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Geography > Option A > Flashcards

Option A Flashcards

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1
Q

Drainage basin

A

The area of land drained by a river and its tributaries.

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2
Q

Freshwater

A

Freshwater includes rivers, lakes, wetlands, groundwater, glaciers and ice caps

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3
Q

Watershed

A

Also known as the drainage divide, this is the imaginary line defining the boundary of a river or stream drainage basin separating it from the adjustment basin.

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4
Q

Discharge

A

The volume of water passing a given point at a set time.

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5
Q

Physical water scarcity

A

Lack of available water where water resource development is approaching or has exceeded unstainable levels

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6
Q

Storm hydrograph

A

A graph showing how a river changes over a short period, such as a day or a couple of days

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7
Q

Flood –

A

A discharge great enough to cause a body of water to overflow its channel and submerge surrounding land.

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8
Q

What type of system is the drain basin

A

An open one

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9
Q

Precipitation

A

An input where water is introduced to the drainage basin system.

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10
Q

Interception

A

precipitation that does not reach the soil but instead is stopped by vegetation

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11
Q

Evapotranspiration

A

water vapor is evaporated from the trunk and leaves of trees and other vegetation, back to the atmosphere.

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12
Q

Infiltration

A

Water soaks or filters into the soil

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13
Q

Percolation

A

Water moving from the soil into spaces (pores) in the rock

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14
Q

Surface runoff / overland flow

A

Water moves across the surface of the earth becoming a stream, tributary or stream.

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15
Q

Through flow

A

Water moves downhill through the soil

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16
Q

Groundwater flow

A

Water moving slowly through the soil and porous rocks to move back towards the sea.

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17
Q

Evaporation

A

When the water (liquid) is turned to water vapor (gas)

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18
Q

Infiltration capacity

A

the maximum rate at which rain can be absorbed by the soil

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19
Q

Through fall

A

Water which falls through the gap of vegetation or falls from leaves and twigs

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20
Q

Stem flow

A

Water that trickles along leaves and sticks and loves slowly down

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21
Q

Field capacity

A

refers to the amount of water help in the soil after the excess drains away

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22
Q

Wilting point

A

The amount of water that causes a plant to wilt

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23
Q

Phreatic zone

A

Permanently saturated zone within solid rocks

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24
Q

Recharge

A

refers to the refilling of water in pores where the water has dried up or been exaggerated by human activity

