Land Cover Change

Question 1

Define Environment

Answer 1

The living and non-living elements of the earth’s atmosphere, including human change

Question 2

Define Anthropogenic Biomes

Answer 2

Biomes that are the result of sustained direct human interaction with ecosystems

Question 3

Ecosystem Dynamics

Answer 3

Sun - producers - herbivores & decomposers - carnivores - decomposers - store of nutrients - producers

Question 4

Ecosystem Structure

Answer 4

Abiotic: climactic factors, inorganic substances, organic substances
Biotic: producers, consumers, decomposers

Question 5

Biodiversity Loss

Answer 5

The loss of species, genetic and ecosystem diversity

Question 6

Climate Change

Answer 6

The long-term change of global, regional, and/or local climate

Question 7

Sustainability

Answer 7

Meeting the needs of current and future generations through simultaneous environmental, social, and economic adaptation and improvement

Question 8

Characteristics of populated forests

Answer 8

located near agricultural lands, urban settlements with a high degree of biodiversity, includes parks etc

Question 9

Land cover change within populated forests

Answer 9

Past and ongoing logging, introduced plants and animals affect/modify natural ecosystems

Question 10

Characteristics of remote forests

Answer 10

far from large populations, still affected by human impacts

eg. forests in Northern Canada, Russia, the core of the Amazon

Question 11

Land cover change within remote forests

Answer 11

Exploited and explored due to high biodiversity and resource potential

Question 12

Australian Forests

Answer 12

Originally covered 55% of continent, reduced to 42%. extensively cleared since colonisation

Question 13

Divisions of agricultural lands

Answer 13

croplands, rangelands

Question 14

Characteristics of croplands

Answer 14

Irrigated and rain-fed farming systems; intensive populated and remote extensive cropping systems

Question 15

Example of intensive populated croplands

Answer 15

SE Asia’s rice farming: village based, intensive, food production for local consumption

Question 16

Example of remote extensive croplands

Answer 16

Extensive cropping in Wheat-Sheep belt - further away from urban centres

Question 17

Ecosystem Services

Answer 17

the benefits people obtain from ecosystems - flood and disease control, food and water, cultural services, nutriet cycling

Question 18

Define biodiversity

Answer 18

the variety of plant and animal life in the world/particular biome

Question 19

Impacts of anthropogenic biomes on ecosystems

Answer 19

Reduced genetic diversity, increased carbon and reactive nitrogen emissions, removal of native foliage

Question 20

Reactive nitrogen

Answer 20

Supports growth in/directly; causes smog, acid rain, biodiversity loss

Question 21

Impact of world population growth on biomes

Answer 21

increased population leads to increased demands on resources - croplands increase, forests decrease, strained resources (water, electricity)

Question 22

Population growth mitigation

Answer 22

Changing diets, producing food for 5 people per hectare - becoming more efficient, fish farming consumption will increase - 62% in 2030

Question 23

Rangeland Modification

Answer 23

refers to the modification (fragmentation, degradation, conversion, improper management) of rangelands, affecting their sustainability

Question 24

Example of rangeland modification

Answer 24

China - degradation begun in the late 60s; increased degradation by 15% each decade
Result of deforestation, over-grazing and cultivation

Question 25

Effects of rangeland modification

Answer 25

lowered plant productivity & biodiversity, increased pest infestation, large scale dust storms

Question 26

Expansion and Intensification of Agriculture

Answer 26

2/3 of Australian land use is for agriculture - area hasn't grown for 10 years despite growing population; become more intensie

Question 27

Methods of Intensification of agriculture

Answer 27

Improvements to technology and agricultural sciences;s using livestock/crops that thrive in conditions, GM crops

Question 28

Effects of Expansion and Intensification of Agriculture

Answer 28

Exploitation and degradation of land, loss of natural habitats and biodiversity, soil degradation and erosion, depletion and pollution of natural resources

Question 29

Definition of urban settlement

Answer 29

A densely populated area comprising of mostly man-made structures containing all of a society's administrative, cultural, residential and religious functions

Question 30

Example of Growing Urban Settlement

Answer 30

Sydney - 4.9 millioin by 2026, spreading 50-120km west of the CBD Most growth occurring in East Asia - 200 million migrated from rural areas to cities (2001-2010)

Question 31

Effects of Urbanisation

Answer 31

Increased demand for energy, infrastructure pressure, direct threat to biodiversity and biomass loss

Question 32

Industry Growth

Answer 32

Classified as any form of industry experiencing higher-than-average growth rate, generally pioneer industries By 2025 - new global consuming class, with majority of consumption occurring in developing nations

