Leaving Cert Geography Sample Answers

Ernesto Guevara

Seeing as though the exam is just a few days away I'll be posting some of my sample answers on the various sections of the geography course. If anyone wants specific sample answers feel free to post below and I'll reply as soon as I can.
*Note: I have no sample answers for economic elective and I just have sample answers for geoecology for section 3.

mixery

I would love something on the formation of beaches & waterfalls.

Student007

I need all of them! Help!

Tommyrawr

Would be great if you could post some of your human elective ones thanks ^.^

Lcstudent2013

If you have any on waterfalls it would be great as I can't seem to make enough srps on it to get full marks!
Also if you have an essay on culture that would be great too! Thanks

David1994

Lcstudent2013 wrote: »

If you have any on waterfalls it would be great as I can't seem to make enough srps on it to get full marks!
Also if you have an essay on culture that would be great too! Thanks

Just to inform you that the waterfall answer in Sue Honan is really good anyways
I basically did that answer for my pre's an I had around 4 extra SRPs!

Ernesto Guevara

If you're struggling for SRPs on waterfalls I advise that you draw diagrams which are very helpful and easy to remember.

Landform: Waterfall

Processes Involved: Hydraulic Action, Abrasion (This does not have to included in answer but I find that it helps for revision purposes)

Irish Example: Powerscourt Waterfall, Co. Wicklow

Waterfalls are vertical or near vertical falls of water found in the youthful stage of the river where vertical erosion is dominant.
A waterfall is formed when a layer of resistant rock lies across or beside a layer of soft rock or where a fault line or glacial valley juts across the course of a river.
The soft rock on the downstream side is eroded at a faster rate than the resistant rock by hydraulic action and so a waterfall develops as the river bed is steepened where the two rocks meet. Hydraulic action is the physical force of moving water breaking up material. It removes unconsolidated debris.
The resistant rock is eventually undercut, it becomes unstable and collapses. The rock which collapses is swirled in an eddying action and carves out a hollow called a plunge pool.
The processes continue to undercut the rock at the base of the waterfall and the undercut layer of resistant rock eventually collapses due to gravity. As a result the waterfall retreats upstream.
A waterfall is formed on horizontal rock strata erodes a steep-sided channel downstream. This landform is called a gorge.
A waterfall may occur in the mature stage of a river and this may be due to rejuvination where vertical erosion is renewed.
Waterfalls may also occur due to faultiing- tectonic movements can cause earth to collpase and so a fault is created.
Waterfalls are also found in glaciated valleys where streams flow into the main valley from hanging valleys above.




Attachment not found.Attachment not found.



Landform Identified 2m

One named process 2m

Irish example 2m

Labeled Diagram 4m graded

10xSRPs (20m)

Ernesto Guevara

Sorry mixery I don't have any answers on the formation of beaches. I will be posting human electives soon so if there's anything specific you want from that or any other topic just ask.

Lcstudent2013

David1994 wrote: »

Just to inform you that the waterfall answer in Sue Honan is really good anyways
I basically did that answer for my pre's an I had around 4 extra SRPs!

So you're saying that all this page(attached file) from sue honans planet and people will give you the full 30marks? If So, i'm seriously underestimating my srps!

And thanks for that OP

internet_user

formation of igneous rocks please, if you dont mind!!

Ernesto Guevara

Describe and explain the importance of culture in defining regions in a continental/sub-continental region that you have studied.

Region- India

Language
The official language of the state is Hindi with English as a secondary official language. States in India can legislate thier own official languages.
The Constitution of India recognises 18 languages. There are 1600 minor languages and dialects. Schools teach in 58 languages and national newspapers are published in 87 languages.
The different states of India have different official languages, some of them not recognised by the central government. Some states have more than one official language. Bihar in east India has three official languages- Hindi, Urdu and Bengali- which are all recognised by the central government. But Sikkim, also in east India, has four official languages of which only Nepali is recognised by the central government. Besides the languages officially recognised by central or state governments, there are other languages which don't have this recognition and their speakers are running political struggles to get this recognition. The main linguistic grooups are:
Indo-European languages- spoken by more than 80%, e.g. Hindi
Dravidian languages are spoken by 200 million mainly in Southern India.
English is widely used in business and politics. English is also the principal language of education in schools for the social elite and in prestigious universities.
Although Hindi is the official language of the state it is resented by many cultural groups and bitter rivalries exist between language groups. This is a major problem for the development of India.

Religion
India cencus has established that Hinduism accounts for 80.5% of the population of India. The second largest religion is Islam, at about 13.4% of the population. The 3rd largest religion is Christianity at 2.3%. The 4th largest religion is Sikhism at 1.9 %.
The Hindu caste system is similar to class structures in other countries except that this Indian system has been rigidly enforced and has lasted for 2-3 thousand years. The caste system was enforced as law throughout the subcontinent until the adoption of the Indian constitution in 1949, which outlawed the caste system. However, it remains deeply ingrained social structure, particularly in rural India.
There are 4 main caste into which everyone was categorised. At the very top were the Brahmins(priests and teachers). The 2nd highest was the Kshatriyas(rulers) and those concerned with the defence and administration of the village or state. 3rd came the Vaishyas( traders/merchants, people involved in agricultural production). The lowest caste was the Shudras(labourers and servants). Below these were the Untouchables(people with no caste who performed menial jobs such as cleaning toilets). Caste was determined by birth- you fell into the same caste as your parents.


