Water and carbon cycles 1

The hydrological cycle is an example of a systems approach in Geography. Most systems have the same common characteristics:

• A structure that lies within a boundary.
• Generalisations of reality.
• Function by having inputs, outputs, flows and stores.

Precipitation can come as rain and also be stored in this way until the soil becomes saturated (full up). Some of this water will run over the land and some may infiltrate into other parts of the soil that are less saturated. The water that runs over the land may reach the river channel and be lost from the system. It could also go out of the system by the process of evaporation. The water within the soil may be stored as soil moisture or continue as throughflow. Some may be absorbed in vegetation in vegetation storage and later transpired out of the system.

There are 3 types of system:

• Isolated - these very rarely…