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Links to the ATAR Year 12 Geography Syllabus:

The work you will be completing today links to the ATAR Year 12 Geography Syllabus. Namely, this
excursion aims to address the following Year 12, Unit 3, Depth Study 2 syllabus objectives:
• A program designed to address the impacts of land cover change on local and regional
environments.
• An evaluation of the program, considering environmental, economic, and social benefits and
costs.
• An evaluation of at least one alternative approach to the management of land cover change in
the area being studied, using the concept of sustainability to determine the extent to which the
approach has the potential to address the issue into the future.

This excursion assumes prior knowledge of several Year 12 Unit 3 syllabus objectives, including:
• The concepts of environment, natural and anthropogenic biomes, land cover change, ecosystem
structure and dynamics, biodiversity loss, climate change and sustainability
• Processes of land cover change especially the expansion and intensification of agriculture,
irrigation, land drainage and reclamation, and the growth of urban settlement.
• The impacts of land cover change on local and regional environments, including loss of habitat
and biodiversity, the degradation of aquatic and marine environments.

Contributing authors: Joselyn Juraszek (Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions),

Brittany Halpenny (Trinity College) and Jason Pitman (Perth NRM).

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Contents

Links to the ATAR Year 12 Geography Syllabus: ................................................................................................ 2

Map of Activities ................................................................................................................................................ 4

Site 1: Canning River .......................................................................................................................................... 5

Understanding Catchments ........................................................................................................................ 6

The Swan-Canning River System ................................................................................................................ 9

A History of Land Cover Change in the Swan-Canning River Catchment Area ........................................ 10

The Processes of Land Cover Change in the Swan-Canning River Catchment Area ................................ 11

Site 2: Bodkin Park ........................................................................................................................................... 12

Ecosystem Structure and Dynamics of the Canning River ....................................................................... 12

Site 3: Bodkin Park – Urban Drain.................................................................................................................... 14

The Impacts of Landcover Change ........................................................................................................... 14

Eutrophication .......................................................................................................................................... 15

Sedimentation .......................................................................................................................................... 16

Site 4: Bodkin Park South – Living Stream ....................................................................................................... 17

A program to address the impacts of land cover change ........................................................................ 17

Site 5: Canning River Eco Education Centre..................................................................................................... 19

Artificial Oxygenation ............................................................................................................................... 19

Evaluation of both strategies.................................................................................................................... 21

Comparing the strategies ......................................................................................................................... 23

Field Sketch of Canning River ................................................................................................................... 24

Water Sampling................................................................................................................................................ 25

Interpreting Results .................................................................................................................................. 26

Practise Extended Response Questions ........................................................................................................... 27

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Map of Activities
Bodkin Park

Oxygenation Plant

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Site 1: Canning River
Welcome to the Djarlgarro Beelier

“Ngala kaaditj Noongar moort keyen kaadak nidja boodja .”

We acknowledge the Noongar people as the original custodians of this land .

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Understanding Catchments
What is a catchment?

Use the diagram to illustrate the catchment model in context to the Andrew Thompson Conservation Reserve and
Canning River. Label the following in the diagram, direction of flow, and influence on the catchment:

Agriculture Man-made wetland Urban Areas Vegetated Areas Weather conditions

Canning River Roadside Drain Sedge lands Urban drain Wildlife

Mark on the diagram the processes of landcover change that have occurred

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Natural and Cultural Features
Identify the natural and cultural features evident in and around Andrew Thomson Conservation Reserve.

Natural Features Cultural Features

Site and Situation

With reference to the topographic map, describe the following site characteristics for Andrew Thomson
Conservation Reserve.

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Landforms
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Topography _________________________________________________________________
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Drainage _________________________________________________________________
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Vegetation _________________________________________________________________
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Soils _________________________________________________________________
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With reference to the topographic map, describe the following situation characteristics for Andrew
Thompson Conservation Reserve.

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Latitude & _________________________________________________________________
Longitude
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Distance & _________________________________________________________________
direction from
major natural _________________________________________________________________
features _________________________________________________________________
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Distance & _________________________________________________________________
direction from
major cultural _________________________________________________________________
features _________________________________________________________________
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Position along
OR distance & _________________________________________________________________
direction from _________________________________________________________________
major transport
routes _________________________________________________________________
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The Swan-Canning River System
Annotate the map and identify
the following areas of the
catchment:
Swan-Canning Estuary
Swan River System
Canning River System

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A History of Land Cover Change in the Swan-Canning River Catchm ent Area

Using the images provided, create a timeline for land cover change (and potential impacts) occurring around the Swan-Canning Catchment Area.

Prior 1800 1825 1850 1875 1900 1925 1950 1975 2000 2020

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The Processes of Land Cover Change in the Swan -Canning River Catchment
Area

Describe the following processes of land cover change with reference to the Swan-Canning River
Catchment:

Expansion and intensification of agriculture

Growth of urban settlement and industry

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Site 2: Bodkin Park
Ecosystem Structure and Dynamics of the Canning River
What is an ecosystem?

