AQA A-level Geography · 3.1.4

Human impacts on cold environments and case studies

Exam-style questions with answers for 3.1.4 Human impacts on cold environments and case studies in AQA A-level Geography (spec 7037). Practise with flashcards, a topic quiz, a random quiz across the course, 5 crosswords, or read every question and answer below.

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Question 1 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Fragility
Explain the term environmental fragility. [2 marks]
Answer:
An environment that is easily damaged or changed by human activity or natural change (1); it recovers only slowly, or not at all (1).
Question 2 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Fragility
Explain why cold environments are fragile. [3 marks]
Answer:
Plants grow slowly because of the short growing season, so damage takes decades to repair (1); soils are thin, and decomposition is slow (1); food webs are simple, so the loss of one species affects many others (1).
Question 3 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Human use
Describe the opportunities for development in cold environments. [3 marks]
Answer:
Any three from: oil and gas extraction (1); mining of minerals such as coal, iron ore and gold (1); fishing (1); tourism (1); hydroelectric power from meltwater rivers (1); scientific research (1).
Question 4 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Human use
Describe the challenges of living and working in cold environments. [3 marks]
Answer:
Any three from: extreme low temperatures (1); unstable ground as permafrost thaws (1); remoteness and difficult access (1); long winter darkness (1); high costs of construction and transport (1); hazards such as avalanches and storms (1).
Question 5 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Human impacts
Explain how oil and gas development can damage cold environments. [3 marks]
Answer:
Roads, pads and pipelines destroy and fragment habitats (1); spills of oil and drilling waste pollute soil and water (1); heat from buildings and pipes melts permafrost, causing the ground to subside (1).
Question 6 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Human impacts
Explain how mining can damage cold environments. [3 marks]
Answer:
Excavation and waste dumps remove vegetation and soil (1); tailings and chemicals can pollute rivers and groundwater (1); traffic and machinery disturb wildlife and compact fragile soils (1).
Question 7 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Human impacts
Explain how tourism can damage fragile cold environments. [3 marks]
Answer:
Walkers trample thin soils and slow-growing vegetation (1); vehicles scar tundra and break the insulating surface layer (1); ships and visitors produce waste, noise and emissions that disturb wildlife (1).
Question 8 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Human impacts
Explain how tourism can benefit cold environments and the people who live in them. [2 marks]
Answer:
It creates jobs and income for local communities (1); money from visitors can fund conservation and management (1).
Question 9 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Human impacts
Explain why permafrost thaw is a problem for buildings and roads. [3 marks]
Answer:
Ice in the ground melts, so the ground loses support and subsides (1); foundations tilt and buildings crack (1); roads, railways and pipelines buckle and need costly repair (1).
Question 10 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Human impacts
Describe three ways in which engineers reduce damage to permafrost from buildings and pipelines. [3 marks]
Answer:
Raise structures on piles or stilts so that heat is not transferred to the ground (1); lay insulating gravel pads under roads and buildings (1); fit thermosyphons or heat pipes to keep the ground frozen (1).
Question 11 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Climate change
Explain how climate change is affecting cold environments. [4 marks]
Answer:
Rising temperatures cause glaciers and ice sheets to melt and retreat (1); Arctic sea ice is shrinking (1); permafrost is thawing (1); vegetation and wildlife ranges are shifting, for example the tree line moving north (1).
Question 12 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Climate change
Explain why the Arctic is warming faster than the global average. [2 marks]
Answer:
Melting snow and ice replaces reflective surfaces with darker land and sea (1); lower albedo means more solar energy is absorbed, which causes more melting (1).
Question 13 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Climate change
Explain how thawing permafrost could cause positive feedback. [3 marks]
Answer:
Thawing releases stored methane and carbon dioxide (1); these greenhouse gases strengthen the greenhouse effect (1); more warming thaws more permafrost (1).
Question 14 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Climate change
Explain how glacier retreat affects water supply. [3 marks]
Answer:
Glaciers store water and release it in dry seasons (1); melting at first increases river flow, but flow falls once the glaciers have shrunk (1); drinking water, farming and hydroelectric power downstream are affected (1).
Question 15 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Climate change
Explain how the loss of Arctic sea ice affects wildlife and people. [3 marks]
Answer:
Polar bears and seals lose their hunting and breeding platforms (1); Indigenous hunting and travel across the ice become more dangerous (1); coasts are exposed to storm waves and erode faster (1).
Question 16 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Climate change
Describe how climate change may create opportunities in the Arctic. [3 marks]
Answer:
Any three from: new shipping routes such as the Northern Sea Route (1); easier access to oil, gas and minerals (1); a longer growing season for farming in some areas (1); a longer tourist season (1); fishing grounds opening in new areas (1).
Question 17 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Climate change
Distinguish between mitigation and adaptation. [2 marks]
Answer:
Mitigation reduces the causes of climate change, for example by cutting greenhouse gas emissions (1); adaptation adjusts to its effects, for example by building on stilts as permafrost thaws (1).
