Keywords

Question 1

Precipitation

Answer 1

Moisture in any form

Question 2

Interception

Answer 2

Temporary storage, as water is captured by plants, buildings and hard surfaces before reaching the soil

Question 3

Vegetation Storage

Answer 3

Any moisture taken up by vegetation and held within plants

Question 4

Surface Storage

Answer 4

Any surface water in lakes, ponds, puddles

Question 5

Soil Moisture

Answer 5

Water held within the soil

Question 6

Groundwater storage

Answer 6

Water held within permeable rocks

Question 7

Channel Storage

Answer 7

Water held in rivers and streams

Question 8

Infiltration

Answer 8

Water entering the topsoil. Most common during slow or steady rainfall

Question 9

Throughflow

Answer 9

Water seeping laterally through soil below the surface, but above the water table

Question 10

Percolation

Answer 10

The downward seepage of water through rocks under gravity

Question 11

Stem Flow

Answer 11

Water flowing down plant stems or drainpipes

Question 12

Base flow

Answer 12

Also known as groundwater flow. Slow moving water that seeps into river channel

Question 13

Channel flow

Answer 13

Volume of water flowing within a river channel

Question 14

Surface runoff

Answer 14

Flow over the surface during an intense storm or when the ground is frozen, impermeable or saturated

Question 15

Evaporation

Answer 15

The conversion of water to vapour

Question 16

Transpiration

Answer 16

Water taken up by plants and transpired into the leaf surface

Question 17

Evapotranspiration

Answer 17

The combined effect of evaporation and transpiration

Question 18

River discharge

Answer 18

The volume of water passing a certain point in the channel over a certain amount of time

Question 19

Hydrological system

Answer 19

Hydrologic System is the entire cycle of water movement. A closed system

Question 20

Drainage basin

Answer 20

It is a sub system within the hydrological system. It is an area drained by a river and it’s tributaries

Question 21

Cryosphere

Answer 21

the frozen water part of the Earth system.

Question 22

Fossil Water

Answer 22

Water that has remained in an aquifer for a long timespan, usually thousands or millions of years. Inaccessible.

Question 23

Watershed

Answer 23

Outline around drainage basin

Question 24

Water Table

Answer 24

level below the surface of the ground where water can be found.

Question 25

Aquifer

Answer 25

Area of rock underneath the surface of the earth which absorbs and holds water.

Question 26

Flux

Answer 26

Movement of water

Question 27

Water Surplus

Answer 27

Precipitation is greater than Evapotranspiration

Question 28

Soil moisture utilisation

Answer 28

Soil moisture starts to be used up by plants

Question 29

Soil moisture deficiency/deficit

Answer 29

Evapotranspiration is greater than precipitation and any previously available moisture has been used.

Question 30

Soil moisture recharge

Answer 30

Recharge occurs when water is replaced after a dried period

Question 31

Field capacity

Answer 31

Maximum amount of water soil can hold

Question 32

Drought

Answer 32

Shortfall or deficiency of water if an extended period of time.

Question 33

What is meteorological drought?

Answer 33

Weather!

Shortfalls in precipitation which increases the duration of dry period.
Lack of rainfall is joined by high temp, high winds, strong sun, and low humidity. This increases evaporation.

Question 34

What is hydrological drought?

Answer 34

Water systems

Reduced stream flow and groundwater levels because of reduced inputs of precipitation and high rates of evaporation.

Question 35

What is agricultural drought

Answer 35

Farming

Accelerated farming practices such as overgrazing.
Rainfall deficiency leads to deficiency in soil moisture and soil availability which effects plant growth. This results in poor crop yields.

Question 36

What is famine drought

Answer 36

Lack of food

Widespread failure of agricultural system, food shortages develop into famine.
Natural variability in the climate can cause a temporary decline in supply and stores are not replenished.