Restless Earth Case Studies Flashcards
What is a case study for how do people use an area of fold mountains?
The Andes in South America
What are the ways the Andes are used?
- Farming
- Mining
- Hydro electric power
- Tourism
How is the land on the Andes used for farming?
- In Bolivia, many subsistence farmers grow a variety of crops on the steep slopes, including potatoes which are a main source of food.
- Terraces are made which create areas of flat land on the slopes. Terracing offers other advantages in trying to farm in this harsh environment. They retain water in an area that receives little and they also limit the down hill movement of soil in areas where soil is thin.
- Cash crops can be produced - soybeans, rice and cotton.
How does mining take place in the Andes mountains?
- Andes is a range that contains many important minerals; nickel, tin, silver and gold.
- The Yanacocha gold mine in Peru, is the worlds largest mine which is a joint venture between a Peruvian mining company and a US-based one that has a 51% share. It is an open pit and the gold bearing rock is loosened by the daily dynamite blasts, then sprayed with cyanide and finally the gold is extracted.
- In the nearby town of Cajamarca mining provides many jobs.
How is hydroelectric power created in the Andes Mountains?
- The steep slopes and narrow valleys that limit farming are an advantage for hydroelectric power. This is because they can be more easily dammed than wider valleys and the relief encourages the rapid fall of water needed to ensure the generations of electricity.
- The Yuncan project dams the Paucartambo and Huachon rivers in north-east Peru, while El Platinal project began construction in 2009.
Why do tourists visit the Andes mountains?
- There are many natural attractions in the Andes such as mountain peaks, volcanoes, glaciers and lakes.
- Some tourist attractions show how people settled into these inhospitable areas.
- The Inca Trail combines both natural attractions and remains of early settlements by the Incas in Machu Picchu.
What is the case study for a volcanic eruption in an LEDC?
Nyiragongo on the 17th of January 2002
Background information and location description of Nyiragongo.
The volcano is located on the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo, next to a tiny country called Rwanda. It is 50 km north of the city of Goma in the DRC.
What was the cause of the Nyiragongo eruption?
Tension being released along a series of faults along the East African Rift valley. The East African Ridge Valley is located 4,000 km from Mozambique in the south, to the Red Sea in the north. The sections of crust have been pushed up, arched and violently broken.
What were the short term effects of the Nyiragongo eruption?
- 80% of infrastructure in the city of Goma was destroyed by the flames.
- The airport was cut in two by one of the flows of lava.
- Parts of the city were turned into waste land from half a mile of lava.
- Lava destroyed main water pipes, homes and set off explosions in fuel stores and power plants.
- 45 people killed
What were the long term effects of the Nyiragongo eruption?
- Half a million people fled from Goma into Rowanda. They spent the night sleeping on the streets of Gisenyi. Here there was no shelter, electricity or clean water. Diseases such as cholera were a real risk.
- People were frightened of going back to Goma.
What were the short term responses to the Niryagongo eruption?
- Aid agencies such as Christian aid and Oxfam provided clean water, food and shelter to those nearby. This persuaded the people who had fled to Rwanda to come back.
- Measles vaccination given to children
What were the long term responses to the Niryagongo eruption?
- Clearing of lava from main streets
- Rebuilding of water and electricity supplies
- Efforts made to reunite families
- People rebuild their homes
- Rebuilding of churches and schools
What is the case study for a volcanic eruption in an MEDC?
The Eyafjallajokul in Iceland
Background and location description of the Eyafjallajokull volcano
In the south of Iceland lies the Eyafjallajokull volcano. It actually means ‘island mountain under a glacier’ as it refers to the ice sheet as well as the volcano. It is the sixth biggest ice sheet in Iceland of approximately 100km2 and rises to 1,666 metres. Iceland is a country located in North West Europe and it is an island separated from the mainland.
What was the cause of the Eyafjallajokull eruption?
Iceland is located on the mid-Atlantic ridge. The North American and Eurasian plates move apart called constructive plates. This causes magma to the surface as an eruption.
What were the short term effects of the Eyafjallajokull eruption?
During the height of the eruption, the ash cloud mainly blew south-eastwards away from the volcano, this means that flights became cancelled.
- The 150m thick ice cap meted which caused major flooding to Iceland and 700 people were evacuated.
- It destroyed the main route 1 road
- 20 farms were destroyed
- It affected the coastal sand plain which limited production of crops.
- Delivery trucks carrying milk from outlying farms were temporarily held up.
- Eruption caused sulphur dioxide to be produced which led to an increase in acid rain, killing trees and vegetation.
What were the long term effects of the Eyafjallajokull eruption?
- Fine ash sited the rivers caused blockages a year on.
- The 4,000 or so people who live there relied on fishing which was normally exported using planes had to be exported by ferrys.
- Livestock had to be kept indoors for long periods of time.
- The ash contained fluoride which contaminated water supplies and was dangerous to animals.
What were the short term responses to the Eyajallajokull?
- Roads were bulldozed to allow flash flood water to reach the sea.
- The European Commissions permitted state aid to those airlines that were badly hit by the shutdowns.
- In September 2010, representatives from the world’s air industries met at Keflavik Airport Iceland to discuss future responses to eruptions.
What were the long term responses of the Eyafjallajokull eruption?
- Icelanders are well aware of their country’s environmental hazards and understand what to do.
- Following any natural event that causes damage, assistance and compensation may be available for any losses e.g to farmers
- The government offers an effective Civil protection Department which liaises with all parties concerned, including geological experts, the police, the emergency services.
What case study is used for a supervolcano?
Yellowstone
Background information for the Yellowstone Supervolcano
- Located in Wyoming, North America
- Yellowstone has a national park
- Magma below Yellostone is shifting - Increasing signs of activity, at Norris the ground has risen 70cm in places
- Caldera is bulging up beneath Lake Yellowstone
- Magma chamber beneath is believed to be 80km long and 40km wide and 8km deep.
- Past eruptions - 2 million and 1.3 million years ago and 630,000 years ago.
What would be the consequences if Yellowstone erupted?
- Catastrophic (global climates would change, crops would fail, many deaths)
- Eruption would be likely; to destroy 10,000km2 of land, kill 87,000 people, 15cm of ash would cover buildings within 1,000km and 1 in 3 people affected would die.
- Ah would affect transport, electricity, water and farming.
- Lahars are a probability
- 5 days later the UK would receive the ash.
What is the case study for an earthquake in an MEDC?
Kobe, Japan.