This answer is a bit excessive so you don't need to learn all of it.

Ernesto Guevara

Examine the formation of two igneous rocks, with referenceto examples from Ireland. (30 marks)

Basalt
Igneous rock is formed from the solidification of liquid molten material on or
beneath the earth’s surface. There are two main types of igneous rock. First,
igneous extrusive volcanic rock, which results from the solidification of lava on
the earth’s crust; basalt is the most common rock of this kind. Second, igneous
intrusive plutonic rock, which results from the solidification of magma beneath
the earth’s crust; granite is the most common of these.
Basalt is a volcanic, igneous extrusive rock, which is very hard, smooth and
contains very small crystals as a result of the rock’s rapid cooling. In Northern
Ireland, liquid molten material broke through the earth’s crust approximately
65 million years ago as the North American and Eurasian plates diverged. As
the magma, which then becomes known as lava, broke through the weakened
crust, some of it came into contact with the sea and began to cool rapidly. This
caused the minerals in the lava to contract around regularly spaced centres,
and it cooled to form hexagonal columns of basalt. Today the Giant’s Causeway
is a major tourist attraction due to its unique volcanic landforms.

Granite
Granite is an igneous intrusive plutonic rock. It was formed due to the slow
cooling of molten magma deep within the earth’s crust. It has large crystals as
a result of this slow cooling, and its key mineral components are quartz (which
is colourless or transparent), feldspar (a reflective, flat mineral) and mica
(composed of either black or white crystals). The proportion of the different
minerals in the rock varies, creating granites of varying colours, ranging from
black/grey to red/pink.
Granite is a hard, heavy rock and is resistant to denudation. Granite has
economic potential. Today it is often quarried for use as an ornamental rock, to
make counter-tops, table-tops and headstones. Granite can be found in a
number of locations in Ireland – the most famous is the Leinster batholith in the
Dublin/Wicklow mountains, which was formed over 400 million years ago.
Granite peaks can be clearly seen on the Great and Little Sugar Loaf.

Ernesto Guevara

Positive impacts of volcanic activity.

Volcanic activity has many positive impacts on both the natural physical
environment and on socio-economic activity. Positive impacts include the
creation of new land, the creation of valuable natural minerals and ores, and
the enhancement of countries’ tourism potential.
Creation of new land
Volcanic activity can result in the creation of new land, when material from
within the earth’s crust is ejected in the form of molten liquid, then cools and
solidifies to created new igneous rock. This has happened, for example, in the
Carney Islands in the Atlantic Ocean and the Hawaiian Islands in the Pacific.
These islands come from volcanic activity at hot spot locations, where, over
many millions of years, volcanic material accumulated on the ocean floors and
resulted in the creation of new island landforms. This new land has facilitated
human settlement and economic activity, including agriculture and tourism.
Tourism Potential
Volcanic activity can enhance the tourism potential of many areas; relevant
examples include Iceland, Yellowstone National Park in Washington, USA, and
the Giant’s Causeway in Northern Ireland.
In Iceland, the scenic landscape has been boosted by the presence of
geothermal springs, which have resulted in the creation of geysers, thermally
heated water pools, and highly scenic physical landforms. These landforms
include active volcanoes and a land-based mid-Atlantic Ridge, which marks
the divergence of the American and Eurasian tectonic plates.
Yellowstone National Park is world-renowned for its unique landforms and
the natural processes associated with volcanic activity; the region’s native fauna and flora have been directly influenced by volcanic activity over geologicaltime. The park is a natural environment of particular interest to a variety of researchers from the physical and natural sciences, and is a key tourist destination in North America.
Creation of new minerals and ores
Volcanic activity is responsible for the creation of many metallic ores,
including gold, silver, lead, copper, iron, uranium and titanium. In Ireland many
silver, lead and copper mines have exploited these resources, generating
significant economic benefit to the economy. Examples include the Silvermines
in Co. Tipperary, Tara mines in Co. Meath, and the historic copper mines in the
Beara Peninsula.
Diamonds are also volcanic in origin and are found in kimberlites, rocks
which were formed beneath the earth’s crust. Volcanic activity at mid-ocean
ridges can also create many valuable minerals and ores. The Geological Survey
of Ireland has begun the process of mapping the undersea landscape of Irish
territorial waters and it is anticipated that significant natural mineral and ore
resources will be identified, with the possibility of commercial exploitation.
China is also investing significant resources to undersea water research
programmes in anticipation of harvesting valuable mineral and ore resources.
However, environmentalists are concerned about the potential negative impact
such exploitation could have on unique marine environments.

