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Welcome! All information can be found on http://www.geographyportal.co.uk/watercarboncycles. Using this document is simple – it follows the specification from AQA in order with links to all the teaching and learning resources (including our recommended case study fact files (CSFF)) as you go. It’s a super-handy revision companion that should ensure you never lose track of what you need to know! Key Idea: Specification content: Links to Geography Resources: 3.1.1.1 Water and carbon cycles as natural systems Systems in physical geography: systems concepts and their application to the water and carbon cycles. Lesson 1 | W&CC Initial Overview Powerpoint | Handout Inputs, outputs, energy, stores/components, flows/transfers, positive/negative feedback, dynamic equilibrium. Geography Resource Package: Dynamic Equilibrium & Feedback Loops Powerpoint | Document 3.1.1.2 The water cycle Global distribution and size of major stores of water – lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere and atmosphere. Lesson 2 | Water Sources & Stores Powerpoint Water Overview Worksheet (to be completed) Worldwide Water PDF Map Processes driving change in the magnitude of these stores over time and space. Lesson 2 | Water Sources & Stores Powerpoint Water Overview Worksheet (to be completed) Worldwide Water PDF Map Flows and transfers: evaporation, condensation, cloud formation, causes of precipitation and cryospheric processes at hill slope, drainage basin and global scales with reference to varying timescales involved. Lesson 2 | Water Sources & Stores Powerpoint Drainage basins as open systems – inputs and outputs, to include precipitation, evapotranspiration and runoff (overland flow) Lesson 4 | Hydrological Cycle & Drainage Basins Powerpoint | Handout Stores and flows, to include interception, surface, soil water, groundwater and channel storage; stem flow, percolation, infiltration, overland flow , and channel flow. Lesson 3 | Water Store Factors Powerpoint | Handout Lesson 4 | Hydrological Cycle & Drainage Basins Powerpoint | Handout Concept of water balance. Lesson 5 | Water Balance, Deficit, Surplus Powerpoint | Handout Runoff variation and the flood hydrograph. Lesson 6 | River Regimes & Flood Hydrographs Powerpoint | Handout Changes in the water cycle over time to include natural variation (storm events, seasonal changes and climate alterations) Lesson 7 | Changes In The Water Cycle Powerpoint | Handout Changes in the water cycle over time to include human impact including farming practices, land use change and water abstraction. Lesson 7 | Changes In The Water Cycle Powerpoint | Handout Lesson 8 | Water Insecurity Powerpoint 3.1.1.3 The carbon cycle Global distribution, and size of major stores of carbon – lithosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, biosphere, atmosphere. Lesson 11 | The Carbon Cycle & Carbon Stores Powerpoint | Handout

Factors driving change in the magnitude of these stores over time and space Lesson 12 | Changes To The Carbon Cycle Powerpoint | Handout Flows and transfers at plant, sere and continental scales. None At Present (5.10.21) Photosynthesis, respiration, decomposition, combustion, carbon sequestration in oceans and sediments, weathering. Lesson 14 | Factors / Nature Of Changes Powerpoint | Handout Changes in the carbon cycle over time, to include natural variation (including wildfires, volcanic activity). Lesson 14 | Factors / Nature Of Changes Powerpoint | Handout Lesson 14 | Short Term Natural Changes Handout Lesson 15 | Carbon Cycle Factors Detailed Overview Handout The Milankovitch Cycles Learning Resource Changes in the carbon cycle over time, to include human impact (including hydrocarbon fuel extraction and burning, farming practices, deforestation, land use changes). Lesson 14 | Factors / Nature Of Changes Powerpoint | Handout Lesson 15 | Carbon Cycle Factors Detailed Overview Handout The carbon budget and the impact of the carbon cycle upon land, ocean and atmosphere, including global climate. Lesson 15 | The Carbon Budget Powerpoint | Handout 3.1.1.4 Water, carbon, climate and life on Earth The key role of the carbon and water stores and cycles in supporting life on Earth with particular reference to climate. Extra: Lesson 16-17 | Carbon In Oceans Powerpoint The relationship between the water cycle and carbon cycle in the atmosphere. Lesson 17-18 | Interlinks Between Water & Carbon Powerpoint | Handout The role of feedbacks within and between cycles and their link to climate change and implications for life on Earth. Lesson 17-18 | Interlinks Between Water & Carbon Powerpoint | Handout Human interventions in the carbon cycle designed to influence carbon transfers and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Reducing Climate Change Learning Resource 3.1.1.5 Quantitative and qualitative skills To engage with a range of quantitative and relevant qualitative skills, within the theme water and carbon cycles. Students must specifically understand simple mass balance, unit conversions and the analysis and presentation of field data. N/A 3.1.1.6 Case studies Case study of a tropical rainforest setting to illustrate and analyse key themes in water and carbon cycles and their relationship to environmental change and human activity. Brazilian Amazon - Environmental Schemes GCSE Resource: Deforestation In The Amazon Textbook Pages | Student Notes More Resources Imminently Available on the A Level Maps Page Case study of a river catchment(s) at a local scale to illustrate and analyse the key themes above, engage with field data and consider the impact of precipitation upon drainage basin stores and transfers and implications for sustainable water supply and/or flooding. [Reed’s School] River Mole – Local Water Case Study Overview Lesson 9-10 | Mole Valley Case Study Powerpoint Available on the A Level Maps Page

* Try out our A Level Maps Page, which is available on the Geography Portal! It is an interactive, navigable virtual ‘world’, where you can find our recommended case study fact files [CSFF] as well loads of information, questions, thoughts and more about each of our recommended a-level human and physical case studies, more niche A* case studies and further examples! Key Term: Explanation: System A natural or human system is an assemblage of interrelated parts that work together by way of some driving process. Systems are often visualized or modelled as component blocks that have connections drawn between them Positive / Negative Feedback Positive feedback loops enhance or amplify changes; this tends to move a system away from its equilibrium state and make it more unstable. Negative feedbacks tend to dampen or buffer changes; this tends to hold a system to some equilibrium state making it more stable. Dynamic Equilibrium A state of balance between continuing processes (e.g. inputs and outputs in a system) When one changes, another is simultaneously altered. Lithosphere The lithosphere is the solid, outer part of the Earth. The lithosphere includes the brittle upper portion of the mantle and the crust, the outermost layers of Earth's structure. It is bounded by the atmosphere above and the asthenosphere below. Deeper level water stored here. Hydrosphere A hydrosphere is the total store of water on a planet. The hydrosphere includes water that is on the surface of the planet or underground. Cryosphere Total water stores (similar to Hydrosphere, Atmosphere, Lithosphere) but within ice and snow. Cryospheric stores can be found in glaciers as well as ice sheets, caps etc. Atmosphere Water stored at any one time (albeit temporarily) in the atmosphere is classified as such. Atmospheric stores involve water deposits and water vapour in clouds or humid air etc. Drainage Basin A drainage basin is any area of land where precipitation collects and drains off into a common outlet, such as into a river, bay, or other body of water. https://www.tutor2u.net/geography/reference/the-drainage-basin-system Evapotranspiration The process by which water is transferred from the land to the atmosphere by evaporation from the soil and other surfaces and by transpiration from plants. (Surface) Runoff Surface runoff is water, from rain, snowmelt, or other sources, that flows over the land surface, and is a major component of the water cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called overland flow. A land area which produces runoff draining to a common point is called a watershed. Interception The act of vegetation ‘catching’ precipitation prior to it reaching ground or surface level. This then drips to the ground (throughfall), from leaf to leaf or along branches and trunk through stem flow (see below.) Surface Water Surface water is water on the surface of continents such as in a river, lake, or wetland. Soil Water Soil water is the term for water found in naturally occurring soil, usually as a result of surface-soil infiltration. Groundwater Groundwater is the water found underground in the cracks and spaces in soil, sand and rock. It is stored in and moves slowly through geologic formations of soil, sand and rocks called aquifers. https://www.groundwater.org/ - Groundwater Foundation – amazing resource and charity!

