Global Systems

Question 1

When and why were Beijing residents advised to stay inside?

Answer 1

2013 - Air pollution was 20x higher than WHO recommended maximum level

Question 2

Shanghai water pollution

Answer 2

In 2015, 85% of the water in the rivers were undrinkable

Question 3

How much carbon will the Great Green Wall sequester?

Answer 3

250 million tonnes

Question 4

How many jobs will the Great Green Wall create?

Answer 4

10 million

Question 5

How many hectares does the Great Green Wall plan to plant?

Answer 5

100 million by 2030

Question 6

What region is the Great Green Wall in?

Answer 6

Sahel

Question 7

Evidence for Bergeron-Findeisen process

Answer 7

1 - Cloud seeding with dry ice generates rainfall

2 - In the UK precipitation is often derived from clouds with temperatures below -5 degrees

Question 8

Melting snow VS fresh snow albedo

Answer 8

Melting - 40 to 60% reflected

Fresh - 75 to 95% reflected

Question 9

What caused the 1987 Asian Drought?

Answer 9

El nino and weakness of SW monsoon

Question 10

What is it called when precipitation lands on vegetation?

Answer 10

Interception

Question 11

What is the time exposed to the sun called?

Answer 11

Insolation period

Question 12

What happens as a result of leaf drip?

Answer 12

Rain splash erosion

Question 13

Why can secondary interception be more important?

Answer 13

Raindrops reach maximum velocity after a fall of 9m, within height of canopies.
If a forest contains a high canopy above bare soil, terminal velocity erosion would be the same.

Question 14

What is stemflow?

Answer 14

Flow of interception water down a trunk or stem.

Question 15

What increases speed of stemflow?

Answer 15

Smooth bark and steep branches.

Question 16

Why is throughflow sometimes more erosional than direct impact?

Answer 16

The droplets build up and are heavier

Question 17

What dissipates energy of raindrops on the ground?

Answer 17

Leaf litter

Question 18

What is transpiration?

Answer 18

Loss of water through stomata in leaves

Question 19

Evapotranspiration

Answer 19

Combination of evaporation and transpiration

Question 20

Why is transpiration from trees than crops?

Answer 20

Humid air next to leaves is more rapidly removed by air currents. Maintains steep diffusion gradient between stomata and atmosphere.

Question 21

What is infiltration?

Answer 21

Absorbtion of water into the soil

Question 22

Effect of leaf litter on infiltration

Answer 22

Adds organic matter to soil as it decomposes. Improves structure and permeability. More efficient infiltration.

Question 23

What is throughflow?

Answer 23

Water deflected laterally by soil particles and impermeable components (e.g. rocks)

Question 24

Surface runoff

Answer 24

Water unable to infiltrate. Collects on surface and then flows away over the surface.

Question 25

Splash erosion effects

Answer 25

Soil aggregates broken up, thrown in air. Carried away or can block soil pores. Runoff accelerated.

Question 26

What is a drainage basin?

Answer 26

Area of land where water drains into a body of water.

Question 27

Geology and drainage basins

Answer 27

Permeability determines underground storage Metamorphic e.g. Granite cause runoff Gravels store best if unconsolidated

Question 28

What marks the boundary between 2 drainage basins?

Answer 28

Watershed - found along high ridges

Question 29

Where is throughflow more likely to be found?

Answer 29

Vegetated slopes. Interception prevents runoff and soil pipe networks formed by creatures like earthworms provide routes.

Question 30

What is the permanently saturated zone within rocks and sediments called?

Answer 30

Phreatic zone

Question 31

What is the water table?

Answer 31

The upper limit of the phreatic zone

Question 32

What are aquifers?

Answer 32

Very large underwater resevoirs

Question 33

What is fossil groundwater?

Answer 33

Groundwater no longer being recharged. E.g. Libya using it for agriculture.

Question 34

How fast is london water table rising?

Answer 34

2m a year

Question 35

Worst industrial pollututers

Answer 35

Not big industries (more regulated) Small and medium

Question 36

Israel method of aquifer recharge

Answer 36

Pumping water into pits and wells

Question 37

Why do Israel have to recharge aquifer?

Answer 37

High extraction rates Salt-water intrustion from Mediterranean