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Physical geography > Water Cycle and Water Insecurity > Flashcards

Water Cycle and Water Insecurity Flashcards

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1
Q

Describe the hydrology in polar regions

A
  • 85% radiation reflected
  • permafrost - impermeable
  • rapid runoff in spring
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2
Q

describe hydrology in tropical rainforests

A
  • dense vegetation consumes most precipitation

- limited infiltration

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3
Q

2 processes that drive the hydrological cycle

A
  • solar energy
    the more heat = more evaporation = more precipitation
  • gravitational potential energy
    keeps water moving inputs, outputs, stores, and flows
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4
Q

what are stores, fluxes, and processes

A

store - water is held
flux - the rate of flow of water
processes - physical factors that drive fluxes

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5
Q

residence time

A

average time water molecules remain in a store

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6
Q

what is a drainage basin

A

subsystem - open system with many inputs and outputs

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7
Q

physical factors affecting drainage basin

A
  • climate - evaporation and precipitation
  • soils - determine infiltration
  • geology - permeable rocks infiltrate
  • relief - slopes increase runoff
  • vegetation - transpiration and interception
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8
Q

human factors affecting drainage basin

A

deforestation
over-abstraction
pollution
global warming

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9
Q

why does groundwater extraction negatively affect a drainage basin?

A
  • water extracted at a faster rate than it is recharged

also reduces storage

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10
Q

dam construction and drainage basins

A

increases surface water and evaporation

reduce downstream flow and discharge

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11
Q

what is a water budget?

A

the annual balance between inputs and outputs

shows when water naturally leaves and enter the system

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12
Q

what does a water budget show?

A
  • more than enough water (positive water balance)

- not enough water (negative water balance)

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13
Q

what is a river regime

A

annual variation in discharge or flow of a river

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14
Q

main factors affecting regime

A
  • drainage basin size / capacity
  • geology and relief
  • land use
  • precipitation and climate
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15
Q

simple regimes

A

seasonally high discharge followed by a low discharge

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16
Q

complex regimes

A

larger rivers that cross several different relief and climatic zones e.g. Mississippi or the Ganges

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17
Q

2 examples of complex regimes and where they cross

A

river Nile - North Africa - Uganda, Ethiopia

Amazon - South America - Brazil, Ecuador

18
Q

what do storm hydrographs show

A

how river discharge varies after precipitation especially during storms.

19
Q

drought

A

an extended period of below-average precipitation

20
Q

meteorological drought

A

long-term precipitation lower than normal

affected by atmospheric conditions

21
Q

agricultural drought

A

not enough soil moisture - caused by precipitation shortages

22
Q

hydrological drought

A

surface water is deficient - occurs after meteorological and agricultural

23
Q

socio-economic

A

water demand outstrips water availability

24
Q

causes of Brazil drought 2014-2015

A
  • over-abstraction of water supplies

- series of high-pressure systems diverted rain-bearing winds away from brazil - dry air

25
Q

impacts of Brazil drought

A
  • water rationing for 4 million people
  • the halting of HEP - power cuts
  • depletion of reservoirs
  • reduced crops led to increased prices
26
Q

drought in the Sahel

A
  • provided opportunity for re-greening the desert
    restoration technique - planting vegetation
    low costs reforesting
    water harvesting techniques
    naturally regenerating water shrubs and trees
27
Q

California and climate change

A
  • severe mega-droughts wildfires due to droughts
  • 90% chance of decade long drought
  • increased evaporation and fall in precipitation
28
Q

impacts on California

A
  • surface runoff and moisture levels decreased
  • forested areas reverted back to scrub and grassland
  • reservoir levels have fallen significantly
29
Q

ecosystem stress

A

constraints on the development or survival of ecosystems

30
Q

why is the amazon rainforest so important?

A
  • earth’s lungs absorb masses of Co2
  • flying river in the sky
  • carries 17 million tonnes of water back to the Atlantic each day
31
Q

drought effects on rainforests

A
  • younger trees die, reducing canopy cover which reduces humidity and therefore rainfall
  • larger risk of wildfires - sunlight on dying vegetation
32
Q

wetlands

A

areas where the soil is waterlogged with freshwater or salt-water

33
Q

importance of wetland

A
  • rich biodiversity and cultural value
  • responsible for nutrient recycling
  • tourist attraction
34
Q

impacts of droughts on wetlands

A
  • increased tree mortality - reduced habitats

- wildfires - cattle farmers burning old grass

35
Q

meteorological causes of droughts

A

UK - depressions causing low-pressure areas

36
Q

physical causes of flooding

A
  • intense precipitation
  • sudden snowmelt
  • monsoon rainfall
  • vegetation
  • rock type
  • relief
37
Q

monsoon season in southeast Asia

A
  • seasonal change in direction of prevailing winds
  • April and September
  • 70% rainfall in 100 days
38
Q

how do humans exacerbate flood risk

A
  • changing land use
  • mismanagement of rivers
  • poor maintenance of rivers
39
Q

physical causes of storm desmond

A
  • Atlantic low-pressure system (depression)
  • heavy rainfall as a result
  • jet streams - fast-moving air determining speed and direction of depressions
40
Q

human causes of storm desmond

A
  • mismanagement of land - removal of trees for farming
  • hard engineering was not sufficient
  • mismanagement of rivers
41
Q

mitigating flood risk

A
  • afforestation
  • restoring river channels
  • refusal of planning permission near rivers
42
Q

physical water scarcity

A
  • not enough water to meet demands

Physical geography (5 decks)

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