Evaluate the strategies used to manage the growing pressures on one named major wetland.

Examine the relative severity of the different effects of agriculture on freshwater quality.

Refer to Paper 1 markbands (available under the "Your tests" tab > supplemental materials).

The focus of the response should be on the varied pressures on one named wetland ecosystem, and the relative success of strategies.

Possible applied themes (AO2) demonstrating knowledge and understanding (AO1):

• The importance of wetlands as major ecosystems; a critical part of the natural environment; eg. water stores, reducing the impact of floods, improving water quality, rich biodiversity.
• Increasing pressures on wetlands include: water abstraction, land drainage, chemical and physical pollution, eutrophication, growing populations, reclamation, dam construction, conversion for aquaculture
• Strategies for management of wetlands, including the roles of international (eg, Ramsar Convention), national and local stakeholders.
• The purpose of management from different perspectives – eg, biodiversity, water security, tourism.

Good answers may be well-structured (AO4) and may additionally offer a critical evaluation (AO3) that examines the different perspectives and relative success of different management strategies, and the varying power of stakeholders. Wetlands continue to be of significant environmental, economic and social importance, and management may partly depend on the scale of the issues. Another approach might be to critically evaluate the strengths of management using a sustainability framework.

For 5–6 marks, expect some weakly evidenced outlining of some pressures on a wetland.

For 7–8 marks, expect a structured account that includes:

• either an evidenced explanation of the pressures and strategies for one named wetland
• or a discursive conclusion (or ongoing evaluation) grounded in geographical concepts and/or perspectives.

For 9–10 marks, expect both of these traits.

Refer to Paper 1 markbands (available under the "Your tests" tab > supplemental materials).

The response should focus on environmental consequences of agricultural intensification, such as pollution of water supplies, eutrophication and salinization, and the role of different stakeholders in their management.

Possible applied themes (AO2) demonstrating knowledge and understanding (AO1):

• Intensification of agriculture has significant impacts on both surface and groundwater quality, including direct run-off of chemical pesticides and nutrients, slurry from animals, and sediments from soil erosion. This has resulted in pollution of water supplies, affecting water security and biodiversity through eutrophication.
• Also important is increased irrigation and groundwater abstraction, resulting in salinization of soils, especially in semi-arid regions.

Good answers may be well-structured (AO4) and may additionally offer a critical evaluation (AO3) that examines the relative importance of different impacts, or possible spatial interactions between them, and the possible conflicting views from different stakeholders.

For 5–6 marks, expect some weakly evidenced outlining of some environmental effects of agriculture on freshwater quality.

For 7–8 marks, expect a structured account, which includes:

• either an evidenced examination of the relative severity of different environmental consequences of agriculture on water quality
• or a discursive conclusion (or ongoing evaluation) grounded in geographical concepts and/or perspectives.

For 9–10 marks, expect both of these traits.