Channel Storage The total volume of water held in a river or stream channel. Stem Flow Stem flow is the flow of intercepted water down the trunk or stem of a plant. Stemflow, along with throughfall, is responsible for the transferral of precipitation and nutrients from the canopy to the soil. Percolation The movement of water through the soil or underlying porous rock. This water collects as groundwater. Infiltration Infiltration is the process by which water on the ground surface enters the soil, it acts as a prior event to percolation in permeable ground level surfaces. Channel Flow Channel flow – the movement of water within the river channel. This is also called a river's discharge. Runoff Variation A variety of physical & human factors affect runoff (the flow of water over the Earth’s surface). These result in runoff variation. https://www.tutor2u.net/geography/reference/factors-affecting-runoff Flood Hydrograph Flood hydrographs are graphs that show how a drainage basin responds to a period of rainfall. They are used to plan for flood situations and times of drought. They show the river discharge that occurs as a result of precipitation from an earlier storm. Water Cycle The water cycle involves the switching of water through different states on land, in bodies of water, and in the atmosphere. It is comprised of numerous processes. Biosphere The biosphere is made up of the parts of Earth where life exists. The biosphere extends from the deepest root systems of trees to the dark environment of ocean trenches etc. !!CAUTION This overlaps with cryosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere at times!! Photosynthesis Photosynthesis involves the absorption of CO2 from the atmosphere (terrestrial plants) and from oceans (marine plants) to produce organic carbon structures. Respiration Respiration is a chemical reaction that happens in all living cells, including plant cells and animal cells. Decomposition Decomposition is the breakdown of animals and plant structures by bacteria and the release of carbon compounds into the atmosphere, soil and to the ocean floor. Combustion The act of burning fossil fuels, which affects oceanic ecosystems heavily. Carbon Sequestration A natural or artificial process by which carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and held in solid or liquid form thus removing it from the fast Carbon Cycle. CCSS (Carbon Capture and Storage Solutions) are good examples of this in action, capturing up to 90% of CO2 emissions from conventional power stations. Weathering Weathering describes the breaking down or dissolving of rocks and minerals on the surface of the Earth. Water, ice, acids, salts, plants, animals, and changes in temperature are all agents of weathering. Carbon Cycle Carbon flows between each reservoir in an exchange called the carbon cycle, which has slow and fast components. Any change in the cycle that shifts carbon out of one reservoir/store puts more carbon in the other reservoirs/stores. Hydrocarbon Fuel Extraction & Burning Compound of hydrogen and carbon... Fossil fuels are types of hydrocarbon and are created from the compressed remains of organic matter (plant or animal) at the bottom of oceans over millions of years. They effectively lock up carbon over long periods of time as carbon enters the oceans from the atmosphere and enters into phytoplankton or animal life. Those living things die and sink to the oceans where they are compressed into oil and gas. These are then extracted, processed and used as fuels of sources of energy.

Carbon Budget The global carbon budget is the amount of carbon gained and lost in the natural and manmade workings of the world. It can either be net positive or negative. Human Interventions Human activities affect the carbon cycle through emissions of carbon dioxide (sources) and removal of carbon dioxide (sinks). Quantitative A term used to relate to data which is measuring or measured by the quantity of something rather than its quality. Think values such as height, weight etc… Qualitative A term used to relate to data which is measuring or measured by the quality of something rather than its quantity. Think statements such as blonde, brown, red etc… as colours as opposed to their exact HEX / RGB values. River Catchment Our local case study: the River Mole! Another similar term to drainage basin, meaning an area into which all water entering the system will travel. E.G. The Thames drainage basin and surrounding tributaries belong to its ‘river catchment.’ Suggestions? File Errors? Please Contact Us Via The Geography Portal! V1.4, last updated: 5.10.21 Luke Pearson