Mod 5: Earth's Resources
The organisms responsible for the Great Oxygenation Event.
Cyanobacteria
This natural disaster occurs when stored energy along a fault line is suddenly released, causing ground shaking.
What is an earthquake?
The primary greenhouse gas responsible for trapping heat in Earth's atmosphere.
What is carbon dioxide (CO2)?
This type of waste is commonly found in households and includes items like food scraps, paper, and plastics.
What is solid waste?
This supercycle involves the assembly and breakup of supercontinents, influencing climate, sea level, and biodiversity on Earth.
What is the plate tectonic supercycle?
An event that causes widespread damage, destruction and loss of life.
What is a disaster?
This massive region in India was formed by a series of huge volcanic eruptions around 66 million years ago, releasing gases and ash that affected global climate and contributed to a mass extinction event.
What are the Deccan Traps?
This method of mining involves removing large quantities of surface rock to access minerals close to Earth's surface.
What is open-pit mining?
This principle states that the same geological processes operating today have been consistent throughout Earth's history.
What is the law of uniformitarianism?
These devices are used to detect early signs of earthquakes by measuring ground motion.
What are seismographs?
Changing land use, such as deforestation, can affect the climate by altering this natural process.
What is carbon sequestration or the carbon cycle?
Name one environmental or cultural impact of mining sites in Australia that must be managed.
What is habitat destruction/water pollution/disturbing Aboriginal cultural sites?
Organisms/organic molecules existed throughout the universe and came to Earth via a meteorite.
What is the panspermia hypothesis?
The impacts of the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption on the biosphere and atmosphere.
Global cooling by injecting large amounts of sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. Ash fall that led to roof collapse and loss of life. Pyroclastic flows and ash smothering plants and animal life.
Name two flow-on effects of climate change related to polar ice.
What are melting glaciers and shrinking sea ice or ice sheets?
An example of a sustainability initiative that communities might adopt to improve resource use.
What is community recycling programs, water conservation projects, or local habitat restoration efforts? (Give specific example)
3 features of animals and plants that enabled them to conquer land
What are features such as the development of vascular tissue/protective cuticles/seeds as reproductive structures in plants, and the evolution of lungs/amniotic eggs in animals.
One way in which human activities can increase the risk or severity of natural hazards.
What is deforestation increasing landslide risk/urban development on floodplains increasing flood damage/no controlled burns to minimise fuel load during bushfire seasons.
Describe how changing climate patterns affect the range and distribution of species.
How do species shift their geographic ranges (moving towards the poles or to higher elevations) in response to temperature and habitat changes?
One way Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander groups can contribute to sustainable resource management.
What is participating in
cultural traditions that preserve Country (firestick farming, cultural fire management, traditional hunting etc.)?
land councils, national parks management, or municipal council collaborations?
creating legistlation and ations to protect Country and Place.