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Analyse the data shown in Figure 1 - AQA - A-Level Geography - Question 1 - 2021 - Paper 1
Question 1
Analyse the data shown in Figure 1. Figure 1 shows the impact of different rates of deforestation and afforestation upon land surface temperature (LST) at different... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Analyse the data shown in Figure 1 - AQA - A-Level Geography - Question 1 - 2021 - Paper 1
Step 1
Clear analysis of the relationships evident in the resource
Answer
The data in Figure 1 illustrates a complex relationship between forest cover, land surface temperature (LST), and latitude. It is evident that deforestation generally leads to an increase in LST, particularly noticeable at lower latitudes around the equator (between -25° and 15°). Here, areas with significant deforestation record temperature rises of up to 1.7°C.
Conversely, afforestation tends to mitigate this effect, resulting in a decrease in temperature. At similar latitudes, regions where forest cover increased show a drop in temperature by up to 1.5°C. This highlights the critical role of vegetation in regulating local climates.
Step 2
Consideration of the evidence in support
Answer
Specific data from various latitudes reveal that the most extreme temperature increases occur in areas with a forest cover reduction of 50-70%. For example, the data shows anomalies where regions experiencing 10%-30% decrease in forest cover lead to smaller temperature increases, suggesting that even moderate deforestation can have significant temperature repercussions. Additionally, regions with no changes in forest cover maintain stable temperatures, indicating that the degree of deforestation is a strong predictor of temperature change.
Step 3
Connection between different aspects of the data
Answer
The visual representation in Figure 1 clearly links forest cover changes with temperature variations across latitudes. The contrasting colors on the map indicate the divergent effects of deforestation and afforestation on local temperatures, with warmer colors representing increased temperatures linked to deforestation. Furthermore, it is significant to note that temperature impacts are more pronounced in lower latitudes compared to higher latitudes. This emphasizes the importance of local climatic conditions and vegetation in influencing land surface temperature.