s

er
ap

eP

e
tr

.X

w
om
.c

(IGCSE) (Environmental Management) (0680/02)

(unit 2): (Hydrosphere)
Recommended Prior Knowledge

An understanding of some processes from physical geography, hydrology and biology. While many physical geography text books for the GCSE include elements of all
three, typically they contain limited detail on diseases and life cycles in the oceans. Supplementary information can be obtained from GCSE science text books. An
appreciation of the importance of supplies of fresh water (as an increasingly limited natural resource), and of the role of dirty water in spreading diseases and
perpetuating poverty in the developing world. Awareness of increasing concern about the over-exploitation of marine resources.

Context
Although not essential, a good case can be made out for studying this unit second. Information about the water cycle, flooding, drought and ocean currents provides a
link with the later atmosphere unit. A similar link exists between water cycle and ecosystems, before the latter becomes a more specialised study in the biosphere unit.
Case studies are suggested, but it might be considered desirable to replace or supplemented these with examples more local to the Centre, or that are more topical at
the time of study.

Outline
The syllabus lay out for Hydrosphere is the same as for unit 1 Lithosphere. Separate topic areas within the Hydrosphere unit are followed through the four syllabus
columns. Content in column 1 is based on how natural cycles operate first on the land, and then in the oceans. How people use fresh water and exploit ocean
resources are the main themes running through column 2. The effects of human activities and actions are examined in column 3, before management strategies for
control and improvement are identified in column 4. The syllabus content is naturally divided into two parts, between water on the land and in the oceans, which makes
for two separate studies. Within each of the two parts, it makes sense to follow related themes through the columns; for example, to begin with natural sources of fresh
water in column 1, and follow it through to human demand and water uses in column 2, to water pollution from human use in column 3, and finally to the safe clean
water strategies outlined in column 4. Opportunities for students to re-use and extend their practical skills will continue to be suggested. Students should be encouraged
to keep up to date with topical events, such as floods, droughts, oil spills and continuing attempts to find a cure for malaria, a major killer of people living in the tropics.

AO

Learning outcomes

6.1

Water on the land

How the water cycle operates

Suggested Teaching activities

Learning resources

A good starting point is to make students aware that only 3 per cent of
water on Earth is fresh water, that in terms of human availability it is a
scarce resource, since so much is locked up in ice and snow. To give
students the opportunity to draw a labelled diagram to show how the
water cycle works and understand how the main processes operate. To

Environmental Management John

Pallister Oxford University Press, Karachi
Pakistan ISBN 10 019 597785 8 pages 5859

AO

6.3

6.2

8.2

8.3

Learning outcomes

The role of the water cycle within

ecosystems

How the natural availability of water

varies from place to place

Competing demands for water

Mismatch between water supply and

demand

Suggested Teaching activities

Learning resources

investigate source(s) of domestic water supplies and their reliability in

the students' home areas

Natural Economy 0670/02 June 1999

Question 1(a) Past Paper
Natural Economy 0670/02 Oct/Nov. 2002
Questions 1(a)(b) Past Paper

To introduce students to the concept of ecosystems, emphasising

interdependence, and to the vital importance of fresh water for all life on
Earth. To suggest student investigations, such as how vegetation cover
affects water cycle processes, and how natural vegetation changes
from the Equator to the tropics in response to reductions in rainfall.

Environmental Management pages 60-61

In order to demonstrate to students the wide variations in fresh water

availability, world maps in atlases can be studied (e.g. annual
precipitation, world water resources per head). Students can be guided
to identify areas of high and low water supply, and comment on the
relative level of water availability (whether water-rich or water-poor by
world standards) for their home country and world region.

Environmental Management pages 62- 64

To make students aware that competition operates at different levels

within a country (between water for domestic, industrial and agricultural
uses) and between countries (e.g. where large rivers flow through
several countries). To obtain water user percentages between sectors
for the home country and ask students to display them in a bar graph.
For case studies about competing demands for water both within one
country and between countries, Egypt and the River Nile Basin or water
use from the Rivers Tigris, Euphrates and Jordan in the Middle East are
suitable choices.

