Lesson 1.2.2

1.2.2 How do the water and carbon cycles operate in contrasting locations? Quiz: OCR Geography, Unit 2

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 1.2.2, How do the water and carbon cycles operate in contrasting locations?: 20 multiple choice questions for the OCR Geography (H481), Unit 2: Earth's Life Support Systems, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which process accounts for high interception rates in tropical rainforests?

    • Dense canopy cover
    • High soil porosity
    • Low atmospheric humidity
    • Steep relief gradients

  2. Why is atmospheric humidity consistently high in the Amazon basin?

    • Rapid groundwater discharge
    • High rock permeability
    • Rapid evapotranspiration rates
    • High surface run-off

  3. Why do tropical rainforests store large quantities of carbon in biomass?

    • High primary productivity
    • Deep permafrost layers
    • Impermeable basalt bedrock
    • Slow vegetation decay

  4. Why are soil carbon stores in tropical rainforests surprisingly small?

    • Rapid organic decomposition
    • Low litter input
    • Waterlogged soil conditions
    • High rock porosity

  5. How does impermeable crystalline bedrock affect surface hydrology in tropical rainforests?

    • Increases groundwater recharge
    • Increases surface run-off
    • Prevents river flooding
    • Eliminates overland flow

  6. How does clear-felling tropical rainforest trees alter local drainage basin hydrological stores?

    • Increases canopy interception
    • Reduces soil moisture
    • Reduces river flow
    • Increases evapotranspiration

  7. What immediate impact does deforestation by burning have on the tropical carbon cycle?

    • Increases soil sequestration
    • Releases stored carbon
    • Accelerates photosynthesis rates
    • Deepens permafrost layers

  8. Which management technique helps restore nutrient and carbon stores in degraded rainforest soils?

    • Open-cast gravel extraction
    • Agroforestry systems
    • Clear-cut timber harvesting
    • Surface strip mining

  9. What characterises the annual total precipitation in the Arctic tundra?

    • Low annual precipitation
    • Continuous heavy convection
    • Extremely high snowfall
    • High summer hail

  10. Why do temporary surface wetlands form in the Arctic tundra during summer?

    • High evapotranspiration rates
    • Rapid groundwater recharge
    • Permafrost blocks infiltration
    • Dissolving bedrock aquifers

  11. Why does the Arctic tundra store vast amounts of carbon in soil?

    • High soil mineralisation
    • Rapid primary productivity
    • Slow decomposition rates
    • Dense canopy interception

  12. What happens to carbon fluxes in the Arctic tundra during the short summer?

    • Net carbon uptake
    • Net carbon emission
    • Zero photosynthetic activity
    • Complete permafrost melting

  13. How does the flat topography of the Arctic tundra affect regional drainage?

    • High stream velocity
    • Sluggish surface flow
    • Rapid river incision
    • Deep subterranean drainage

  14. How does industrial infrastructure in the tundra accelerate localized carbon release?

    • Increasing forest canopy
    • Inhibiting bacterial decay
    • Sinking groundwater levels
    • Thawing underlying permafrost

  15. How does construction dust on tundra snowpack alter the regional water cycle?

    • Stops surface run-off
    • Accelerates spring snowmelt
    • Delays summer thawing
    • Increases snow reflection

  16. Which engineering solution prevents oil pipelines from thawing permafrost in the tundra?

    • Surface gravel removal
    • Deep subterranean trenching
    • Continuous water spraying
    • Elevated insulated piles

  17. Where is the majority of carbon stored in the Arctic tundra ecosystem compared to tropical rainforests?

    • In frozen soils
    • In atmospheric moisture
    • In marine sediments
    • In above-ground biomass

  18. How does steep relief in upper tropical drainage basins affect water cycle flows?

    • Prevents soil erosion
    • Accelerates surface run-off
    • Lengthens lag time
    • Increases groundwater storage

  19. How does reforesting degraded tropical land positively impact the regional carbon cycle?

    • Increases soil erosion
    • Decreases photosynthetic uptake
    • Accelerates rock weathering
    • Increases biomass sequestration

  20. How does the ancient crystalline basement rock in Arctic tundra affect water storage?

    • Increases soil porosity
    • Dissolves into groundwater
    • Prevents deep percolation
    • Encourages deep aquifers

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