HaSS Common Assessment flashcards

What is PQE

PQE stands for Pattern, Quantify, and Exceptions. PQE is used by geographers to describe the data they have gathered (from maps) to look for patterns in the data. Patterns in geographical data, used for analysis.

P (PQE)

P stands for Pattern. Give a general overview of any patterns identified. When looking at any form of data, look for things that stand out or form patterns.

Q (PQE)

Q stands for Quantify. Quantifying involves using statistics, amounts, sizes and locations to give specific details.

E (PQE)

E stands for Exceptions. Exceptions refer to any anomalies or outliers in the data that do not fit the identified patterns, highlighting areas that require further investigation.

Climate graphs

Climate graphs are made of a line and a bar graph. The blue bar graph represents the rainfall (in mm) and the line graph represents the temperature (in °C) over a specified period, providing a visual summary of climatic conditions. The temperature is shown on the right axis while rainfall is shown on the left.

Biomes

Geographers divide the planet up into a number of distinct areas called biomes. These biomes are characterized by specific climates and ecosystems, including factors such as flora, fauna, and temperature ranges.

Types of biomes

Terrestrial biomes (found on land) and aquatic biomes (found in water).

Features of different biomes

refer to the unique characteristics that define each biome, including climate, vegetation, animal life, and soil type.

grasslands biome

In places that are too dry for forests and too wet for deserts lies a biome dominated by shrubs and grasses – the grasslands biome. In different parts of the world, the grasslands biome is referred to by a few different names. In Africa, grasslands are often referred to as savannas.

What is Crop Yield

Crop yield is a standard measurement of the amount of agricultural production harvested per unit of land area.

influencing crop yield (factors)

Environmental and technological

Every year, famers in different countries around the world make decisions about what crops they will grow and what animals they will raise on their properties. Before they make any decisions, they must consider a number of competing factors that will affect their crop yield.

Environmental Factors

that affect agricultural production such as climate, soil quality, and water availability.

Technological Factors

The technological factors of crop yield include new technologies like machinery and GPS

what do the environmental factors include

wind, humidity or rainfall, landforms, accessibility, soil structure and texture, soil fertility, temperature and sunshine.

humidity/rainfall

All plants have different needs, but they all require water. Some thrive in warm, moist environments, while others prefer dry or cold conditions. The amount of water needed varies among plants throughout the year. Farmers consider factors like annual rainfall and seasonal patterns to choose the best crops and determine the right planting times.

Landforms

Flat land is easier to farm than hillsides because machines like tractors and harvesters can operate more efficiently. However, flat areas are more likely to experience flooding. The direction of a slope (aspect) also matters, as it affects how much sunlight plants receive.

Accessibility

Easy access to farmland is essential for transporting equipment, crops, and workers. Farms may build roads to better inspect and manage their land. Farming becomes more challenging when located far from infrastructure like water supplies and essential services.

water

A nearby river or aquifer can provide water to irrigate crops or to give animals such as cows and sheep water to drink.

soil structure and texture

Soils are made up of clay, sand, and silt in different amounts. Clay-heavy soils can be hard for roots to grow in and may retain too much water, while sandy soils drain too quickly. The best soils, called loams, have a balanced mix of all three.

soil fertility

Plants absorb essential minerals and trace elements from the soil to grow. Some soils are naturally richer in these nutrients, making them more fertile. Farmers often use fertilizers to improve nutrient-poor (infertile) soils.

temperature

Plants have varying temperature tolerances; some thrive in warmth, while others prefer cold. Extreme heat or frost can damage certain plants, so farmers monitor air and soil temperatures to determine the best times for planting and harvesting.

sunshine

Areas near the Equator get more direct sunlight than those closer to the poles, affecting the length of the growing season since all plants need sunlight.

wind

Strong winds can dry out the soil, and damage or even destroy crops.

what do the technological and economic factors include

markets, technology, expertise and financial resources.

Markets

Farmers growing food for profit need buyers. Nearby cities create demand, and many farmers also export their produce. Changing market prices can influence which crops they choose to grow each year.

Technology

New technologies such as irrigation systems and breeds of crops may allow some farming types to spread into new areas. On the other hand, many farmers in developing countries may have access to only simple technologies such as a horse-drawn plough or hand sowing of seeds.

expertise

Farmers often specialise in growing a certain crop or raising a certain breed of animal. This may have been the case for many previous generations. As a result, they may have built up a great deal of expertise in this type of farming.

financial resources

Many farmers in the developing world have few ­financial resources to buy machinery and hire labour and so they rely on their own physical labour and are able to grow only enough food to feed their own families.

high-tech farming

High-tech farming is the use of technology to help with farming. Some of the technology used include computers, satellites, remote sensors, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Drones (pilotless planes) are also another piece of technological equipment used by Australian farmers to keep watch on their soils, plants and water, while others track their sheep and cattle with sensors implanted in the animals’ ears or in electronic collars.

precision farming

Sensors mounted on satellites, planes and helicopters collect large amounts of data on many aspects of the environment including rates of plant growth, minerals in the soil and soil moisture. Using GPS, this data is then converted to detailed maps of each farm showing, for example, areas of high crop yield and areas with a lower yield.

soil def

A mixture of air, water, broken-down (weathered) rock and organic material.

