Subject Guide

The drainage basin as an open system with inputs (precipitation of varying type and intensity), outputs (evaporation and transpiration), flows (infiltration, throughflow, overland flow and base flow) and stores (including vegetation, soil, aquifers and the cryosphere).

A. What is a system and how can this be applied to drainage basins?

Read and make notes on the slides (left) and your textbook
  1. What is a system?
  2. What are the component parts of a system?
  3. What is the difference between and open system and a closed system? Use annotated diagrams to support your answer.
  4. Now watch the video below (beware of the use of watershed - in the US Watershed is used to mean "drainage basin". How is this different from what it means to a British Geographer?).
  5. Explain in your own words and using diagrams how a drainage basin/watershed can be regarded as an open system.
6. Now open your own copy of the file below and use your textbook and your own research to complete the tasks on the key elements of the drainage basin system.
7. Which of these terms would we identify as being the "cryosphere"?
7. Lastly - make sure you are familiar/comfortable with all of the GCSE terminology and concepts related to drainage basins - you can find it here.
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