Resource management

Question 1

What are natural resources?

Answer 1

Features of the natural environment (air, water, land) that are useful to people.

Question 2

What is the biosphere?

Answer 2

Composed of all living organisms.

Question 3

What is the hydrosphere?

Answer 3

All of the water on or near the earth.

Question 4

What is the lithosphere?

Answer 4

The solid, rocky crust covering the entire planet.

Question 5

What is the atmosphere?

Answer 5

The body of gases surrounding our planet.

Question 6

What are abiotic resources?

Answer 6

Non-living resources.

Obtained from the lithosphere, atmosphere and biosphere.

Question 7

What are biotic resources?

Answer 7

Living things.

Obtained from the biosphere and capable of reproduction.

Question 8

What are non-renewable resources?

Answer 8

Resources that cannot be remade.

Question 9

What are renewable resources?

Answer 9

Resources that can be naturally replenished in a much shorter timescale.

Question 10

Why is deforestation taking place in Cameroon?

Answer 10

High demand for vegetable oil for food and cosmetics, and for timber.

Question 11

What are the impacts of deforestation in Cameroon?

Answer 11

Less interception, more flooding, soil erosion, nutrients leached from soil, food insecurity and impact on biodiversity.

Question 12

Name some specific facts about deforestation in Cameroon.

Answer 12

70,000 hectares cleared for palm oil plantations.

8000 species of plants and 250 animals at risk (Chimpanzees, gorillas, leopards).

1% cleared per year.

Question 13

Why is oil extraction taking place in Ecuador?

Answer 13

Increasing demand for oil for energy and products.

Question 14

What are the impacts of oil extraction in Ecuador?

Answer 14

Oil leaks, toxic sludge left behind, toxic water dumped into rivers.

Local tribes lose access to clear water for drinking, cooking, fishing.

Leads to miscarriages and birth defects.

Question 15

Why is overfishing happening in the North Sea?

Answer 15

High demand for food.

Question 16

What are impacts of overfishing in the North Sea?

Answer 16

Critical fish population levels - more caught than replaced in last 100 years.

Loss of biodiversity and jobs.

Question 17

Name some specific facts about overfishing in the North Sea.

Answer 17

300,000 tonnes of cod caught in 70’s to 20,000 in 2006.

Question 18

Describe how the distribution of resource use/consumption varies in the UK.

Answer 18

. Iron and coal helped fuel the industrial revolution
. Only 12% of the UK is woodland, 75% of the UK is farmland

In the south-east, population density is high but rainfall is low.

The combination of high population density and low levels of precipitation creates high water-stress and supply is not able to meet demand.

Question 19

Describe global water consumption patterns.

Answer 19

. Lower water stress nearer the equator (Brazil)

. Rapidly industrialising countries are under high stress (India and China)

. Northern African countries are under very high stress (Libya).

Question 20

Describe reasons for the patterns of global water consumption.

Answer 20

. High rainfall at equator

. Lower rainfall at approximately 30 degrees N and S of equator.

. Arid environments with high evapotranspiration means less water in water stores.

Question 21

Describes issues due to global water consumption.

Answer 21

Water insecurity leads to diseases and knock on effects on employment levels.

Question 22

Describe global food consumption patterns.

Answer 22

. Richest countries consume more calories (America)

. Poorer countries consume less (Ghana)

. Some African countries consume less than 2000 calories per day.

Question 23

Describe reasons for the patterns of global food consumption.

Answer 23

Some locations in sub-Saharan Africa cannot grow food due to low rainfall and have high populations.

Question 24

Describe issues due to global food consumption.

Answer 24

. Undernutrition and malnutrition in countries.

. HIC’s - diseases linked to obesity - Heart disease and diabetes.

Question 25

Describe global energy consumption patterns.

Answer 25

. Richest countries consume more energy (Canada and America) . Poorer countries consume less energy (Chad) . Saudi Arabia has high energy use.

Question 26

Describe reasons for the patterns of global energy consumption.

Answer 26

. Some locations have access to fuel reserve (Saudi Arabia) . Some countries have access to renewables (solar/wind), corrupt governments impact distribution .Economic development means high tech and energy use.

Question 27

Describe issues due to global energy consumption.

Answer 27

Inability to access resources means lack of development.

Question 28

Describe why water is such a valuable resource.

Answer 28

1. Most of it is seawater 2. 60% of freshwater is snow or ice 3. 30% is deep underground 4. Varying residence times Only 1% of freshwater is easily available for humans to use.

Question 29

Why is global supply of water unevenly distributed?

Answer 29

Due to the amount of rainfall places receive and the amount that is lost through evaporation and transpiration.

Question 30

What is water stress?

Answer 30

When there is not enough water to meet people's needs.

Question 31

How many people do not have access to clean drinking water around the world?

Answer 31

1.2 billion

Question 32

How do country's end up in a water defecit?

Answer 32

Places in North Africa receive little rainfall and have high rates of evaporation and transpiration

Question 33

How has the supply and demand for water has changed in the past 50 years due to population growth?

Answer 33

Demand is higher than supply, populations growing at fast rate but demand for water double the speed.

Question 34

How has the supply and demand for water has changed in the past 50 years due to climate change?

Answer 34

In some regions climate change is creating drier and hotter regions, leading to removal of water from the local environment and increasing water stress. Some areas also have increased flood risk and rising sea levels which pollutes available water sources.

Question 35

How has the supply and demand for water has changed in the past 50 years due to development?

