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examBoard: Cambridge
examType: IGCSE
lessonTitle: Land Use Surveys and Transects
Land use surveys and transects are essential fieldwork techniques that help geographers understand how land is being used across different areas. These methods allow you to collect first-hand data about human and physical features in your study area, helping you spot patterns and make connections between different geographical processes.
Key Definitions:
Land use surveys involve systematically recording how land is being used across an area. This might include mapping residential areas, shops, parks, industrial zones and other land uses. These surveys help us understand urban patterns, development trends and how humans interact with their environment.
A transect is like taking a slice through an area to study how features change. For example, you might record land use changes along a straight line from a city centre to the rural fringe. Transects help reveal spatial patterns and gradients that might not be obvious when looking at the whole area at once.
Good planning is essential for successful fieldwork. Before heading out to collect data, you need to think carefully about what you're trying to find out and how you'll go about it.
Clearly state what you want to find out. For example: "To investigate how land use changes with distance from the town centre" or "To compare land use in two different neighbourhoods."
Select a suitable study area that will help you meet your aim. Consider accessibility, safety and whether the area will show the patterns you're interested in.
Gather maps, create recording sheets, prepare a land use classification system and make sure you have all necessary equipment like clipboards, pens and a camera.
To conduct a land use survey, you need a clear system for categorising different land uses. Here's a simple classification system you could use:
When creating your classification system:
A transect study involves collecting data along a straight line to show how features change across space. This is particularly useful for studying gradients of change, such as from urban to rural areas.
Follow these steps to conduct an effective transect study:
Students conducted a land use transect from Cambridge city centre to the rural-urban fringe. They recorded data every 250m along a 3km route heading east from the historic centre. Their results showed a clear pattern: commercial uses dominated the centre, giving way to high-density residential areas, then lower-density housing with more green spaces and finally a mix of recreational and agricultural land at the fringe. This pattern supports the concentric zone model of urban land use, showing how land value and accessibility influence development patterns.
How you record and present your land use data is crucial for making sense of your findings. Here are some effective methods:
Create a colour-coded map showing different land uses across your study area. Use a clear key and consistent colours for each category. You can either colour directly onto a base map or use tracing paper overlaid on a map.
Draw a cross-section diagram showing how land use changes along your transect. The horizontal axis represents distance, while different colours or patterns show the land uses observed at each point.
Use bar charts or pie charts to show the proportion of different land uses in your study area. For transects, line graphs can show how specific features (like building height) change with distance.
Once you've collected and presented your data, it's time to analyse what it all means. Look for patterns, anomalies and connections to geographical theories.
Before you go:
In the field:
Every fieldwork method has strengths and limitations. Being able to evaluate your approach is an important skill for iGCSE Geography.
By understanding both the value and limitations of your methods, you can draw more reliable conclusions and suggest improvements for future studies. Remember that combining land use surveys with other techniques, such as questionnaires or environmental quality surveys, can provide a more complete picture of your study area.
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