Exploitation of natural resources & exploitation of water Flashcards
What are natural resources?
What groups can they be divided into
Natural resources are materials that are created by nature, that benefit humans who have used them for thousands of years.
These resources can be divided into two types: renewable and non-renewable.
What are renewable resources? What does this mean?
What are non-renewable resources? What does this mean?
Renewable resources can be called infinite resources. This means that if used carefully they will never run out or disappear.
Non-renewable resources are known as finite resources. they can only be used once. Each time a non-renewable resource is used, there is less of it to be found.
What is exploitation?
When does overexploitation happen? What can this lead to?
Exploitation is making use of and benefiting from resources.
Overexploitation happens when resources are used too quickly or too much. This may result in resources becoming depleted or exhausted.
What must we do to slow down overexploitation? What is Sustainable exploitation?
to slow down overexploitation, the world’s natural resources must be exploited in a fair and equal way. Sustainable exploitation is the use of resources in such a way that they will be available and usable in the future.
What is irrigation?
Irrigation is the transport of water from one area with a plentiful supply to another area with low levels of rainfall or cannot access water easily.
Why is irrigation needed in New Zealand?
New Zealand experiences roughly 2,000 mm of rainfall a year. As the population increases, farmland has doubled in size every twelve years. it has led to an increase in the demand for water. The country has experienced bad droughts.
What is used as a source of water for the central plains irrigation scheme? Explain this.
The Rakaia and the Waimakariri. The central plains irrigation scheme uses the water from both rivers to compensate for the lack of rainfall.
What actions have been taken to ensure that the central plains will benefit from this scheme for years to come without damaging either river? (3)
- The irrigation scheme is well run:
Pipes are regularly repaired and upgraded so that leaks are avoided. - Irrigation is planned and timed:
Weather conditions are checked ahead of time to ensure the correct amount of water is used for irrigation. - Records are kept:
The company must measure and record the amount of water used by each irrigation scheme in the country. They are called irrigators.
