World At Risk - Compulsory CS

Question 1

What process caused drought-like conditions in California over the last 2 years?

Answer 1

La Niña

Question 2

Where do landslides commonly occur in California after a winter storm?

Answer 2

Steep gradients:

• hillsides burnt and erodes by wildfire
• coastal mountain terrain (San Francisco bay, Malibu, Santa Monica)

Question 3

What do Santa Ana winds create?

Answer 3

Increased risk of forest fires in rural areas (e.g Los Angeles, Yosmite National Park)

Question 4

When does advection fog occur?

Answer 4

When cool air from off-shore current drifts inland and meets warm air (esp. in Summer)

Question 5

What areas are particularly at risk of EQs in California?

Answer 5

Areas along the San Andreas Fault, which extends ~810 miles through California.

Question 6

Why is San Andreas (fault) so prone to EQs?

Answer 6

San Andreas is the conservative plate boundary between the N. American plate. Movement = sudden release of tension = EQ!

Question 7

What is the probability that Mojave will have an EQ?

Answer 7

30% probability of a 7.5 magnitude EQ

Question 8

Explain movements of 2 plates underneath California:

Answer 8

• Both N. American and Pacific plate moves in a NW direction ↖️
• BUT N.Am plate is moving faster than Pacific
• So relative movement = SE ↘️

Question 9

Where are coastal areas particularly at risk of tsunamis?

Answer 9

On the edge of the ‘Pacific ring of Fire’

CA has had 14 tsunamis since 1812

Question 10

How much of CA’s population is vulnerable?

Answer 10

19% (in 2013)

Question 11

Quantify the rate of Pop. Growth in CA:

Answer 11

It has tripled in the last half of the 20th Century.

Protected to be 50 million by 2050.

Question 12

Quantify the rate of urbanisation:

Answer 12

50,000 acres of farmland is lost to urbanisation each year.

~95% if California’s Pop live in urban areas.

Question 13

How many people live in CA?

Answer 13

37.3 million

Question 14

How many of CA’s pop. is affected by poverty?

Answer 14

1 in 4

Question 15

Exemplify USA’s rapid rate of deforestation:

Answer 15

USA lost 6% more forests that any other country (2000-2005)

Question 16

How quickly are Arctic temp.s rising?

Answer 16

Twice the rate of the rest of world

Question 17

How will thawed permafrost effect ecology in the Arctic?

Answer 17

40% of permafrost is expected to thaw!!! ⛄️

Causing lakes to thaw, removing habitats for freshwater species (e.g ARCTIC CHAR )

Question 18

How will increased UV radiation effect Arctic’s ecology?

Answer 18

Destroy phytoplankton at base of food chain

Question 19

How have Artic fox numbers been affected and why?

Answer 19

Only 200 individuals left in Scandinavia - key source of food (Lemmings/voles) has declined due to lack of snowy conditions
- more completion for Red Fox which is spreading N.

Question 20

How will global warming benefit agriculture in Artic

Answer 20

Longer growing season

Although poor souls will be a limiting factor.

Question 21

How are Inuits affected by GW?

Answer 21

24 Inuit villages in Alaska are now threatened by flooding

Question 22

Outline a potential social benefit of GW for Greenland:

Answer 22

• Increased access to gas/oil/minerals
• 25% of the worlds remaining resources are in Arctic
• 80% of pop. this will increase economic opportunities

Question 23

How much has Africa warmed up since 1900?

Answer 23

The continent is 0.5C warmer

Question 24

Quantify rate of soil erosion in Ethiopia’s Highlands:

Answer 24

1.5 tonnes erode each year with a potential loss of 1.5 MILLION tonnes of grain!!

Question 25

How will areas affected by malaria change due to climate change?

Answer 25

Area affected by malaria is expected to double so that 5.2 Million people are affected.

Question 26

How will African subsistence farmers be affected?

Answer 26

70% of Africa’s Pop. (85% in Libya) will experience less/unreliable rainfall as temps rise.
Directly impacting food supply

Question 27

What %age of California is in extreme drought?

Answer 27

80%

Question 28

What are the Philippines main hazard? How often does this Hazard occur?

Answer 28

Typhoons - 20/year

Question 29

How many active volcanoes lie in the Philippines?

Answer 29

17!

Question 30

What are Lahars? How many have been affected?

Answer 30

They are mudflows which result from volcanic EQs - 100 killed by Lahars in Pinatubo

Question 31

Describe plate boundary at the Philippines:

Answer 31

• Destructive plate boundary
• Philippine plate; dense oceanic subducted at a rate of 3cm/year beneath Eurasian plate.
• Eurasian plate: lighter continental plate

Question 32

How common are landslides in mountainous areas of Philippines?

Answer 32

V. Common: 3000 people have died due to landslides in past 100 years.

Question 33

What %age of Philippines are at risk from EQs?

Answer 33

100%

Question 34

What is the population density of Manila?

Answer 34

The megacity had a pop. density of 2000/km2

Question 35

Quantify %age of young dependants in Philippines:

Answer 35

45% of pop. under 18 years - rapid population growth

Question 36

How is Phlippines economy affected by droughts?

Answer 36

El Niño (2010) = ~2.5 million tonnes of rice/corn lost = agricultural loss of $US 33 Million!

Question 37

What does rapid urbanisation on Philippines lead to?

Answer 37

Creation of slums:

• 20 Million live in slums
• 1/10 lives in Manila