Ernesto Guevara

Outline the impact of changing migration policy in Ireland and the EU.
In this question you need to discuss 7–8 SRPs on each of the following sub-sections:
1 Migration policy in Ireland
2 Migration policy in the EU
1 Migration policy in Ireland
· Ireland was unprepared for the massive wave of inward migration that occurred because of the Celtic Tiger boom. It was only in February 2007 that a comprehensive migration policy was introduced. This new policy has seen a return to the work permit system, which is designed to treat migrants in a just and fair manner. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
· Workers who migrate here from the European Economic Area (EEA) can work freely and do not need a visa. The EEA consists of all the EU countries except for Romania and Bulgaria and includes Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
· Citizens who need a visa have to apply for a work permit from their current country of residence before entering the Republic of Ireland. The Irish government actively tries to attract the highly skilled workers particularly in specialised occupations. Highly skilled workers will be granted Green cards or work permits. Green cards for unskilled workers will be more difficult to obtain and are strictly limited. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
2007 policy document
· Since the implementation of the 2007 policy there have been four categories of permits allocated to non-EEA citizens:
1 The Green Card system is available to highly skilled people who earn over 60,000 euros per year in high value sectors such as IT, healthcare research and financial services.
2 The Work permit system is available to those whose occupation earns them 30,000–60,000 euros per year and this permit is granted for an initial period of two years.
3 The Intra Company Transfer Permit is a temporary permit for management of multi-national companies or corporations.
4 The Spousal and Dependent Permit is offered to spouses and dependents of employment permit holders. (2 SRPs = 4 marks)
Statistic
The number of work permits in Ireland increased by 700% between 1995 and 2005.
Point to note:
The 4 categories of permits allowed in Ireland are:
1 Green Card system
2 Work permit system
3 Intra Company Transfer Permit
4 Spousal and Dependent Permit
Key aspects of the policy
1 Green cards are to be granted to the employee rather than the employer to allow the employee to move jobs, in order to change the perception of foreign workers as bonded labour.
2 Workers with green cards can apply for immediate family reunification and they can have permanent residence in Ireland as long as the green card lasts.
3 Employers may not deduct recruitment expenses from their wages or hold on to their professional documents.
4 Non-nationals may apply for citizenship after five years.
5 Asylum seekers are not permitted to work until they are granted refugee status.
6 Students are allowed to come to study in Ireland without a visa. (3 SRPs = 6 marks)
· Since the implementation of the policy migrant workers now have the same employment protection as Irish workers. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
· Despite the fact that asylum seekers are not allowed work until their application for refugee status is processed they do now have certain rights such as accommodation, healthcare and welfare support in the form of a weekly allowance. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
· If refugee status is attained they have the same rights as Irish workers and if it is rejected they are to be deported. Refugee status has become more difficult to attain in Ireland since a referendum in 2004 removed the automatic right to citizenship for Irish-born children of non-national parents. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
2 Migration policy in the EU
· Many EU countries need migrants to sustain economic development as they have reached stage 5 of the Demographic Transition Model and they are experiencing a natural decrease in population. Ireland attracted many migrants from Eastern Europe during the Celtic Tiger era, mostly to work the low-paid jobs that Irish people did not want to do. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
· Within the EU a series of treaties has allowed all its citizens to move freely and work freely in any other member state. Within the EU only Ireland and the UK still have controls at their borders. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
· Through the EU Council of Seville 2002 and other treaties the EU aims to develop a common system for immigration and asylum and to create a single external border control strategy, i.e. to set up Fortress Europe. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
· The key aspects of the policy would be:
1 A common border control and uniform measures towards asylum seekers.
2 A sharing of the responsibility by countries. Portugal, Spain and Italy bear the greatest burden as they are geographically closest to North Africa, the source of many migrants.
3 Through Europol, border co-operation between countries could strengthen the fight against human trafficking into the EU.
4 Eurodac, a newly established database to track illegal migrants, could quickly detain and deport those whose applications for refugee status were rejected. (2 SRP = 4m)
· Fortress Europe is being created as xenophobia and asylum fatigue has emerged in most European societies. Denmark is an example of an EU country where this has occurred. As of 2006, much more severe measures have been implemented in Denmark to reduce the number of refugees being accepted:
o Welfare payments have been reduced by half
o Full residency will not be allowed for 7 years after refugee status is granted
o Marriage to a Danish citizen is forbidden during those 7 years
o If the application is rejected the subject is immediately deported (2 SRP = 4 marks)

Ernesto Guevara

Examine the impact of changing migration patterns to and from Ireland.
In this question you need to discuss 3–4 SRPs on each of the following sub-sections:
1 Post famine population decline up to 1960
2 The first economic boom of the 1960s and 1970s
3 The global economic recession of the 1980s
4 The Celtic Tiger economic boom
5 The current global recession

Stages of migration patterns in Ireland:

Points to note
In-migration or out-migration in Ireland:
Stage 1: (1840–1960) – post famine population decline = out-migration
Stage 2: (1961–1979) – the first economic boom = in-migration
Stage 3: (1980–1990) – global economic recession = out-migration
Stage 4: (1990–2006) – the Celtic tiger era (second economic boom) = in-migration
Stage 5: (2007–present ) – global economic recession = out-migration