Question 33

Example of Industry Growth

Answer 33

China - rapidly industrializing nation

Question 34

Effects of Industry Growth

Answer 34

Air pollution (21% US GHG emissions), water and soil pollution due to poor waste disposal

Question 35

Causes of Land and Soil Degradation

Answer 35

Decline in soil quality caused by improper use (agricultural, pastoral, industrial, urban purposes) Deterioration in quality of land, its topsoil, vegetation, water resources, caused by excessive/inappropriate exploitation Caused by overgrazing (35%), agricultural activities (28%), deforestation (30%),

Question 36

Effects of Land and Soil Degradation

Answer 36

Affects 33% of earth’s surface; consequences for 2.6 billion people over 100 countries Increased pollution, sedimentation in streams and rivers; clogging results in decline in fish etc, lands are less capable to hold onto water – worsen flooding

Question 37

Examples of Land and Soil Degradation

Answer 37

Yield reduction in Africa due to soil erosion ranges from 2-40%; average loss of 8.2%

Question 38

Land Drainage

Answer 38

The flow of the water from the land is made easier so agriculture can benefit from effects of reduced degree of water-logging, reduced present of soluble toxic substances Consists of reshaped/reformed land surfaces – relatively flat lands with low/medium infiltration soil, lands with high-intensity rainfall

Question 39

Effects of Land drainage

Answer 39

Results in soils remaining moist and plastic for prolonged periods – damage from tillage tools Poorly drained land – crops form shallow rooting systems; during dry periods unable to receive enough water

Question 40

Land Reclamation

Answer 40

Gaining land from sea, wetlands, other water bodies | 0.5% total area of Japan is reclaimed

Question 41

Irrigation

Answer 41

The artificial application of water to the land/soil – assists in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, revegetation of disturbed soils 1955-1975; 3% growth of irrigated areas – growth rate of irrigated areas is decreasing

Question 42

Examples of Irrigation

Answer 42

India – major and minor canals from rivers, groundwater well-based systems, tanks etc 3 Gorges dam – Yangtze River, Sandouping – world’s largest power station

Question 43

Effects of Irrigation

Answer 43

bringing dissolved salts to surface 3 Gorges Dam – biodiversity threatened due to flooding, water diversion; fragmentation leads to heavily biodiversity loss Decrease in freshwater flow, increase in saltwater flow – threatens fish population 50% loss of sediment and nutrients downstream – erosion to river systems, wetlands, seacoast ecosystems

Question 44

Implications of anthropogenic biomes to the functioning of ecosystems

Answer 44

ntensification of agricultural systems, specialisation, globalisation have reduced genetic diversity of plants and animals Changes in land use - forestry, pasture, irrigated, built-up and ornamental Increased carbon emissions and reactive carbon Reactive carbon - support growth both indirectly and directly; causes smog, acid rain, biodiversity loss Native foliage is removed for agricultural, urban development - decrease is natural, barren lands, increase in urbanised land Urbanisation = increased GHG emissions, waste removal, population density Low population density = higher biodiversity, natural plants, bacteria, animals, low carbon emissions; carbon is removed via photosynthesis High population density = lower biodiversity, introduced species, carbon emissions increase from fossil fuels, transport, deforestation, reactive nitrogen levels rise due to fertilizers and as a by-product of fossil fuels

Question 45

Factors affecting world population growth

Answer 45

Population growth increased lots after 1950 - industrial revolution Higher growth in developing countries as children are required to work, educated women know about/have access to contraception Increased population growth in urban areas in comparison to rural areas: jobs, urbanisation

Question 46

Factors affecting Growing Affluence

Answer 46

Increased population growth in urban areas in comparison to rural areas: jobs, urbanisation Less people available to farm - producing foods; farms are becoming larger, less families involved Drastically change diets, shifting production areas for familiar crops,

Question 47

Effects of world population growth, growing affluence, technological advancement and impact on the nature, rate and extent of land cover change

Answer 47

Urban sprawl; providing infrastructure (roads, hospitals, schools), bushland is removed - houses are built As the population increases, cropland increases - forests decline Temperature increases of >4C will endanger the ability of farm and ecosystems to adapt Water cycles will be very different and less predictable - Changes in the intensity frequency and seasonality of precipitation, sea level rises and mental glaciers, changing in groundwater and river flows As population grows, more food will have to be produced per hectare - 5 people per hectare Global seafood consumption - 49% farm raised fish (current) vs 62% farm raised fish (2030)