Environmental Management Flashcards
What is BOLTSS?
Acronym for what you need when making a map.
B - Border
O - Orientation
L - Legend
T - Title
S - Scale
S - Source
What is SPICESS?
The overarching themes of geography
S - Space
P - Place
I - Interconnection
C - Change
E - Environment
S - Sustainability
S - Scale
Define the biophysical environment
The movement of nutrients and energy between the spheres
What are the 4 spheres are how do they interact?
- Biosphere - all living things
- Lithosphere - all rocks, soil, etc. that make up the land
- Hydrosphere - all water
- Atmosphere - all gases surrounding Earth
- Things in the biosphere inhale and release gases in the atmosphere. Humans in the biosphere release toxins into the lithosphere which leech into the hydrosphere that is then absorbed by the biosphere.
How does the dumping of e-waste in recycling areas affect the spheres?
- Atmosphere - Toxic gases from burning plastic pollute the air
- Biosphere - Humans and animals inhale chemicals such as BPA, VOCs and POMs from the atmosphere. These can cause cancer, problems in neurodevelopment, and reproductive dysfunctions.
- Lithosphere - toxic chemicals seeping into the soil
- Hydrosphere - toxins leeching into water sources from soil
How can the dumping of e-waste be mitigated at different levels?
- Individual: reduce purchases of electronic goods, buying second hand, donating
- Local: Sharing second-hand electronics, collecting and donating old electronics
- Regional: UNSW micro factory e-waste recycling
- National: Pony Up for Good wipes decommissioned electronics from companies and re-sells them
- International: Basel convention - an organisation that makes laws to stop people from exporting hazardous waste
- Global: All countries need to be a part of the Basel Convention and obey the e-waste laws
What is an example of an e-waste dumping site?
The Agbogbloshie Waste site in Ghana
What are the 4 S’s of Geography?
- Sink - The way in which the environment deals with what people put into it
- Source - The Earth’s natural resources which have originated from the biophysical environment
- Spirituality - The intrinsic recreational, psychological, aesthetic and spiritual value of environments
- Service - Environmental or ecosystem services that support life without requiring human action
Describe the carbon cycle
Plants convert CO2 to oxygen through photosynthesis. Animals release CO2 during respiration. Decomposers convert carbon compounds and waste material back to CO2. The combustion of fossil fuels releases CO2 back into the air. Plants help to maintain the CO2 levels so that the Earth doesn’t heat up too much. Animals and decomposers help to produce enough CO2 to keep the Earth’s temperature at the right level for life.
Describe the nitrogen cycle
Nitrogen-fixing bacteria convert nitrogen into nitrates in soil. Plants can then incorporate this nitrogen to make protein and DNA. When animals ingest plants, they absorb nitrogen and convert proteins into amino acids. When animals excrete urine, the ammonia is converted back into nitrates by nitrifying bacteria. Denitrifying bacteria convert nitrates back into nitrogen in the air.
Describe the water cycle
Water from oceans, rivers, and lakes evaporates, turning into water vapour that rises into the atmosphere. As the water vapour rises, it cools and condenses forming clouds. The clouds eventually release the water in the form of precipitation, snow, or hail. Some of the precipitation falls directly back into bodies of water, while some of it becomes groundwater. The rest of the water flows over the land’s surface as runoff, forming streams and rivers, which eventually return to the oceans. The water cycle redistributes and purifies water.
How does urbanisation affect the spheres?
- Causes loss of biodiversity and destruction of ecosystems and habitats.
- Decreased infiltration of rainwater into the soil can cause flooding, erosion, and pollution of waterways.
- High levels of air pollution due to traffic emissions, industrial activities, and heating and cooling systems.
- Decreased soil quality and loss of farmland.
How does mining affect the spheres?
- Chemicals from mines seep into water sources
- Causes habitat and biodiversity loss.
- Causes soil erosion and changes in topography
- Releases lots of dust, smoke, and chemicals into the atmosphere.
