Processes of Land Cover change

Question 1

Deforestation

Answer 1

Removal/clearing of forests for other uses (agriculture/urban development)

Question 2

Deforestation … as the world’s population …

Answer 2

Increases

Question 3

Common reasons for deforestation

Answer 3

Agriculture, grazing, firewood & making space to expand urban areas

Question 4

Natural causes of deforestation

Answer 4

Changes in climate e.g. spreading deserts (desertification) and fires.

Question 5

Types of deforestation

Answer 5

Clear-cutting (removal of all trees in the area)
Slash-and-burn (forests cut down & vegetation burned creating field-burned biomass = nutrient rich layer of soil = fertile farming)

Question 6

Slash-and-burn is seen as unsustainable, why?

Answer 6

As the process is repeated over time the land becomes unproductive and the farmers will abandon the field and move to a new area.

Question 7

Expansion & intensification of Agriculture

Answer 7

Expansion - involves increasing amount of land available for agriculture.
Intensification - increase of output from existing agricultural areas.
Involves growing crops and/or raising livestock

Question 8

How can more efficient methods of farming occur that increase the productivity of the resources?

Answer 8

Maximising the output you’d have to adjust factors:
Labour, fertilisers, pesticides, seeds, fodder, water, capital or technology

Question 9

Agricultural intensification has increased pressure on what?

Answer 9

Environment and natural resources

Question 10

Example of changes to agricultural methods

Answer 10

Changes to agricultural methods = environmental consequences
- Irrigation & increased use to pesticides affecting water quality and aquatic environments.

Question 11

Growth of Urban Settlement

Answer 11

Land that is required to support urban areas undergoes a total transformation and has the greatest influence on global environmental change of any anthropogenic land cover.

Question 12

Transformation of land for urban areas

Answer 12

Clearing of native vegetation, fragmentation of habitats & the building of infrastructure required to support urban areas

Question 13

What has happened to urban areas since 1992? What is the prediction for the future?

Answer 13

Doubled in size. Prediction: urban land cover could TRIPLE by 2030 w/ majority of expansion occurring in China and India

Question 14

How much of the world’s terrestrial land is currently used for mining?

Answer 14

1%

Question 15

What is mining for many countries?

Answer 15

Important industry

Question 16

What significant impacts does mining have on the environment?

Answer 16

Impacts on:
Biodiversity, greenshouse gas emissions, water quality & human health

Question 17

What impact does mining have on biodiversity and land cover?

Answer 17

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.

Question 18

What significant impacts does mining have on the environment?

Answer 18

Impacts on:
Biodiversity, greenhouse gas emissions, water quality & human health

Question 18

What impact does mining have on biodiversity and land cover?

Answer 18

Changes to abiotic and biotic conditions, significant amounts of land being cleared and the use and release of chemicals, dusts and aerosols during the mining process

Question 19

How much money did mining generate for Aus in 2020?

Answer 19

$270 billion in export revenue / 64% total export revenue

Question 20

Through the money mining can get Australia, what can it do?

Answer 20

Be a means for financing ways of preventing biodiversity loss through research and rehabilitation in places where the economies benefit from exports over the long term.