Environmental Management page 66

One approach is to focus upon water-poor countries with rapidly

increasing water demands, such as those in the Middle East like Saudi
Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait.

Natural Economy 0670/02 June 1999

Question 1(b) Past Paper
Natural Economy May/June 2003
Questions 1(a)(b) Past Paper

Natural Economy 0670/02 May/June 2003

Question 1(d) Past Paper

Natural Economy 0670/02 June 1999

Question 1(d) Past Paper

Environmental Management pages 65-66

AO

Learning outcomes

Suggested Teaching activities

Learning resources

8.1

Collection and control of water for a

variety of uses

To suggest that each student completes a spread sheet or

questionnaire about water uses by them and their family (in a day or for
a week). Class data can be collected and similarities and differences
commented on. Next they can be asked to consider whether (and why)
their water use is increasing. Then scale of the work can then be
changed, to ask them to give reasons (perhaps working in small
groups) why world consumption of water is increasing. To provide them
water use statistics for rich and poor continents/countries. Request
students to display them in divided bar or pie graphs, and to suggest
reasons for differences (i.e. why water use is so much greater in rich
countries).
To introduce students to the different types of natural water stores; to
ask them to draw a labelled sketch of an aquifer and check
understanding of the importance of permeable rock. To make a special
study of a large dam as an example of a human store (e.g. Aswan High
Dam, Three Gorges Dam, or one in the home country or region),
suggesting to students that they focus on both costs and benefits. As a
whole class discussion, to compare the advantages and disadvantages
of large and small dams.

Environmental Management pages 67-68

10.2

8.4

Contrasts in availability of water in

terms of quality, quantity and access

The ways in which processes operating

within the water cycle affect
development

After previous coverage of water availability, to concentrate here on

variations in water quality and access (between developed and
developing countries, and rural and urban areas within developing
countries). To ask students to draw graphs to highlight differences in
percentage access to safe water and sanitation between countries and
areas. To make a special study of a rural region where lack of access is
a major issue. To ask students to draw a spider diagram summarising
the reasons why access to safe water is poorer in rural areas.

To concentrate on the causes and effects of flooding and drought, begin

with a reminder of water cycle processes and to identify which one is
the principal physical cause of them. To make students aware that
humans contribute to causing them as well, by activities which change

Natural Economy 0670/02 June 1999

Questions 1(c)(i)-(iv) Past Paper

Environmental Management pages 69 to

75
Longman Geography for GCSE pages
222-3
Natural Economy 0670/02 May/June 2003
Questions 1(g)(h) Past Paper
Environmental Management 0680/02
May/June 2007 Questions 1(a)(b)(c) Past
Paper

Environmental Management pages 75-76

Web sites of charities such as
http://www.wateraid.org.uk

Natural Economy 0670/02 May/June 2002

Question 2(g) Past Paper
Environmental Management 0680/02
May/June 2007 Question 1(d) Past Paper
Environmental Management pages 77-81
http://www.bbc.co.uk/floods

AO

10.1

12.1

10.3

Learning outcomes

The causes and consequences of

water pollution

Ways of improving water quantity,

quality and access

The cycle of water-related diseases,

and their impact on human activities
and development

Suggested Teaching activities

Learning resources

land uses and alter how some water cycle processes operate. To give
students with a list of the effects of flooding and/or drought and ask
them to re-order them under particular headings e.g. immediate, shortterm and long term. To take advantage of the many case study
opportunities, such as for countries most at risk e.g. Bangladesh for
floods and African countries in the Sahel such as Niger for drought, or
use examples closer to home. In order to guide student investigation,
provide a framework of questions such as 'How regular are they?',
'When and why are they most likely to happen?' and 'What kinds of
damage do they cause?'.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/drought

To begin by directing students towards the three general human causes

of water pollution, namely agriculture, domestic and industry, and what
they add to groundwater and rivers that causes the pollution. To make a
special study of water pollution in the home area nature of the
pollution in two or three different locations, what has caused it, where it
is worst and why, whether the authorities have done anything to prevent
or reduce it. To introduce students to the process of eutrophication,
beginning with a definition and followed by how eutrophication affects
natural water ecosystems.

