Environmental Change & Management
What is deforestation
The clearing or removal of forests and trees.
What is urbanisation?
An increase in the proportion of people living in urban areas.
What is a biome?
A large region with similar climate, vegetation and animal life.
What is the difference between a need and a want?
A need is essential for survival or wellbeing; a want is desirable but not essential.
What does a choropleth map use to represent data?
Different colours or shades within geographical areas.
What is the difference between constructive and destructive waves?
Constructive waves deposit sediment and build beaches; destructive waves remove sediment and erode beaches.
What is the difference between push and pull factors?
Push factors encourage people to leave a place; pull factors attract people to another place.
Name two factors that influence biome distribution.
Temperature, rainfall, latitude, altitude, soils or topography.
Which needs form the base of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs?
Physiological needs, including food, water and shelter.
On a climate graph, what do the bars and line usually represent?
Bars show rainfall (mm); the line shows temperature (°C)
Explain how longshore drift moves sediment.
Waves approach at an angle, carrying sand along the beach through angled swash and backwash.
What is a megacity? Identify TWO examples.
An urban area with a population of 10 million or more.
Osaka, Mumbai, Beijing
Why are tropical rainforests generally found near the Equator?
Consistently warm temperatures and high rainfall support dense vegetation.
Identify one role of the United Nations in improving wellbeing.
Promoting human rights, peace, international cooperation, development or humanitarian assistance.
A population pyramid has a very wide base. What does this suggest?
A large proportion of young people, often associated with a high birth rate.
Explain two environmental impacts of deforestation.
Examples: habitat loss, reduced biodiversity, increased soil erosion and increased atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Identify one advantage and one disadvantage of living in a megacity.
Advantages include jobs, education and healthcare; disadvantages include overcrowding, pollution and housing shortages.
Explain how technology can improve food production.
Irrigation, machinery and improved crop varieties can increase agricultural yields.
Name two education indicators used to compare human wellbeing.
Literacy rate, school enrolment, years of schooling or school completion rates.
A climate graph shows high rainfall in summer and very low rainfall in winter. Describe the rainfall pattern.
Rainfall is seasonal, with a summer wet season and a winter dry season.
Why might the Netherlands use different coastal management strategies from Australia's east coast?
The Netherlands has extensive low-lying land vulnerable to flooding, while much of Australia's east coast faces beach erosion and storm impacts. Strategies vary according to these risks.
Why is Australia's population concentrated along the coast?
Coastal areas generally offer more reliable water, milder climates, employment, services and established transport networks.
Explain how climate change can threaten food security.
Drought, floods, heat and changing rainfall can reduce crop yields and disrupt food supplies.
Explain how limited access to education contributes to the poverty cycle.
Limited education can reduce employment and income, making it harder to afford education for the next generation.
A choropleth map shows high population density along Australia's east coast and low density inland. Explain this pattern.
The east coast has major cities, employment, services and generally more favourable conditions, while much of the interior is dry and sparsely populated.