Fully explain how two natural elements of a named large natural
environment interact. You must use specific case study evidence integrated
throughout your answer.
1. Interpreting the Question:
Comprehensively: means to give academic depth or insight that uses geographic
terminology and concepts
Explain: means to give reasons or say why something happens
2 Natural elements: refer to two of landforms (relief and drainage), climate, soils and
vegetation.
Interact: Means that the elements effect each other as a 2 way action.
Specific case study evidence: must include names and/or statistics about a setting
Integrated : Means you must weave it throughout the answer not tacked on at the end.
2. What is needed for each grade
The standard criteria are:
Achieved
Merit
Excellence
Demonstrate geographic
understanding of a large
natural environment.
Demonstrate comprehensive
geographic understanding of a
large natural environment.
Demonstrate in-depth
geographic understanding
of a large natural
environment.
What is therefore needed for each grade for this question is:
Achieved
Merit
Excellence
*Identify 2 natural
elements (may be inferred)
*Identify 2 natural
elements
*Identify 2 natural elements
*Mention an environment
or a specific on an
environment at least once
*Mention an environment/
specifics on an
environment at least 3
times
*Explain how element 1
effects element 2.
*Explain how element 2
effects element 1.
*Mention an environment/ a
specifics on an environment
more than 3 times throughout
*Explain comprehensively how
element 1 effects element 2.
*Explain in detail how
(showing insight using academic
element 1 effects element 2. geographic terminology )
*Explain in detail how
*Explain comprehensively how
element 2 effects element 1. element 2 effects element 1
(showing insight using academic
geographic terminology )
*The concept of interaction is
clearly understood and used in
context.
3. Examples at each level of grade score marking
(The following examples have been simplified to get the point across)
NOT ACHIEVED (N1)
Rainfall has an effect on the shape of the land. Because it rains a lot the land is
worn down.
Comment:
Has not reached the Achieved criteria because no specific environment is mentioned,
the elements are not clearly identified and no explanation for how the rain wears the
land down.
NOT ACHIEVED (N2)
In the Tongariro region it experiences orographic rainfall. This occurs as the high
land forces the winds to rise. As they do this they cool down and dump their
moisture as rain. This shows how the height of the land effects the rainfall.
Comment:
Is partially achieved as includes a name that links it to a specific environment, two
elements (height of land and rain) are inferred and gives a reason for the way height
effects the rainfall. However, since only one interaction is explained it does not fulfill the
requirement for achievement.
ACHIEVED (A3)
In my environment orographic rainfall occurs. This happens when moist winds
are forced to rise when they meet high land. As the wind rises it is unable to hold
as much moisture so it falls as rain. This rain then wears down the height of the
land eg at Ruapehu.
Comment:
This just reaches achievement as fulfills the basic criteria required. That is a specific is
mentioned that links it to an environment, two elements are inferred (rainfall and
height of the land) with a brief explanation and a 2 way interaction is present. It is
limited by the brief explanation involved, only mentioning the environment once and
due to the case study being tacked on the end rather than used in context.
ACHIEVED (A4)
In my environment of the Tongariro Volcanic Centre (TVC) orographic rainfall
occurs. This happens when moist winds blowing off the ocean are forced to rise
when they meet high land. As the wind rises it is unable to hold as much
moisture so it falls as rain on the west side of mountains like Ruapehu. Here the
rain collects to form rivers. In turn the rivers erode into the land and wear it
down.
Comment:
This meets the criteria better. Two elements are inferred (rainfall and height of land) an
explanation is clear for each and it includes specific case study information within the
text. It falls short of a merit due to the lack of depth of the explanation of the interaction
and only two pieces of specific case study information being provided.
MERIT (M5)
Two elements that interact in my natural environment of Tongariro Volcanic
Centre (TVC) are relief and climate. The way climate is influenced by relief can be
seen by orographic rainfall. Moist winds blow off the Tasman sea and are forced
to rise when they hit the TVC due to the relief. As they rise they cannot hold as
much moisture which creates rain on the western side of Ruapehu. Here they
experience over 2,000mm of rainfall a year. The rain then collects to form rivers.
In turn the rivers erode into the land and wear it down showing how climate can
also effect relief.
Comment:
This answer shows much more structure in that the opening sentence sets the scene by
identifying the environment and the 2 elements involved. It has the depth of explanation
of the first interaction to allow merit. It also has at least 3 specifics on the case study
integrated into the answer. It falls short of a M6 as the other interaction is not explained
in depth but is enough to gain achieved.