Environmental Management pages 81-83

To study an example of a river which has been improved, to act as an

example for how this could be achieved in streams which are still badly
polluted. Similarly to make a study of a village or region in the
developing world where access to a clean water has been provided.

Environmental Management pages 84-85

To explain to students the difference between 'water-based', 'waterborne' and 'water-bred' diseases, using the examples named in the
syllabus. To ask students to draw a circular flow diagram to show how
disease reduces the ability of people to work contributing to the cycle of
poverty and the poverty trap. To make a special study of one of these
diseases, using headings such as causes, symptoms and
consequences for people and their activities. Unless one of the named
diseases is locally much more important, the obvious choice is malaria
given its virulence and widespread distribution in developing countries.

Natural Economy 0670/02 June 1999

Questions 1(c)(v)-(vii) Past Paper
Natural Economy 0670/02 Oct/Nov.2002
Questions 1(e)(f) Past Paper
Environmental Management 0680/02
Oct/Nov. 2006 Question 1(c) Past Paper

ADB (Asian Development Bank) Review

January-February 2003
Environmental Management pages 86 to
88 and pages 90 to 91
Natural Economy 0670/02 May/June 2001
Question 1(g)(i) Past Paper

http://www.bbc.co.uk/malaria

AO

Learning outcomes

Suggested Teaching activities

Learning resources

To research statistics for the main causes of death in the home country
in order to assess relative importance of water-related diseases.
12.2

7.1

Strategies to control and eradicate

water-related diseases

The oceans
The role of the ocean as an
environment for interdependent
ecosystems

To make students aware of the difference between prevention and cure

of diseases, and why strategies for prevention are preferable whenever
possible. To direct students to work in small groups to think about and
discuss the problems of controlling and eradicating water related
diseases in poor rural areas in developing countries; to ask them to
draw a spider diagram identifying problems in order to summarise their
findings.

Environmental Management pages 88-91

To begin with a general introduction to the oceans, marine ecosystems,

their resource potential and why they may be vulnerable to overexploitation. To give students the opportunity to draw an example of a
marine ecosystem from primary producers (e.g. phytoplankton), to
zooplankton, to larger sized consumers such as fish, seals and whales
and finally the top carnivores (e.g. man and polar bears).

Environmental Management pages 92-93

7.2

The resource potential of the oceans

To focus student attention on the continental shelf, because it is the part

of the oceans with the greatest resource potential for humans. Begin
with an atlas study to determine locations where continental shelves are
wide; describe how continental shelves are physically from the rest of
the ocean, and explain why they are rich in marine life. To investigate
where oil and gas are extracted offshore from an atlas map showing the
world's oil fields.

9.2

Factors that limit full exploitation of the

ocean's potential resources

Class activity - to arrange students into two groups, one to discuss

reasons why drilling for oil from the sea bed is more expensive and
difficult than on land, and the other to come up with reasons why fishing
is s more hazardous activity than farming. Each group gives a summary
of reasons, from which individual students make a list of factors why
ocean resources are less easy to exploit fully than those on land.

7.3

The distribution of ocean currents and

To study an atlas map of oceans showing the currents, to recognise the

Natural Economy 0670/02 May/June 2001

Questions 1(g)(ii)-(iii) Past Paper
Environmental Management 0680/02
May/June 2007 Question 1(e) Past Paper

Environmental Management 0680/02

Oct/Nov. 2006 Question 1(d) Past Paper

Environmental Management pages 93-94

Environmental Management pages 94-96

AO

7.4

9.1

11.1

Learning outcomes

Suggested Teaching activities

their effects

different directions of flow of warm and cold currents, and to note the
effects of the continents and prevailing winds on their distribution. For
students, to mark and name on an outline map the currents in the
ocean(s) closest to their world region. To make students aware of the
strong relationship that exists between the presence of ocean currents
and the world's richest fishing grounds, and to discover reasons for it.
To guide students into the investigation of one example. A good choice
would be the Peruvian current and fishing grounds off the coast of Peru,
since it links in with the following study of el nino.