Stage 1: 1840–1960, Post famine population decline
There was a major post famine decline in population in Ireland due to outward migration/emigration. The famine was the catalyst to a wave of emigration that did not cease until the 1960s. During this period the population of the 26 counties declined from 6.5 million in 1840 to 2.8 million in 1960. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
It is estimated that up to nearly 3 million people emigrated from Ireland during this period. Ireland consistently had a natural decrease in population despite having the highest birth rates in western Europe, i.e. high rates of emigration were offset by high birth rates. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
In the 1950s a lack of job opportunities was the key ‘push factor’ to the exodus of over 400,000 people. Economic prosperity and the availability of jobs in the UK, USA and Australia was the key ‘pull factor’ to attract Irish people there. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
The consequences of emigration for Ireland were as follows:
Rural depopulation
A near collapse of social life in rural areas
An increasing dependency ratio
A decrease in the size of the consumer market (1 SRP = 2 marks)

Stage 2: 1961–1979, The first economic boom
The first Programme for Economic Expansion was introduced by the then Taoiseach Sean Lemass in the early 1960s and through the IDA (Industrial Development Authority) MNCs (Multi-national companies) were attracted to Ireland, thus creating the backbone to Ireland’s manufacturing industry. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
This programme was successful in attracting modern footloose industries and thus began Ireland’s industrial revolution. This resulted in stemming the flow of emigration as jobs were created and Ireland experienced its first wave of net inward migration since the famine of the 1840s. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
Economic expansion accelerated into the 1970s when we joined the EEC (now the EU) in 1973 and this gave Ireland a larger market for exports, an inflow of money, a reduced reliance on the UK market and consequently a positive balance of trade. (1 SRP = 2 marks)

Stage 3: 1980-1990, Global economic recession
Increasing world oil prices triggering a global downturn saw the return of economic recession in the 1980s and emigration increased once again with over 200,000 people leaving Ireland. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
This emigration was different from the previous years as it was predominantly the more highly educated and skilled people who left, thus creating a brain drain from Ireland. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
The 1980s also witnessed a decline in the total number of births as the country was reaching stage 4 on the demographic transition model. (1 SRP = 2 marks)

Stage 4: 1990–2006, The Celtic Tiger era (second economic boom)
The early 1990s saw the beginning of the Celtic Tiger, i.e. a period of unprecedented economic growth. The economy boomed and there was a shortfall of workers in the labour market, which was filled by immigrants predominantly from the former soviet dominated Eastern Bloc countries that entered the EU in 2004. This resulted in a net in-migration rather than net out-migration. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
“Ireland through a combination of good luck, good timing and good policies has caught the crest of a geographical and technological wave and has ridden it to a prosperity that nobody expected.” Paul Krugman (US economist) (1 SRP = 2 marks)
This period up to 2006 saw an increase in population through immigration by nearly 500,000 from mostly non-Irish citizens and this led therefore to a large increase in the overall population. According to the 2006 census, 14% of people living in Ireland were born outside the state. (1 SRP = 2 marks)

Stage 5: 2007–present, Global economic recession
In late 2007 global recession returned and consequently a dramatic slowdown in the Irish economy has resulted in annual growth rates way below 2006 levels. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
High levels of unemployment seem at present to be enticing non-native immigrants to leave Ireland in search of employment elsewhere, despite the fact that other countries are suffering the same economic fate. This will lead to a net out-migration for the foreseeable future until economic fortunes turn favourable again. (1 SRP = 2 marks)
(15 SRPs = 30 marks)

Ernesto Guevara

Describe and explain the distribution of population in a continental/
sub-continental region (not in Europe) that you have studied.
(30 marks)

The continental/sub-continental region I have studied is India. Population
distribution in this region has been influenced both by physical factors and
socio-economic conditions.
The greatest density of human population in India is concentrated in the
Ganges plain – in fact, almost one in every 12 of the world’s population live in
its catchment basin. This concentration of population is directly related to the
highly fertile nature of the extensive flood plain and the availability of a water
supply for agriculture, human activities and industry. However, the high density
of the population is putting increasing pressure on farmland and freshwater
supplies, and the Ganges River is now heavily polluted due to the disposal of
animal and human waste in it, and the growing concentration of industrial
activities along the basin.
In contrast, the upland regions of the western and eastern Ghats and the
highlands of the north experience very low levels of human settlement,
because the relief and harsh climatic conditions have hindered settlement and
economic activities in these regions. And while the Thar desert has
experienced significant population growth in recent decades, many of the
people are nomadic in nature, travelling from one tobas to another in search of
water, and thus the distribution of population in the area is very uneven.
Approximately 70 per cent of India’s population is rural based, concentrated
in low-lying fertile locations along river valleys and flood plains and in coastal
zones.
In recent decades, however, the rate of urbanisation has increased
significantly. This urban expansion is due to a number of critical factors,
including rural to urban migration, the concentration of secondary and tertiary
activities in urban areas, and high levels of natural increase. The distribution of
urban centres has historically been concentrated in coastal/portal locations;
key examples include Kolkata, Mumbai and Chennai. In the more recent past,
inland cities have also become centres of population, and examples include
Delhi, New Delhi, Bhopal and Bangalore. The expansion of urban areas is
placing increasing pressure on water supplies, housing, health care, education
and job opportunities. Many urban areas have severe socio-economic
problems, and large number of people lack access to the basic needs of fresh
water, food, shelter and clothing.
Overall, the distribution of population in India is uneven, with very high
densities in low-lying fertile locations and urban centres, while low density
occurs in areas which experience harsh physical and climatic conditions.

