Identify and briefly describe two coastal landforms in area X marked on map B.

Using located examples, suggest two reasons why ocean pollution may impact areas far from the source of pollution.

Evaluate the contribution that subaerial processes and wave action make to the development of coastal landforms.

Landforms present in area X include: a spit, lagoon, bay/cove, wave-cut platform, stacks, foreshore flats/sand in water. For example, wave-cut platform/shore platform [1] has a long shallow gradient/is submerged at high tide [1].

In each case award [1] for the located example (credit source or sink regions; or named examples of ocean currents/regions) and a further [2] for the reason offered. If the same example is used twice, award up to a maximum of [5].

Possible examples:

• oil pollution from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill travelled 80 km to make landfall along the US coastline
• ocean currents driving accumulation of plastics in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
• radioactive material from nuclear power stations/industrial process/research eg Fukushima, Japan
• other named sources for fertilizers/sewage/detergents/plastics.

Possible reasons:

• discharge/channel flow in rivers takes pollution away from source [1] which can lead to the development of eutrophic/nutrient-rich conditions in named coastal areas [1]
• surface movement of oil/solid wastes/chemical spills is driven by ocean currents and wind systems [1] and may provide further details [1]
• ocean movements caused by tropical cyclones [1] may also disperse pollutants into areas far from their source and may give details [1]
• oil may be ingested by some species [1] which travel long distances perhaps for food/breeding grounds [1]
• pollution builds up (bioaccumulation/biomagnification) [1] in species higher up in the food chain which have travelled further for their food supply [1].

For example: Oil pollution from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico travelled over 80 km to make landfall along the US coastline [1]. The oil spill was driven by ocean currents and winds onto the coastline [1]. The oil also covered and was ingested by various marine animals and thus severely affected ecosystems along the Louisiana coast [1].

Credit other valid reasons and developments.

Likely landforms include erosional features, such as cliffs, stacks, arches, wave-cut platforms, and depositional features, such as beaches, spits, bars and dunes. Full marks could be gained through an examination of just two landforms if the balance between subaerial processes and wave action is well evaluated.

• Subaerial processes include weathering, mass movements and surface run-off. Mass movements include slumping, rotational slumps, slides and flows. Weathering processes in coastal areas may be responsible for wave-cut platform, and the weathering of cliffs.
• Wave actions include the actions of destructive (erosional) waves and constructive waves. The former may be involved in the formation of cliffs, arches, stacks, stumps, whereas the latter may be involved in the formation of beaches, spits, bars, barrier beaches etc. Longshore/littoral movements also potentially play a role.

Answers where one set of processes is absent in both cases will be self-limiting as that answer will only explain, and will not evaluate.

Good answers may evaluate explicitly the relative balance of the two sets of processes, perhaps in relation to contrasting landforms. The timescale for process operation could be considered also.

At band D, expect answers which describe two or more landforms in a way that shows how subaerial processes and/or wave action have an influence.

At band E, expect either a wider range of landforms/processes explained or some critical examination of the relative influence/interaction of subaerial and wave processes (for instance in relation to cliffs).

At band F expect both.

Marks should be allocated according to the markbands.