O-LevelGeographyThe natural environment2217/12 · May/June 2012 · Q425 Marks

(a) Study Fig. 4, which shows an area of tropical rainforest. [Figure 4]

(a)(i)To what height do the tallest trees grow? .......................................... metres[1]
(a)(ii)Identify two pieces of evidence of human activity in the area of tropical rainforest shown in Fig. 4.[2]
(a)(iii)Describe three characteristics of tropical rainforest vegetation.[3]
(a)(iv)Explain how the vegetation has adapted to the tropical rainforest climate.[4]
(b)Study Fig. 5, a flow diagram showing processes which take place in a tropical rainforest. [Figure 5]
(b)(i)Explain how nutrients are cycled in a tropical rainforest ecosystem.[3]
(b)(ii)Describe the impacts of large scale deforestation of tropical rainforests on the local natural environment.[5]
(c)For a named area of tropical rainforest which you have studied, describe the ways in which it benefits people. Area of tropical rainforest ..........................................[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 2012). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[1] (a) (i) 45/46 metres
[2] (a) (ii) Clearing; Crops/cassava/manioc/banana/fruit/people are growing/planting vegetation
[3] (a) (iii) Ideas such as: layers; dense/lush/thick; lianas; evergreen; drip tips; canopy/under canopy/shrub layer; emergents/tall trees; straight trees; large variety of species; broad/large leaves; buttress roots; shallow roots; few branches/leaves on lower trunk/all near top of trees; little undergrowth (or lots in clearings/river banks) etc.
[4] (a) (iv) Ideas such as: abundant vegetation due to hot/wet climate; evergreen due to lack of a cold season/limited seasonal change; drip tip leaves to repel heavy rain; waxy coatings of leaves to repel heavy rainfall; emergents reach for sun; lianas wind around trees reaching from sun; buttress roots to support trees as they are so tall/may be affected by the wind; shallow roots as only the top layer of soil is fertile; variety of species as growing conditions are ideal/hot/wet; large leaves to catch maximum sunlight; there are few branches on lower trunks as sunlight cannot reach them etc.
[3] (b) (i) Ideas such as: leaves/twigs fall to ground; turned into humus/decompose; humus mixed with soil; nutrients returned to plants/taken up by roots
[5] (b) (ii) Ideas such as: loss of habitats; death of animals/loss of species; possible extinction; reduction in biodiversity; lack of food for herbivores; carnivores will have nothing to prey on; soils will be less well drained/compacted; as a result of lack of interception/protection by vegetation; shorter lag time; so flooding is more likely; soil erosion/mudslides may occur; so soil settles on river bed/displaces water; leaching occurs/soil becomes infertile; nutrient cycle broken; noise from machinery disturbs wildlife; trees don't regrow/secondary forest is not so dense; local atmospheric pollution or example etc.
[7] (c) Level 3 (7 marks) Uses named example (e.g. Amazonia). Comprehensive and accurate statements describing the ways rainforest benefits people, including some place specific reference. (e.g. Tribal groups such as Erigbaagtsa provide food for themselves by hunting and gathering, rubber tapping takes place in areas close to Amazon river and latex is exported from Manaus, converts carbon dioxide into oxygen, various species of hardwoods such as mahogany are logged etc.)