Case study - The Big Dry & Congo Basin

Question 1

Name 3 threats to the Congo Basin

Answer 1

1. Deforestation : destroys ecosystems and habitats aswell as releasing greenhouse gases
2. Mining - Includes the use of deforestation and releases lots of Greenhouse gases
3. poaching - destroys ecosystems, habitats and deaths of endangered animals

Question 2

Name 3 threats to the GBR

Answer 2

1. Humans - Create noise pollution which can scare away the inhabitants. Humans also break the coral
2. Climate change - coral is dying due to rising water temps
3. Crown of thorn Starfish - produce and poison to the coral and eat it.
4. Fertiliser & waste run off - can kill Marine animals and the coral aswell as causing utrification which causes the Growth of algae which is what starfish eat

Question 3

what are 3 solutions to the threats of the GBR

Humans -
COT starfish -
Run off -

Answer 3

Humans - reduce the amount of boats going out daily (this will however reduce tourism economy), Cut off endangered coral areas so no humans can access it.

COT starfish - We can get a robot to go and kill the starfish reducing the population

Fertiliser Run off - Farmers can install equipment to stop the run off entering the water however farmers dont want to do this because of the costs

Question 4

3 points as to why the GBR is so important to humans

Answer 4

1. adds 6.4 billion to the Australian economy in tourism each year
2. coral skeletons can be used in many types of medicine such as bone treatment
3. GBR supports 70,000 jobs in diffrent industries like fishing and tourism
4. coral reefs form natural sea barriers to protect the shore from erosion

Question 5

3 points as to why the GBR is important to nature

Answer 5

1. Coral reefs are home to 25% of aqua marine life
2. coral reefs are great carbon stores
3. provide food and shelter to all sorts of marine life