1. Physical processes can be managed sustainably at the global level.
Using an example
from your MYP studies, explain the capacity of processes to transform human and
natural landscape.
Physical processes, like erosion, can be managed sustainability using hard engineering
and soft engineering methods. Hard engineering refers to expensive methods, like river
straightening, construction of dams, etc. In contrast, soft engineering refers to a simpler
approach, like afforestation, which requires less money. The Ganga transforms
landscapes through erosion. In order to manage this effectively, hard engineering
methods, such as the construction of dams, can help regulate the river’s flow, which
reduces erosion. While dams can have environmental consequences, such as
deforestation, they effectively protect homes and livelihoods and reduce the risk of
flood or erosion. Globally, these methods show how physical processes can be managed
effectively.
The Ganga river significantly transforms both natural and human landscapes through processes
like flood and erosion. To manage these effects sustainably, hard engineering methods such
as the construction of dams are used. Dams help regulate the river’s flow, reducing the risk
of floods and soil erosion. This protects the natural landscape by preserving riverbanks and
ecosystems, and the human landscape by safeguarding farmlands, homes, and
infrastructure. While dams can have environmental drawbacks, they play a crucial role in
sustainable water management. Globally, such strategies show how physical processes can
be controlled to benefit both people and nature.
2. List one impact of the process of Longshore drift and State one soft engineering tool
that will be helpful in holding the beach sand from drifting.
One significant impact of Longshore drifting can be the increased risk of floods. When
soil is eroded from certain areas, it can lead to loss of land. A soft engineering tool that
can help in holding the beach sand is beach nourishment. This involves adding more
sand to areas that have lesser sand, which helps maintain the coastline without being
too expensive.
Longshore drift can erode beaches and shift sand away from certain areas, leading to
coastal retreat or loss of beach land. This can be fixed by a simple soft engineering tool
known as beach nourishment. Beach Nourishment involves adding sand to eroded
beaches to rebuild them naturally, helping maintain the coastling without using hard
structures like seawalls.
replace lost material, helping to reduce the impact of longshore drift and protect the
coastline naturally.
SOURCE A:
Identify the shapes of the landforms from source A as an inevitable process of natural
systems.
The landform given in source A is a bird foot delta. Deltas are formed at the mouth of a
river, as the river deposits sediments which creates a landform, this delta is a birdfoot
delta as it’s shaped like a bird’s foot. Many rivers have deltas, and they are an inevitable
part of natural systems as we don’t have much control over the shapes or formations of
deltas.
Analyse the SOURCE
The source shows the meandering of a river, it is the Majuli river island, the
Majuli river faces many issues, such as heavy erosion. As the river continually
presses against the land, the soil gradually erodes, this can be a disaster for the
people living here. These people heavily depend on the river for water and
agriculture, their homes are also close to the river, and if the erosion continues to
increase then they may lose property and their homes. Efforts are being made to
decrease the erosion of the soil, such as geobags, embankments, etc. If the
river continues to erode the soil rapidly, then the entire island may face heavy
consequences, as people will have to move to other cities and leave their homes.
This is why it is essential to raise awareness of these problems, in order to
increase funding and show support to the people living here.
PROBLEM OF MAJULI- GETTING ERODED
https://www.google.com/search/Majuli+island
OPVL- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPkGvN5iw7g
Origin
The source is taken from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPkGvN5iw7g. It is a
secondary source as it doesn’t include any direct information from the Holderness coast.
Purpose
The purpose of the source is to explain the erosion happening in the Holderness coast in
Britain. The source informs the location of the coast and how it is rapidly eroding. The
source explains and shows the landforms created by the erosion, and the composition of
the cliffs near the Holderness coast.
Value
The source is of value as it shows vivid imagery and how the erosion occurs in the coast.
The source shows the composition of the coast which can be important information in
order to analyse the erosion patterns.
Limitations
The source does not emphasize the problems of erosion. It also fails to include primary
information regarding the Holderness coast ,which can create problems and a lack of
understanding.
