O-LevelGeographyThe natural environment2217/12 · May/June 2025 · Q325 Marks

Section B Answer one question from this section. (a) Study Fig. 3.1 and Fig. 3.2. Fig. 3.1 is a climate graph for Iquitos in the Amazon rainforest. Fig. 3.2 is a diagram showing rainforest vegetation. Content removed due to copyright restrictions. Fig. 3.1

(a)(i)What is the average rainfall in Iquitos in March? ..................................................... mm [1][1]
(a)(ii)Calculate the annual range of temperature in Iquitos. You should show your calculations. = ........................... °C [2][2]
(a)(iii)Identify the following features of the rainforest vegetation labelled in Fig. 3.2. X Y Z [3][3]
(a)(iv)Using information from Fig. 3.1 only, explain why there are large amounts of vegetation in a tropical rainforest as shown in Fig. 3.2. [4][4]
(b)(i)Using Fig. 3.3 only, compare the deforestation of tropical rainforests in South America and Africa. Do not use statistics. [3][3]
(b)(ii)Describe the impacts of deforestation on people who live in tropical rainforests. [5][5]
(c)For an area of tropical rainforest you have studied, describe the impacts of deforestation on the local natural environment. Name of area [7][7]

This question uses a diagram from the original paper, which isn't shown here. Open the full paper from the past papers archive to see it.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2025). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[1] 315 (mm)
[2] 26 – 24.5 (°C)
[2] = 1.5 (°C)
[3] X = Buttress (root)
[3] Y = Canopy
[3] Z = Liana/vine
[4] Large amounts of rainfall;
[4] Warm/hot/high temperatures;
[4] All year round/no seasons;
[4] High humidity/humid climate;
[4] Sunlight/photosynthesis all year;
[4] Growth of vegetation will be rapid/continuous growing season/rapid decay of vegetation/work of decomposers will be rapid;
[3] More deforestation in South America;
[3] More commercial agriculture (and mining) in South America;
[3] More logging in South America;
[3] More subsistence agriculture in Africa;
[3] Wildfires in South America but not in Africa/more wildfires in South America;
[3] Highest is commercial agriculture (and mining) in South America but subsistence agriculture in Africa;
[3] Lowest is wildfires in South America but commercial agriculture (and mining)/logging in Africa;
[5] Loss of traditional living area/homes destroyed;
[5] Loss of building materials;
[5] Loss of firewood;
[5] Loss of areas to farm/hunt/gather/loss of food sources;
[5] Threat of starvation;
[5] Loss of medicinal plants;
[5] People killed (by loggers, fire etc);
[5] Forced to move;
[5] Loss of indigenous culture;
[5] Introduction of diseases;
[5] Air pollution/smoke causes breathing difficulty;
[5] Noise disturbs people;
[5] Infertile soils prevents growth of food;
[5] Flooding of their land/homes;
[5] Loss of shade from trees/lack of protection from sun/wind;
[5] Work obtained on plantations/cattle ranches/mines;
[5] Provides living space for settlers etc.
[7] Content Guide: Loss of biodiversity; Loss of habitat; Noise scares animals; Animals killed; Extinction of species; Impacts on food chain/ecosystems; Soil erosion/soil degradation; Leaching; Loss of soil fertility/becomes barren; Less interception; Less evaporation/transpiration; Drought/less rainfall; Increased overland flow; Flooding; Air pollution; Ground exposed to more sunlight/rainfall; Etc. Place specific reference is likely to consist of: Locational details; Named places; Specific details of loss of species; Statistics.