Ernesto Guevara

As cities expand they impact on the surrounding rural areas.
Discuss this statement with reference to example(s) that you have
studied. (30 marks)

The cities which I have studied are Dublin, Cork and Limerick.
Dublin as a primate city has experienced significant growth in population,
particularly since the 1960s, and this growth has had significant impacts on the
rural hinterland. Many small towns, including Swords, Lucan, Lexslip and
Ashbourne in Co. Meath, have been transformed as the population of Dublin
expanded into these areas. The provision of new housing estates in these areas
has resulted in significant population growth and the rural landscape has been
transformed, as a result, into an urban one.
Transport developments and infrastructural improvement have also taken
place, as these areas are now part of the greater Dublin hinterland. Pressure
on green and recreational areas has increased as significant amounts of
agricultural land have been rezoned for residential and commercial use. The
social fabric of what was until recently a rural society has been transformed,
and many people living in these areas have found it difficult to establish
community ties. Environmental change has also occurred as the rural
landscape is transformed by the build up of housing, transport infrastructure
and service utilities, including water and waste disposal.
The expansion of Cork has not been as dramatic as that of Dublin,
nevertheless growth of the city has impacted on many rural areas. Villages such as Glanmire, Riverstown, Sallybrook, Brooklodge and Douglas have become part of the city environs, and the social, physical and environmental attributes of these areas have been transformed due to significant population expansion.
Traffic congestion in these former rural villages is now the norm as people
commute to the city. Land values, particularly during the Celtic Tiger years,
grew significantly and many rural sites became prime areas for the provision
of high income residential accommodation. Rezoning of land occurred as
demand for residential developments increased.
The expansion of Limerick city in recent years has resulted in significant
administrative difficulties. Limerick City and Limerick County Council want to
redraw the county bounds to take in parts of Co. Clare, including Shannon
Banks and Westbury. This proposal is not acceptable to many residents of
Shannon Banks and Westbury as they wish to remain part of Co. Clare. This
issue further highlights the problem of urban expansion into rural areas.

peekachoo

Any isostasy sample answers?

Student007

What are the minimum sample answers you need to have prepared/study?

Ernesto Guevara

Explain how isostatic changes have impacted on the Irish landscape.

Knickpoints and river terraces

Example: Both found on the R. Barrow

Isostatic processes involve changes in sea level due to the uplift or sinking of the earth's lithosphere. This is caused by the removal or addition of huge ice sheets on the land during the ice ages. The great weight of the ice pressing down on the lithosphere during the Ice Age causes it to sink slightly under the weight. This can cause a local rise in the sea level affecting only the area of land that is sinking under the weight. Once the ice has melted, the weight of great ice sheets on the land is removed. The lithosphere slowly returns to it's original level and the land is uplifted out of the sea. This process is called isostacy. The effect of isostatic processes on the Irish landscape is to affect the base level of any rivers flowing over the land. If the land is uplifted then a river's base level is lowered and it has renewed ability to erode. This is termed rejuvination.

The Formation of Knickpoints
Knickpoints are rapids and small waterfalls found in the mature or lower stage of a rivers course. They represent the place where the river once entered the sea. Due to the isostatic uplift the sea level was lowered and the river had to travel over a longer course to reach the sea. The river was rejuvinated as it was given renewed ability to cut down into the land in order to reach the sea. The rejuvinated river cuts a new profile for itself and the place where the new profile meets the old profile is seen as a knickpoint. They are visible on many Irsih rivers in the south and east regions at a height of about 150m above sea level, showing that the sea level was once this much higher around Ireland.

The formation of river terraces

When a river is rejuvinated it begins to cut down into its existing floodplain and makes a new floodplain and makes a deeper, narrower channel for itself. The rejuvinated river makes a new floodplain for itself at a lower level. The original valley floor is left hiigh above the new floodplain and is seen as steps in the land on either side of the rejuvinated river channel. These steps are called river terraces and are often seen in pairs on either side of the river. Sometimes a river can be rejuvinated more than once and so another set of terraces are formed resulting in a river valley with stepped sides. River terraces are found on the R. Barrow, Co. Kilkenny.

Ernesto Guevara

Student007 wrote: »

What are the minimum sample answers you need to have prepared/study?

Honestly there is no minimum with geography you need to cover all the main topics in all the areas. Look through the exam papers and see what comes up frequently but its a very hard subject to predict especially the regional section.

PhosphoricAcid

Ernesto are those questions for Culture & Identity?

EvM

Hey, if you have any on eu expansion that'd be great

Ernesto Guevara

EvM wrote: »

Hey, if you have any on eu expansion that'd be great

The member state I have studied is Ireland. The enlargement and expansion of the EU has presented both problems and opportunities for existing members in relation to economic and sovereignty issues.