CRITERION A
1. State two denudational processes involved in coastal areas.
Denudational processes are the wearing away of the Earth’s surface through erosion,
weathering, etc. Erosion is the breaking of soil due to water, air, etc. Weathering is the
breaking down of rocks into smaller particles. Weathering can occur due to
anthropogenic activities, such as mining, deforestation, etc. Erosion can happen due to
man made actions,such as deforestation or natural processes which includes the soil
being eroded due to rivers, wind, etc. Hydraulic action is also a denudational process
which involves action, abrasion, attrition and solution, which creates structures like
cliffs, arches, and stacks.
2. Explain how erosion can affect change in the rivers downstream.
Erosion can have a significant impact on a river’s downstream. It can cause a wider river,
with increased power. Erosion in the upper stream and middle course travels
downward, where the river’s sediment load increases.The erosion adds sand,slit and
clay, which is deposited to the lower courses. The channel shape can be affected as
more sediment and water flows downstream, which sometimes causes meandering of
a river. As the erosion widens and deepens the channel upstream, even more water
and sediments flow downstream. When the river slows down it deposits eroded
material, which may create deltas, levees, floodpains, etc. Heavy erosion can have a
major impact and raise the river bed downstream, which not only makes riverbeds less
stable, but also increases floods.
Erosion in the upper and middle courses of a river removes soil, rock, and
sediments from the riverbanks and bed. This eroded material is transported downstream,
where it causes several changes:
Increased Sediment Load – Erosion adds sand, silt, and clay to the river, which the river
carries to lower courses. This increases the river’s sediment load.
Channel Modification – As erosion deepens or widens the channel upstream, more
water and sediments flow downstream, leading to changes in the channel shape and
sometimes causing meandering.
Deposition in Lower Course – When the river slows down in its lower course, it
deposits the eroded material, leading to the formation of floodplains, levees, and deltas.
Flooding and Bank Instability – Heavy sediment from upstream erosion can raise the
riverbed downstream, making floods more frequent and riverbanks less stable.
In short, erosion upstream directly influences transportation and deposition
downstream, reshaping the river landscape over time
3. Explain the problems faced by Holderness Bay
The major issue with Holderness Bay is its rapid erosion. Holderness Bay has soft
boulder clay cliffs, which are easily eroded by the North Sea waves. The coastline
retreats about 1-2 metres per year, and is one of the fastest eroding coasts in Europe.
This causes loss of land and settlements, villages such as Mappleton and Hornsea are
faced with a constant threat as homes, farmlands, roads are lost to sea which can pose
significant challenges in their lives. The erosion leads to significant economic loss,
such as loss of valuable land, and coastal retorts fear loss of stable income. Erosion
also has a significant impact in tourism and agriculture, as crops may get washed
away. The environmental damages are also dangerous, as habitats like wetlands and
cliffs, which protect wildlife are being destroyed. Sea defences like sea walls protect
limited areas, however, they increase erosion further down the coast, creating social
conflict between communities.
Problems Faced by Holderness Bay (East Yorkshire, UK):
Severe Coastal Erosion – Holderness Bay has soft boulder clay cliffs which are easily
eroded by the North Sea waves. On average, the coastline retreats about 1–2 metres per
year, one of the fastest erosion rates in Europe.
Loss of Land and Settlements – Villages such as Mappleton and Hornsea are under
constant threat, with farmland, roads, and even houses being lost to the sea.
Economic Impact – Coastal erosion affects tourism, fishing, and agriculture. Farmers
lose valuable land, while coastal resorts fear decline in income.
Environmental Damage – Habitats such as wetlands and cliffs that support wildlife are
being destroyed due to erosion and human attempts at coastal management.
Conflicts Over Coastal Management – Sea defences like groynes and sea walls protect
some areas (e.g., Hornsea), but they increase erosion further down the coast, creating
conflicts between communities.
In summary, Holderness Bay faces serious environmental, economic, and social
challenges due to rapid coastal erosion and uneven protection measures.
4. Discuss the erosion problem faced by the Great Barrier Reef.
The Great Barrier Reef faces many problems. Sediment runoff is a significant issue,
anthropogenic causes, like deforestation, agricultural runoff and grazing along
Queensland’s coast. During heavy rains, this eroded soil is washed into rivers such as
Burdekin and Fitzroy, and eventually deposited into the Great barrier reef lagoon.
