Year 9 Geography - The Sea, Farming, and Water Resources

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the Geography Year 9 syllabus on marine processes, aquaculture, agriculture, soil science, and water resource management in the Maltese Islands context.

Aquaculture

The raising of fish, such as sea bream or sea bass, in large tanks or pens either on land or off the coast.

Bay

An inlet on the coast formed when softer rock erodes faster than harder rock.

Cave

A natural cavity in the land, such as Għar Ħasan or Għar Lapsi, formed by the sea.

Cliff retreat

The process where cliffs are constantly being eroded by the sea and are therefore slowly moving backwards.

Coasts

The area where the land meets the sea.

Deposition

Eroded material and sediment that settles after it is no longer being transported.

Erosion

Natural process by which rocks are broken down into smaller pieces and carried away by waves, wind, rivers, and ice.

Headland

A long piece of harder rock jutting out into the sea that resists erosion better than surrounding softer rock.

Sea arch

A sea cave that erodes right through a promontory, such as the Blue Grotto or Wied il-Mielaħ arch.

Sewage

Wastewater from houses and industries.

Sewage treatment plant

The facility where sewage is cleaned and filtered before being either released into the sea or recycled.

Stack

A tall column or pillar of rock lying just off the coast, which is the remnant of an arch whose ceiling has collapsed.

Stump

A small rock surfacing the sea, representing the final stage of a stack being worn down.

Transportation

The process by which material that has been eroded is carried away by waves and sea currents.

Wave-cut platform

A rocky plain or ledge emerging just a few centimetres from sea level, created by wave erosion.

Arable farming

A type of farming where the farmer grows fruit and vegetables for human and animal consumption.

Pastoral farming

A type of farming where the farmer raises animals, such as pigs, cows, and sheep, for meat and products like eggs and milk.

Mixed farming

A farming system where the farmer grows fruit and vegetables and raises animals on the same farm.

Field Terracing

Flat steps cut into a slope and held by rubble walls to prevent rainwater from washing away the thin soil.

Rubble Walls

Common Maltese countryside walls built without cement to protect soil from being washed away and provide habitats for wildlife.

Crop rotation

The practice of changing the type of crop planted in a field from one season to another to maintain soil fertility.

Drip irrigation

A modern watering method using pipes punctured near plant roots to release water slowly, one drop at a time.

Greenhouse

A structure made of glass or plastic that protects crops from wind, rain, and pests, allowing for year-round growth.

Contour Ploughing

Ploughing along the natural curves of the land to slow down water flow and reduce soil erosion.

Pesticides

Chemicals used to kill pests such as insects, weeds, or fungi that attack crops.

Fertilisers

Substances added to soil to provide nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to help plants grow faster.

Organic farming

An agricultural method that avoids synthetic chemicals and uses natural processes like compost and biological pest control.

Soil

A thin layer covering the land made of minerals, organic matter, water, air, and living organisms; it provides nutrients for plant growth.

Topsoil

The most fertile, uppermost layer of soil containing living organisms, organic matter, and humus.

Subsoil

The soil layer below the topsoil containing large pieces of rock and low levels of organic matter.

Regolith

A soil layer low in organic matter but high in minerals derived from the bedrock beneath it.

Terra Rossa

A reddish, stony soil found on Coralline Limestone; its color comes from iron oxide ($Fe_2O_3$).

Xerorendzina

A brownish soil found on Globigerina Limestone with high calcium carbonate content ($58-80\%$) and low humus.

Carbonate Raw Soil

A light greyish or pale whitish soil found on Blue Clay with very high carbonate content ($80-90\%\text{ to }90\%$).

Soil erosion

The wearing away and removal of the fertile top layer of soil by natural forces or human activities.

Afforestation

The planting of trees in a particular place to form a wood or forest to protect the soil.

Water cycle

The continuous hydrological process where water moves between the sea, land, and atmosphere via evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

Evaporation

The process where heat from the sun turns water from oceans and rivers into water vapour.

Transpiration

The process by which plants release water vapour into the air from their leaves.

Condensation

The process where water vapour cools down and forms clouds.

Precipitation

Water falling from clouds in the form of rain, hail, sleet, or snow.

Infiltration

The process where water soaks into the soil and moves downwards.

Surface Runoff

Rainwater that flows over the land surface into rivers, lakes, and seas rather than soaking in.

Aquifer

A natural underground store of freshwater found in the pores and cracks of rocks.

Perched aquifer

A freshwater store formed where rainwater is trapped above a layer of impermeable Blue Clay.

Mean sea level aquifer

The largest freshwater store in Malta, found in Lower Coralline Limestone lying just above saltwater.

Permeable rock

Rock that allows water to pass through because it has connected pores, such as limestone.

Impermeable rock

Rock that blocks the passage of water because its pores are not connected, such as Blue Clay.

Reverse osmosis

A desalination process where seawater is pushed through membranes to remove salt and impurities.

New Water

High-quality, second-class water produced by filtering treated sewage for use in irrigation and industry.

Floodplain

A flat or low-lying area, often along a valley floor, that can flood easily after heavy rainfall.

Flash floods

Sudden and intense flooding that occurs after a great storm, particularly in urban or low-lying areas.