1
4 marks
Outline the human causes of desertification in the Sahel.
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Desertification (AQA A Level Geography): Exam Questions
Exam code: 7037
2 hours15 questions
2
4 marks
Outline the natural causes of desertification.
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3
4 marks
Describe the impacts of desertification on people.
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4
4 marks
Outline one strategy used to reduce the impacts of desertification.
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5
4 marks
Outline the global distribution of areas at risk of desertification.
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1
6 marks
Using Figure 4 and your own knowledge, assess the benefits of the shelterbelt system in combatting desertification.
[6]
Figure 4 Surrounded by mountains and far from any sea or ocean, the region of Xinjiang Uygur in the north-west region of the People’s Republic of China represents the largest stretch of drylands in China. Xinjiang territory stretches over 1 650 000 km2 of which 49.5% are mountainous zones and 22.5% is desert. It is estimated that 400 million people are suffering from the impact of desertification and the effects of sand dust that can attack skin and lungs. Desertification in China is mainly caused by human induced factors and by extreme climatic conditions. An oasis is an area with a plentiful supply of water in an otherwise arid environment. Vegetation growth will be adapted to the conditions in the oasis and will contain different species to the surrounding environment. What is shelterbelt system in the Xinjiang Oasis?
Ground wind speed is reduced by the presence of shrubs and grasses standing 50 cm to 60 cm high. In areas where sand accumulates, vegetation can reduce the development of dunes once the vegetation covers 40% of the surface. The shelterbelt also acts as a biological drainage system that plays an important role in the Xinjiang oases. In Anjiahi, in the northern part of Xinjiang, the groundwater level of farmland has been lowered by between 20 cm and 70 cm. The tree network creates a microclimate. In some instances, the rate of water consumption for one kilogram of wheat or corn has decreased by between 15% and 22.8%. |
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2
6 marks
Figure 3 shows desertification risk levels by landscape type in an area of Tunisia, north Africa.
Figure 3 – desertification risk levels by landscape type in an area of Tunisia, north Africa
Analyse the relationship between landscape type and risk of desertification shown in Figure 3.
[6]
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3
6 marks
Figure 3a shows the primary productivity in five study areas of northern China which are at different stages of aeolian desertification.
Figure 3b shows the percentages of soil particle size in the same five study areas.
Figure 3a
Primary productivity in five study areas of Northern China at different stages of aeolian desertification
Figure 3b
Percentages of soil particle size in the same five study areas
Analyse the data shown in Figure 3a and Figure 3b.
[6]
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4
6 marks
Analyse the data shown in Figure 1.
Source: NASA GIMMS satellite vegetation record, after Anyamba & Tucker (2005), updated.
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5
6 marks
Using Figure 2 and your own knowledge, assess the challenges facing Sahel countries as a result of declining water availability.
Figure 2: Per-capita freshwater availability for selected Sahel countries, 1990–2020.
Year | Niger (m³/person/year) | Mali (m³/person/year) | Burkina Faso (m³/person/year) | Chad (m³/person/year) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1990 | 3,200 | 5,800 | 1,200 | 4,600 |
1995 | 2,800 | 5,200 | 1,050 | 4,100 |
2000 | 2,400 | 4,800 | 960 | 3,800 |
2005 | 2,100 | 4,400 | 880 | 3,500 |
2010 | 1,850 | 4,100 | 820 | 3,200 |
2015 | 1,650 | 3,800 | 780 | 3,000 |
2020 | 1,400 | 3,500 | 740 | 2,800 |
Source: Adapted from UN FAO AQUASTAT data, 2021. Note: 1,700 m³/person/year is the internationally recognised water scarcity threshold.
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6
9 marks
Using Figure 1 and your own knowledge, to what extent are physical factors the main cause of vulnerability to desertification in the Sahel?
Figure 1: Vulnerability to desertification in the Sahel region, 2020
Country | Vulnerability index | Annual rainfall (mm/yr) | Population density (people/km²) |
|---|---|---|---|
Niger | Very high (0.82) | 180 | 21 |
Mali | Very high (0.79) | 210 | 17 |
Chad | Very high (0.77) | 195 | 16 |
Burkina Faso | High (0.68) | 290 | 79 |
Senegal | High (0.61) | 390 | 82 |
Sudan (Sahel margins) | High (0.65) | 270 | 25 |
Source: adapted from UNCCD Land Degradation Neutrality Target Setting Programme, 2020. Vulnerability index: 0 = no vulnerability; 1 = extreme vulnerability. Higher population density indicates greater human pressure on land.
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7
6 marks
Figure 4 shows some of the factors causing desertification in selected locations.
Using Figure 4 and your own knowledge, assess the potential impact of desertification.
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1
20 marks
‘Desertification trends are entirely a product of human-induced climate change as opposed to naturally occurring phenomena.’ To what extent do you agree with this view?
[20]
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2
20 marks
‘The fragile inter-relationship between climate, soils and vegetation in arid regions is becoming increasingly affected by human activity.’
How far do you agree with this view?
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3
20 marks
‘Climate change is on course to radically alter the role of water in deserts and their margins, affecting both human populations and the physical landscape.’ To what extent do you agree with this view?
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