Earth's Environment and Climate Systems

Question 1

What happens in the Gudjewg season (Jan, Feb)?

Answer 1

Massive rainfall
Great heat and humidity
Plant and animal life is very active

Question 2

What happens in the Banggereng season (Mar)?

Answer 2

Rain is slowing
Strong wind storms can flatten out long grass
Plants are in fruit
Many young have animals to care for

Question 3

What happens in the Yegge season (Apr, May)

Answer 3

Calm winds and morning mists
Waterlilies cover billabongs across Kakadu
Indigenous Australians burn the bush to encourage new growth and reduce the danger of fire later in the year

Question 4

What happens in the Wurrgeng season (Jun, Jul)?

Answer 4

Cold time in Kakadu (30°C)
Land is drying out very quickly
Birds and animals move closer to billabongs as water disappears

Question 5

What happens in the Gurrung season (Aug, Sep)?

Answer 5

Windless and hot
Snakes and turtles are hunted
Clouds begin to form-preparation for coming wet season

Question 6

What happens in the Gunumaleng season (Oct, Nov, Dec)?

Answer 6

Period before heavy rains
Clouds form
Afternoon rain begin to clean billabongs and streams
People move to higher ground for shelter

Question 7

Define soil.

Answer 7

Part of the regolith

Mixture of weathered rock, organic matter, air and water

Question 8

How does soil differ from the rest of the regolith?

Answer 8

High content of organic matter
Roots of plants
Soil organisms (eg: worms)
Weathering is more intense
Has horizons (horizontal layers)

Question 9

What do soils consist of?

Answer 9

Mineral matter
Organic matter
Soil water
Soil air

Question 10

Describe the mineral matter found in soils.

Answer 10

From mechanical and chemical weathering

Particles vary from pebbles to colloidal clay particles

Question 11

Describe the organic matter found in soils.

Answer 11

From decaying organic matter (humus when partly decomposed)

Helps retain water, provides microorganisms with food and keeps soil friable

Question 12

Describe the water found in soils.

Answer 12

Found in pore spaces between particles
Is a solution of many chemicals
Hygroscopic water - clings to particles
Gravitational water - moves towards aquifers
Capillary water - moves upwards by capillary action
Major source of water for plants
Enables plants to absorb nutrients

Question 13

Describe the air found in soils.

Answer 13

Found in pore spaces

Supplies oxygen to plant roots and organisms

Question 14

List the types of soil texture from coarse to fine.

Answer 14

Clay, silt, fine sand, coarse sand, fine gravel

Question 15

What are the structures of soils?

Answer 15

Platy (thin, horizontal plates)
Columnar/prismatic (vertical pillars)
Blocky/nuciform (angular blocks)
Granular/crumb (round aggregates)

Question 16

How does humus affect soil colour?

Answer 16

Content and chemical composition

Question 17

Define permeability.

Answer 17

Ability of soils to transmit water

Varies with texture

Question 18

Define porosity.

Answer 18

The pore space between particles

Indicates how much water can be held

Question 19

Identify and explain 2 reasons why land cover changes over time.

Answer 19

Humans modify land to obtain resources especially driven by population growth.
Natural alterations occur from climate change, forest fires and volcanic eruptions.

Question 20

Identify 2 ways in which land cover change has occurred in Australia and the reasons for these changes.

Answer 20

European Occupation of Australia and the application of commercial farming using machines.
Indigenous hunting techniques (firestick farming) -
reduced forest areas and created open woodland and grassland.

Question 21

Explain the impact of fragmentation or the loss of land on natural ecosystems.

Answer 21

Reduces the natural environment to small separate parcels surrounded by crops, rangelands and urban settlements.
Separates breeding populations of animals reducing genetic and species diversity.

Question 22

Identify and discuss two ways in which land cover change has the potential to result in conflict between different land use activities.

Answer 22

Disappearance of the Aral Sea in Russia - reduced available water for irrigation, domestic and industrial users - creates potential conflict between these activities.
Intensive farming on the edge of cities is under pressure from urban development.

Question 23

Outline how governments may influence land cover change.

Answer 23

Promotion of urban development
Allowing clearing to increase cropland
Allowing too much irrigation water to be taken from river systems – Murray-Darling basin
Controlling clearing of bushland to conserve natural environment

Question 24

Outline land cover change in remote forests.

Answer 24

Lower precipitation
Dense tree cover
Virtually no human habitation (max 1 person/km²)
Mostly untouched
Potential for high pastoral use - severe cutting where used for timber resource
Higher biodiversity

Question 25

Outline land cover change in populated forests.

Answer 25

High precipitation
Extensive tree cover
Low non-urban population density (max 10 people/km²)
Closer to human population
Potential for cropping and pastoral uses
High biodiversity

Question 26

Summarise the main effects and of agricultural croplands.

Answer 26

Most extensive land use (covers larger area), varies from intensive to extensive farming types
Intensive (market gardening, orcharding, dairying) has greater change
Closer to settlement
Near total removal of vegetation
Irrigation in high seasonal rainfall areas
Variety of rural landscapes

Question 27

Summarise the main effects of rangelands.

Answer 27

More remote
Use of natural pastures, less clearing
Low population densities (remote settlements)
Less evidence of human activity
Overstocking can damage vegetation cover

Question 28

Outline the land cover changes associated with Australia’s urban growth.

Answer 28

Extensive clearing
Dominant built landscape
Negligible agricultural activity
Less influenced by natural environment
Invasion of surrounding farmland

Question 29

Discuss the significance of urban development as a global driver of land cover change.

Answer 29

Half world’s population lives in urban settlements (occupy 7% of the ice-free land).
Require a large amount of resources - pressure on remaining land.
Urbanisation is increasing (China).
Some cities are so large they are merging (Bosnywash in the USA).

Question 30

Identify and describe three ways in which freshwater ecosystems are altered by human activity.

Answer 30

Damming of rivers for irrigation, domestic and industrial uses - alters the drainage system.
Over use of potable water.
Eutrophication due to nutrients (fertiliser) in the runoff.