Lesson 3.1.1.6

3.1.1.6 Water and carbon cycles: case studies Quiz: AQA Geography, Unit 1

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 3.1.1.6, Water and carbon cycles: case studies: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Geography (7037), Unit 1: Physical geography, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Where is the majority of carbon stored within a tropical rainforest ecosystem?

    • Litter layer
    • Biomass
    • Atmospheric canopy
    • Soil organic matter

  2. What main climate factors drive rapid decomposition in tropical rainforests?

    • Freezing winter temperatures
    • Low wind and frost
    • High heat and rain
    • Arid soil conditions

  3. What primary process decreases when tropical rainforest vegetation is cleared, reducing regional rainfall?

    • Soil erosion
    • Surface runoff
    • Groundwater percolation
    • Evapotranspiration

  4. Which tool combines paired rainfall and river flow data to show drainage basin response?

    • Piezometer
    • Rating curve
    • Anemometer
    • Hydrograph

  5. How does removing catchment woodland cover and compacting soil affect river flood peaks?

    • Decreases peak discharge
    • Increases peak discharge
    • Increases baseflow proportion
    • Lengthens lag time

  6. To achieve a sustainable water supply in a catchment, abstraction must not exceed what?

    • Precipitation rate
    • Surface runoff
    • Groundwater recharge
    • Evapotranspiration

  7. How does urban expansion in a catchment affect surface runoff?

    • Increases infiltration
    • Increases overland flow
    • Decreases peak discharge
    • Increases lag time

  8. What process releases stored rainforest carbon back to the atmosphere through vegetation removal and burning?

    • Photosynthesis
    • Afforestation
    • Sequestration
    • Deforestation

  9. Why does large-scale rainforest deforestation reduce regional rainfall?

    • Higher infiltration
    • Lower solar radiation
    • Increased surface runoff
    • Lower evapotranspiration

  10. Which soft engineering strategy reduces flood risk by slowing surface runoff in a catchment?

    • Channel straightening
    • Dredging
    • Embankment construction
    • Afforestation

  11. What must geographers account for to ensure reliable conclusions from catchment field data?

    • Data limitations
    • Observer bias
    • Qualitative interviews
    • Random sampling

  12. Which change in a drainage basin shortens hydrograph lag time?

    • Restoring wetlands
    • Planting woodland
    • Deforesting steep slopes
    • Increasing soil depth

  13. Where is the largest carbon store located in a tropical rainforest ecosystem?

    • Atmospheric vapour
    • Deep bedrock
    • Biomass
    • Soil litter

  14. Why do tropical rainforest soils contain relatively small nutrient stores?

    • Slow decomposition
    • Low plant biomass
    • Rapid plant uptake
    • Lack of rainfall

  15. In a catchment water balance, what effect does high evapotranspiration have on river runoff?

    • Eliminates groundwater recharge
    • Decreases total runoff
    • Increases soil storage
    • Increases total runoff

  16. A rapid rise in river discharge shortly after rainfall indicates high rates of what transfer?

    • Overland flow
    • Percolation
    • Groundwater flow
    • Baseflow

  17. What evidence best proves the success of long-term catchment water management?

    • Geological rock samples
    • Multi-year discharge data
    • Qualitative local surveys
    • Single storm hydrograph

  18. How does carbon residence time in ocean sediments compare to rainforest biomass?

    • Much longer
    • Slightly shorter
    • Exactly equal
    • Much shorter

  19. Which field method best isolates the effect of deforestation on catchment runoff?

    • Paired catchment study
    • Satellite imagery analysis
    • Random soil sampling
    • Single rain gauge

  20. Which method shows land-use change in a catchment over time?

    • Soil pH testing
    • Bedload sampling
    • Comparing dated maps
    • Infiltration measurements

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