The Science Behind Environments
These gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere.
What are greenhouse gases?
This traditional land management practice involves the controlled use of fire to reduce fuel loads and support ecosystem health.
What is cultural burning?
This environmental management strategy is used to control the spread of wildfires by creating controlled burns to remove excess fuel
What is Backburning/Brushburning?
This environmental change, driven by human activities like deforestation and burning fossil fuels, has led to the rising temperatures on Earth over the past century
What is global warming?
This term describes the amount of land and water needed to support a person’s or country’s lifestyle and resource use.
What is ecological footprint?
These species are introduced to new environments, often disrupting local ecosystems
What are invasive species?
Why did First Nations Peoples manage land using seasonal knowledge rather than fixed calendars?
What is understanding local environmental cues and seasonal change?
This invasive species is currently threating the Northern Rivers area
What are fire ants?
This tropical rainforest, once covering vast areas of South America, has been drastically reduced due to deforestation for agriculture, particularly cattle farming
What is the Amazon Rainforest?
This concept refers to the balance between human development and the preservation of natural resources for future generations
What is sustainability?
These four interconnected spheres include the solid outer layer, the atmosphere, the water on Earth, and all living organisms.
What are atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere?
This land management strategy helped maintain biodiversity by preventing large, destructive bushfires and promoting new plant growth.
What is cultural fire management?
These areas are designated by governments to protect biodiversity and natural landscapes from development.
What are national parks?
This area of Australia has experienced significant coral bleaching due to rising ocean temperatures, threatening marine life and biodiversity
This type of forest is home to a diverse range of species and plays a critical role in regulating the global climate
What is a tropical rainforest?
One refers to short-term atmospheric conditions, while the other describes long-term patterns over time
What is the difference between weather and climate?
How did First Nations land management practices demonstrate sustainability compared with some modern land‑use practices?
What is using resources in ways that maintain ecosystems over time?
This practice involves planting trees to prevent soil erosion, increase biodiversity, and improve air quality
What is reforestation?
This area is located in NSW West of Sydney and has experienced both Human and Natural environmental challenges. The unique colour it appears from a distance has given the area its name.
What is the Blue Mountains?
This term refers to the movement of water through plants and into the atmosphere, primarily through small openings called stomata
What is transpiration?
This process involves endogenic and exogenic forces
What are geomorphic processes?
Why are First Nations land management strategies increasingly used today in national parks and bushfire management across Australia?
What is recognising their effectiveness in improving environmental resilience and reducing fire risk?
This term refers to the practice of designing cities to be adaptable to future environmental changes, including climate change and resource scarcity
What is resilient urban planning?
This United Nations organisation is responsible for identifying and protecting World Heritage sites around the world.
What is UNESCO?
This process involves the cycling of carbon through the atmosphere, living organisms, and Earth’s surface, affecting climate and ecosystems
What is the carbon cycle?