Geography Flashcards
Define Land degradation
The loss of productivity and decline in fertility of land-based environments as a result of human activities
What are the three main types of land degradation
soil degradation, soil erosion and ecosystem decline.
Define Soil degradation
Soil degradation refers to the loss of fertility of the soil, often due to a chemical change. Also caused by large machinery, becoming acidic due to fertilizer and hard hooves animals
What is soil erosion
When soil is gradually worn away by natural phenomena such as rivers, rain, waves, glaciers and the wind. Human activities such as clearing trees accelerates this.
What is ecosystem decline
Ecosystems can become degraded through loss of vegetation, the invasion of alien plant and animal pests or a decline in the quality of streams and rivers. Can lead to desertification when coupled with a decline in soil quality
what are the three main reasons for atmosphere degradation
- Pollution caused by rising levels of Carbon and Sulphur in the air due to emission from factories, transport and households.
- Methane gas is emitted by factories and grazing animals
- Deforestation means there are less trees to absorb Carbon Dioxide levels
What are 3 Health risks of air pollution and what are they caused by
Leads to increased rates of asthma, lung disease and heart disease. Result of breathing air with high concentrations of fine particles from traffic exhaust, factories, power plant emissions and fires
What are the two main types of water degradation
- Damming our rivers which disrupts the flow of water, flooding some areas and stopping water reaching other areas. This disrupts ecosystems.
- Pollutants in our water which can be classified as either physical, chemical or biological
What are physical pollutants
Physical pollutants include particles of soil eroded from the landscape and washed into the waterways
and any litter such as plastic bags and cigarettes etc
What are chemical pollutants
Chemical pollutants include heavy metals, oils, pesticides, industrial chemicals and salt.
What are biological pollutants
Biological pollutants include bacteria, parasites and invasive plants and animals. Biological pollutants come from a range of sources including sewage treatment plants, farms, factories and storm water
What are the four main classifications of ecosystem services
Sources, sinks, services and spirituality
What are sources in terms of ecosystem services
Sources (also called provisioning services) are those natural products that can be used or converted by humans for our use. Eg mineral deposits, timber and food sources.
What are sinks in terms of ecosystem services
Sinks (also called regulating services) are those processes in the natural environment that absorb our waste. Eg micro organisms
What are services in terms of ecosystem services
Services (also called supporting services) are things that are done for us by the natural environment that don’t produce consumable resources. Eg trees converting carbon dioxide into oxygen
What is Spirituality in terms of ecosystem services
Spirituality (also called cultural services) refers to the personal relationships that human beings have with the environment. Eg a deep connection to the land formed over many generations
What is global warming
Greenhouse gases trapping some of the Sun’s energy within the atmosphere causing temperatures to rise.
What are the four main greenhouse gases
- carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels such as coal
- methane from the large scale farming of livestock
- nitrous oxide from the use of fertilisers
- fluorinated gases from refrigerators and solvents.
What are the four environmental responses to climate change (plants and animals)
- They change their basic biology (reproduce less or lay smaller eggs)
- They change the timing of certain events such as flowering (plants may flower earlier or later depending on the conditions. This impacts birds that rely on these plants for food)
- They die out (effecting the whole ecosystem)
- They move (many plants and animals are moving towards the poles and into higher altitudes. This affects plants and animals already living in these places.
What are the two main world views and their two subcategories
Human centered
- Egocentric (self centered “i am the most important creature on Earth”)
- Anthropocentric (Humans are the most important species, in charge of the earth and the natural world)
Earth centered
- Ecocentric (minimise our impact, we are no more important than any other organism)
- Biocentric (other species may be useful to us but they have their same right to exist. We must use earths resources in a sustainable way)
Define wellbeing
wellbeing is the ability of people to access the things they need in order to live happy, healthy and contented lives. Three of the most important variables include health, wealth and education
What is GDP and measure of and what does it stand for
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) provides a measure of the total market value (i.e. the monetary value) of
all the goods and services produced in a country in a given year.
one additional way to measure wellbeing>?>?
hdi?? OECD??
what are the effects of coastal degradation
can result in the loss of plant and animal species or the arrival of an invasive species that permanently affects biodiversity in the area
examples of coastal degradation
sand dunes being washed into the sea, changing the coastline, or blooms of toxic algae damaging the marine environment
what are some of the changes currently impacting on coastal environments ?
walking across sand dunes, construction of shipping ports and sea walls
are coastal environments close to cities more at risk from degradation than those in remote areas?
