Tropical climate
The north of Australia- high temperatures and high rainfall
Hot arid climate
The centre of Australia- high temperatures and low rainfall
Temperate climate
The east coast of Australia- warm summers and cool winters
Cool climate
Tasmania and Snowy Mountains- cool summers and cold winters.
Mediterranean climate
South Western Australia and South Australia- hot dry summers and cool wet winters
Percent of Australia arid or semi arid desert
70%
Soil
Made of minerals from weathered rocks and bedrock
Factors that determine the type of soil found in a biome
Temperature, rainfall, organic matter, rocks + minerals
Leaching
Nutrients being drained from the soil
Bottom trawling
A net pulled along the seafloor to catch bottom dwelling fish
Longline fishing
A long line with smaller lines with baited hooks are attached
Bycatch
The unwanted fish caught by the fishing line that are thrown back dead
Aquaculture
Breeding, raising and harvesting fish, shellfish and aquatic fish
Seaweed environmental benefit
Seaweed absorbs CO2 and stores it in its biomass better than trees
Tundra location
Present about 60 degrees north Latitude
Tundra climate
Cold and windy with low rainfall
Permafrost
Ground that is permanently frozen
Erosion
Wearing away and moving of earth by wind, water or ice
Weathering
The physical and chemical disintegration of rocks
Influences on climate
Latitude, altitude, landforms, ocean currents
Climate
The long term precipitation and temp patterns of an area
Physical weathering examples
Ice wedging, abrasion, roots
Chemical weathering examples
Oxidisation, acid rain, lichens
Mass wasting
Soil, sand and rock move downslope as a solid, continuous mass because of gravity
Carbon cycle
The organic circulation of carbon from the atmosphere into organisms and back again
Impact of agriculture
Biodiversity loss, pollution, soil degradation, unsustainable irrigation, deforestation
Longshore drift
When the ongoing swash comes at the angle of the prevailing winds and backwash moves perpendicular. It moves the material in a zigzag pattern.
Hydraulic action
Tiny of pockets of trapped air exploding as the waves hits
Corrasion
When rocks carried by waves erode the coastline
Corrosion
Salty ocean water that is slightly acidic and dissolves rock
Clearing native vegetation impacts
LITHOSPHERE- reduction in nutrients and less stability because no roots, BIOSPHERE- reducing biodiversity and habitat loss, HYDROSPHERE- extra soil contaminates water, ATMOSPHERE- reduce absorption of carbon dioxide and decrease oxygen
Burning forests for cultivation impacts
ATMOSPHERE- build up of CO2 causing global warming
Withdrawing water for irrigation
LITHOSPHERE- causes flooding and impacts salinity, BIOSPHERE- kills plants and animals on land and in water, HYDROSPHERE- river flow is reduced downstream
Political Map
Shows country and state lines
Topographic Map
Use contour lines to show the shape of the land
Irrigation
The artificial application of water to the soil to supplement natural rainfall
Flood irrigation
Uses gravity to distribute water- the most common method used
Physical map
Shows the natural landscape
Synoptic charts
Shows the meteorological elements
Thematic map
The distribution of a topic or theme
Choropleth map
Uses differences in colours and shading to represent spatial themes
Cadastral map
Shows the boundaries of land ownership
Cartogram
Maps distorted to represent a value
Why is landscape modified
Undulating land can be flattened or terraced to produce food
Rainforest soil
High rainfall leaches the soil so it is shallow and poorly developed but there is a thin layer of nutrient organic matter.
Temperate forests and grasslands soil
Ideal for agriculture and is dominated by grasslands and deciduous forests. Soils are brown and approx 1 metre deep.
Rainforest biome
Hot temps and high rainfall year round. Very moist conditions and infertile soil covered in a thin layer of organic humus. Found between the tropics and the most biodiverse biome- having over 50% of known plant and animal species
Temperate forest biome
4 distinct seasons with cold snowy winters that many animals hibernate through and hot summers. Found between the Tropic of Cancer and Arctic circle.
Tropical grassland biome
Moderately drier- covering much of Africa and found on every continent. Has hot wet summers and dry warm winter.
Temperate grassland biome
Hot summers and cold winters with moderate seasonal rainfall and nutrient rich soil. Found in the American Prairies.
Desert biome
Little to no rainfall with rain coming in short bursts. Soil dry and lacking nutrients. Most animals well adapted and nocturnal.
Tundra biome
Cold climate, no trees only dwarf shrubs and lichens. Found in higher altitudes or near polar zones.
Cacao growing regions
West Africa (Ghana, Nigeria, Cote D'Ivoire) South America (Brazil and Ecuador) Asia (Malaysia and Indonesia)
Cacao growing conditions
Most grown 10 degrees either side of equator with humid tropical climates. Must be grown under the shade of another plant and need temps 21 and 32 degrees and 1000 to 2500 mm of rain.
Cacao farmers facts
6 million farmers and 40-50 million people in total rely on it for their livelyhood.
Cacao demand growth
3% annually for the past century
What impacts cacao farmers
Supply and demand on the world market (too much supply dropping prices) and adverse weather
Cacao production
Very labour intensive. Flowers are pollinated by hand and bad pods are removed on a daily basis.
How cacao is under threat
Pests, fungal infections, climate change, and lack of access to fertilisers
Refraction
Bending of waves as they approach the shape of the coastline and concentrate energy around headland
Headland
A hard rock formation that remains after the rock of bays has eroded
Incipient/fore dunes
Dunes closest to the surf
Purpose of dunes
Are a barrier to erosive waves and stops sand from being blown inland
What influences climate?
Latitude, altitude, distance from the ocean
Destructive waves
Taking away materials from the beach- weak swash and strong backwash
Constructive waves
Dropping material on the beach- strong swash and weak backwash
What causes damage to beaches?
rips
tides
storm surges/ east coast lows
How are waves formed?
Wind (depends on the strength, duration, area of the wind)
What is formed by sand deposition?
Sand dunes, spit (sand being deposited in front of a waterway), tombolo (a stretch of sand in between headland and mainland)
What is formed by weathering
Bays, cliffs, rock platform, caves, arches, blowholes, stacks
Stack
When an arch collapses (arches come from blowholes which come from caves when they experience weathering)
Beach management strategies
Groynes, sea walls, beach nourishment, dune stabilisation, land buy back
Greenhouse effect
The trapping of warmth within the world's atmosphere through a gaseous layer (we are getting too much of it)
What area is absorbing more heat than the rest of the world because of global warming
Arctic/antarctic
Sustainability
The ability to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability for future generations to meet their needs.
The service functions of the environment
Source Function (the ability of the environment to give us things), sink function (the ability to break down and remove waste), service function (pollinations of crops), spiritual function (psychological benefits)