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EnglandGeography

Component 1: Physical Systems - Earth's Life Support Systems

5 dot points across 5 inquiry questions. Click any dot point for a focused answer with worked past exam questions where available.

What are the consequences of changes to the carbon cycle, and how can the water and carbon cycles be managed?

The consequences of carbon-cycle change for the atmosphere, oceans and ecosystems; the links between the carbon cycle and climate; and the mitigation and adaptation strategies that manage the water and carbon cycles at different scales.
An OCR A-Level Geography answer to the consequences of carbon-cycle change and the management of the water and carbon cycles. Covers the impacts of rising carbon on the atmosphere, oceans and ecosystems, the link between the carbon cycle and climate, feedbacks, and mitigation and adaptation strategies from international agreements to local action.
12 min answer →

How does the carbon cycle operate across stores and fluxes, and how is it being changed?

The carbon cycle as a closed global system of stores and fluxes; the biological, geological and oceanic sub-cycles; carbon sequestration over short and long timescales; and the natural and human factors that change carbon stores and fluxes.
An OCR A-Level Geography answer to the carbon cycle in Earth's Life Support Systems, covering the carbon cycle as a closed global system of stores and fluxes, the biological, geological and oceanic sub-cycles, fast and slow carbon sequestration, and how natural and human factors change carbon stores and fluxes.
12 min answer →

How does the global water cycle operate as a system, and how do natural and human factors change its stores and flows?

The global water cycle as a closed system of stores and flows; the drainage basin as an open sub-system with inputs, flows, stores and outputs; the water balance; and the natural and human factors that change water stores and flows across scales.
An OCR A-Level Geography answer to the water cycle in Earth's Life Support Systems, covering the global water cycle as a closed system of stores and flows, the drainage basin as an open sub-system, the water balance equation, and how natural and human factors change water stores and flows across global to local scales.
12 min answer →

How do the water and carbon cycles operate in the Arctic tundra, and how is warming changing them?

The interlinked operation of the water and carbon cycles in the Arctic tundra, the diagnostic role of permafrost and frozen stores, and the impact of human activity and climate change (especially permafrost thaw) on its water and carbon balances.
An OCR A-Level Geography case study of the water and carbon cycles in the Arctic tundra, covering how the cycles operate in a cold, frozen environment, the diagnostic role of permafrost and the active layer, the huge soil carbon store, and how warming, permafrost thaw and resource extraction disrupt the water and carbon balances.
12 min answer →

How do the water and carbon cycles operate in the tropical rainforest, and how is human activity changing them?

The interlinked operation of the water and carbon cycles in the tropical rainforest, the diagnostic stores and flows of this ecosystem, and the impact of human activity (especially deforestation) on its water and carbon balances.
An OCR A-Level Geography case study of the water and carbon cycles in the tropical rainforest, covering how the two cycles interlink, the diagnostic stores and flows of this hot, wet ecosystem, the role of recycling and the rapid nutrient and carbon turnover, and how deforestation disrupts the water and carbon balances of the Amazon.
12 min answer →