Food security

Food security is a state where all people at all times have access to enough safe, nutritious food to sustain a healthy life. For a person, community or country to have a secure food supply they must have three things:

• food availability

• food accessibility

• knowledge and resources to use food appropriately.

Food insecurity

Food insecurity is a state where people don’t have (or always have) enough safe, nutritious food to sustain a healthy life. Around 870 million people around the world are living like this.

Developing countries

Developing countries (such as Africa) are countries that don’t have food security. People that live in places like these can’t just go down to the shops and buy some food, they have to travel far distances just to find food. Their government don’t give the funding to the towns and people to have shops just down the road.

Developing countries struggle to access enough food to meet their daily needs.

Developed countries

Developed countries (such as Australia) are countries that have food security. People that live in places like these can just walk or drive down to the shops to buy food. Their government give funding to the cities, towns and people for this to happen.

Developed countries have more food than they need and high levels of wastage.

Food availability

Food availability means people have enough food of appropriate quality available on a consistent basis. This may include production, storage, distribution and exchange of foodstuffs, provided reliably and regularly.

Food accessibility

Food accessibility means physical and economic access to food. That is, there needs to be enough food available and it must be in reach of those who need it.

Knowledge and resources to use food appropriately

Appropriate use of food means using food safely and applying knowledge about nutrition, clean water and sanitation when preparing food. Local cultural knowledge means these foods are prepared properly, making them safe to eat and nutritious.

Food security into the future

The world’s population increases by about 200,000 people per day. At this rate, food will need to be grown to feed an extra 2.5 billion people by 2050. Virtually all of this population growth will occur in developing countries where much of the population already struggles to meet their daily food requirements.

Achieving food security

There are 2 trains of thought on the impacts of population growth on food security.

1 Some researchers fear population growth is outpacing food production, leading to hunger and famine. They cite declining farmland, water shortages, and high growth in food-insecure regions like Africa.

2 Some researchers are optimistic, noting that food production has kept up with population growth due to technology like the Green Revolution. They highlight slowing population growth and believe innovations, like genetic modification, will boost future crop yields.

The green revolution

The Green Revolution was the time period (1950-1979) where farming regions changed the was of farming. Starting in Mexico through to North America and most of Asia, these changes brought food security to hundreds of millions of people. The Key changes:

• The development and planting of new and improved varieties of grains, including wheat and rice, that produced much higher yields.

• The widespread use of fertilisers and pesticides to increase farm productivity.

• The adoption of mechanical vehicles and systems, such as tractors, pumps, sprays and irrigation systems.

In India and China, farming moved to larger, more efficient farms. However, many African countries at risk of food insecurity have not fully embraced the Green Revolution.

Sustainable agriculture and innovation

Geographers and environmental scientists classify different farming and agricultural practices in terms of the impact they have on the environment.

• Farming practices are classified by their environmental impact. Intensive farming uses technology, machinery, and chemicals, while conservation agriculture minimizes disruption to nature and focuses on sustainable methods. Australian farmers lead in conservation techniques, with 80% using them in 2008, compared to less than 5% in 1980.

Three key principles of conservation agriculture

• Principle 1 – Do not disturb the soil by tilling.

• Principle 2 – Keep the soil covered with organic material.

• Principle 3 – Grow a range of plants, not a single crop.

Permaculture

Permaculture is a form of conservation farming that focuses on using natural resources sustainably. It integrates people with the environment to meet needs like food, energy, and shelter, emphasizing working with nature to support farming and protect ecosystems.

Natural Regeneration

Farmer-managed natural regeneration is a permaculture method used to fight poverty and hunger in developing countries. It encourages tree growth on farmland, improving crop yields, soil fertility, and reducing erosion and damage from wind and heat.

Satellite Images

A satellite image is a photograph taken from space.

Satellite images are a valuable tool for geographers, offering a snapshot of large areas to identify patterns and changes over time, helping us understand their causes and effects.

Analysing Satellite Images Steps

1. Use an atlas to identify the area in the image, noting features like borders, mountains, and cities.

2. Examine the image for identifiable features. A satellite image shows objects from above, preserving their correct location and size.

3. When comparing two satellite images, check the dates and look for changes between them.