year 11 module 1 : kooragang wetlands

Question 1

what is ash island?

Answer 1

an estuarine wetland

Question 2

where is ash island located (4)

Answer 2

32° 52’ S, 151° 47’ E
Hunter region
160 km north of Sydney
15 km north west of Newcastle CBD

Question 3

how is a wetland defined

Answer 3

any area completely, temporarily or periodically covered by fresh or salt water of a depth up to 6 m.

Question 4

what influence lead to ash island become a estuarine wetland

Answer 4

ash island is influenced by ocean tides as a salt water source and the hunter river with it’s fresh water this leads to the creation on the estuarine wetlands

Question 5

what is spatial dimensions

Answer 5

where and why an environment is there

Question 6

what does ecological dimension mean

Answer 6

the relationship between humans and the natural environment

Question 7

what where the different eras of ecological dimensions on ash island (6)

Answer 7

pre-European era
getting timber era
Scott Era 
Farming Era
Industrial Era
Environmental Era

Question 8

what happened during the pre European era

Answer 8

the Awabakal and Worimi people conserved and co existed with the environment, and therefore had minimal impact ,as they took a precautionary approach by only hunting and gathering

Question 9

what happened in the getting timber era

Answer 9

in 1797 20 years after European colonisation. the land had been completely exploited for the value timbers of the red ceder and ash trees. leading to extinction of many species and of flora and fauna in the area.

Question 10

what happened during the Scott era(2)

Answer 10

the Scott family lived on ash island during this time and where naturalists and conservationists, who established gardens and protected the ecosystem’s vegetation.

The daughter Helena was an artist and recorded 240 species of plant which has guided in today’s rehabilitation.

Question 11

what happened during the farming era(2)

Answer 11

In 1955, 17 dairy farms were created through the clearing of land which further degraded and reduced biodiversity.

water pollution became extreme due to chemical runoff from fertiliser and cows grazed on the salt marsh causing them to become endangered

Question 12

what happened during the industrial era

Answer 12

kooragang (ash) Island was intended for industry in the late 1900’s, and due to the construction of roads like Tomango road, salt marshes had been placed in emense stress as it stopped water flow allowing higher water levels leading to salt marshes to rise.

Question 13

what is happening during the environmental Era

Answer 13

The kooragang Rehabilitation project in 1993 aimed to rehabilitate and create fisheries, prove the opportunities for research, education and tourism and co-exist with the wetland.

Question 14

what are some things the kooragang rehabilitation project have done.(4)

Answer 14

conserve the ecosystem
riverbank protection
replanting of native plants (180000 trees)
city farm is used to show that agriculture and the
-environment can live in harmony

Question 15

what is the RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands (1971) purpose

Answer 15

aims to halt the worldwide loss of wetlands and to conserve through wise use and management, through

Question 16

which criteria does ash island meet to be classified under the RAMSAR Convention.(3)

Answer 16

criterion 2: the hunter estuary wetlands site supports vulnerable or endangered species.(E.g. estuary stingray)

criterion 4: the area houses 112 species of water birds and 45 species migratory birds that are under the international agreement

criterion 6: the area regularly supports 1% of the flyway population of the eastern curlew and the red-necked avocet.

Question 17

what influence does the atmosphere have on the inter-tidal wetlands (4)

Answer 17

Climate – subtropical, warm, wet summers, mild dry winters.

Winds: summer NE breezes, worst wind from the west and south.

Air pollution – great potential air pollution from industry but because of the position of the industrial area in the SE, allows winds to blow it away.

Heat Islands – water is present in most places (moderating), although there are some very localised temp variations due to aspect and % of canopy cover.

Question 18

what influence does the hydrosphere have on the inter-tidal wetlands (6)

Answer 18

Tidal flushing (twice daily)

Flooding from the flow of water down the Hunter River catchment.

Sedimentation – great build-up in river especially North Arm (80% flow) due to natural curve, river bank erosion and deposition downstream.

Water pollution – potential problem

Algal Blooms – haven’t been a prob because of tidal flushing, but have been further up catchment e.g. Williams River

Waste disposal – dumping of liquid waste and solid waste dissolving in the river (EASY TARGET)

Question 19

what can cause water pollution in inter-tidal wetlands on ash island(4)

Answer 19

Industry in Hexham area
Urban run-off (fertilizers and pesticides)
Accidental oil spills
Flood tide (incoming) dispersal of pollution from downstream industry during time of low flow

Question 20

what influence does the lithosphere have on the inter-tidal wetlands. (3)

Answer 20

Over thousands of years the sediment carried down the river build up in the estuary to form a series of islands

The Ash Island soils are not surprisingly alluvial in nature, but due to the deposits of limestone beds, from seashells, that was extensively mined late last century

Topography – very flat around 2 m above sea level

Question 21

what adaptations do mangroves have to survive in inter-tidal wetlands(7)

Answer 21

pneumatophores
long extended roots
Bottom side of leaf excretes salt
fine hairs
waxy cuticle
floating seeds

Question 22

what causes mangroves in inter-tidal wetlands to adapt(2)

Answer 22

natural stress from
salinity :makes plants dehydrated

tidal movements: make ground anoxic, which means gaseous exchange can not happen

Question 23

what do pneumataphores do

Answer 23

they are scuba like roots that allow gaseous exchange

Question 24

what do long extended roots do

Answer 24

gives the mangrove trees stability in the soft soil

Question 25

what does the bottom side of leaf excreting salt allow

Answer 25

the plant expels salt through salt glands

Question 26

what do fine hairs do

Answer 26

reduce evaporation

Question 27

what does the waxy cuticle covering do

Answer 27

rotate with the sun to minimise evaporation

Question 28

what do the floating seeds allow

Answer 28

they allow for seeds to move with the tide current and plant themselves on the shore.

Question 29

how do the spheres behave in mudflats (3)

Answer 29

covered by water most/all of the time

high fauna

animals seek protection from bigger fish
soil is completely saturated

Question 30

how do the spheres behave in the mangroves (6)

Answer 30

covered twice a day with high tide

higher concentration of salt

good source of protection from predators

trees protect from erosion

provide food for fish

soil completely saturated, pneumataphors are used to breath

Question 31

how do the spheres behave in salt marshes (4)

Answer 31

lower parts is covered for short periods of time and higher parts are only covered 2-3 times a year

ground is drier

few animals

grasses reeds and low shrubs grow here
lower salt content in soil

Question 32

how do the spheres behave in woodlands(3)

Answer 32

never covered by tides

soil is dry and loots of air content salt is low

plants can not handle salt water

Question 33

what is the importance of areas like the inter tidal wetlands (BIPI)

Answer 33

(bipi)
the vast biodiversity

inter generational : provides enough resources for future generations needs

use precautionary tactics to learn how to use it with out destroying it

intragenerational : provides enough resources to meet today needs