes on road use in the capital, Seoul

- in some areas which experienced an increase in population, services such as sewage treatment were not able to cope

- rapid growth resulted in some instances in poor workmanship and there were instances of deaths from collapsing buildings (e.g. the Sampoong Department Store in 1995 (507 deaths))

ECONOMIC PROBLEMS

- when there was a downturn in World Trade in 1997, many S Korean banks faced huge debts / bankruptcy

Links:
- Economy of South Korea - External Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_South_Korea

Photo Credit: SOM http://www.flickr.com/photos/architectural-design/3058602909/

Practice Paper - Unit 4 - People and their Environment - OCR A

2008-04-29T01:07:00.000-07:00

Here is the fourth and final set of Practice Past Paper activities - with a total of 10 questions drawn from past papers relating to Unit 4 of the OCR A Course - People and their Environment. The questions are based on the Quarrying and Mining, Tropical Rainforests, National Parks, Water Pollution, Acid Rain and Global Warming Topics. Remember - the suggested answers are just that - there are many ways the answer could be written - but the suggested answers show you the level of detail required and the sorts of points you need to include.

Click below to begin

REMEMBER - Level 3 answers require place specific detail so learn your case studies well

Practice Paper - Unit 3 - People and their Needs - OCR A

2008-04-29T01:03:00.000-07:00

Here is the third of the Practice Past Paper activities - with a total of 13 questions drawn from past papers relating to Unit 3 of the OCR A Course - People and their Needs. The questions are based on the Quality of Life, Economic Activities and Energy Topics. Remember - the suggested answers are just that - there are many ways the answer could be written - but the suggested answers show you the level of detail required and the sorts of points you need to include.

Click below to begin

REMEMBER - Level 3 answers require place specific detail so learn your case studies well!

Practice Paper - Unit 2 People and Places to Live - OCR A

2008-04-29T00:59:00.001-07:00

Here is the second of the Practice Past Paper activities - with a total of 11 questions drawn from past papers relating to Unit 2 of the OCR A Course - People and Places to Live. The questions are based on the Population and Settlement Topics. Remember - the suggested answers are just that - there are many ways the answer could be written - but the suggested answers show you the level of detail required and the sorts of points you need to include.

Click below to begin

REMEMBER - Level 3 answers require place specific detail so learn your case studies well!

Practice Paper - Unit 1 People and the Physical World - OCR A

2008-04-27T06:27:00.000-07:00

As you enter the last few weeks of revision in the run up to the final exams you should be practicing answering past questions as well as learning the content you have been taught. Over the next couple of days, four interactive practice papers will appear here, one for each of the four units in the OCR A Geography GCSE course. Each paper has a number of past questions (with a focus on the 4 -6 mark questions) drawn from the appropriate unit from a selection of past papers. You can select a random question or tackle all those available. Once you have typed your answer you can print it and a sample answer will appear for you to check to see whether you have covered the key points.

Click below to begin

REMEMBER - Level 3 answers require place specific detail so learn your case studies well!

Coasts Revision

2007-08-20T12:39:00.000-07:00

Revising the Coasts Unit:
We have now come to the end of the Coasts Unit and its time to revise!
Here are some resources to help you.

Check list of key concepts to revise:

1. Energy at the coast - types of waves and basic principles behind wave formation / factors affecting the strength of waves

2. Coastal Processes - erosion processes (you need to be able to describe the processes and how they work); transport processes (you must be able to talk through the process of longshore drift and it helps if you are able to draw an annotated diagram to show the process) and deposition

3. Coastal Erosion Landforms - you must be able to talk through both the features and formation of the following landforms: cliffs; wave-cut platforms; headlands and bays; caves, arches, stacks and stumps (in your description and explanation of formation always include some examples of named erosion processes that may be at work). You should also be able to draw annotated diagrams of the features to show how they form as well as knowing named examples of each.

4. Coastal Deposition Landforms - you must be able to talk through both the features and formation of the following landforms: beaches; spits; bars and tombolos. You should be able to draw annotated diagrams of the features to show how they form as well as knowing named examples of each.

5. Case Study of Coastal Erosion - learn (including detail - i.e. location, facts and figures) a case study of coastal erosion - either Dunwich or the Holderness Coast.

6. Coastal Defence - you need to be aware of the options for coastal defence - hard engineering, soft engineering or managed retreat. You should be able to describe coastal management techniques and be able to discuss their advantages and disadvantages. You should learn a named case study to back this up - for example either Aldeburgh or Overstrand.