How does hunting/poaching affect the spheres?
- Causes major loss of biodiversity, extinction/endangerment, and ecosystem imbalance
- Can result in the emission of air pollutants through the use of vehicles, firearms, and other equipment
- Hunting of fish, rhinoceros and elephants can damage water sources as these animals play important roles in maintaining clean water
- Can lead to the removal of plant species, causing changes in the composition of soil and sediment.
How does habitat destruction affect the spheres?
- Causes major loss of biodiversity and extinction/endangerment
- Removal of trees and plants which absorb rain can lead to floods and pollution of water
- Removal of plants can also cause decreased soil fertility
- Causes increased CO2 as there are fewer plants to photosynthesise and machinery used to destroy habitats can have harmful emissions.
How does agriculture affect the spheres?
- Causes loss of biodiversity and habitats
- Excessive irrigation can lead to the depletion of groundwater resources and the drying up of rivers and wetlands. Pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals can leech into water sources.
- The cultivation of certain crops can lead to the emission of greenhouse gases
- Overuse of land can lead to soil erosion, loss of soil fertility, and degradation of land.
How does energy production affect the spheres?
- Causes the destruction of habitats and the displacement of wildlife
- The ocean absorbs CO2 and becomes acidic. Spills and leaks can lead to the contamination of water sources
- The combustion of fossil fuels can contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases, contributing to climate change
- Can disrupt soil sediment.
What are examples of greenhouse gasses and where do they come from?
Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour, and nitrogen dioxide. They can come from the combustion of fossil fuels, plant and animal respiration, and decomposition.
What is the greenhouse effect?
The trapping of the sun’s warmth in the lower atmosphere, due to the greater permeability of the atmosphere to UV radiation from the sun than to infrared radiation emitted from the planet’s surface.
What is the natural greenhouse effect?
The natural greenhouse effect converts UV radiation from the sun into infrared heat. More of this infrared heat escapes into space while less is re-emitted due to a thin layer of greenhouse gasses surrounding the atmosphere. This keeps the Earth at a reasonable temperature.
What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?
The enhanced greenhouse effect converts UV radiation from the sun into infrared heat. Less of this infrared heat escapes into space while more is re-emitted due to a thick layer of greenhouse gasses surrounding the atmosphere. This makes the Earth heat up rapidly.
Give an example of physical pollution
The dumping of plastic into the ocean off the Australian coast which makes its way to Lord Howe Island, washing up all over the sand and being carried by animals onto the mainland.
Give an example of biological pollution
Bacteria and fungi growing on food or in your home can cause disease or infection
Give an example of chemical pollution
Oil spills and sewage being released in the ocean which can cause disease, reproductive problems and matted down coats in animals.
What are POP’s?
Persistent Organic Pollutants
Give examples of POP’s and their effects
- DDT (pesticide) - decreases the reproductive rate of birds. Highly toxic to aquatic animals by affecting various systems including the heart and brain.
- PCBs (plastic with electrical wire) - accumulate in the food chain and can cause skin and liver damage.
- Plastics - It doesn’t biodegrade so it stays in the ocean for hundreds of years forming microplastics, making them easier to consume. It kills many animals as they are mistaken for food and releases chemicals into their bloodstream.
What are the different worldviews of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Ilsander people?
- Eco/biocentric viewpoints
- Intrinsic values
- Practice custodianship/guardianship - they provide for the land instead of the land providing for them
- Intergenerational equity - future generations must have the same opportunities and quality of life, if not better
What are environmental management strategies used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people?
- Use firestick burning in a mosaic pattern to prevent bushfires & control animal numbers
- Middens were used as communication between Indigenous groups for sustainable food harvesting. E.g. one group would leave what they had just eaten behind so that the next group would know not to overharvest it.
- Fish traps worked to catch fish that swam upstream in a small rockpool that also worked as refrigeration. Most fish that were caught were released to breed
What is biomagnification?