The EU has grown since its origins in 1957 to its present day number of 27 member states. The most recent additions were Romania and Bulgaria in 2007. In fact twelve members in total have joined since 2004 (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, Malta and Cyprus plus two mentioned above). This almost doubling in size has seen the addition of new members who are largely peripheral and underdeveloped regions and will, at first, be beneficiaries rather than contributors to EU funding. As a result funding such as the Structural fund which had been directed towards original periphery regions (like the West of Ireland) will now be redirected to these new areas. These new EU members have a much higher reliance on agriculture (28.5%) compared to existing members (5.5% on average). While this activity provides a lot of employment it is poorly developed and policies such as the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) will see much needed funds being sent for the development and modernisation of machinery to the new states. Any funding diverted to the new members is less money available for the Irish farmers who rely on the subsidies for sheep numbers, forestation and land maintenance. In addition Irish farmers will experience greater competition on the open market and may see prices drop due to the new competition provided by the new member states.

However, Ireland has benefitted from EU expansion. In recent years the Irish economy expanded rapidly and saw a highly educated and skilled workforce emerge. The recent boom also saw a gap in unskilled workers to perform the manual jobs required. The solution was provided by migrant workers from new member states such as Poland. These workers were necessary to maintain economic growth in the tourism and trade industries. In addition nurses from new member areas were necessary to compensate for the drop of nurses available in Irish hospitals. The new members also provided a larger market for Irish goods and a greater number in possible customers throughout the EU.

While EU expansion has benefitted Ireland it has meant a continued reduction in Ireland’s sovereignty. This is the rights and responsibilities of a country to govern itself. When Ireland joined the EU we agreed to a set of common trade, rights and responsibilities. Since joining the EU in 1973 we have seen a reduction in the control of Irish fishing, farming, banking and commerce laws and possible conflict with a common defence policy as Ireland tries to maintain its neutral policy.

This question could be rephrased to ask you about the Impact of EU expansion on Irelands economy and culture. To answer this you would focus on the increase of new members working in Ireland (2009=150,000 foreign workers), school children either born and / or attending schools, growth of Polish shops, increase in demand for housing (rented or to buy) and demand for extra services in the community. Culturally the language and face of Ireland has changed in recent years. Estimated 300,000 people from Poland, Lithuania, Latvia and Slovakia alone. Explain the change in language, tv, advertisements and music.

David1994

I'm not sure if you do this option but do you have a sample interaction with biomes answer?
Thanks!

Tommyrawr

Would you have an answer on causes and effects Overpopulation?

megan_t

Looking for something on Financial Services if anybody's got it. Also population, preferably in Brazil. Thanks!

I have the following essays if anybody's interested:
Environmental & Economic Cosequences of Renewables
Industrial Decline in Belgium
Urban Growth of Dublin
Urban Growth of Sao Paulo
Effects of Enlargement of EU on Ireland
Culture in Belgium
Agriculture in Brazil
Agriculture in Mezzogiorno
Agriculture in Paris Basin
Secondary Activities in Paris Basin
Impact of Colonialism on a Developing Country
Landform of Erosion: Cliff
Landform of Deposition: Beach
Human Interaction with Coastal Processes: Hastings
Metamorphic Rocks
Igneous Rocks
Human Interaction with Rock Cycle: Tara Mines
Plate Tectonics: Global Distribution of Volcanoes
Karst as a Distinctive Landscape
Isostatic Processes: Impact on Irish Landscape
& probably a few more bopping about....
Haven't had all these essays marked but got full marks on the ones that I have.. My Geography teacher's fantastic, he was involved in re-writing the syllabus back in 2006 so he knows his stuff!

hfallada

Is there a difference in the question explain the characteristics of a soil (2010) and the composition and characteristics of a soil (2007) in the Geoecology?

Ernesto Guevara

David1994 wrote: »

I'm not sure if you do this option but do you have a sample interaction with biomes answer?
Thanks!

“How human activities have interfered in a biome you have studied”

