PJC H2 GEO P1 Marking Guide

2017 Preliminary Exams H2 Geography Paper 1 Marking Guide All essays to be marked according to these generic level descriptors:

2    Section A – Tropical Environments Answer one question from this section. 1 (a) Explain the climatic characteristics of tropical desert (BWh) climates. Indicative content:  Climatic characteristics: temperature, rainfall, to look at annual amount and fluctuation patterns  Temperature o Description: Annual temperature: fluctuating, Large diurnal temperature range o Explanation: due to shift in position of overhead sun, high sun vs low sun season, cloud cover to explain the diurnal temperature range  Rainfall o Description: Low annual rainfall, episodic rainfall o Explanation: dominance of STHP, episodic rainfall due to localised convectional activity, unexpected roaming of low pressure cells which could be triggered by climate change  Higher level responses to show spatial differences in the different tropical desert characteristics where some deserts may experience higher rainfall due to orographic rainfall at windward side or lower rainfall due to cold ocean currents [12] (b) To what extent does climate affect the formation of aeolian landforms in the arid tropics? Indicative content:  Candidates should ONLY focus on Aeolian erosional and depositional landforms and not the fluvial ones.  Aeolian erosional landforms: yardangs, desert pavement, ventifacts and Aeolian depositional landforms: sand dunes and loess deposits  Climatic factors would include wind, rain and temperature  Other factors: rock geology, mass movements, climate change and anthropogenic activities  Higher level responses will evaluate the role of wind (in relation to other factors) with spatial and temporal variations in the landforms created, i.e. in terms of scale and morphology (shape and size of landforms)  Opportunities for synoptic link: Theme 2.2 Development of Extractive industries and impact on landform formation, Theme 3.2 Urbanisation and impact of landform formation [20] Commented [CKL1]: Should this entire page be in Font Size 12?

3    2 (a) Explain the effects of tropical deforestation in countries at lower levels of development. Indicative content:  Candidates should explain effects of deforestation on developing countries such as landslides, soil erosion and sedimentation, disruption of ecosystems and loss of biodiversity, disruption of biogeochemical cycles and release of stored carbon.  Good examples to utilize will be rapi d deforestation which has taken place in Indonesia and countries traversing the Amazon rainforest such as Brazil, Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador.  Higher level responses will include an analysis of why countries at lower levels of development are more likely to suffer from the LT impacts of such widespread deforestation and acknowledge the balance that must be reached between development and the environment.  Suggested points o Disruption of ecosystems/habitats o Soil erosion o Landslides o Release of stored carbon o Disruption of biogeochemical cycles [12] (b) Discuss the strategies to manage tropical deforestation. Indicative content:  Candidates should discuss and assess the effectiveness of various strategies to manage deforestation which includes international, national as well as strategies on a community level. This can include legislation, designation of protected areas, reforestation etc  Higher level responses will highlight the dilemma between development and the environment when it comes to developing countries. Deforestation is often due to clearing areas for agriculture, urban/industrial expansion and therefore there is often a conflict. There is often a tendency to pass the blame to developing countries but loss of forest cover may be larger in developed countries. Strategies can include:  International strategies like REDD+  Engaging in more sustainable practices.  Role of NGOs and TNCs (can be synoptic link) in reducing deforestation and logging  Individual level: Making informed daily choices by reducing consumption, eating sustainable food, and choosing recycled or certified sustainable wood products. Opportunities for synoptic link: Theme 2.1 Role of govt/TNC/NGOs, Theme 2.2 Extractive industries, Theme 3.1 Sustainable Development [20]

4    Section B – Development, Economy and Environment Answer one question from this section. 3 (a) Explain the factors influencing resource appraisal in resource-rich countries. [12] Indicative content:  Candidates can discuss the role of cultural (e.g. perception of gold elevating market values in India), socioeconomic (income levels, education, profitability), technolo gical (e.g. whether sufficient technology is available to extract resources like oil in Nigeria and diamonds in Tanzania) and political factors (national resource policies and IOs like OPEC) in affecting the appraisal of resources in resource rich countries.  Higher level responses will anal yse these factors and weigh the relative influence of these factors in resource rich countries. They may acknowledge temporal variations in the appraisal of resources (e.g. the value of cobalt due to its usage in smartphone batteries) (b) ‘Resources should be a blessing, not a curse. They can be, but it will not happen on its own. And it will not happen easily.’ (The Guardian, 2012) To what extent do you agree with this statement with respect to resource rich countries? Indicative content:  Candidates should be able to discuss how resources can be a blessing to resource rich countries which can utilize them to their advantage to pursue development. At the same time, they should be able to discuss the challenges associated with doing so (price volatility, governance, overdependence on a narrow economic base etc)  They should also include a discussi on of why often resources may end up to be a ‘curse’ in many resource rich countries.  Higher level responses will includ e spatial and temporal variations in terms of resource rich countries undergoing economic development and growth.  Opportunities for synoptic link: Theme 2.1 Role of government/ TNCs, Theme 3.1 Sustainable Development, Theme 1.2 Deforestation [20] 4 (a) Explain the impact of privatisation of water resources in lower income countries. [12] Indicative content:  Candidates should be able to explai n both positive as well as negative impacts of privatisation of water resources in the context of lower income countries (which may be characteri sed with weak or inefficient governance, high level of debts or lack of funds)  Positive impacts can include greater e fficiency of provision, larger funds for provision of infrastructure such as piped water etc  Negative impacts can include increased water prices which could lead to lack of access for lower income groups, disregard for environmental concerns in extraction of water etc  Higher level responses should be able to weigh these impacts in relation to examples that they have studied and analyse the impact of Commented [CKL2]: Pls repeat this instructions for all the  sections below

5    privatisation. They could present al ternative solutions such as public- private partnerships or role of NGOs/international agencies (b) ‘Water conservation is the key to managing water scarcity.’ To what extent do you agree with this view? [20] Indicative content:  Candidates should be able to discuss the role of water conservation in managing water scarcity with reference to various countries which have implemented these measures and seen different levels of success. They should consider both absolute and relative scarcity and evaluate the role of conservation in tackling scarcity. Issues of mindset, sustainability of schemes to conserve water e