land cover change Flashcards
what are anthropogenic biomes
are biomes that are the result of sustained direct human interactions with the ecosystem.
they are also referred to as human biomes or anthrones. major anthropogenic biomes include urban, rural or villages, croplands and rangelands
what is a land cover change
refers to the changes that have taken place in natural environments due to a variety of natural and/or human-induced causes
natural causes include natural disasters, such as cyclones, bushfires or tsunamis
human-induced causes include changing land cover for agriculture in urban areas or for industrial purposes such as mining or forestry
what are ecosystem structure and dynamics
an ecosystem is a community of plants and animals in a non-living environment. the ecosystem has a structure made up of biotic and abiotic elements, with a hierarchy of organisms.
the ecosystem is dynamic, that is there are relationships between biotic and abiotic elements, which includes the flow of energy between the elements
what is biodiversity loss
is the extinction of species (plant or animals) worldwide, and also the local reduction of loss of species in certain habitat.
what is climate change
is a long-term change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods of time that range from decades to millions of years.
it may be a change in the average weather conditions or a change in the distribution of weather events with respect to an average. for example, greater or fewer extreme weather events.
what is sustainability
is meeting the needs of current and future generations through simultaneous environmental, social and economic adaptation and improvement
in order for anthropogenic biomes to thrive within their surrounding natural environment, not at the expense of natural biomes, they must be sustainable.
what is a remote sensing
it is the science of obtaining information about objects or areas from a distance, typically from aircraft or satellites
describe how remote sensing can be used to identify and measure land cover change
the location of land cover change can be examined at a range of scales, from local, and regional to global. the type refers to the category of landcover change occurring, processes such as deforestation or the expansion of agriculture are examples of the type of land cover change often studied and examined by geographers.
outline the impacts of world population growth on the type, rate and extent of land cover change
as the population becomes increasingly more affluent, there is an associated demand for more resources, including meat. the diets of people in more affluent countries tend to have higher rates of dairy and meat consumption, which then results in deforestation and the expansion and intensification of agriculture to cater for changing diets. currently, two-thirds of all croplands are used as food sources.
outline the impacts of advances in technology on the type, rate and extent of land cover change
since the industrial revolution, there have been significant technological innovations that have increased the rate of land cover change. one such example is the changes over time in machinery used to cut trees.
from hand saws to chainsaws to large efficient forest machines which have sped up the process of deforestation. it once took hours to cut one tree by hand but the whole forest can be cleared in the same time causing modern technology,.
what are earths four main components
lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and the biosphere
what are human forces which affect our planet
deforestation, agriculture , increasing levels of greenhouse gas emissions and urban land use have continued to create global land cover change
what is anthropogenic
the environmental change caused or influenced by people, either directly or indirectly
what is environment
environment means the living and non-living elements of the earth’s surface and atmosphere. it includes human changes to the earth’s surface.
for example croplands, planted forests, buildings and roads
what is a biome
a biome is a community of life forms adapted to a large natural area.
what is a natural biome?
natural biomes are those which have not had sustained direct human interactions.
what are 5 major types of biomes
aquatic , desert, forest, grassland and tundra
what are the sub-categories of biomes
freshwater, marine aquatic, tropical and temperate rainforests
what are different marine biomes
ocean, coral reefs and estuaries
what is climate influenced by
by latitude and abiotic factors, such as atmospheric processes (i.e heat and moisture), and geographic features (such as landforms)
what are anthropogenic biomes?
are biomes that are the result of sustained direct human interactions with ecosystems.
other names for anthropogenic biomes
human biomes, anthromes
what are major anthropogenic biomes
urban, rural, or villages, croplands and rangelands
what are the four key processes of land cover change?
deforestation
the expansion and intensification of agriculture
the growth of urban settlement
mining
what is an ecosystem
an ecosystem is a community of plants and animals in a non-living environment.
explain the ecosystem structure
the ecosystem has a structure made up of the biotic and abiotic elements, with a hierarchy of organisms, that is, trophic levels, which includes producers, consumers, and detritus (organic matter produced by the decomposition of organisms)
what are the four components an ecosystem is made up of
abiotic (non-living)
producers
consumers
decomposers
what is an abiotic (non living)
elements which consist of climatic features (such as sunlight and humidity), inorganic substances (such as water), and organic substances (such as protein)
what is a producer
as known as autotrophic organisms, convert solar energy into chemical energy which can be stored for later use
what is a consumer
known as heterotrophic organisms, are reliant on other organisms for nutrients and can be categorised into herbivores and carnivores
what is a decomposer?
are heterotrophic organisms that break down dead organic matter and waste matter, for example, fungi are decomposers
can biodiversity loss be caused by both natural and human processes
yes
what is an example of natural events that cause biodiversity loss
such as volcanic eruptions or fires, can change ecosystems and result in permanent biodiversity
what is an example of human-driven events that cause biodiversity loss?
