Geog But Better Flashcards
What is desertification?
Desertification is where the quality of land is reduced to a dry, arid biome. It loses most of its water and water sources, making it so crops and wildlife die.
What is the Sahara desert?
The Sahara desert is a desert in Africa that is the 3rd largest desert
Define freeze-thaw weathering
Freeze-thaw weathering is a glacial process witch erodes rocks with ice in cracks, and the pressure widens the crack and eventually some of the rock falls off.
What is abrasion?
Abrasion is when rocks and other materials carried by the sea are picked up by strong waves and thrown against the coastline causing more material to be broken off and carried away by the sea.
Define Antarctica
Antarctica is the worlds least populated continent, 99% percent ice, and is 40% bigger than Europe.
What is a misfit stream?
A misfit stream is a river that is either too large or too small to have eroded the valley or cave passage in which it flows.
What is onion-skin weathering(exfoliation)?
Exfoliation is a process in which large or flat curved sheets of rock fracture are detached from the outcrop due to pressure release
Why is Antarctica special?
It is 99% ice, 40% bigger than Europe, and it holds 70% of the worlds freshwater. It is considered a polar desert, as it gets so little precipitation.
How can desertification be managed
Planting more trees will help as the roots of trees help keep the soil together and help to reduce soil erosion from wind and rain.
What causes desertification?
Any of these answers:
Expansive and intensive use of agricultural lands
Poor irrigation practices
Deforestation
Overgrazing
Define hard engineering
The construction of built structures to protect the coast, by acting as barriers or stopping the natural processes that cause erosion or flooding
Define soft engineering
Working with nature by using natural materials or allowing nature to take back areas. It works with natural processes to limit their impact without building anything.
How does a cave, stump, stack, and arch form
The sea attacks cracks in a cliff at a headland, and further wave action widens the cracks until a small cave develops. The cave is widened and deepened until it cuts through the headland to form an arch. Further erosion causes the arch to collapse, which leaves a pillar of rock standing in the sea as a stack.
The stack eventually collapses, which leaves a stump.
Give three coastal hard engineering examples
Any of these answers:
Groins
Jetties
Seawalls
Revetments
Breakwaters
Give three soft coastal engineering examples
Any of these answers:
Beach nourishment
Dredging
Beach scraping
Sand fencing