Commercial Logging is a present day cause of deforestation. Logging in tropical rainforests has always been a problem in the past, but with improvements in technology, it has now become the most serious threat to the biome. Although international awareness has been heightened about the global effects of deforestation, unsustainable logging continues. Unsustainable logging is where replanting of species doesn’t occur. In the late 1990’s, after depleting much of their own timber resources, Asian logging companies began aggressively moving into rainforests in other parts of the world such as the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Between 1950 and 1980, Asia lost one third of its tropical rainforest cover. Chinese logging companies have been particularly active since their government banned domestic logging after devastating floods in 1998. The demand for wood in the 1990’s was fuelled by a boom in the construction sector in the developed world. Tropical hardwoods such as teak and rosewood were particularly in demand. Many of the world’s rainforests are found in developing countries where corruption is common and many forestry laws go un-enforced. Also, the structure of the rainforest is such that no one species dominates a single area. Therefore, the commercially valuable species such as mahogany are spread out. As a result, logging companies tend to clear-cut large amounts of trees which they don’t require in order to reach the more commercially valuable hardwoods. The construction of logging roads also contributes to deforestation. A study in Stanford in 2005 concluded that selective logging creates twice as much damage as is visible from satellite photos and it generates 25% more greenhouse gases than previously thought. There are numerous effects that the destruction of the rainforests has had and will have. It is estimated that up to 200,000 acres of rainforest are burned every day. That accounts for almost 78 million acres per year, although estimates vary. With the destruction of the rainforests comes an increasing threat of extinction to many plants and animals found in the forest as their habitat is destroyed. This has many implications for the developed world as 25% of western pharmaceuticals are derived from rainforest ingredients.
The clearing of rainforest for the purpose of Pastoral Farming is a past cause of deforestation. The majority of the commercial destruction of the Amazon rainforest from the 1960’s to the early 1990 was not due to logging or mining but due to the activities of cattle ranchers. Cattle ranching as a source of deforestation was most evident in Brazil and Costa Rica. In both countries, there was significant government support for deforestation for this purpose. The main reason for this was the demand for beef from North America in this period. South American governments saw the rainforest as a resource that could be used to satisfy this demand and generate much needed employment and foreign revenue. The Brazilian government passed laws that allowed speculators to claim large swathes of rainforest as their own once they had slashed and burned the land. Once the land was totally cleared, species of African rye grasses were planted for pasture. In Brazil, 38% of deforestation from 1966-1975 was attributed to large-scale cattle ranching. In many Central American countries, pastoral land was created on fertile alluvial soils that would have been more suited to arable farming which would have been more profitable in the long term. Despite governments such as Brazil removing the laws that allowed speculators to simply claim land, a study by Greenpeace in 2009 revealed that beef is the largest driver of deforestation globally. Since 1996, 360,000 square miles have been cleared for pasture. The recent devaluation of the Brazilian Real against the American dollar has effectively doubled beef prices for farmers. This has created an incentive for ranchers to expand further into the rainforest. The visual environment of the rainforest is being damaged as a result. Once a sea of green the size of Australia, the Amazon is now scarred by roads, farms, ranches and dams.
Deforestation can also lead to loss of life at a human level as deforestation inevitably leads to an increase in landslides and flash flooding given the lack of tree roots to anchor soils. Subsistence agriculture has accounted for the largest percentage of deforestation in the tropical rainforest biome. This form of deforestation has been taking place for centuries, however it has escalated in recent decades to an alarming degree. This is a result of a number of factors such as advances in technology and changing cultural attitudes. In many countries, subsistence agriculture has been supported by governments. In Brazil, for example, large populations from the impoverished region of Sertao were encouraged to migrate to the peripheries of the Amazon to avail of the offer of free agricultural land. Between 1995 and 1998, the government granted land in the Amazon to almost 100,000 farmers. Subsistence agriculture such as this involves the use of slash and burn techniques to clear the forest for short-term agriculture. First, the forest floor is cleared, the area is left to dry, and is then burned. The soil is then cultivated for crops. There are numerous disadvantages to this form of agriculture. The removal of the protective canopy leaves the soils underneath exposed to torrential tropical downpours. This results in the soil becoming heavily leached and after two or three years, they are rendered completely unproductive. The farmers will then move onto another patch of rainforest and repeat the process. Although each subsistent farmer accounts for a small amount of deforestation, the fact that there are 5-10 million such farmers makes this the single largest cause of deforestation and the most difficult to control. Deforestation on this scale has severe implications for global climate change. Tropical rainforests play a vital role in regulating the earth’s climates. They both absorb and created rainfall. The Amazon created 50-70% of its own rainfall. By cutting down the trees, we change the reflectivity of the earth’s surface which affects the temperature of the earth at ground level. The destruction of the rainforest also effects climate change given that rainforests produce almost 50% of the world’s oxygen.

megan_t

A large number of sample answers can be found by clicking this link, including ones that've been copied and pasted here. It's the educate.ie Model Answer eBook, based on the 2011 exam, and has a lot of good work in it!

mundungus portfolio

Would anybody have a river rhine essay please?

Tommyrawr

mundungus portfolio wrote: »

Would anybody have a river rhine essay please?

I remember doing that last year, I will have a look to see if I still have it

Donegal1234

anybody use the book exam skills by sue Honan , got very good sample answers

PhosphoricAcid

Anyone got any sample answers for culture & identity?

Bonbon1995

sample answer on isotasy??PLEASE

David1994

Bonbon1995 wrote: »

sample answer on isotasy??PLEASE

It has already been posted in thread

meleanor

Anyone have a good Geothermal Energy as a Human Interaction with the Rock Cycle answer with negative aspects too?

Oh and an answer on the karst landscape of the Burren!

leavingcert_13

Hi guys!
Does anyone know of what may come up in the geoecology section? and any tips on regions ? struggling!!

Jenny_ODwyer

leavingcert_13 wrote: »

Hi guys!
Does anyone know of what may come up in the geoecology section? and any tips on regions ? struggling!!

Characteristics of a brown earth soil

Tommyrawr

leavingcert_13 wrote: »

Hi guys!
Does anyone know of what may come up in the geoecology section? and any tips on regions ? struggling!!