Revision Resources:
- make good use of your class notes
- make use of blog posts to consolidate your understanding / recap concepts you are less sure of (to access previous posts - use blog archive list on the left hand side of the blog - August posts) - remember there are various links to animations etc. to help you.

Interactive Revision Quizzes:
You must learn your notes (particularly case study detail) but once you have revised from your notes there are some interactive revision quizzes etc. here for you to test yourself.
Coast Key Word Flash Cards (definitions then key words)
Coasts Key Word Flash Cards (key words then definitions)
Coasts Key Word Test
Coastal Features Recognition and Examples Test
Coastal Management Quiz
Coasts Revision Quiz 1
Coasts Revision Quiz 2 - Penalty Shootout
Coasts Revision (Walk the Plank) - Hull Trinity School
Coasts Questions - Practice Paper
Coasts Downloadable Flashcards
Coasts Revision Dominoes
Coastal Features Countdown Conundrum
Crazy Coasts (Half a min - anagrams)
Coasts Dustbin Game - sorting erosion and deposition features
Coasts Dustbin Game - Erosion and Deposition Features Case Studies

Coasts Podcasts
Podcast 1 - Energy at the Coast - waves and wave formation
Podcast 2 - Coastal Processes
Podcast 3 - Coastal Erosion Features
Podcast 4 - Coastal Deposition Features
Podcast 5 - A case study of coastal erosion - Dunwich
Podcast 6 - Coastal Defence

Coastal Defence

2007-08-20T07:10:00.000-07:00

When managing the coastline there are two main options:
1. HARD ENGINEERING
- this is where man made coastal defence structures are used to reflect large amounts of wave energy and hence protect the coastline.
2. SOFT ENGINEERING
- this is where beaches or naturally formed materials are used to control / re-direct erosion processes.

You need to know examples of coastal management techniques and their advantages and disadvantages:

Hard Engineering Techniques:

1. Re-Curved Sea Wall
- concrete wall which is curved on the underside to deflect the power of the waves
- these can be very expensive (up to £1-2 million per km) and the deflected waves can scour material at the base of the wall causing them to become undermined
- these are however a very effective means of preventing erosion and they reflect rather than absorb wave energy.

2. Rip Rap
- large boulders on the beach absorb wave energy and break the power of the waves
- although movement of the boulders is expensive this can be a much cheaper method than some other solutions
- the boulders can however be undermined easily by waves washing away sand and shingle beneath them. They also can be quite ugly, changing the appearance of a coastline.

3. Groynes
- these structures (usually either wooden or steel) are designed to top longshore drift and therefore act to build up and anchor beach material, protecting the base of cliffs.
- they are effective at reducing erosion in the area they are constructed in by causing significant build up of beach material
- groynes may however starve areas further down the coast of material by stopping longshore drift, resulting in an increase in erosion in these areas

4. Gabions
- these cages of boulders are built into cliff faces to protect the cliff from the force of the waves;
- they are cheaper than sea walls and can be very effective where severe erosion is a problem
- they are however visually intrusive

5. Revetments - these wooden structures break the force of waves and beach material builds up behind them
- they are cheap and effective at breaking waves
- as well as being visually intrusive however they do need replacing more frequently than most other defence methods.

Soft Engineering Techniques

Soft engineering includes beach replenishment in which beach material is added to provide a "natural solution". Environmentally this is a preferred option as it maintains the beauty of the landscape and avoids visual intrusion, however it can be expensive to maintain as longshore drift continues to move beach material down the coast and therefore regular replenishment is required.

Sand Dunes and salt marshes can also be encouraged to act as natural barriers to the waves.

Case Study of Coastal Defence: Aldeburgh (Suffolk)

Aldeburgh is just south of Dunwich, here a large scale coastal defence scheme is in place to control erosion. Aldeburgh is a busy town and tourism is very important to the local economy in this area. It is therefore seen as cost effective to have a coastal defence scheme in place to protect the economically valuable land.

Hard engineering is in place with a combination of sea wall, rip rap and groynes. There is also an area of salt marsh to absorb some of the waves energy should it breach the sea wall.

Another area severely affected by coastal erosion and where significant coastal defences are in place is Overstrand on the North Norfolk Coast, pictures of the coastal defences in this location can be seen here.