Answer 35

Economic development leads to higher water usage - as you become richer access to water increases and can lead to wastage.

Question 36

Explain how supply and demand not being balanced leads to water supply issues in the UK.

Answer 36

The areas where rainfall is highest have the lowest numbers of people, and where demand is highest there is less rainfall.

Question 37

How does a seasonal imbalance lead to water-supply issues in the UK?

Answer 37

It rains more in winter than summer, so the imbalance can be made worse if areas of high demand also experience drought.

Question 38

Explain how ageing infrastructure can lead to water-supply problems in the UK.

Answer 38

The UK developed piped water supplies and a piped sewage system, but the systems are now old and leak, losing water.

Question 39

How does unsafe water lead to water-supply problems?

Answer 39

People die from illnesses related to drinking polluted water.

Question 40

What are problems related to pollution of water courses by farming and human waste?

Answer 40

Water sources are polluted by human faeces and lack of sanitation systems to treat sewage. This leads to people suffering and dying from water borne diseases.

Question 41

How does a low annual rainfall lead to water-supply problems in developing countries?

Answer 41

Long term drought due to low levels of rainfall has led to chronic water shortages. It is difficult to store water as it evaporates quickly. This is an issue in Sahel, where rainfall has reduced by 30% since the 1970's.

Question 42

What are several challenges leading to water stress in Las Vegas?

Answer 42

- It is in the desert - Over the last 50 years the population has increased from 40,000 to 580,000. - Increased demand + long droughts mean that Lake Mead's water levels have dropped over the last 10 years.

Question 43

What is the City Government view on water management in Las Vegas?

Answer 43

More water will be required as the city grows so the government will have a responsibility to source water from somewhere. A long distance pipe network will be the most likely option however they would want to push sustainable water management solutions such as water recycling.

Question 44

What are Business's view on water management in Las Vegas?

Answer 44

Tourism is the main source of income in Vegas, so businesses agree that a long distance pipeline would be best. Businesses should invest in water saving technology to keep tourists happy, so they are prepared to fund the proposed pipeline.

Question 45

What is a farmer in Nevada view on water management in Las Vegas?

Answer 45

Oppose the plans to build a pipeline from Eastern Nevada as their crops will suffer - Las Vegas will drain the water supply.

Question 46

What are environmental groups view on water management in Las Vegas?

Answer 46

Concerned that the large-scale removal of groundwater will have negative impacts on the local biodiversity and Eastern Nevada's ecosystems. They want sustainable water management.

Question 47

What is a resident of Las Vegas view on water management?

Answer 47

Concerned about the growth of Las Vegas - excessive demand for water could lead to prices going up.

Question 48

What does desalination do?

Answer 48

Desalination removes salt from seawater.

Question 49

What are the advantages of desalination?

Answer 49

There is a plentiful supply of saltwater which is used to drink, improve hygiene, grow crops, enhance cooking; prevents dehydration. Desalination lessens demand on groundwater.

Question 50

What are the disadvantages of desalination?

Answer 50

- Too expensive for less developing countries - Creates a waste product of very salty water which is pumped back into the sea - Marine creatures can be sucked into plants and killed - Requires a lot of energy

Question 51

Why do water resources require sustainable management?

Answer 51

Water is fundamental to life and is only renewable if managed sustainably. - By 2030 the world will only have 60% of the water it needs.

Question 52

What actions have been done to reduce water usage at individual level in Las Vegas?

Answer 52

- Reducing personal consumption levels - Installing low flush toilets which use a third less water - Changing grass lawns for rocky soils that don't require watering

Question 53

What actions have been done to reduce water usage at organisation level in Las Vegas?

Answer 53

- Organisations have a sustainable system known as 'from toilet to tap', where all wastewater is collected, filtered and removed of bacteria. This recycled water is then used in water fountains, and some transferred back to Lake Mead. - Hotels have a centralised laundry system to save water. Giant washing machines use 75% less water than usual.

Question 54

What actions have been done to reduce water usage at government level in Las Vegas?

Answer 54

- Government have been paying residents to change from lawns to desert gardens that don’t require monitoring ($3 Million in 2014) - ‘Water cops’ fine people $80 for breaking water rules in Las Vegas - Las Vegas government has made it illegal to water gardens in the summer between 11am and 7pm - Government to build large transfer project to pipe water from Eastern Nevada - supplying 300,000 homes

Question 55

How has China (emerging country) attempted to manage water sustainably?

Answer 55

- Agricultural monitoring: rice fields only watered when water level drops to certain level - Technology: using micro-sprinklers to ensure water is directly used on plants - Storing rainwater: large tanks in public buildings store rainwater; storm drains redirects surface run off back to ground water store to help them recharge. - Government Plan: The government is trying to monitor water use in agriculture and industry and make it more sustainable by: - having strict water laws - cleaning up polluted rivers/lakes - changing water prices to encourage less water usage

Question 56

Describe China's problems with water.

Answer 56

China has a seasonal imbalance where 60-80% of the annual rainfall comes in summer during the 3 months of the wet season. Climate change is leading to more droughts and a drier environment.

Question 57

What is the south-north water transfer project?

Answer 57

Pipes and canals transfer huge volumes of water from the south to the north (45 million cubic metres of water) to help alleviate the problems.

Question 58

What are disadvantages of the south-north water transfer project?

Answer 58

A lot of the water being transferred is polluted or unsafe, uses a huge amount of energy to transport it, very expensive to do, lots of pollution and environmental disruption in the creating of the project.