EQ4 sam questions

Question 1

Explain the role of periglacial and glacial landscapes in the maintenance of the water cycle first point (8marks)

Answer 1

Glacial landscapes- water is stored in glaciated ice and is gradually released as meltwarter. Approc 75% of all freshwater is located up in ice so glaciers contain nearly 2% of water overall- they thus help maintain it by being the largest store of freshwater on earth

Question 2

second point of maintaining water cycle

Answer 2

Glacial and periglacial landscapes at high latitudes help balance the global radiation balance and so impact the maintenance of the water cycle- effects the position of jet streams

Question 3

third point- maintaining water cycles

Answer 3

periglacial landscapes maintain the water cycle by exaggerating hydrological events such as summer surface melting and an increase in surface runoff. In particular, the upward growth of permafrost impedes infiltration and percolation which promotes surface runoff

Question 4

Explain how human and physical factors influence the degree of threat to glaciated landscapes (8 marks)

Answer 4

human- tourism could be the biggest threat as the development of ski resorts and increase in tourists poses a particular threat to active landscapes
- In Alpine areas humans disrupt ecosystems by destroying plants in snow sports and scaring wildlife away e.g environmental damage by ski runs likely to be irreplaceable as plants won’t recover during the thawing season e.g an increase in tourism-> 1000 transport lines in the alps leading to loss of wildlife and disruption of habitat

Question 5

Explain how human and physical factors influence the degree of threat to glaciated landscapes (8 marks) PART 2

Answer 5

Physical- Nepal earthquake in 2015 led to many avalanches. One was the deadliest avalanche experienced on everest killing at least 22 people and much of the landscape was destroyed along with habitats etc.

Question 6

Explain how changes in the mass balance of a glacier will affect the hydrological cycle (2021) Para 1

Answer 6

The resource shows substantial changes to the South Cascade glacier. This is the result of ablation exceeding accumulation and the most likely component of ablation is meltwater. There are increases in meltwater particularly in the summer months.
* Yet there are likely to be other changes to river regimes of these three
glaciers as glacial runoff decreases, and flow becomes more dependent on unpredictable precipitation events and snow melt. In addition, sediment yield increases as a result of the increased melting as in summer months there is an increase in water pressure
resulting in hydraulically isolated sub-sole areas releasing sediment
from basal storage.

Question 7

Explain how changes in the mass balance of a glacier will affect the hydrological cycle PARA 2

Answer 7

There will also be impacts on water quality apart that caused by variations in the sediment yield. As the South Cascade glacier is in North America there is likely to be industrial pollutants such as black carbon as well as mercury, pesticides, and other persistent organic pollutants. These are likely to have significant impacts on water quality and impact upon freshwater and marine ecosystems.