Further north, the small village of Dunwich is also severely affected by coastal erosion, yet very little, apart from some small soft defences and a recent limited and unsuccessful attempt at hard engineering is in place - here is a very useful account of the reasons for the differences in the extent of coastal defence between Dunwich and Aldeburgh.

Wooden Revetments and Gabions:

Follow up links:
Download a Coastal Defences summary sheet (includes advantages and disadvantages)
Coastal Management (BBC Bitesize)
Coastal Management Strategies (S-Cool) - very good!

Podcast: Coastal Defences
You can listen to a podcast of this post below - to download a copy to listen to on your .mp3 player click here.

Case Study of Coastal Erosion - Dunwich (Suffolk)

2007-08-20T06:45:00.000-07:00

The Suffolk coastline of East Anglia has been eroding for 1000s of years and suffers rapid and frequent change - the changes are due to the coastal processes of erosion and deposition and the large scale movement of material down the coast by longshore drift.

Dunwich is a very small village located on the east coast in Suffolk. Dunwich was once a thriving port, similar in size to London, but storms, erosion and floods have almost wiped out this once prosperous settlement, which once had a population of 4,000 as well as a flourishing port. All that remains now are a few cottages - yet at one time there were 6 churches and 3 chapels. Most of old Dunwich now lies on the sea floor.

It is predicted that with our changing climate, storm events will become more frequent and in 1990, 7 metres of the coastline was lost over a few days in a storm that hit the Dunwich Coast.

So why is Dunwich so affected by coastal erosion?
- the coastline at Dunwich is made up of soft rock (sands, gravels and clays), these are easily eroded by the sea;
- the problem is made worse by the narrow beach which results in wave attack at the base of the cliff;
- the cliff faces are also greatly affected by weathering processes;

Rates of erosion at Dunwich are now as great as one metre per year. Material that is eroded from the Dunwich cliff line is moved down the coast by the process of longshore drift, keeping the beach fairly narrow. The material is transported in a N-S movement where it is deposited further south to form Orfed Ness Spit.

Although prone to severe coastal erosion, Dunwich has relatively little sea defence. An area of marshland just beyond the car park has been protected from the sea by a long shingle sea wall, but this has to be regularly rebuilt by bulldozers. Until recently there has been no other coastal management and the natural creation of a new beach to absorb wave energy has been seen as the most effective solution, due to the small size of Dunwich it has not be seen as cost effective to spend millions on sea defence at this location. However in February 2007, a new experimental beach stabilisation project began, it has been designed to try and reduce the severe cliff failures. A series of sand and shingle humps are to be created to stop the beach eroding and therefore help to reduce cliff erosion.

Another good example of coastal erosion is the Holderness Coast (Humberside)

Follow up links:
The Geology of Dunwich
Dunwich Photographs (Thanks to A Stacey "The Geography Department")
Low tide reveals lost city (BBC Article)
Work to shore up Beach to start (BBC Article)
Disappearing Village - sea claims another piece of Dunwich (Guardian Article from 1999)

Podcast: Case Study of Coastal Erosion - Dunwich
You can listen to a podcast of this post below - to download a copy to listen to on your .mp3 player click here.

Coastal Deposition Landforms: Features and Formation

2007-08-20T06:27:00.000-07:00

Material that is transported by the waves along a coastline is eventually deposited forming distinctive deposition features. There are four main deposition features that you need to learn the formation of. These are:

1. Beaches
2. Spits
3. Bars
4. Tombolos

Beaches Beaches are the main feature of deposition found at the coast, these consist of all the material (sand, shingle etc.) that has built up between the high and low tide mark. There are number of different sources of beach material - the main source being rivers, where fine muds and gravels are deposited at the river mouth. Other sources of beach material include longshore drift (bringing material from elsewhere along the coast); constructive waves (bringing material up the beach from the sea) and from cliff erosion.

As constructive waves build up beaches, they often form ridges in the beach known as berms. The berm highest up the beach represents the extent to which the water has reached during high tide.

Click on the diagram below to see the main sources of beach material

SPITS
Spits are long narrow ridges of sand and shingle which project from the coastline into the sea.

The formation of a spit begins due to a change in the direction of a coastline - the main source of material building up a spit is from longshore drift which brings material from further down the coast.

Where there is a break in the coastline and a slight drop in energy, longshore drift will deposit material at a faster rate than it can be removed and gradually a ridge is built up, projecting outwards into the sea - this continues to grow by the process of longshore drift and the deposition of material.

