3.1 Demonstrate understanding of how interacting natural processes shape a NZ geographic environmentOnly 1 setting – South Muriwai Beach

Focus is on the natural processes involved and how they INTERACT to shape the environment

Really important that you specifically discuss how each process IMPACTS another process and then link to how they SHAPE the environment

4 credits

Assessment CriteriaAnalyse natural processes that interact within the geographic environment to shape Muriwai

The distribution of natural features as a result of interacting natural processesThe formation of natural features as a result of interacting natural processesInteracting natural processes operating at different rates to create variations (temporal) Interacting natural processes operating at different scales to create variations (spatial)

Assessment SpecificationsThis paper will consist of TWO questions. You must choose to answer

EITHER question 1 or 2.

Specs state that the answer to the ONE question you select should be supported by relevant map(s) and/or diagram(s)

It is therefore likely that is going to be one question that you will need to then answer as a combo of an essay and diagrams/maps (these MUST be included)

Alternatively, the could choose break each question into 2 parts: Part (a) could involve an annoated diagram/map Part (b) could be in essay format

KEY POINT HERE IS READ THE QUESTION CAREFULLY BEFORE BEGINNING!!

Back to basics….Our environment can be broken into 3 main parts

ELEMENTS (small scale ingredients that make up the environment)

PROCESSES (a series of related actions)FEATURES (large scale things that exist as a result of

processes working on/with the elements in the area)

ELEMENTSSediment: titanomagnetite and quartz feldsparVegetation: Pingao, Spinifex and Marram grass on

dunes, Pohutukawa trees on headlandWaves: 1.5m, high energy Wind: prevailing SW, over 11knots 42% of timeRock type: Manukau Breccia conglomerate rock on

headlandTemperature: ave. 19°CTidal range: 3.5mGannet colony

PROCESSES – Wave drivenWAVE ACTION

Wave erosion Hydraulic action Abrasion Attrition Corrosion Corrasion Spray-splash

Wave transportation LSD

Wave deposition

PROCESSES – Wind drivenAEOLIAN ACTION

Aeolian erosionAeolian transportation

Suspension Saltation Traction

Aeolian deposition

OTHER PROCESSESVegetation growthTectonic UpliftVolcanismChemical weathering

SIGNIFICANT NATURAL FEATURESOtakamiro HeadlandMotutara StackMuriwai sand dunesMuriwai BeachFisherman’s Rock (wave cut platform)

SIZE AND EXTENTYou should understand the background to your

setting – where it is, how large it is and what are the elements, processes and features that exist at Muriwai

You can use information from this criteria to start your essay type questions, it’s better if you could include it in a relevant fashion.

e.g. South Muriwai beach is a coastal environment located at 36º48’S 174º25’30’’E in the North Island of NZ, 30km west of Auckland. It extends 3km from Okiritoto Stream to Maori Bay.

MAPSYou should also ensure

that you can draw a basic map of South Muriwai Beach, that can be annotated to match the requirements of the question

Other diagrams to learn could be a cross section of the headland and of the beach, a diagram of summer vs winter waves and a LSD diagram

CROSS SECTION OF THE BEACH

CROSS SECTION OF HEADLAND

NOTES ON DIAGRAMSEveryone MUST be able to draw a map of South Muriwai

coastal environmentYou should be able to annotate this to answer most

questions HOWEVER if you choose to answer a question about

temporal variations or formation of feature/s you must draw MORE THAN 1 diagram to show the change over time.

