Case studies (Physical geography) Flashcards
What are causes of deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest?
- Commercial farming
- Mineral extraction
- Energy development
- Logging
- Road building
- Subsistence farming
- Population growth and new houses
What are impacts of deforestation in the Amazon rainforest?
- Soil erosion
- Climate change
- Loss of biodiversity
- Economic development
Why should rainforests such as the Amazon be protected?
- Store 20% worlds carbon dioxide
- Reduce flooding
- Habitats and biodiversity
- Resources and raw materials for trade
- 25% worlds medicine
- Indigenous tribes
- Biology and conservation
- Tourism
What are some of the sustainable management methods used in the Brazilian Amazon rainforest?
- Selective logging: only cutting down a few trees at a time and replanting them. 40,000 trees were planted.
- Conservation and education: creating nature reserves within the rainforest where habitats can be reserved and scientists can study and conduct research as well as ecotourism.
- International agreements: countries can makes laws to protect rainforests by restricting logging for cancelling the countries dept.
- Ecotourism: sustainable holidays promoting looking after the forests as well as educating people about them.
What are some challenges of the Thar desert?
- Extreme temperatures at 50° make farming difficult. The farmers do not make a lot of money which leads to poverty.
- The water supply is very low at 120-240 mm per year. This limits economic development. Some parts of the desert have experienced over irrigation which has also contributed to this.
- The Thar desert is mostly inaccessible due to extreme environmental conditions and the extremely poor infrastructure. As it is very difficult to travel this limits trade. However in areas like Jaisalmer there is a lot of tourism.
What are some opportunities of the Thar desert?
- Energy: because of the large open space, sunshine and wind it makes solar power and wind turbines perfect. There are 75 wind turbines in the desert. There are also lots of sources of coal and oil.
- Mining: there are lots of rich minerals in the desert such as limestone and marble which can be traded at high prices.
- Farming: there is lots of subsistence farming in small holdings but also commercial farming of wheat, cotton and maise.
- Tourism: Jaisalmer is an ancient city in the thar desert. It is a great tourist attraction and brings lots of economic growth.
What were the primary effects of the Nepal earthquake in 2015?
- 9,000 deaths
- 800,000 homes destroyed
What were the secondary effects of the Nepal earthquake in 2015?
- Food shortages affect 1.5 million people
- 3 million people homeless
What were the immediate responses of the Nepal earthquake in 2015?
- 9 army helicopters sent out to rural areas
- Medical supplies from world health organisations
What were the long term responses of the Nepal earthquake in 2015?
- Re-opened mount everest for tourists
- Planned a meeting to plan repairs to the country
What were the primary effects of the Japan earthquake + tsunami in 2011?
- 16,000 deaths
- Earth’s axis shifts by 10cm
What were the secondary effects of the Japan earthquake + tsunami in 2011?
- 40m high tsunami triggered
- Fukushima power plant melt down and explosion
What were the immediate responses of the Japan earthquake + tsunami in 2011?
- Tsunami warnings
- Asking for international help to 116 countries
What were the long term responses of the Japan earthquake + tsunami in 2011?
- Tsunami built 5m higher
- Repair the power plant and area surrounding
What were the primary effects of Cyclone Pam in Vatanu (2015)?
- 95% crops damaged
- Over 10 dead
What were the secondary effects of Cyclone Pam in Vatanu (2015)?
- Blocked roads
- Hunger and thirst
What were the immediate responses of Cyclone Pam in Vatanu (2015)?
- Mainland Australia gives 19,000 homes free medical support and food
What were the long term responses of Cyclone Pam in Vatanu (2015)?
- Rebuilding housing
- 29,000 free meals for the starving
What were the environmental impacts of Storm Doris in the UK in 2015?
- Huge storm surges on the coast with big waves
- Falling power lines cause a wildfire
What were the social impacts of Storm Doris in the UK in 2015?
- 12 flights cancelled from Ireland affecting people
- Trains cancelled from fallen trees on the track
What were the economic impacts of Storm Doris in the UK in 2015?
- Liverpool port closes because of 100mph wind and waves
- QE2 bridge closed causing delays and loss of money
What were the management strategies of Storm Doris in the UK in 2015?
- The Met office released an amber warning for wind and weather
- Closing many transport routes
Why does the River Tees need flood management?
- High rainfall (2,000 mm per year)
- Steep hills create high levels of surface runoff
- Impermeable surfaces from town increase flooding
- Schools and houses needs to be protected. There are 12 schools and 9,000 homes.
What are some of the schemes used in the River Tees?
- Cow green reservoir : allows a constant flow of water, reduces flooding, supplies water to industries and agriculture, and water can be used for leisure sports like sailing. Buildings in the area need to be relocated, it is expensive and damages the landscape.
- Flood defence in Yarm : uses gabions and hard engineering to protect buildings. It creates jobs in construction. Structures will need to be replaced often. They are expensive to install and can damage habitats.
- Cutting of Meanders : straightens the channel to reduce flooding and erosion. Expensive to construct, needs repeating and can cause further flooding downstream.
- Dredging : dredging increases the capacity of the river to reduce flooding as well as creating jobs and protecting property. However it needs to be repeated very often and can damage aquatic habitats.
- The Tees Barrage : another scheme they creates was a barrier across the river. It improved water quality, created employment, maintained aquatic habitats and encourages leisure activities. However it is very expensive and needs to be maintained.