A change in prevailing wind direction often causes the end of spits to become hooked (also known as a recurved lateral).
On the spit itself, sand dunes often form and vegetation colonises (for example Blakeney Point - North Norfolk)
Water is trapped behind the spit, creating a low energy zone, as the water begins to stagnate, mud and marshland begins to develop behind the spit;
Spits may continue to grow until deposition can no longer occur, for example due to increased depth, or the spit begins to cross the mouth of a river and the water removes the material faster than it can deposited - preventing further build up.

Examples of Spits
- Spurn Head - Holderness Coast
- Orford Ness - Suffolk

Click below for an annotated diagram of spit formation:

BARS

These form in the same way as a spit initially but bars are created where a spit grows across a bay, joining two headlands. Behind the bar, a lagoon is created, where water has been trapped and the lagoon may gradually be infilled as a salt marsh develops due to it being a low energy zone, which encourages deposition.

Example of a Bar: Slapton Sands - Devon.

TOMBOLOS

Tombolos are formed where a spit continues to grow outwards joining land to an offshore island.

Example of a Tombolo: - Chesil Beach - which joins the South Dorset coast to the Isle of Portland.

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REVISING COASTAL DEPOSITION FEATURES

Remember - as well as being able to describe the formation of each feature of coastal deposition, you should be able to give a named and located example e.g. a spit - Spurn Head (Holderness Coast). You should also try and learn a labelled diagram to show the formation of each feature.

- Beach - Dawlish Warren (Devon)
- Spit - Orford Ness (Suffolk) or Spurn Head (Holderness Coast)
- Bar - Slapton Sands (Devon)
- Tombolo - Chesil Beach (joining S Dorset Coast to Isle of Portland)

Having now learnt both erosion and deposition features you need to make sure that you can distinguish between them. Have a go at the dustbin game below - click on play to begin. Start by studying the two lists when you think you are ready to test yourself on whether a landform is a feature of erosion or deposition start the game by clicking proceed. Drag the feature to the correct dustbin to make your choice!

click here for full screen version

Follow Up Links:

Animation of spit formation (Wycombe High School Link)
Bar and Spit Animation (Wycombe High School Link)
Longshore Drift Animation
Simple Longshore Drift Animation

Key Terms Check
Spit - a ridge of sand and shingle projecting from the mainland into the sea
Bar - a ridge of sand and shingle which has joined two headlands, cutting off a bay
Tombolo - a ridge of sand and shingle joining the mainland to an island

Podcast: Coastal Deposition Features
You can listen to a podcast of this post below - to download a copy to listen to on your .mp3 player click here.

Coastal Erosion Landforms - Features and Formation

2007-08-20T05:35:00.000-07:00

Coastal Erosion Features

There are 3 main groups of coastal features which result from coastal erosion:
1. Headlands and Bays
2. Caves, Arches, Stacks and Sumps
3. Cliffs and Wave-cut platforms

Before you revise the formation of these landforms, have a look at this video and make sure you are able to identify the landforms from their distinctive features.

Click To Play

1. HEADLANDS AND BAYS

Headlands are resistant outcrops of rock sticking out into the sea, whilst bays are indents in the coastline between two headlands.

So how do headlands form?

- Headlands form along discordant coastlines in which bands of soft and hard rock outcrop at right angles to the coastline.
- Due to the presence of soft and hard rock, differential erosion occurs, with the soft, less resistant rock (e.g. shale), eroding quicker than the hard, resistant rock (e.g. chalk)
- Where the erosion of the soft rock is rapid, bays are formed
- Where there is more resistant rock, erosion is slower and the hard rock is left sticking out into the sea as a headland.
- The exposed headland now becomes vulnerable to the force of destructive waves but shelters the adjacent bays from further erosion.

Named Examples of Headlands and Bays: (LEARN!)

The Dorset coast has excellent examples of Headlands and Bays
e.g. Swanage Bay and the Foreland (a headland)

2. CAVES, ARCHES, STACKS and STUMPS

Once a headland has formed it is then exposed to the full force of destructive waves and it gradually begins to erode. you need to be able to describe the erosion of a headland and the features that form.

For the sequence of formation see the animation below:

Click To Play

So how does a headland erode and caves, arches, stacks and stumps form?