yes. due to more activity in the water, litter and industry surrounding
what are the main energy and matter inputs in coastal environments ?
energy such as wind and waves, and matter such as water and sand are studied as they arrive at and leave each compartment - arriving energy and matter are referred to as inputs and leaving energy and matter are outputs.
examples of inputs and outputs
inputs - sand is deposited, constructive waves, longshore drift transports sand onto beach from another part of the coast
outputs - waves eroding dunes doing storms, destructive waves, sand being lost and wind eroding sand
what is coastal squeeze? what causes this problem?
when sea levels rise, important coastal ecosystems (mangoes and salt marshes) retreat inland, they get stuck in narrowing strips of land due to coastal structures
they are caused by coastal structures such as sea walls cause this problem, stopping them from going anywhere
why is coastal erosion expected to increase as sea levels continue to rise?
as the highly effective natural barriers in preventing erosion are being killed off, due to coastal squeezes, erosion will increase.
why are sea levels around the world rising?
due to climate change. as the climate warms, land ice melts.
how do the rising sea levels impact on nesting birds and turtles ?
low-lying islands are expected to disappear beneath the rising seas, changing the distribution of nesting birds and turtles
what is land reclamation and why is it used ?
when a city or place tries to expand, however the land is too scarce, new land has been built in bays and estuaries from rocks, rubbish and silt from the sea bed. (land reclamation)
used so they can expand the land and city
describe the changes to coastal ecosystems as a result of coastal city growth
- engineering structures such as sea walls, groynes, breakwaters and marinas have hardened the coast and changed natural cycles of erosion
- change of natural flow of water
- sewage dumped in the water
- overfishing due to many people
- ports can be an entry point for invasive species
- litter
what is hard engineering
the building of structures such as sea walls, groynes, artificial reefs, rock armours and breakwaters to protect the coastline from erosive effects of waves or to trap sand
what is soft engineering
they utilise the natural processes of the coast, such as beach nourishment and managed retreat
describe the process that is occurring at Abbotts Hall Farm
managed retreat at Abbotts Hall Farm in Essex, England, has allowed salt marshes to be re-established
what is an effective way to manage and protect natural environments
giving them legal protection - helps ensure that harmful activities are banned or limited
tourism
worlds largest industry, generates more than $US8 trillion a year and employs about 220 million people worldwide
what are the negative environmental impacts of tourism
greater number of people bring increased pollution and landfill
decrease in biodiversity as a result of building hotels and infrastructure
an increased demand for fresh water and food, energy and sanitation can be very demanding and consuming of natural resources
how does the ICZM work
Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) helps control flow of water and tide management.
the Oosterscheldekering in the Netherlands is a dam that can help control the levels of the water. it acts as a storm surge
what is ecotourism
defined as ‘responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the wellbeing of local people.’
how can ecotourism be achieved
- minimising environmental impacts
- building of environmental and cultural awareness and respect
- provide positive experiences for visitors and hosts
- provide direct financial support for conservation
- provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people
What does NGO stand for
Non-government organisation
What are NGO’s
non-profit organisations, all their money goes to support their work, and they all depend on donations
What are two examples of NGO’s and what do they do
Doctors Without Borders - an organisation that
responds to emergency situations with medical
assistance
Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) –
an organisation that works to reduce the causes of inequalities in wellbeing around the world.
How is Aid delivered to other countries?
- Money is given to aid organisations
- Emergency aid, often provided in the form of
food supplies, fresh water and medical teams. - Assist in the delivery of important services such as policing and hospitals.
What are the four key areas for the UN
peace and security, development, human rights and humanitarian aid.
What does IFAD stand for and what do they do
The International Fund for Agricultural Development. And they empower poor rural women and men in developing countries to achieve higher incomes and improved food security’
Which 3 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals relate specifically to reducing inequalities in human wellbeing?