Excess sedimentation also prevents light penetration in seawater, which harms
photosynthesis in algae living in corals. This weakens corals and makes them prone to
bleaching, harming the biodiversity. Along with soil, fertilizers and pesticides are
carried by erosion into the reef system. This promotes algal blooms which disrupt
food chains and may harm corals, thus harming the environment. Another significant
issue is how construction, dredging and port expansions are increasing the cloudiness
of water, which worsens reef erosion and damages the ecosystem. These issues also
reduce fish stocks and worsen situations for livelihoods which depend on the Great
Barrier Reef, as this could worsen agriculture and jobs which depend on fishing or
tourism.
Erosion Problems Faced by the Great Barrier Reef (GBR):
Sediment Runoff from Rivers – Human activities such as deforestation, agriculture,
and grazing along the Queensland coast increase soil erosion. During heavy rains, this
eroded soil is washed into rivers like the Burdekin and Fitzroy and eventually deposited
into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon.
Sedimentation on Coral Reefs – Excess sediment reduces light penetration in
seawater, which harms photosynthesis in zooxanthellae (algae living in corals). This
weakens corals, slows their growth, and increases vulnerability to bleaching.
Nutrient and Chemical Pollution – Along with soil, fertilizers and pesticides are carried
by erosion into the reef system. This causes eutrophication, promoting algal blooms that
smother corals and disrupt food chains.
Coastal Erosion & Development – Construction, dredging, and port expansion increase
turbidity (cloudiness of water), which accelerates reef erosion and damages delicate
ecosystems.
Long-term Consequences – The erosion-driven sediment load threatens biodiversity,
reduces fish stocks, and undermines tourism and livelihoods that depend on the GBR.
In summary: The Great Barrier Reef is not directly eroded by waves alone, but rather
suffers from indirect erosion problems caused by human-induced land degradation and
sediment runoff, which weaken coral structures and disturb the marine ecosystem.
5. Mention how rivers and coastal areas are managed sustainably.
Rivers and coastal areas require efficient management techniques, as it’s beneficial to
have a controlled system for the livelihoods of the people. Various management
strategies can be used, such as hard engineering. Hard engineering involves the
construction of dams and reservoirs, which are usually implemented for rivers. They
store water, help control floods, and generate hydroelectric power, however, the
downside is that they may displace people and affect ecosystems. Levees are another
approach of hard engineering, they are raised banks which prevent flooding but can
cause significant damage if they fall. Sea walls are usually built on coasts, as the
strong barriers can shield people against wave attack and protect settlements.
However, they are expensive and can cause erosion further down the coast. Groynes
are also built on coasts, they trap sand to build up beaches, though they starve other
coastal areas of sediment. Soft engineering methods are usually less expensive,these
involve afforestation and riverbank raising for rivers. The trees absorb water and
reduce soil erosion, reducing the risk of a flood. Flood plain zoning is another method
of soft engineering to help rivers, which reduces development in high risk areas.
Beach nourishment is done on coasts and adds sand to beaches so that they absorb
energy, though this requires repeated maintenance. Managed retreat is also used in
coasts and allows certain areas to flood naturally, creating wetlands which act as
natural buffers.
Hard Engineering Approaches
Dams and Reservoirs (Rivers): Store water, control floods, and generate
hydroelectric power, but they may displace people and affect ecosystems.
Levees/Embankments (Rivers): Raised banks that prevent flooding but may cause
greater damage if they fail.
Sea Walls (Coasts): Strong barriers against wave attack, protecting settlements,
though they are expensive and can cause erosion further down the coast.
Groynes (Coasts): Wooden/stone barriers trapping sand to build up beaches, but
they starve other coastal areas of sediment.
Soft Engineering Approaches
Afforestation & Riverbank Planting (Rivers): Trees absorb water and reduce soil
erosion, lowering flood risk.
Floodplain Zoning (Rivers): Restricting development in high-risk areas to reduce
economic damage.
Beach Nourishment (Coasts): Adding sand to beaches to absorb wave energy and
reduce erosion, though it requires repeated maintenance.
Managed Retreat (Coasts): Allowing certain areas to flood naturally, creating
wetlands that act as natural buffers against erosion and storm surges.
A sustainable approach combines both hard and soft engineering: using hard
engineering where human settlements are at high risk, while applying soft
engineering to work with natural systems. This balance reduces long-term costs
and environmental impacts, ensuring resilience for both people and ecosystems.