- Firstly, the sea attacks the foot of the cliff and begins to erode areas of weakness such as joints and cracks, through processes of erosion such as hydraulic action, wave pounding, abrasion and solution;
- Gradually these cracks get larger, developing into small caves;
- Further erosion widens the cave and where the fault lines runs through the headland, two caves will eventually erode into the back of each other forming an arch, passing right through the headland.
- A combination of wave attack at the base of the arch, and weathering of the roof of the arch (by frost, wind and rain), weakens the structure until eventually the roof of the arch collapses inwards leaving a stack, a stack is a column of rock which stands separate from the rest of the headland.
- The stack will continue to erode, eventually collapsing to form a stump which will be covered by water at high tide.

Named Examples:

The Foreland (Dorset Coastline) is a great example of a headland which shows these features - there is a distinctive stack called Old Harry and a stump known as Old Harry's Wife.

A good example of a distinctive arch, also found on the Dorset Coast is Durdle Door.

3. CLIFFS AND WAVE-CUT PLATFORMS

Cliffs are steep rock faces along the coastline, they tend form along concordant coastlines with resistant rocks parallel to the coast.

So how do cliffs and wave-cut platforms form?

- The erosion of a cliff is greatest at its base where large waves break - here hydraulic action, scouring and wave pounding actively undercut the foot of the cliff forming an indent called a wave-cut notch whilst the cliff face is also affected by abrasion as rock fragments are hurled against the cliff by the breaking waves.
- This undercutting continues and eventually the overhanging cliff collapses downwards - this process continues and the cliff gradually retreats and becomes steeper.
- As the cliff retreats, a gently-sloping rocky platform is left at the base, this is known as a wave-cut platform which is exposed at low tide.

Named Examples:

Good examples of cliffs and wave-cut platforms can be found at Hunstanton (North Norfolk) and Flamborough Head (Yorkshire)

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REVISING COASTAL EROSION FEATURES

Remember - for each erosion feature try and learn a labelled diagram to show its formation, make sure that you also mention examples of erosion processes when describing how the features are actually formed. Finally to access the highest marks remember to name and locate examples of each feature.

- Swanage Bay (Dorset Coast)
- The Foreland (Headland) (Dorset Coast)
- Old Harry (Stack) (Dorset Coast - off of the Foreland)
- Old Harry's Wife (Stump) (Dorset Coast - off of the Foreland)
- Durdle Door (South Dorset Coast)
- Cliffs and Wave-cut platforms - Hunstanton (N Norfolk) and Flamborough Head (Yorkshire)

Click here for examples of 6 mark answers on the formation of coastal erosion features

Follow up Links:
Erosion of a Headland
Animations of Cliff formation
Cliff Features and Arch Animation

Podcast: Coastal Defences
You can listen to a podcast of this post below - to download a copy to listen to on your .mp3 player click here.

Coastal Processes: Erosion, Transport and Deposition

2007-08-20T05:07:00.000-07:00

Remember, there are 3 main processes that cause a coastline to change:
1. Erosion
2. Transport
3. Deposition.

There are number of factors which affect each of these processes - we are going to start by exploring erosion processes and the factors that can affect the amount of erosion that may take place along a coastline.

COASTAL EROSION

Erosion Processes:
Erosion is the wearing away of rocks, at the coast there are 6 main types of erosion processes in action (see animations here):

1. ABRASION (this is also known as corrasion) - this is where rock fragments are hurled at cliffs by breaking waves, gradually scraping away at the cliff face;

2. HYDRAULIC ACTION - as waves break against the cliff face, the pressure of the breaking wave can compress air in cracks. This compressed air gradually forces open the crack in the rock - as this process continues, the rock becomes increasingly weakened.

3. SOLUTION (this is also known as corrosion) - this occurs where the salt water is able to dissolve some of the chemicals in rocks - for example, limestone cliffs are gradually weakened as the salt water dissolves the calcium carbonate in the limestone.

4. SCOURING - this occurs at the base of the cliff as the waves break and swirl around, gradually removing loose rock.

5. ATTRITION - this is where rock fragments carried by the waves hit against each other and gradually wear down to form sand and silt

6. WAVE POUNDING - the sheer force of waves hitting against the cliff face

These processes of erosion form a series of distinctive landforms at the coast.

Rates of Coastal Erosion

So what are the factors that determine how much erosion can take place at the coast?

1. The Resistance of the Rocks - e.g. limestone, chalk and granite are resistant rocks (often forming cliffs and headlands) and erode relatively slowly, whilst less resistant rocks such as clay are easily eroded.

