Year 6- 15 mark questions on coastal environments
Specimen paper 2:
Evaluate the potential of soft engineering techniques for managing coasts in a sustainable way. Make reference to one or more case studies of coastal management where such techniques have been dominant.
Candidates might consider:
•beach feeding
•replanting sand dunes
•protecting sand dunes by covering them with recycled materials or with protective coverings
•managed retreat
•dredging to build off-shore bars
Level 3 (13 –15 marks)
The answer is detailed. More than one management technique is explained clearly, showing good understanding of the application in a case study area and of the general principles illustrated by
that area. The answer shows that the candidate thinks and writes as a geographer
June 2009
With specific reference to a case study of coastal erosion, assess the relative importance of its physical and socio-economic consequences.
January 2010
Explain the causes of sea level changes and the formation of resultant coastal landforms.
June 2010
Discuss issues relating to a coastal area where soft engineering management strategies have been adopted.
January 2011
Using a case study, assess the causes and consequences of coastal flooding
January 2012
Discuss the impact(s) of rising sea levels on coastal environments.
June 2012
Describe two or more landforms resulting from coastal erosion (such as headlands and bays, blow holes, arches, stacks, cliffs and wave cut platforms) and explain their formation.
January 2013
‘Soft engineering works in harmony with the natural environment and is effective in protecting the coast.’ To what extend do you agree with this view?
1
Essay question catcher: (for external and mock)
1-Examine the factors which determine the shape, form and appearance of a coastline. page 71 for list of factors. Explain how they determine…
2-Examine the components of the coastal system. page 73 for list of components to be examined
3-Examine how marine processes determine the shape, form and appearance of a coastline. pages 79  82 and handout
4- Explain the formation of landforms produced by coastal deposition (15)
5- Examine the stages of the development of a succession on coastal sand dunes
6- How do plant successions develop on coastal environments?
New AS
Specimen paper 1:
With reference to one or more case study of coastal management, discuss whether the benefits outweigh the costs.
Costs likely to relate to –Economic – cost of protection and differences between different aspects’ funding of scheme and sources.
Environmental – appearance and knock-on effect of certain strategies.
Benefits likely to relate to – Economic – saving of areas of land, housing, transport routes, industry, etc.
Social – maintaining people’s homes, communities.
Environmental – depending on scheme – natural look of coast, preserving habitat.
Level 3 Clear identification of costs and benefits – a balanced response.

2
There is specific and detailed reference to case study in support. Clear explicit comment which reflects earlier content. (10-15 marks)
2004
(c) Coastal environments change over time for many reasons. Discuss this statement.
(15)
• Tides, tidal change, seasonality depending on local/regional conditions.
• Varying weather conditions, idea of stability and equilibrium disrupted periodically by major storm events sometimes causing longer term changes. Idea of change is one /cell causing change is another coastal element, ok as long as not overdone.
• Longer term cycles of geomorphologic processes of erosion, transportation and deposition. Models of coastal landform development related to dominant erosional and/or depositional processes related to different contextual factors, e.g. geology/lithology/structure; location/setting.
• Sea level change (isostatic/eustatic) cyclical or long term related to glaciation/deglaciation and its impact on coastal profiles and specific features associated with it such as raised/fossil beaches, wave cut platforms and other relic features; fjords/rias, etc.
• Accidental human impact on the global scale notably climatic change, global warming and predictions of rising sea levels in the near future.
• Deliberate human impact such as management of coastal environments both successful and unsuccessful – comment on the significance and longevity of these within wider spatial and especially temporal contexts might indicate mature geographical thinking.
• Case study material/exemplars might come from anywhere. In offering valid comparisons and contrasts which inform a response and give it substance and credibility the potential of making broad and specific comparison between LEDCs and MEDCs. Contrasting examples are extremely likely to produce syopticity, etc.
Discussion requires a debate to be held and a view should be stated. Any reasonable conclusion can be credited as long as measured, realistic and related to preceding content.
January 2005
(d) Discuss why coasts are the focus of so much management. (15)
The response can be exemplified and illustrated at a variety of scale and contexts and the assigned task enables a discussion of values and policy aspects to be incorporated.
Appropriate content might encompass a very broad range, as this is a question to which there are very many potentially relevant responses:
The impact of natural processes on coasts and human attempts to manage them can be expected to figure prominently in most responses and will be perfectly creditable. A range of different processes for example marine, atmospheric processes and their problematic impacts to include coastal erosion, sudden geomorphological events such as land slips, storm events including surges, flooding might be reviewed with the possible human responses designed to alleviate, reduce or remove the risk.
Potential for different scales of response could well be a focus on management for a variety of reasons, flood prevention, control of erosion, maintenance of coastal forms, environmental conservation, navigation and so on. Such elements in a response could extend back into review of vulnerability of coasts to environmental threat. References to prospective or beginnings of sea level change associated with global warming and/or isostatic adjustment are potentially relevant but should be suitable measured and relate to the present or very near future i.e. not outline reasons for future management 10 or more years hence. Also creditable is content which demonstrates that management/intervention tends to prompt further management e.g. because of unforeseen effects elsewhere. Exemplification at different scale is possible form local to regional and small scale to national such as the Dutch coast.
The question clearly requires a reasoned and discussive approach and the response should come to a clear conclusion perhaps summarising the reasons or even querying the statement - any conclusion is creditable as long as it is reasonable and related to the preceding contents and discussion.