largely been fuelled by the clearing of natural habitats for agriculture or urban uses
what effect does an increase in temperature have
including sea level rise, biodiversity loss and an increase in both the occurrence and strength of natural hazards
what are some strategies aimed at sustainability
protecting biodiversity, and natural waterways, reducing pollution in the atmosphere, improving the standard of living, services and amenities and ensuring economic viability and growth
what is the global forest land cover role
it is responsible for providing oxygen, absorbing carbon dioxide, regulating the earth’s temperature and weather patterns, and it provides habitat for up to 80 per cent of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity
what is deforestation
is the removal or clearing of forests generally for other uses, such as agriculture and urban development
what are the most common reasons for deforestation
are for agriculture, grazing, firewood and to make space for the expansion of urban areas
can deforestation be caused naturally
yes, through changes in the climate, such as spreading desert or desertification, and fires
what are the types of deforestation
include clear-cutting (removal of all the trees in an area if forest) and slash ad burn technique
what is slash and burn
where the forest are cut down and the vegetation is burned to create a field
what has the majority of Borneo forest become
have been converted to industrial oil palm and timber plantations. palm oil is a highly profitable crop used in products such as soap, biofuel and lipstick
what can agriculture be categorised as
as either commercial, where the production is for profit, or subsistence where the aim is to be self sufficient
what does the intensification of agriculture refer to
to an increase in the output from existing agriculture areas
why does the intensification of agriculture occur
with the land available for the expansion of agriculture diminishing and with the expansion of urban areas into prime agriculture land, a clear alternative is to intensify agriculture
why does the intensification of agriculture occur
with the land available for the expansion of agriculture diminishing and with the expansion of urban areas into prime agriculture land, a clear alternative is to intensify agriculture
what are the negatives of the intensification of agriculture
some changes to agricultural methods have resulted in environmental consequences, such as irrigation and an increased use of pesticides affecting water quality and aquatic environments
what does the transformation of urban settlements result in
the clearing of native vegetation, fragmentation of habitats and the building of infrastructure required to support urban areas
what will the continued growth of urban settlements result in
have implications for the world’s natural biomes, and climate, and may risk food security in the future
how does mining affect biodiversity and land cover change
through changes to abiotic and biotic conditions, with significant amounts of land being cleared, as well as the use and release of chemicals, dust and aerosols during the mining process
what will illegal mining of the land result in
stripping of the land can result in damage to river systems, and rehabilitation is not mandated as it is in Australia
what are the effects of land cover change on ecological systems
such as biodiversity loss, changes to the water cycle and soil degradation
how can land cover change be measured with remote sensing
the location
the type
the rate
the extent
explain the location in remote sensing
the location of land cover change can be examined at a range of scales, from local, regional to global.
explain the type in remote sensing
the type refers to the category of land cover change occurring, processes such as deforestation or the expansion of agriculture are examples of the type of land cover change often studied
explain the rate of remote sensing
the rate considers the speed at which changes have taken place
explain the extent in remote sensing
extent refers to the size and area of land cover change occurring (i.e in square kilometres or as a percentage or proportion of land altered)
what does true colour imagery
displays the earth’s colours in a way that allows changes to be easily identified. it displays a combination of three colour bands that are sensitive to red, green and blue visible light
what are the limitations of satellite taking photos of land cover change?
changes at night are not available, and satellites can struggle to differentiate between snow and clouds which can both appear as bright white
what are some other common technology used for remote sensing
infrared photography
laser technology
LIDAR (light detection and ranging)
radiometers
photometers
what are the three main factors which influence the worlds population and its growth rate
humans are living longer- the global life expectancy is 72.6 years old, which is higher than any country in 1950
the majority of population growth is occurring in urban areas in developing countries, such as in urban areas in developing countries, such as south Sudan which has a population growth rate of 5.05 per cent
fertility rates are declining- the global fertility rate is around 2.4 children per woman while many countries have a fertility rate below the replacement rate of 2.1. the replacement rate is the rate required to ensure that the population does not decrease
what are the four processes of land cover change?
deforestation
the expansion and intensification of agriculture
the growth of urban settlements
mining
are all fuelled by population growth, growing affluence and advances in technology
what is there a clear correlation between
therefore between world population and the processes if land cover change
what resources becomes more in demand as the population becomes more rich
meat and diary
what does this demand for meat and dairy cause
it results in deforestation and the expansion and intensification of agriculture to cater for changing diets.
currently, two-thirds of all croplands are used as food sources for animals such as cattle used in meat production
why is this diet of dairy and meat a concern for sustainable land cover
especially given the land requirements for meat such as cattle, as well as the additional costs from water consumption, livestock feed and greenhouse gas emissions
what came from the industrial revolution
significant technological innovations that have increased the rate of land cover change
what is an example of a significant technological innovation?