2. The Strength of the waves - affected by the wind strength and duration and its fetch

3. The shape of the coastline (which is dependent on its geology) - on concordant coastlines, rocks are parallel to the wave front and therefore rates of erosion are similar along the coastline. On discordant coastlines, differential erosion may occur, where bands of hard and soft rock outcrop at right angles to the sea. Consequently headlands and bays form along discordant coastlines and whilst headlands remain exposed to the force of the waves, bays are sheltered.

Click on the diagram below for a summary of factors affecting coastal erosion

COASTAL TRANSPORT

The second process operating at the coast is transport. Material eroded by the sea is carried within the water in a number of ways, minerals dissolved from rocks are carried in solution, whilst small rock fragments, light enough to be held within the water, float in suspension. The largest rock fragments which are too heavy to be picked up by the waves, are transported by the process of traction, this is where they roll along the bed when the waves pick up enough energy. Finally, medium sized rock particles, which cannot be carried by the waves all the time, are moved by saltation. This is where during times of higher wave energy the particles are picked up and then dropped again as the wave looses its energy.

The main form of transport operating at the coast is that of LONGSHORE DRIFT.

Longshore drift is the process by which sand and pebbles are moved along a beach by the movement of the waves.

COASTAL DEPOSITION

Material is moved up the beach by the swash at an angle which is controlled by the prevailing wind. The backwash then carries material back down the beach at right angles to the coastline under the influence of gravity. Gradually the material is moved along the coastline, its direction being controlled by the prevailing wind direction.

The final process operating at the coast is that of deposition - this is where material that is too heavy to be transported any more is left behind, building up the beach. Due to the importance of energy in transporting sand and shingle, it is the largest material that is deposited first. A number of distinctive features may form due to coastal deposition.

Follow up links:
Animations of Coastal Erosion Processes (BBC Bitesize)
Transport and Deposition (BBC Bitesize)

Key Terms Check:
Erosion - the wearing away and removal of material
Deposition - the dropping of material
Abrasion - the wearing of rock due to rock fragments being hurled against cliffs
Attrition - the breakdown of rocks as they hit against each other
Hydraulic Action - the force of waves causing rocks to split apart as waves compress air in cracks in the rocks
Wave Pounding - sheer force of water hitting rocks
Solution - where minerals in rocks are dissolved by the action of sea water
Scouring - occurs where water and broken rock fragments swirl around at the base of cliffs gradually wearing rock away.
Longshore Drift - the movement of material along a coastline

Podcast: Coastal Processes
You can listen to a podcast of this post below - to download a copy to listen to on your .mp3 player click here.

Coasts - Energy at the Coast

2007-08-20T04:57:00.000-07:00

The coast represents the metting point between the land and sea. Coasts are very dynamic areas and they are constantly change. This change is due to 3 main processes which operate at the coast, 1. Erosion; 2. Transport and 3. Deposition. These 3 processes are all driven by the amount of energy that is available at the coast. The main agents of change at the coasts are waves. Waves are movements of energy throughout the water, but where do waves get their energy from? The answer to this is wind.

As wind blows over the surface of the sea, it creates friction. This frictional drag causes water particles to begin to rotate and energy is transferred forward in the form of a wave. Whilst the water moves forward, the water particles return to their original position. As a wave reaches shallow water, friction between the sea bed and the base of the wave causes the wave to begin to slow down and its shape becomes more eliptical. The top of the wave however, unaffected by the friction, becomes steeper until it eventually breaks. When the wave breaks, water washes up the beach, this is called the swash. The movement of water backdown the beach is called the backwash.

It is the rate at which waves reach the coast which determine whether the main process acting on the coastline is erosion or deposition. There are two main types of waves:

(i) CONSTRUCTIVE WAVES - tend to arrive at the coast at a rate of less than 8 waves per minute, they are low energy waves and are small in height. They have a strong swash and a weak backwash. This means that constructive waves tend to deposit material and build up a beach.

(ii) DESTRUCTIVE WAVES , have much higher energy and tend to arrive at the coast at a rate of more than 8 per minute. They are much larger in height often having been caused by strong winds and a large fetch. These high energy waves have a weak swash but a strong backwash, which erode the beach but pulling sand and shingle down the beach as water returns to the sea.

There are 3 main factors which will affect the strength of a wave and therefore whether it is more likely to erode or build up the coastline:
(i) the strength and speed of the wind - the faster the wind, the more energy is transferred and therefore the bigger the wave that is produced.
(ii) the duration of the wind - this is the length of time for which the wind has blown - the longer the wind blows, the more energy is transferred to the wave
(iii) the fetch - this is the distance over which the wind has blown and therefore how far the wave has travelled. The longer the fetch, the larger the wave is likely to be.