The buildup of any toxin through trophic levels & food chains
What is bioaccumulation?
the buildup of any toxin within an organism throughout its life
What are extrinsic values?
how you can utilise the land (e.g. a forest can be used for paper, food, farming)
What are intrinsic values?
the value something has for existing (e.g. the value it has to you, how it is important for the world and environment)
What is an anthropocentric viewpoint?
regarding humankind as the central or most important element of existence
What is an egocentric viewpoint?
regarding yourself as the central or most important element of existence
What is an ecocentric viewpoint?
regarding the environment as the central or most important element of existence
What is a biocentric viewpoint?
regarding living things as the central or most important element of existence
How have humans altered the desert biomes of Australia?
through land clearing, mining, and introduced species. These activities have led to the loss of biodiversity, degradation of land, and changes to the hydrological cycle.
How have humans altered the Sahara Desert?
Damming the water supply to create a lake has cut off water further down the river, causing the desert surrounding to become completely devoid of vegetation.
What is one example of an animal being affected by plastic pollution?
The Fleshfooted Shearwater bird in Lord Howe Island is consuming microplastics and plastics. This causes them to absorb large amounts of mercury and chemicals, be weighed down, and prevents them from eating nutritious food.
How does the enhance greenhouse effect affect the ocean?
90% of excess heat is absorbed by the ocean which makes it mroe acidic which leads to animals like prawns and oysters struggling to make their shells
What is Solshare?
A solar power company in Bangladesh that provides a Solbox that allows you to buy and sell energy with your neighbours
Why is Solshare helpful?
Different villages share solar power so if one power line goes out they still have power and it decentralises profits so the money stays in the community
What is the aim of Project Drawdown?
To stop putting more carbon into the atmosphere and also sequester it
What strategies does project Drawdown use?
Reforestation:
* sequesters carbon and restores habitats
Asparagopsis:
* removes carbon from oceans and decreases methane when fed to cows
Regenerative farming:
* reconnects nutrient cycling, restores microorganisms in soil, stops deforestation due to space for farmland, saves money
* sequestering carbon is a good farming method
* plants grow better due to mutualism and symbiotic organisms
Polycultural farming:
* restores nutrients and health in soil and sequesters carbon
Mixing farm animals and crops in the same field:
* cows and other animals are more healthy and so is their meat
* reduces methane
What creates and destroys coastal landscapes?
weathering, erosion, transportation, and deposition
What are 3 types of weathering?
- biological - living e.g. plant roots
- physical - mechanical energy e.g. wave action or freeze-thaw
- chemical - when a new substance is formed via chemical reaction e.g. acid rain
What is weathering?
Weathering is when something is broken but is in situ (same place)
What is erosion?
Erosion is when something is broken and is ex situ (not in the same place)
What are some coastal forms of energy?
- tides
- rips
- storm surges
- tsunamis
- waves
- currents
- winds generate waves and create swell
What are two types of waves?
- Constructive - make beach bigger by dropping off sediment, calm weather
- Destructive - remove sediment from beach, storms
What are the steps of coastal landforms?
- large crack opened up by hydraulic action
- crack grows into a cave by hydraulic action & abrasion
- cave becomes larger
- cave breaks through headland forming a natural arch
- arch is ended & collapses
- leaves a tall rock stack
- the stack is eroded forming a stump
What is the name of label 1?
headland
What is the name of label 2?
Bay
What is the name of label 3?
compartment
What is the equation for the sediment budget of each compartment?
input-output
If the sediment input > output…
The beach ‘grows’
If the sediment input < output…
The beach ‘shrinks’
If the sediment input = 0…
The beach is stable
What does aeolian mean?
wind
What does fluvial mean?
river
What are some hard engineering solutions to alterations in beach sediment?
- sea walls
- honeycomb sea walls
- riprap/rock armour
What are some soft engineering solutions to alterations in beach sediment?
- beach nourishment
- dredging
What is a ‘hard’ solution?
permanent, fights natural processes
What is a ‘soft’ solution?
temporary, mimics natural processes
