OCR GCSE Geography B: Distinctive Landscapes Tutorial

Welcome to this tutorial on OCR GCSE Geography B: Distinctive Landscapes. This module focuses on understanding the key processes that shape different landscapes, including glacial uplands, lowland plains, and coastal areas. By the end of this tutorial, you should be able to explain how landscapes are formed, the processes that shape them, and how humans manage these environments.

1. UK Relief: Glacial Uplands vs Lowland Plains

Glacial Uplands

• Characteristics:
• High, rugged landscapes.
• Steep-sided valleys and U-shaped valleys.
• Glacial features such as drumlins and moraines.
• Rock-type control:
• Hard rock areas (e.g., granite) are resistant to weathering, forming upland areas.
• Soft rock areas (e.g., shale) are worn away more easily, creating lowland areas.

Lowland Plains

• Characteristics:
• Flat or gently sloping landscapes.
• Broad, floodplain valleys.
• Deposits of sand, silt, and clay.
• Rock-type control:
• Erosion of softer rocks over time creates low-lying areas.
• Glacial deposits left behind during the last ice age.

2. Processes: Weathering, Erosion, Transport, and Mass Movement

Weathering

• Freeze-thaw weathering:
• Water freezes in rock cracks, expands, and breaks the rock apart.
• Common in glacial uplands where temperatures fluctuate.

Erosion

• Glacial erosion:
• Ice scrapes and removes rock as it moves.
• Processes include plucking and abrasion.

Transport

• Glacial transport:
• Rocks carried by ice and deposited as the ice melts.
• Results in moraines and drumlins.

Mass Movement

• Landslides and soil creep:
• Rock and soil move downslope due to gravity.
• Triggered by heavy rainfall or melting ice.

3. Coastal Landforms: Formation and Features

Wave Erosion

• Formation sequence:
• Wave-cut notch: Waves erode the base of a cliff.
• Cave: The notch becomes a cave.
• Arch: The roof of the cave collapses.
• Stack: The arch is left standing as the cliff retreats.

Coastal Features

• Headlands and bays:
• Headlands are eroded faster due to wave focus.
• Bays form in areas of softer rock.
• Spits:
• Formed by longshore drift.
• Sand and shingle accumulate in sheltered areas.

4. Coastal Management Strategies

Hard Engineering

• Examples:
• Sea walls: Protect cliffs from wave action.
• Groynes: Trap sand to widen beaches.
• Advantages: Effective in protecting developed areas.
• Disadvantages: Can disrupt natural sediment flow.

Soft Engineering

• Beach nourishment:
• Pumping sand onto eroded beaches.
• Enhances natural defenses.
• Managed retreat:
• Allowing coastal erosion to occur naturally.
• Reduces long-term costs.

5. Fieldwork and Case Studies

Fieldwork Techniques

• Measure the rate of cliff erosion.
• Monitor the impact of management strategies.
• Record landform features using sketches and photographs.

Case Study: Holderness Coast

• Study the rapid erosion of the Holderness coastline.
• Observe the effects of longshore drift and groynes.

6. Exam Tips

• Structured answers: Use clear paragraphs and bullet points.
• Case studies: Always reference examples you have studied.
• Diagrams: Use labeled sketches to explain processes like wave-cut notches and glacial features.

By revising and applying the concepts covered in this tutorial, you should feel confident in tackling OCR GCSE Geography B: Distinctive Landscapes. Good luck with your studies!