Land cover transformation and climate change Flashcards
Define land cover
used to identify different materials that cover the surface of earth (forest, grassland etc)
define land use
used to explain how people use an area for economic, social or cultural purposes
Briefly describe nitrogen cycle
absorption of nitrate into plants and animals. Nitrogen is converted into various forms as it passes and circulates through the atmosphere and lithosphere
Briefly describe the carbon cycle
processes of carbon dioxide and its movement throughout the atmosphere as well as the contributed human activity
Briefly describe the water cycle
processes of water as it moves around the atmosphere and lithosphere causing rainfall
define atmosphere
the envelope of gases surrounding the earth or another planet.
define lithosphere
the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle.
define hydrosphere
all the waters on the earth’s surface, such as lakes and seas, and sometimes including water over the earth’s surface, such as clouds.
How do vegetation biomes exist?
As result of climatic environments, created through interactions between global climatic systems
What alters natural land cover
drainage, deforestation, intensification of agriculture, soil degradation and water degradation
What is an anthropogenic biome?
human modification of environments
What are the main climate factors?
latitude, distance to sea, elevation above sea level, proximity to ocean currents
What are factors influencing changes in land use?
erosion, soil quality, water access, energy consumption, pollution, elevation, waste, natural hazards, population, proximity to oceans, income, cultural/historical importance
What are causes of land and water degradation?
water removal and irrigation, dam construction deforestation for grazing ,cultivation, logging, roads and urban development, over grazing and overcultivation, chemical pollution from discharge and collapse of tailings dams, waste disposal from landfill or illegal dumping, including litter
What are effects of land and water degradation on earth’s physical systems?
erosion, excess run-off, pollution, loss of habitat, flooding, increased co2 emissions, increased cyclone activity, increased climatic processes, loss of ground cover, desertification, soil toxicity, loss of wildlife
Give examples of anthropogenic biomes
dense settlements, villages, croplands, rangelands, forests and wildlands
What are causes of climate change?
human activities warm atmosphere, ocean and land, increased greenhouse gases warm earth, increase co2 emissions, burning of fossil fuels and oil, clearing of land for agriculture, industry
What are effects of climate change?
planets average surface temperature risen about 1.18 degrees since late 19th century, melting glaciers and ice sheets, rising sea levels, droughts, floods and extreme temperatures, increase weeds and pests, co2 stimulate plant growth, co2 reduce nutritional value of most food crops, can cause new diseases affecting animals and humans
What are implications of climate change?
crop losses and threaten food security, communities at risk of destruction and increased health risks, sever weather events - natural hazards and disasters
What is carbon sequestration?
stabilizes carbon in solid and dissolved forms so that it doesn’t cause the atmosphere to warm
Briefly explain the two main types of carbon sequestration
biological
- storage of co2 in vegetation, soils and oceans
- colder and nutrient rich parts of ocean are able to absorb more co2
- carbon sequestered in soil by plants through photosynthesis
- wildfires and human activities contribute to dimishment of forests as carbon sink
Geological
- storing co2 in underground geologic formations
What are effects of global warming?
thermal expansion of ocean water raises sea levels, as oceans become warmer, mount of water vapour in air will increase this amplifying global warming, glaciers melt more rapidly, changes in air and ocean temperatures effect circulation patterns of air and water
What are effects of global warming in Australia?
evaporation increase, extreme wetter and drier seasons, more intense and violent storms producing heavier rainfall due to increase water vapour, wildlife numbers at risk
What are indicators of climate change?
- air temperatures over land increasing (as result, frequency and severity of droughts and heat waves are increasing)
- air temperatures over oceans are increasing (more floods, hurricanes and extreme precipitation events, oceans evaporate more water)
- arctic sea ice decreasing (ice cap grow less sunlight, shrinks winter
- glaciers melting
- sea levels rising (marine life threatened salt water intrudes into fresh water)
- humidity increasing
- ocean heat content increasing
- sea surface temperature increasing
- snow decreasing
- earth’s lower atmosphere temperature is increasing
What is albedo?
level of reflection. No ice, oceans absorb sun’s energy and ocean expands. Measured on scale of 0-1, lower number means it is worse off
What effect does soot have on sea ice?
soot from carbon darkens surface and speeds up absorption and warms planet
When graphing a choropleth, which order does the legend go in?
darkest - highest value
lightest - lowest value