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25
Aquifers
Layer of underground water bearing permeable rock
26
Drainage density calculation
Length of the streams / Area of drainage basin
27
Endorheic / closed drainage basins
These drain inland or evaporate. There is no outflow to external bodies of water.
28
Exoreic / open drainage basin
These drain into the ocean
29
Hydrological cycle
A conceptual model that describes the storage and movement of water between the biosphere, atmosphere, lithosphere and the hydrosphere
30
Cryosphere
is the frozen part of the earths system (snow and ice environment)
31
Discharge calculation
cross sectional area x mean velocity of water
32
hydraulic radius
The efficiency of the streams shape is measured
33
Distributary
A branch of a river that does not return to the main stream after leaving it (as in a delta)
34
Catchment area
The area within the drainage basin
35
Watershed
The edge of highland surrounding a drainage basin
36
Source
The beginning or start of the river
37
Confluence
The point at which two rivers / streams join
38
Tributary
stream or smaller river which joins a large stream /river
39
Mouth
The point where the river comes to an end (usually at the sea)
40
Solution
Minerals are dissolved in the water and carried along in solution.
41
Suspension
Fine light material is carried along the water
42
Saltation
Small pebbles and stones are bounced along the river bed
43
Traction
Large boulders and rocks are rolled along the river bed.
44
Solution / corrosion
When the water dissolves certain types of rocks (e.g. limestone)
45
Attrition
When rocks that the river is carrying knock against each other, they break apart to become smaller /smoother.
46
Abrasion / corrosion
When pebbles grind along the river bank and bed in a sand papering effect
47
Hydraulic action
This is the sheer power of water as it smashes against the river banks. Air becomes trapped in the cracks of the river bank and
48
Carrying capacity
The amount of load the river can carry before depositing it.
49
Entrainment velocity
The velocity needed to pick up the rivers load.
50
Types of weathering
1. Physical weathering 2. Chemical weathering 3. Biological weathering
51
Bradshaw Model 
geographical model which describes how a river's characteristics vary between the upper course and lower course of a river.
52
Hjulström curve
a graph used to determine when a river will erode, transport or deposit sediment.
53
Upper course features
- Rapids - Pot holes - Waterfalls - V shaped valleys
54
Middle course features
- Meanders | - Oxbow lakes
55
Lower course features
- deltas - floodplains - levees
56
Hydrographs:
how a river channel responds to the key processes of the hydrological cycle. It measures the speed at which at which rain falling on a drainage basin reaches the river channel. It is a graph on which river discharge during a storm or run off event is plotted against time.
57
Hard engineering
involves building artificial structures which try to control rivers. They tend to be more expensive.
58
Hard engineering examples
- Dams reservoirs - Flood relief channels - River straightening - Embankments
59
Soft engineering
does not involve building artificial structures, but takes a more sustainable and natural approach to managing the potential for river flooding
60
Soft engineering examples
- Flood warnings and preparation - Floodplain zoning - Afforestation - Wash lands
61
Economic scarcity -
Economic water scarcity is caused by a lack of investment in water infrastructure or insufficient human capacity to satisfy the demand of water in areas where the population cannot afford to use an adequate source of water
62
Physical scarcity
Physical water scarcity occurs when and where there is not enough water to meet both human demands and those of ecosystems to function effectively.
63
Drought
a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to a shortage of water.
64
Water quality
Water quality describes the condition of the water, including chemical, physical, and biological characteristics, usually with respect to its suitability for a particular purpose such as drinking or swimming.
65
Water stress
a situation in which the water resources in a region or country are insufficient for its needs
66
Salinization
refers to a buildup of salts in soil, eventually to toxic levels for plants.
67
Eutrophication
excessive richness of nutrients in a lake or other body of water, frequently due to run-off from the land, which causes a dense growth of plant life.
68
Anoxia
oxygen starvation for plants
69
fait accompli
a thing that has already happened or been decided before those affected hear about it, leaving them with no option but to accept it.
70
Aswan Dam
Aswan Dam, a megadam of the River Nile | Was constructed in the 1960s and is the largest in the world based in Egypt
71
Wetland
saturated land, land consisting of marshes or swamps.
72
Reasons wetlands are important:
- Habitat for multiple animal species (play key roles in life cycles) - Pollution filter - Fertile farm land - Recreation and Tourism - Flood control and impacts from storms - Provide food, transport services and recreation - Provide resilience against drought
73
What is happening to Wetlands / what can we do?
Due to increasing population they are being lost / destroyed. Over exploitation is threatening their capacity We must restore and create new wetlands to regain essential services. Also ensure the wise use of remaining ones.
74
The Ramsar Conservation
The Ramsar Convention is an intergovernmental treaty that helps to conserve wetlands by providing a framework for countries. The treaty began in 1971 and was in force by 1975.
75
What did the Ramsar convention do:
What does the Ramsar Convention do? Their mission is to “The conservation and wise use of all wetlands through local and national and international corporations to achieve sustainable development throughout the world” Their three pillars of convection contracting parties commit to: 1) Work towards the wise use of all their Wetlands through planning, management, laws and public education. 2) Pick suitable wetlands to be included in the “Ramsar List” to ensure effective management. 3) Work together internationally on transboundary wetlands How Is it funded? - Every three years the conference of the parties provide a core budget and each involving party must pay a percentage related to its contribution. - Many countries and donors support the Ramsar convention by funding projects around the world. - Since 1998 the convention has benefited from strong partnerships with the Danone Group including the Evian Brand. - Since 2007 the convention has benefited from the partnership with Star Alliance airline network How does the convention work? - The (COP) parties meet every 3 years to promote and guidelines to advance the convention objectives. - The standing committee made up by the contracting parties representing 6 Ramsar regions in the world meet each year to guide the convention between COP meeting that happen every 3 years. - Scientific and technical review panel provide guidance on key issues of the convention - The secretariat in Switzerland manages day to day activates on the convention - Countries establish a National Wetland Committee - Private and public are encouraged to contribute to the mission
76
Community level responses to water management
Water saving - Shorter showers - No baths - Fixing inefficient taps - Don’t leave water running Customer pricing -People pay for the amount of water they use thus they will use less to pay less New technologies - Desalination - Purification and filtration of water - Removal of microbes Water purification The removal of impurities from water so that it can fir for its purpose. Rainfall harvesting Making use of available water before it drains away Zoning Areas that are protected from development in order to safe guard water quality

Geography (10 decks)

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