Again, READ THE QUESTION and link the diagram to what the question is asking. Diagrams which do not help to further your answer or are irrelevant DO NOT SCORE

Analyse interacting natural processes and how they shape MuriwaiFor any question you need to be able to:

Explain how each of the main processes operate – to do this you need to break the process into a series of logically ordered steps

Main processes to know are: Wave action (wave erosion, longshore drift) and Aeolian action (saltation, aeolian deposition)

You MUST also show understanding of how 2 of these processes show interaction e.g. LSD and Saltation

NOT ENOUGH TO SAY THE PROCESSES WORK TOGETHER MUST EXPLAIN HOW THEY IMPACT ONE ANOTHER

Interaction natural processes questionsAnswer EITHER (a) OR (b)

(a) Comprehensively analyse how the operation of interacting natural processes has determined the particular characteristics of your selected geographic environment. Specific information concerning the size, extent, and type of geographic environment and it’s natural features must be included in your answer. Maps and/or diagrams, where

appropriate, must be used to enhance your answer.OR

(b) Discuss the interaction of two or more natural processes within your selected geographic environment, and comprehensively analyse the effect the interaction has had or is having on this environment.Specific information must be included in your answer. Maps and/or diagrams where appropriate, must be used to enhance your answer.

The distribution and formation of natural featuresThese questions typically refer to how features have

formed as a result of the interaction of natural processes (formation) and reasons why they are located specifically where they are, not elsewhere in the environment (distribution)

Distribution QuestionsAnswer BOTH parts (a) and (b)

(a)Draw a labelled map to show the distribution of TWO different natural features that have resulted from the operation of interacting natural processes in your selected geographic environment

(b)Comprehensively analyse the reasons for the distribution of EACH of the TWO natural features that you illustrated in answer to (a)Include specific information about your geographic environment in your answer.

i) Analysis of reasons for the distribution of natural feature (1)ii) Analysis of reasons for the distribution of natural feature (2)

ORComprehensively analyse how interacting natural processes that determined the location of ONE natural feature found in your selected geographic environment.Specific information must be included in your answer. Maps and/or diagrams must be used to enhance your answer.

ORComprehensively analyse the distribution and formation of TWO natural landform features located within your selected geographic environment as a result of interacting natural processesYou must provide specific information from your selected geographic environment in your answer. Maps and/or diagrams should be used to enhance your answer.

Distribution Example Answer(a) Draw a labelled map to show the distribution of TWO different natural features that have resulted from the operation of interacting natural processes in your selected geographic environment

1st select 2 features, I think you are best to do Motutara Stack AND sand dunes

To answer part (a), draw a map of the Muriwai region showing the location of your 2 features, include your FACKTS and put a BRIEF description of the processes operating AND interacting to create these features

Distribution Example Answer(b) Comprehensively analyse the reasons for the distribution of EACH of the TWO natural features that you illustrated in answer to (a)

Begin analysis with outline of processes involved in formation of feature

e.g. Sand dunes: Longshore drift, saltation, Aeolian deposition and vegetation growth

Next logically discuss each process in the order that they occur and how they interact with one another in that particular region of Muriwai to form the feature

Then to complete analysis, discuss why feature does not form anywhere else in Muriwai

e.g. Otakamiro Headland – lack of sediment, no vegetationMaori Bay – beach too short, sheltered, lack of winds, little

vegetation

Formation Questions

Draw a series of annotated diagrams that analyse how the natural feature you have selected was formed by interacting natural processes over time. Include specific information about your selected natural environment in your answer.

ORComprehensively analyse the formation of ONE natural

feature found within your selected geographic environment as a result of interacting natural processesSpecific information must be included in your answer. Maps and/or diagrams must be used to enhance your answer.

Formation Example Answer

Draw a series of annotated diagrams that analyse how the natural feature you have selected was formed by interacting natural processes over time.

This series of diagrams, lacks interactions between processes

Spatial and temporal variations in the operation of interacting natural processes in the geographic environmentThis criteria is usually separated into TWO different

questionsEither may ask you to select processes, features or

elements and explain how they operate differently either from place to place (spatial) OR from one time period to another (temporal)

For spatial variation it’s easiest to write about Wave action and Aeolian action or the dunes (North vs South)

For a temporal variation question you are best to select Wave action (summer vs winter) or aeolian action (summer vs winter). You could also look at how features have changed from ONE time period to another but not usually well written answers

Spatial VariationsThis criteria requires you to analyse how

interacting processes operate differently or how features differ from place to place in your environment AND why.