Question 18 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Management
Describe how the Antarctic Treaty protects Antarctica. [3 marks]
Answer:
It reserves Antarctica for peaceful purposes and bans military activity (1); it promotes scientific co-operation and the sharing of results (1); it puts territorial claims on hold (1).
Question 19 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Management
Explain the importance of the Madrid Protocol of 1991. [3 marks]
Answer:
It designates Antarctica a natural reserve devoted to peace and science (1); it bans mining and other mineral resource activity (1); it requires environmental impact assessments and waste management (1).
Question 20 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Management
Explain how tourism in Antarctica is regulated. [2 marks]
Answer:
Tour operators in IAATO follow guidelines that limit the number of visitors who can land at a site at one time (1); there are strict rules on waste and on keeping a distance from wildlife (1).
Question 21 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Management
Explain the role of the Arctic Council. [2 marks]
Answer:
An intergovernmental forum of the eight Arctic states, with Indigenous peoples' organisations taking part (1); it promotes co-operation on environmental protection and sustainable development, but cannot enforce its decisions (1).
Question 22 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Management
Distinguish between preservation and conservation of cold environments. [2 marks]
Answer:
Preservation protects an area from development and keeps it untouched (1); conservation allows sustainable use while protecting the environment (1).
Question 23 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Management
Explain what is meant by sustainable management of cold environments. [2 marks]
Answer:
Meeting present needs, such as jobs and energy (1); without damaging the environment so much that future generations cannot use or enjoy it (1).
Question 24 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Management
Explain the role of Indigenous people in managing cold environments. [2 marks]
Answer:
Their traditional knowledge of ice, wildlife and seasons guides sustainable use (1); co-management with governments gives them a voice in decisions that affect their land (1).
Question 25 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Alternative futures
Describe two alternative futures for cold environments, one based on exploitation and one on protection. [4 marks]
Answer:
Exploitation: oil, gas, mining and shipping expand as ice retreats (1); this brings pollution, habitat loss and faster climate change (1); protection: strong international agreements limit development (1); Indigenous communities and conservation protect wildlife and ecosystems (1).
Question 26 · Spec 3.1.4.6 · Skills
Describe how a clinometer could be used to measure the angle of a valley side. [3 marks]
Answer:
Place a marker at the same height as the observer's eye at a fixed distance upslope (1); sight on the marker and read the angle from the clinometer (1); repeat at regular intervals and plot the cross profile (1).
Question 27 · Spec 3.1.4.6 · Skills
Describe how the shape of clasts in till could be measured. [3 marks]
Answer:
Collect a random sample of at least 50 clasts (1); compare each with a Powers roundness chart (1); calculate the mean or modal value and compare sites (1).
Question 28 · Spec 3.1.4.6 · Skills
Explain why random sampling is used when collecting till clasts. [2 marks]
Answer:
It avoids bias in choosing clasts (1); the sample is more representative, so results are more reliable (1).
Question 29 · Spec 3.1.4.6 · Skills
Explain why Spearman's rank might be used with glacial data. [2 marks]
Answer:
It tests the relationship between two variables, such as clast size and distance from the snout (1); the result shows the strength and direction of the correlation (1).
Question 30 · Spec 3.1.4.6 · Skills
Describe one risk in fieldwork in a glaciated upland and how to manage it. [2 marks]
Answer:
Slipping on steep, wet rocks, or poor weather (1); wear suitable boots and clothing, work in supervised groups and check the forecast (1).
Question 31 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Local case study
Describe the evidence that Cwm Idwal in Snowdonia was shaped by a glacier. [3 marks]
Answer:
Any three from: a corrie with a steep backwall (1); a tarn, Llyn Idwal, held behind a rock lip and moraine (1); moraines on the corrie floor (1); striations and roches moutonnées on the bedrock (1); erratic boulders (1).
Question 32 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Local case study
Describe the landforms of the Nant Ffrancon valley. [3 marks]
Answer:
A U-shaped glacial trough with steep sides and a flat floor (1); hanging valleys, including Cwm Idwal, with waterfalls (1); the ribbon lake Llyn Ogwen at the head of the valley (1).
Question 33 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Local case study
Explain why Cwm Idwal is a good site for fieldwork on glacial processes. [2 marks]
Answer:
A compact area has a clear set of erosional and depositional landforms (1); it is easy to reach by footpath, so a range of data can be collected safely (1).
Question 34 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Local case study
Describe how till in a moraine at Cwm Idwal could be tested to show it is glacial in origin. [3 marks]
Answer:
Sample clasts randomly from the moraine (1); measure size and roundness, expecting unsorted, angular material (1); record whether the deposit is layered, since till is not (1).
