Grade 7 Environmental Studies, Conservation, and Water Resources in South Africa

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering keywords, ecological interdependence, marine protected areas, and water sector allocations in South Africa.

Deforestation

The clearing of forests for agricultural, commercial, housing, or firewood use.

Marine resource

Resources that we get from the sea.

Birth rate

The number of births per year per thousand people.

Alien plants

Plants that use lots of water from the rivers and often kill local plants, leading to soil erosion.

Infant mortality rate

The number of deaths of children under $12$ months of age per $1000$ live births.

Non-renewable resource

Natural resources that exist in limited amounts and will eventually run out.

Life expectancy

The average number of years a person can expect to live.

National park

Large natural areas of land, sea, or both.

Epidemic

A disease that spreads through a population very quickly.

Irrigation

The supply of water to cropland on a farm.

Pandemic

A disease that has spread all over the world.

Mortality rate

Death or dying.

Interdependence of life

The concept that all life depends on the sun and plants or grass; plants use solar energy to grow and other organisms consume plants.

Grass-dependent animals

Animals that depend directly on grass to stay alive, such as zebra, wildebeest, and buffalo.

Lion dietary requirements

Requires zebra or antelope meat and cannot live without prey.

Snake dietary requirements

Requires small animals to eat, specifically mice and frogs.

Owl dietary requirements

Requires mice and snakes for food.

Bird dietary requirements

Requires grass seeds, insects, and worms.

Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)

Designated coastal and marine zones set aside for conservation, including Betty's Bay MPA, Tsitsikamma MPA, Langebaan Lagoon MPA, and Aliwal Shoal MPA.

Irrigation / Agriculture (Water use)

Sector accounting for $60.6\%$ of water usage in South Africa, utilized primarily to water crops.

Municipal / Domestic (Water use)

Sector accounting for $17.8\%$ of water usage in South Africa, utilized to water gardens and cook meals for families.

Industrial (Water use)

Sector accounting for $11.3\%$ of water usage in South Africa, utilized to cool machinery in factories.

Mining (Water use)

Sector accounting for $3.3\%$ of water usage in South Africa, utilized to cool the drills used by miners.

Livestock watering and nature conservation (Water use)

Sector accounting for $2.7\%$ of water usage in South Africa, utilized to provide drinking water for animals.

Power generation (Water use)

Sector that utilizes water inside cooling towers at power stations.