MERIT (M6)
Two elements that interact in my natural environment of Tongariro Volcanic
Centre (TVC) are relief and climate. The way climate is influenced by relief can be
seen by orographic rainfall. Moist winds blow off the Tasman sea and are forced
to rise when they hit the TVC due to the relief. As they rise they cannot hold as
much moisture which creates rain on the western side of Ruapehu. Here they
experience over 2,000mm of rainfall a year. The rain then collects to form rivers
such as the Tongariro river. Because of the steep mountain slopes these rivers
are fast flowing and have a lot of power to erode. They start by eroding
downwards creating V shaped valleys such as the one seen close to the Chateau
at Whakapapa village. In this way the climate is also effecting the shape and
height (relief) of the land. It is a 2 way interaction.
Comment:
This answer has good depth of both interactions to allow merit. It also uses a lot of
specific case study information and shows the meaning of the concept of interaction.
What it lacks to take to the next level is giving academic depth, more examples of
interactions and using geographic terminology.
EXCELLENCE (E7)
Two elements that interact in my natural environment of Tongariro Volcanic
Centre (TVC) are relief and climate.
The way climate is influenced by relief can be seen by orographic rainfall. Moist
prevailing SW winds blow off the Tasman sea and are forced to rise when they
hit the TVC due to the high relief (Ruapehu reaches 2,797m). As they rise they
cool and so cannot hold as much moisture, water vapour condenses to form
clouds and when this is saturated the excess moisture falls as precipitation (rain
and snow) on the western side of Ruapehu. Here they experience over 2,000mm
of rainfall a year.
With a lot of surface runoff the rain eventually collects to form rivers such as the
Tongariro river. Because of the steep mountain slopes these rivers have a high
velocity resulting in a lot of energy used in river or fluvial erosion. They start by
eroding downwards creating V shaped valleys such as the one seen close to the
Chateau at Whakapapa village. As they move further down the mountain lateral
erosion occurs carving large river valleys into the landscape. This gives another
example of the two way action between relief and climate in the TVC.
Comment:
This answer meets the criteria for excellence. Two elements are named, the
environment is mentioned using specific information throughout and a two way
interaction is clearly explained. It uses good academic depth and geographic
terminology such as referring to the transfer of energy in the system and terms like
‘prevailing winds, condensation and lateral erosion” and uses the concept of interaction.
What it is not so strong on is that only one example of each interaction is used. Because
of this it remains as an E7.
EXCELLENCE (E8)
Two elements that interact in my natural environment of Tongariro Volcanic
Centre (TVC) are relief and climate.
The way climate is influenced by relief can be seen by orographic rainfall. Moist
prevailing SW winds blow off the Tasman sea and are forced to rise when they
hit the TVC due to the high relief (Ruapehu reaches 2,797m). As they rise they
cool and so cannot hold as much moisture, water vapour condenses to form
clouds and when this is saturated the excess moisture falls as precipitation (rain
and snow) on the western side of Ruapehu. Here they experience over 2,000mm
of rainfall a year.
At the very top of the mountain the bare rock is exposed to the precipitation. In
the daytime rain seeps into cracks, while at night it freezes and since ice has a
larger volume the crack is forced apart. This is a climate process called freeze
thaw action and is responsible for the many scree slopes seen near Iwikau
village. This shows how climate is effecting the relief.
Further down the mountain this takes a different form. Here the rain collects to
form rivers such as the Tongariro river. Because of the steep mountain slopes
these rivers have a high velocity resulting in a lot of energy used in river or
fluvial erosion. They start by eroding downwards creating V shaped valleys such
as the one seen close to the Chateau at Whakapapa village. Again it shows how
climate effects relief.
On the eastern side of the mountain different climate processes operate. By the
time the winds reach the summit of the mountains most of the rainfall has
occurred and the winds are now dry. As they descend down the other side of the
mountain they warm and absorb any moisture present resulting in a dry warm
wind. In contrast the eastern side of Ruapehu has a desert environment called
the Rangipo. Here wind processes have the most influence on the landscape and
it is Aeolian processes that wear it down especially since the lack of rain results
in poor vegetation to protect the landscape. This gives another example of the
two way action between relief and climate in the TVC.
Comment:
This is a good answer possessing all the attributes of the E7 but adding to the number of
examples used to show the 2 way action. Use of the element as ‘climate’ lends itself to
more examples than the first candidate who confined their examples to river/fluvial
action only. Again it is an academic answer which gives it clear ‘insight’ or the wow
factor.