Question 35 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Local case study
Describe the pressures on a popular glaciated upland and how they are managed. [3 marks]
Answer:
Walkers erode footpaths and trample vegetation (1); paths are repaired and rebuilt with stone steps, often by volunteers (1); the area has protected status as a national nature reserve, owned by the National Trust (1).
Question 36 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Alaska case study
Describe the opportunities for development on the North Slope of Alaska. [3 marks]
Answer:
Large oil and gas reserves at Prudhoe Bay, found in 1968 (1); jobs and tax revenue for the state, which funds payments to residents (1); a pipeline links the field to a year-round ice-free port at Valdez (1).
Question 37 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Alaska case study
Describe how the Trans-Alaska Pipeline was designed to reduce its impact on the environment. [4 marks]
Answer:
About half of its length is raised above the ground on supports (1); thermosyphons in the supports stop heat melting the permafrost (1); a zigzag layout lets the pipe move with expansion and earthquakes (1); buried and raised sections let caribou cross (1).
Question 38 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Alaska case study
Explain what the Exxon Valdez oil spill of 1989 showed about the risks of developing cold environments. [3 marks]
Answer:
A tanker carrying oil from the pipeline terminal hit a reef in Prince William Sound (1); the spill of about 11 million US gallons killed wildlife and damaged fishing for years (1); clean-up in a remote, cold area was slow, and it led to tighter rules such as double-hulled tankers (1).
Question 39 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Alaska case study
Explain why coastal Indigenous villages in Alaska such as Shishmaref and Kivalina are at risk. [3 marks]
Answer:
Loss of sea ice leaves the coast open to storm waves (1); thawing permafrost makes the shore erode faster (1); homes and airstrips are threatened, and relocation is very expensive (1).
Question 40 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Alaska case study
Describe two ways in which Alaskans have adapted to permafrost thaw. [2 marks]
Answer:
Buildings are raised on piles (1); roads and runways are laid on insulating gravel pads, or thermosyphons keep the ground frozen (1).
Question 41 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Contrasting cold environments
Describe the changes in Longyearbyen on Svalbard over recent decades. [3 marks]
Answer:
Coal mining has declined sharply (1); tourism and scientific research have grown (1); warming permafrost and heavy rain and avalanches threaten buildings and people (1).
Question 42 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Contrasting cold environments
Explain why the Svalbard Global Seed Vault shows the effects of climate change on cold environments. [2 marks]
Answer:
It was built in permafrost to keep seeds frozen (1); in 2017 meltwater entered its entrance tunnel after unusually warm weather, so the entrance was rebuilt (1).
Question 43 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Contrasting cold environments
Explain how climate change affects ski tourism in the Alps. [3 marks]
Answer:
Warmer winters make snow cover less reliable at lower altitudes (1); resorts respond with artificial snow, higher lifts and glacier skiing (1); resorts are developing summer activities such as hiking and mountain biking (1).
Question 44 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Contrasting cold environments
Explain why thawing permafrost increases rockfall in high mountains. [2 marks]
Answer:
Ice in rock joints holds the rock together (1); when it thaws the rock face weakens, so rockfalls and landslides become more likely (1).
Question 45 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Contrasting cold environments
Explain what a glacial lake outburst flood is. [3 marks]
Answer:
Meltwater collects in a lake behind a moraine or ice dam (1); the dam fails suddenly (1); a flood surges downstream and damages settlements and farmland, for example in the Himalayas (1).
Question 46 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Contrasting cold environments
Explain how melting of the Greenland ice sheet could affect people far from the Arctic. [3 marks]
Answer:
Meltwater runs into the oceans and raises global sea level (1); low-lying coasts and islands are at greater risk of flooding (1); the addition of fresh water could alter ocean currents and weather patterns (1).
Question 47 · Spec 3.1.4.6 · Skills
A glacier snout was 2.4 km from a fixed point and 20 years later was 1.8 km from it. Calculate the mean annual rate of retreat in metres per year. [2 marks]
Answer:
2.4 − 1.8 = 0.6 km = 600 m (1); 600 ÷ 20 = 30 m per year (1).
Question 48 · Spec 3.1.4.6 · Skills
Explain one limitation of using clast roundness data from a single site. [2 marks]
Answer:
The results only represent one location, so they cannot be generalised to other areas (1); judging roundness against a chart is subjective, and a small sample may be unreliable (1).
Question 49 · Spec 3.1.4.5 · Management
Explain the role of CCAMLR in managing the Southern Ocean. [2 marks]
Answer:
The Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources regulates fishing, including krill harvesting (1); it sets catch limits to protect the whole marine ecosystem (1).
Question 50 · Spec 3.1.4.7 · Alaska case study
Explain how Indigenous communities on Alaska's North Slope show resilience. [2 marks]
Answer:
Iñupiat communities continue subsistence whaling and hunting, using traditional knowledge to adapt to changes in sea ice (1); local government, the North Slope Borough, uses oil-related tax revenue to fund services and give local people a say (1).

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