it once took hours to clear a tree by hand but large swaths of forest are now cleared in the same amount of time by machines
why were genetically modified crops made
they were created to help support farmers in avoiding crop loss, specifically, herbicide tolerance and resistance to viruses that can affect plants
what do areas further inland get
get much of their precipitation from other water sources and plants play a key role in this
how does deforestation affect the water cycle
deforestation can interrupt many aspects of the water cycle outside of transpiration, including effects on infiltration and percolation as the water table rises due to a lack of roots.
this can result in less regulation of floods and river levels without the protection that forests or vegetation cover provide
watershed area will likely increase that runoff and decrease infiltration which in turn, increases soil erosion of cleared areas and sediment deposition in dams and natural waterways
what is a watershed
an area of land where all flowing surface water converges to a single point, such as a river mouth, or flows into another body of water, such as a lake or ocean
what effect does intensification and expansion of agriculture have on the water cycle
firstly, irrigation depletes rivers and water tables, and secondly, nutrient runoff due to the use of fertilisers can cause eutrophication of water systems and algal blooms. this deprives the water and other marine organisms of oxygen and causes them to die.
acid rain because of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides caused, in part by fossil fuel entering the atmosphere and then entering the water cycle, turning to acid rain
what is the impact of forests and grasslands becoming croplands
soil erosion
soil compaction
loss of soil structure
nutrient degradation
soil salinity
what is soil degradation
refers to chemical and physical changes of the land that are enhanced by humans
what are the most common types of degradation
soil erosion, salinity , contamination, and acidity
how does soil erosion work
the removal of ground cover removes roots which help to hold the soil together, meaning topsoil is more susceptible to being washed away from a heavy storm or flood
what is the impact of soil erosion
is that there is less fertile land (the nutrient-rich topsoil is the first to go) and there are increased levels of soil acidity due to the continual application of fertilisers
what is the driving force behind the loss of habitat and biodiversity?
the expansion of agricultural lands, increase in demand for timber and other forest products, overgrazing and changing climates
what are the direct effects of habitat loss
include loss of biodiversity, endangerment and extinction of species, destruction of breeding grounds, erosion, the spread of pests and invasive species, and ecological imbalance
what are biodiversity hotspots
are areas that support natural ecosystems that are largely intact and where native species and communities associated with these ecosystems are well represented.
what are ecosystem services
direct and indirect contributions of ecosystems to human wellbeing
what are the 4 key areas of service
supporting
provisioning
regulating
cultural
what happens to the water if it hits sealed surface
instead of the water being able to infiltrate into the ground, runoff is created which can contain several organic, inorganic and metallic pollutants from the urban surfaces that are then carried into the water bodies or watershed area
what animals help with pollination
bats, butterflies, marsupials
what impacts the aquatic and marine flora and fauna
the quality of the watershed areas and runoff into oceans
when does eutrophication occur
when excess nutrients (e.g fertilisers) enter the water courses and cause an algal bloom. this algal bloom can reduce the oxygen in the water and fish and other marine and aquatic life dies
what is eutrophication
is a natural process that results from an accumulation of nutrients in lakes or other bodies of water
what causes ocean acidification to occur
as a result of the dramatic rise in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere created by the processes of land cover change.
what is the impact of ocean acidification?
the impact of this is that as oceans absorb the carbon dioxide, the ph levels decrease and the water becomes more acidic which, in turn, affects the marine biology
how does this impact marine life
as the acidic water means that many marine organisms, such as corals, clams, mussels, and barnacles will have greater difficulty creating and building their calcium-based shells due to the increase in acidity
what will an increase in acid do to fish?
while fish do not have shells, an increase in acidity can cause a condition known as acidosis. this occurs as the fish cell try to balance the oceans ph level by changing the ph of the fish’s blood
does ocean acidification affect marine-based industries at risk
yes
what is it called when we clear land to accommodate growing urban areas
urban heat islands
what causes the warming of temperatures in an urban heat island
the temperatures in an urban area due to the human-made environment. this is caused by the infrastructure absorbing and reemitting the suns heat, making the urban area one to three degrees celsius higher then rural areas
what effect does reduction in vegetation have
increasing temperatures due to the reduction in shade
stressing vegetation in the area.
what causes vegetation to stress
vegetation releases water vapour into the air, therefore a reduction in vegetation means plants can become stressed and may die if their surroundings are too hot and the moisture is lost in the environment
what is an urban heat island?
An urban heat island is an urban or metropolitan area that is significantly warmer than its surrounding rural areas due to human activities.
what is the temperature like in an urban heat island?
The temperature difference is usually larger at night than during the day and is most apparent when winds are weak.
what are examples of supporting ecosystem services
nutrient cycles
soil formation
biomass production
habitat
what are examples of provisioning ecosystem services
food
fresh water
medicinal resources
fuel
what are examples of cultural ecosystem services
spiritual
recreational
educational
aesthetic
what are examples of regulating ecosystem services
climate regulation
control of disease and pests
air and water purification
pollination
describe the type, rate and extent of world population growth
type: deforestation to create more land for agriculture
extent: two thirds of all croplands are used in meat production
rate: there has been a 300% increase in food production