The reasons WHY processes work differently and why features vary will be to do with a difference in elements and interactions of processes (e.g. sediment, rock type, waves, wind speed, temperature etc) between two locations

You MUST discuss INTERACTIONS between the processes and you must link the difference in the processes to the outcome on the environment (the features created)

Spatial Variation Questiona) Draw an annotated map or cross section to show the spatial

variations that occur in your New Zealand geographic environment.

b) Comprehensively analyse the reasons for the spatial variations in the NZ geographic environment you have identified in (a) that have been caused by interacting natural processes.

In your analysis: Consider how different rates or scales of natural processes have

contributed to spatial variations Integrate comprehensive supporting case study evidence (other

relevant map(s) and/or diagram(s) may be used) Include an understanding of the interaction between the

processes and/or elements and/or features of the environment to draw conclusions

• This diagram shows spatial variation of aeolian action.

• This is ONE spatial variation

• You would also need to annotate this for wave action for the previous question as it required TWO spatial variations

Firstly, identify the spatial variations you are going to discuss – DUNES (north vs South vs none at Maori Bay) vs BEACH (Muriwai vs Maori Bay) OR AEOLIAN ACTION (dominates North of headland, vs less South of headland) and WAVE ACTION (dominates at headlandvs less North of headland)

What processes cause these variations? Aeolian transportation Aeolian deposition Vegetation Growth Wave erosion Wave transportation and deposition

Then divide up your answer into outcomes or features DUNES (how processes interact and operate to create differences at North vs South

and no dunes at Maori Bay) BEACH (how processes interact and operate to create steep, long beach face

Muriwai and less steep, shorter beach at Maori Bay) Then for each outcome or feature first discuss HOW the interacting processes

operate in that region to create that feature in that specific place in comparison to HOW these processes interact and operate differently in another area to create a different looking feature.

Reasons WHY it operates differently will be the change in elements between different areas

Temporal VariationsThis criteria requires you to analyse how interacting

processes operate differently from one time to another and why

Easiest way to approach this question is to select WAVE ACTION (interaction of processes will be between wave erosion, transportation and deposition) and then use SUMMER vs WINTER as your two time periods OR AEOLIAN ACTION and use SUMMER vs WINTER

You must link these differences over time to an outcome on the environment – this will be the shape of the beach face (wave action) or height/shape of dunes (aeolian action)

Temporal QuestionsComprehensively analyse how and why interacting natural processes show such significant variations between these two time periods in your geographic environment

ORAnswer both parts (a) AND (b) of this question(a) Draw labelled diagrams to show how interacting natural processes

occurring in your selected geographic environment operated differently in TWO specific time periods. (This MUST NOT be the result of human actions)(b) Comprehensively analyse how the interacting natural processes you

identified in your answer to (a) operated in time period (1), then how and why they operated differently in time period (2).

ORComprehensively analyse how the operation of interacting natural processes within your selected geographic environment have varied over timeYou must specify the time period and provide specific information from your selected geographic environment in your answer. Maps and/or diagrams should be used to enhance your answer.

Best plan of attack for this question is to write about wave action and it’s sub processes – summer vs winter

The interactions between processes will be between wave erosion, transportation and deposition

As with spatial variation, you have to first analyse how the processes operate in summer and then compare this to how they operate in winter.

You then need to give reasons WHY it operates differently which will again be changes in elements over time

A diagram of summer vs winter waves would be a perfect one to add here, this also has the added benefit of showing the OUTCOME on the environment (the shape of the beach face)

Summer vs Winter waves

• Should be able to annotate these to make them SPECIFIC to Muriwai Beach

• For example, add length of beach, angle of beach, height of waves, sediment type etc.