Follow up links:
Excellent Animation showing a wave forming and breaking (Wycombe High School)
Wave Machine Simulator - create your own ocean wave
Ocean Surface Wave - Wikipedia
Waves - includes animation of swash and backwash (BBC Bitesize)
Constructive and Destructive Waves Animation (Wycombe High School)

Key Term Check:
Swash - the movement of water and material up the beach (in direction of prevailing wind)
Backwash - the movement of water and material back down the beach (straight back down due to gravity
Constructive wave - low energy wave with greater swash than backwash - tends to build up the beach
Destructive wave - high energy wave with greater backwash than swash - tends to erode beach

Podcast: Energy at the Coast - Wave Formation
You can listen to a podcast of this post below - to download a copy to listen to on your .mp3 player click here.

The Interdependence of Settlements: Case Study - St Ives

2007-08-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

You need to be aware of the interdependence of settlements within a hierarchy, with reference to the sphere of influence of places and the types and order of services that they provide. The map below shows the local area around St Ives which includes surrounding towns, villages and hamlets. The sphere of influence of St Ives incorporates many smaller villages including Somersham, Needingworth, Bluntisham, Holywell, Fenstanton and Hemingford.

Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.

Click on the image below to download a .pdf copy of the sheet showing the hierachy of settlements and services provided within which St Ives is part.

Settlement Hierarchies

2007-08-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

Settlements within an area vary greatly in physical size, population and the number of services that they provide. When studying settlements within an area we can look at them in terms of a settlement hierarchy. A settlement hierarchy is when settlements are put into an order based upon their size or the services that they provide for people (see hierarchy diagram below). As you go up the hierarchy there is an increase in the size of the settlement, population and number of services; the distance between these settlement types also increases. The number of settlements of each type however decreases as you move up the hierarchy.

Settlements in the hiearchy are interdependent as people will use a variety of services found in different settlements. The area served by a particular settlement is known as its sphere of influence. The size of this will be dependent not only on the type and number of services offered by a town but also the size of the town and the ease of access related to the available transport networks serving the area. Villages usually provide few services, and those that exist are mainly low order services or sell low order goods. Low order goods / services are those that are low in value / cost and are used / required daily, for example milk / newsagents. Larger towns and services will have a greater range of services, including both low order and high order goods and services. High order goods and services are more expensive in nature and not required so frequently. They are often comparison goods, such as furniture, electronic goods etc. and people are usually prepared to travel further in order to get them. The distance that people are prepared to travel to use a service or obtain a good is known as its range. Services such as hypermarkets and goods such as furniture have a much greater range than for example a newsagents and milk.

In order to be profitable, a shop or service will require a minimum number of potential customers, this is known as its threshold population. Shops/services providing low order goods or services usually need a much lower threshold population (as the goods / services are required / used daily), whilst high order shops / services will require a much greater number of potentail customers and thus have a higher threshold population. Marks and Spencers for example may require a threshold population of 70,000 before the store can be profitable.

The needs of local communities are often provided for by neighbourhood shopping centres. These consist of a group of low order shops and services, e.g. a newsagents, bakery, hairdressers etc. serving an area within a town, for example Kings Hedges, St Ives. Out-of-town shopping centres which usually contain higher order shops, including large chain and department stores have increased in number and size significantly over the last 20 years or so and in doing so have had a negative on some nearby town centres.

Follow up links:
Settlement Hierarchy (BBC Bitesize)
Settlement Hierarchy (Wikipedia)
Shopping Hierachies

Key terms check:
Settlement Hierarchy - where settlements are put into order based upon their size or services provided.
High Order Goods - usually high cost goods - bought now and again - e.g. furniture
Low Order Goods - usually low cost goods needed often - e.g. milk
Sphere of Influence - area served by a settlement
Neighbourhood Centre - a group of low order shops serving a community within a town
Range of a Good - maximum distance people are prepared to travel to obtain a service
Threshold - minimum number of people needed to ensure that demand is great enough for a service to be offered

Second Homes - Social and Economic Impacts

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Increasing disposable incomes have resulted in an increase in second home ownership. Many of these homes are used for weekends or holidays in attractive rural areas. The increase in second home ownership has however bought some ill feeling by locals who have felt the impact of changes in villages caused by second homes. An increase in second homes in an area can bring both benefits and problems.

