Humans and the Environment – SOL WG 2b

Physical and Ecological Processes

A. Earthquakes – More common near plate boundaries and Ring of Fire

B. Floods

C. Volcanic eruptions – volcanic soil is fertile and good for farming

D. Erosion

E. Deposition

Water Diversion

A. Aral Sea

B. Colorado River

C. Aswan High Dam

D. Canals – man-made channels for water or ship navigation

E. Reservoirs – man made lakes

F. Irrigation – to water plants

Aral Sea

A. The Aral Sea is located in Central Asia.

B. The Aral Sea is shrinking because of over irrigation of the rivers that flow into it.

C. The Soviet Union diverted the rivers to grow cotton in the arid climate.

Colorado River

A. The Colorado River flows from Colorado to the Gulf of California.

B. Many states use the river for irrigation in the dry climate.

C. The Hoover Dam and Grand Canyon are on the river.

Aswan Dam

A. The Aswan Dam was built on the Nile River to stop seasonal flooding and provide hydroelectric power.

B. Farmers now have to buy fertilizer because the river no longer overflows its bank.

Landscape Changes

A. Agricultural Terracing – flat areas cut in the side of mountains to farm (Andes Mountains and in parts of Asia such as China)

B. Polders – areas of reclaimed land from the sea (Belgium and Netherlands)

C. Deforestation

D. Desertification – expansion of arid conditions into non-arid areas (the desert gets bigger) – problem in North Africa near Sahara Desert - Sahel

Agricultural Terracing

Rice terraces in Asia.

Polders

Desertification

Environmental Changes

A. Acid Rain – forests in eastern North America, China, Scandinavia and Germany

B. PollutionA. Air pollution in

Mexico CityB. Oil spillsC. Radiation from

Chernobyl (nuclear power plant that exploded in 1986)

Acid Rain

PollutionMexico City = Air pollution

Exxon Valdez = Oil spill

Chernobyl = Nuclear pollution

Influence of Technology

A. Agriculture – better fertilizer, pesticides, machines

B. Energy Usage

C. Transportation

D. Automobiles

E. Airplanes

Environmental Impact on Humans

A. Settlement Patterns – People settle on flat ground near rivers or the coast

B. Housing Materials – Adobe in dry climates, log cabins in Siberia

C. Agricultural Activity

D. Types of Recreation

E. Transportation Patterns