North and South Downs, UK (developed)

Question 1

Where is the South Downs

Answer 1

The Seven Sisters in East Sussex

Question 2

What are characteristics of chalk in the South Downs

Answer 2

○ The Seven Sisters in East Sussex
○ Chalk is a sedimentary rock made of calcium carbonate
○ It is proud and allows water to penetrate into the rock. For this reason, surface streams (winterbourne’s) are only visible when the rock is saturated
○ Dry valleys are a common feature. These were eroded by fast-flowing surface streams towards the end of the last Ice Age
○ Where the chalk (permeable) meets an impermeable rock (frequently clay) springs from and can be seen when rivers begin to flow at the surface
○ Soils are thin which means vegetation is mainly grasses
○ Chalk forms gentle hills inland (eg the South Downs in southern England) and steep cliffs at the coast (eg the Seven Sisters in Sussex)
○ Chalk beds are good natural aquifers (underground areas that allow storage of water due to the porous nature of the rock)

Question 3

What is human activity in the South Downs

Answer 3

○ Pastoral farming. Mainly sheep, racehorses and some cows are farmed. Soils are too thin to allow much arable farming
○ Settlements. Where chalk meets clay, spring-line settlements (where a ridge of permeable rock lies over impermeable rock and a line of springs from along the boundary between the two) can be seen, eg Fulking in West Sussex. Due to the good access to London, the South Downs are popular as a location for commuters and retired people
○ Racehorse training. For example, stud farms and stables are common at Epsom in Surrey
○ Quarrying. Chalk with flints is a strong building material used in cement manufacture

Question 4

What type of rock is in Dartmoor

Answer 4

Granite

Question 5

What are characteristics of Dartmoor

Answer 5

○ Dartmoor is a National Park is the top of an exposed batholith
○ Flat-topped moorland
○ High drainage density due to impermeable nature of the granite
○ Over 150 rock outcrops called tors, formed by a combination of freeze-thaw weathering and hydrolysis
○ Contains areas of standing water and peat bogs, due to the combination of high rainfall and impermeable rock
○ V-shaped river valleys formed by the numerous surface streams. Valley sides are steep due to the resistant nature of the granite
○ Contour lines are found close together on a map
○ The land is at a higher altitude than the surrounding area due to the resistant nature of the granite
○ Most of the large settlements -eg Tavistock, and Ashburton -are found near the outskirts of Dartmoor
○ The area is a popular tourist location