- End poverty in all its forms, everywhere
- Ensure access to water and sanitation for all
- Ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing
for all at all ages.
define the term gender equality
not having equal rights and opportunities between different genders
how does population affect wellbeing
overpopulation - more pollution
- less food
- too much strain on resources
- less access to education
- less access to health services
how does gender inequalities affect wellbeing
woman can be left at home
- can be denied legal, social and economic rights such as education, secure livelihoods, property ownership and credit
how does technology affect wellbeing
less technology can result in lower efficiencies, more work and harder labour.
if I country lacks access to technology, food may be harder to get, water may be less clean therefore affecting wellbeing
how do politics affect wellbeing
bad leadership and less accountability to the people can cause lower levels of wellbeing
for example, due to wars, often caused by the people in powers, or trade wars, can result in violence or less supplies for the people
if governments go against their purpose, to protect the rights of individuals, encourage economic freedom and promoted happiness
how does conflict affect wellbeing
conflict can result in damaged homes, unsafe and unhappy communities, meaning wellbeing is affected too. Conflict can ruin people’s lives and everything around them, meaning wellbeing can be abolished
what are the necessities of human life provided by the natural environment
fresh air, fresh water and food
which natural resources are important in providing food and water security
regular rainfall, temperature, soil fertility and river flows
how does the uneven distribution of resources help to explain variations in human wellbeing ?
because it can cause hardship for the people in the less lucky areas, as people may not have access to fundamental clean and sustainable water and food, wellbeing is affected directly
why are human populations clustered in certain areas rather than evenly distributed across the world
because of climate -
areas with mild temps and reliable rainfall are more densely populated
how does climate affect wellbeing
more reliable rainfall and mild temperatures can result in more food and better conditions for all (hence being the densely populated areas)
areas that are too hot, too cold or too dry have tended to be sparsely populated
list the ways in which rising temperatures threaten people’s health
- more frequent heatwaves, resulting in more cases of associated heat stress
- heat can also result in bushfires, droughts, cyclones and floods
- heat can also result in the spread of serious diseases, such as malaria and dengue fever - this is due to rising temperatures creating suitable living environments for disease - carrying mosquitos in places that were perviously too cold
name two climatic factors that threaten food security
rising temps, so regions may become too hot to produce food
change in water supply
rising sea levels flooding flooding low lying land (resulting in salt water intruding further inland)
why should we be worried about the melting of the glaciers ?
glaciers in the Himalayas and the Andes provide water to over a billion people in cities and on farms, as they disappear, the water supply for these people will become less reliable, reducing the ability of farmers to use this supply to irrigate their crops
what do individuals and communities use oil for?
transport, manufacturing, heating and cooking
how can natural resources influence a country’s wellbeing?
as they are often found in a select amount of places, the countries that do have the ability to mine and refine them can generate huge wealth and therefore improve their wellbeing. Such as the Middle East, who have rich oil supplies, therefore their wellbeing is very high
how does Singapore’s location help to explain the high levels of wellbeing there?
due to its location on the tip of the Malay Peninsula, ships moving between the world’s major exporters and importers have used the Port of Singapore for hundreds of years. it is a gateway to Asia. This central location has resulted in Singapore being able to thrive with Global industries
How does location affect wellbeing?
being able to trade greatly can affect a country’s wellbeing.
being able to consistently trade with other country’s.. trading goods and services.. having accessible ports
how can countries with little in the way of natural resources work to improve their wellbeing?
by engaging in the flow of goods and services, that is, being more part of the globalised world
exporting goods and services
what is the UN project of MDGs
Millennium Development Goals
what were the aims behind the creation of the Sustainable Development Goals?
end property, protect the planet from unsustainable development, ensure all people on Earth enjoy a high level of wellbeing
what do countries like Australia use these goals for
used as a framework for allocating funds to their overseas aid programs
what is family planning?
reducing the number of times a woman goes through childbirth
in what ways does family planning help to improve human wellbeing?
smaller families mean better health and education for each child
higher rates of condom use reduce the likelihood of individuals contracting HIV/AIDS
average income increases
less death of babies
cost of social services is reduced
what are some of the links between education and wellbeing
less infant mortality
education allows individuals to break the cycle of poverty and live healthier, longer lives
explain why education girls can help to improve wellbeing for everyone in a community
educated woman often want smaller families and make better use of reproductive health and family planning educated woman contribute more to the economy and help increase economic growth
PQE
Pattern Quantify Exception
What are the MDG’s. Name 3
millennium development goals,
to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger;
to reduce child mortality;
to improve maternal health;
difference between hard and soft engineering
hard is building man made structures, such as sea walls and groynes
soft is using natural processes like beach nourishment or managed retreat
what is demography (demographic)
Demography is the statistical study of populations, especially human beings. Demography encompasses the study of the size, structure, and distribution of these populations, and spatial or temporal changes in them in response to birth, migration, aging, and death.
effects of coast degradation
sand dunes being washed into the sea, as a result it changes the coastline
blooms of toxic algae are released and damage the environment