Reversal of ocean currents e.g. el nino

and its effects

To guide students into drawing two sets of directly comparable maps

and diagrams to show surface currents and underwater features in the
Pacific Ocean, one for a normal year and the other for an el nino year.
To explain the effects of this change for weather and human activities
both in Peru and the rest of the world. In an el nino year students can
keep a note of its effects from sources such as newspapers, TV
programmes and news based internet sites.

Environmental Management pages 97-98

Begin with a map of the world's major ocean fisheries and identify
named areas. Ask students where they can identify close relationships
between them and the presence of continental shelves and ocean
currents. To research data about total fish catches by country from
official websites and draw a graph to show the largest. To initiate a
class discussion about the different diets of people around the world
in which countries is fish consumption high, and why? To make a
special investigation of fishing in the home country or region to discover
whether or not fishing is important and why.

Environmental Management pages 99101

The environmental and human factors

in the distribution and exploitation of the
world's ocean fisheries

The implications of uncontrolled

exploitation of marine resources

To introduce students to the problem of overfishing and why it has

become a major international issue. To concentrate on the
improvements in technology which are leading to rapid reductions in
fish stocks. To make students aware that fish stocks also go up and
down due to natural causes e.g. in el nino years off the coast of Peru.

Learning resources

http://www.bbc.co.uk/elnino

Natural Economy 0670/02 May/June 2001

Questions 1(a)(b) Past Paper
http://www.FAO.org the official site of the
United Nations Food and Agricultural
Organisation
Environmental Management pages 101103
Environmental Management 0680/02
May/June 2004 Question 1(e)(i) Past Paper
Oct/Nov.2006 Questions 1(e)(f) Past Paper

AO

Learning outcomes

Suggested Teaching activities

Learning resources

13.1

Strategies for the sustainable

harvesting of ocean fisheries

To lead students into describing and explaining the four strategies

named in the syllabus, namely net types and sizes, quotas,
conservation laws and territoriality (e.g. restricted fishing areas to allow
breeding and fish stocks recovery). To emphasise to students that the
use of more than one method increases the chances of a better result.
To suggest possible case studies for further individual investigation,
bearing in mind varying degrees of success (e.g. low success Grand
Banks off Newfoundland and EU, high success non-EU countries such
as Iceland and Norway), or choose a more local regional example if
available. To make suggestions about how fishing can be made more
sustainable, such as more international cooperation, better rule
enforcement, more campaigns from environmental groups, then to
break the students up into discussion groups asking for ideas.

Environmental Management pages 103105

11.2

13.2

Causes of marine pollution and its

impact on the marine ecosystem and
on coastal zones

Marine pollution controls and remedial

action

To identify the main types of materials responsible for marine pollution

(nutrients, sediments, pathogenic organisms, plastics and other litter,
oil, toxic wastes and radioactive wastes), their main sources and
impacts. To guide students into an individual investigation of a major oil
spill by providing working headings related to syllabus need, such as
location, size of spill, causes, effects on wildlife, effects on people and
attempts made to reduce these effects. While a recent spill widely
covered by the international news media is always best, some earlier
incidents are well documented, such as the Exxon Valdez in Alaska
(1989) and during the Gulf War (1991).

To stress the importance of international cooperation in preventing the

disaster from happening in the first place, and in providing equipment
and know-how to poor countries after the disaster has occurred. To
identify some of the methods used for prevention, such as tankers with

Environmental Management 0680/02

May/June 2004 Questions 1(e)(ii)-(iii) Past
Paper
Oct/Nov. 2006 Question 1(g) Past Paper
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature61
08414.stm

Environmental Management pages 106108

Longman Geography for GCSE pages
236-7
Exxon Valdez oil spill
http://evostc.state.ak.us/History/
Natural Economy 0670/02 May/June 2001
Question 1(c) Past Paper
Environmental Management 0690/02
Oct/Nov. 2006 Questions 1(a)(b) Past
Paper

Environmental Management pages 109110

AO

Learning outcomes

Suggested Teaching activities

a double hull, and for remedial action, such as booms, detergent sprays
and skimmers. To look for local, national or regional opportunities for a
more detailed study of marine pollution coming from the land, such as
from a heavy industrial works next to the sea or from a river entering the
sea after passing through large urban / industrial areas.

Learning resources