What most people are saying
characteristics of a biome
human impact on a biome.
for soils characteristics of brown earth soils
and formation processes of soils.

EvM

Tommyrawr wrote: »

What most people are saying
characteristics of a biome
human impact on a biome.
for soils characteristics of brown earth soils
and formation processes of soils.

The chances of human impact on a biome being the only biome essay again are low, aren't they? I really hope it doesn't come up :P.

peekachoo

Any brown earth soil essays?

Tommyrawr

EvM wrote: »

The chances of human impact on a biome being the only biome essay again are low, aren't they? I really hope it doesn't come up :P.

There supposed to be 2 biomes, 1 soil question this year so you should be fine

Jenny_ODwyer

peekachoo wrote: »

Any brown earth soil essays?

I have one but not with me at the moment it's pretty easy to get srps in I will try and have it by tonight if possible

mundungus portfolio

meleanor wrote: »

Anyone have a good Geothermal Energy as a Human Interaction with the Rock Cycle answer with negative aspects too?

Oh and an answer on the karst landscape of the Burren!

The Irish landscape development I have studied is the limestone pavement in the Burren, Co. Clare.

The landscape is formed by carbonation i.e. rainwater absorbs carbon dioxide to form carbonic acid. This reacts with calcium carbonate to become calcium bicarbonate. It is then carried away by solution. The carbonation of the limestone produced a landscape of pavements, terraced hills and dry valleys.

Limestone pavement has exposed flat rock composed of clints and grikes. The grikes (fissures) are widened by carbonation and range from 3-6cm width and 2m depth. Soil deposits in the grikes are a life source for vegetation including hazel and ash. The clints are marked by depressions called karren. These are weak points dissolved quickly by the carbonic acid. Water gets held in the hollows which speed up carbonation.

In the valley of Ballyvaughan there is a river that disappears into a swallow hole to form a dry valley. They form where rainwater flows from impermeable shale onto limestone which is permeable.

Underground, the bedding planes are enlarged and passageways are formed through the limestone rock. Corrasion and carbonation enlarge the channels to form caves and caverns. e.g. Ailwee.

Calcite rich water seeps through the fissures in the cave roofs. The water reacts with the air so it evaporates. Deposits of this can be found on the roof and these are called stalactites. It may also form on the cave floor and these are known as stalagmites.

Shanel262

Would you have any essays on characteristics of a biome please?

EvM

Tommyrawr wrote: »

There supposed to be 2 biomes, 1 soil question this year so you should be fine

Oh that would be fantastic, then I wouldn't have to touch soils either ^^.

Jenny_ODwyer

mundungus portfolio wrote: »

The Irish landscape development I have studied is the limestone pavement in the Burren, Co. Clare.

The landscape is formed by carbonation i.e. rainwater absorbs carbon dioxide to form carbonic acid. This reacts with calcium carbonate to become calcium bicarbonate. It is then carried away by solution. The carbonation of the limestone produced a landscape of pavements, terraced hills and dry valleys.

Limestone pavement has exposed flat rock composed of clints and grikes. The grikes (fissures) are widened by carbonation and range from 3-6cm width and 2m depth. Soil deposits in the grikes are a life source for vegetation including hazel and ash. The clints are marked by depressions called karren. These are weak points dissolved quickly by the carbonic acid. Water gets held in the hollows which speed up carbonation.

In the valley of Ballyvaughan there is a river that disappears into a swallow hole to form a dry valley. They form where rainwater flows from impermeable shale onto limestone which is permeable.

Underground, the bedding planes are enlarged and passageways are formed through the limestone rock. Corrasion and carbonation enlarge the channels to form caves and caverns. e.g. Ailwee.

Calcite rich water seeps through the fissures in the cave roofs. The water reacts with the air so it evaporates. Deposits of this can be found on the roof and these are called stalactites. It may also form on the cave floor and these are known as stalagmites.

Dripstone is tipped for this year

EvM

I have a question about the wording of regional questions. If it says "account for the development of primary activities in a region you've studied", do I have to mention 2 and split the SRPs between them? I'm doing the Paris Basin for my European region, and the only primary activity I'm doing is agriculture. Would I lose marks if it says activities and I only mention one?

For agriculture in Paris Basin, my two factors would be physical (land,soils,climate) and human (age and skill level of farmers, availability of markets, well developed transport system).

Dapics

Those essays he was posting are Yeats College Essays.

I should know.
Parents pay 6,900 euro to have their children go there and learn off notes.... This Che Guevara Lad is very generous.!!

Is That You Evan? The lad who always wears the Che Guevara T-Shirt?!!!

Ernesto Guevara

Dapics wrote: »

Those essays he was posting are Yeats College Essays.

I should know.
Parents pay 6,900 euro to have their children go there and learn off notes.... This Che Guevara Lad is very generous.!!

Is That You Evan? The lad who always wears the Che Guevara T-Shirt?!!!

Well in response to your question no I'm not Evan and I wasn't aware that these are Yeats College notes as I've never actually been there. These notes are a combination of notes given to me by my teacher, my own notes and notes from Sue Honan's book.