Benefits:
- provides trade for local trades such as builders, plumbers etc.
- tourists
- existing home owners have seen an increase in the value of their homes
- older properties in need of repair have been restored
- tourists do bring in some money to the local area

Problems:
- house prices increase due to competition between buyers of second homes causing many youngsters to be outpriced from their own local area
- villages can become 'sleepy' as some houses remain empty for much of the year - this has also resulted in the closure of some local shops and services due to a fall in demand
- a reduction in public transport services
- some gentrification / improvements carried out by second home owners are not in keeping
- reduction in community spirit as some houses stay empty for long periods and people are without neighbours

Many people have very strong views on second home ownership, as shown in these quotes on the BBC Devon website. Many villages in popular tourist areas such as Devon and Cornwall have seen a signficant increase in properties bought up as second homes. Increasingly young people are finding it difficult to buy homes in the areas they have grown up in due to the rapidly increasing house prices. There have been various calls for the increasing taxation of second home owners to try and reduce the problem. See some of the articles below for specific examples of the problems and some of the solutions that have been proposed. In an exam answer try and name a specific example of an area affected by second homes - e.g. the village of Appledore (Devon).

Key terms check:
Second Home - a home used only at certain times of the year - e.g. weekends / holiday periods

Follow up links:
The impact of second and holiday homes (an interesting research paper - looks at the socio-economic impacts and impacts on the local housing market)
Second Homes squeezing out locals in Scotland (Scotsman Article)
Holiday Homes causing resentment (Devon) (BBC Article)
Tax urged on Second Home Owners (BBC Article)
Second Homes damage village life (BBC Article)
Your views on second homes (Devon) (BBC)
Second Homes (Geography Pages)
Call for more tax on second homes (BBC Article)
Home, Second Home (BBC Article)

Photo Credit: many thanks to Ian Murray - Geography Photos

Counterurbanisation - Causes and Consequences

2007-08-15T08:51:00.001-07:00

Urban to Rural Migration

Since the 1960s there has been a continuing trend of urban to rural migration, with people leaving cities and moving into countryside areas, this process is known as counterurbanisation.

Causes and Consequences of Counterurbanisation

(i) Causes
For your GCSE you will need to understand what is meant by counterurbanisation and you will need to be able to describe the causes and consequences of this process. So why are more people moving from urban areas into the countryside? (the reverse trend of what is happening in many LEDCs where rapid rural-urban migration has been taking place since the 1950s/60s!). The reasons for the movement can be summarised as a set of push and pull factors:

Push Factors (reasons for the movement away from cities)
- higher rates of congestion and pollution
- high land values making it harder for people to find affordable housing
- higher crime rates

Pull Factors (reasons for movements to the countryside)
- perceived better quality of life
- believed to be a safer and more pleasant environment for children to grow up in
- less pollution and more open space
- lower land-values and more affordable housing
- more businesses locating on greenfield sites to make the most of room for expansion and the more pleasant environment.

Improvements in transports and technology have led to the increase in counterurbanisation as it has become easier for people to commute to work or indeed work remotely from home, using internet / fax / e-mail technology.

(ii) Consequences

The process of counterurbanisation has had a number of consequences and in particular has resulted in the changing characteristics of many villages which have seen an increase in population becoming more suburbanised in character. These suburbanised villages have seen various changes as people have moved in from the city. Many have lost some of their rural characteristics as new housing developments have been built and in some instances business units have developed. Village shops and local services often suffer as these settlements often become "dormitory villages", where a large proportion of the population commute to work leaving a small daytime population. Many commuters use large supermarkets on the edge of towns and the lower demand for villages shops and services has forced many to close. There are also social impacts, as once tight-knit communities begin to lose community spirit as more and more people move in.

You should be able to illustrate an answer on suburbanised villages with a case study - e.g.
Peter Tavy, Devon
- experienced the gentrification of existing housing, including several barn conversions
- infrequent bus service (many households with one or two cars)
- need for more low cost housing for young people
- has experienced the closure of local facilities - village shop closed
- increase in newcomers not participating in village life

For more detail on the process of counterurbanisation see the powerpoint below:

Key terms check:
Counterurbanisation - the process of people from cities and towns into the countryside
Suburbanised Villages - villages growing in size and taking on more urban characteristics

Follow up links:
Definition of a suburbanised village