List the biotic and abiotic components of the Canning River ecosystem

Biotic Abiotic

Draw an example of a food web for the Canning River Ecosystem.

Use arrows to show the direction the energy is flowing and label the producers and consumers (primary,
secondary consumers, and tertiary) and decomposers.

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Describe the flow of energy through the trophic levels of the Canning River ecosystem.

With reference to an example and a diagram, describe the cycling of nutrients through the trophic levels of
the Canning River ecosystem.

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Site 3: Bodkin Park – Urban Drain
The Impacts of Landcover Change

The photo above shows Collier Pines Main Drain in Bodkin Park.
This urban drain is an example of an open drain with timber side
lacing. The map to the left shows that the drain starts near Collier
Park Golf Course and through a series of pipes and open drains
makes its way to the Canning River at Andrew Thompson
Conservation Reserve.
Circle where the drain enters the Canning River.
Why were open drains like Collier Pines Main Drain created?

What impacts might this urban drain have on the Canning River?

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Eutrophication

What is Eutrophication?

Eutrophication in the Swan-Canning rivers is a result of

Draw a diagram that illustrates the process of eutrophication in the Swan-Canning rivers

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Sedimentation

What is Sedimentation?

Sedimentation in the Swan-Canning rivers is a result of

Draw a diagram that illustrates the process of sedimentation in the Swan-Canning rivers

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Site 4: Bodkin Park South – Living Stream
A program to address the impacts of land cover change

The photos below show the Collier Pines Main Drain and part of this drain that has been converted to a living
stream.
Collier Pines Main Drain Collier Pine Main Drain Living Stream conversion

What is a living stream?

Below is a cross section of a living stream. Annotate the diagram with the features of a living stream and explain why
these features are used and what role they play in reducing eutrophication and sedimentation.

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How does this program work to address the impacts of land cover change?

List the stakeholders who develop and execute the living stream projects undertaken in the Perth
Metropolitan area.

What is the extent of the Living Stream program in the Perth Metropolitan area? List some examples of
where other living streams have been created.

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Site 5: Canning River Eco Education Centre

Artificial Oxygenation

What is artificial oxygenation and explain how this strategy works to address the impacts of land cover
change.

Annotate the diagram to describe and explain the artificial oxygenation process.

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How many oxygenation plants do we have on the Swan-Canning rivers and where are they located?
Explain why they are located here.

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Evaluation of both strategies

• Consider the social, environmental, and economic costs and benefits

• Use the concept of sustainability to determine the extent to which these approaches have the
potential to address the issue into the future.

Costs Benefits
Social: Social:

Economic: Economic:

Living
Streams

Environmental: Environmental:

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 Social: Social:

Economic: Economic:

Oxygenation

Environmental: Environmental:

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Comparing the strategies
Outline the similarities and differences between the two strategies:

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Field Sketch of Canning River

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Water Sampling

Date: ……………………….…………….. Time: ………………………

Biotic measurements

Sensitivity
Macroinvertebrate Classification Urban Drain Living Stream
Group
Stonefly nymph Plecoptera (order)
Very
Mayfly nymph Ephemeroptera (order)
Sensitive
Caddisfly larva Trichoptera (order)
Water mite Acarina (order)
Sensitive
Marsh beetle larva Scirtidae (family)
Dragonfly nymph Odonata (order)
Damselfly nymph Odonata (order)
Black fly larva Simuliidae (family)
Soldier fly larva Stratiomyidae (family)
Tolerant Crane fly larva Tipulidae (family)
Freshwater mussel Bivalvia (class)
Whirligig beetle adult/larva Gyrinidae (family)
Biting midge larva Ceratopogonidae (family)
Freshwater crayfish Parastacidae (family)
Water scorpion Nepidae (family)
Water measurer Hydrometridae (family)
Water strider Gerridae (family)
Crawling water beetle adult/larva Halipidae (family)
Non-biting midge larva Chironomidae (family)
Freshwater prawn/shrimp Decapoda (order)
Roundworm Nematoda (phylum)
Water boatmen Corixidae (family)
Very Backswimmer Notonectidae (family)
Tolerant Diving beetle adult/larva Dytiscidae (family)
Scavenger beetle adult/larva Hydrophilidae (family)
Isopod (water slater) Isopoda (order)
Flat snail Gastropoda (class)
Segmented worm Oligochaeta (class)
Mosquito (larvae/pupae/exoskeleton) Culicidae (family)
Springtail Collembola (class)
Freshwater snail Gastropoda (class)
Leech Hirudinea (class)
Water flea Cladocera (suborder)
Amphipod (side swimmer) Amphipoda (order)
Ostracod (seed shrimp) Ostracoda (subclass)
Not Rated
Copepod Copepoda (subclass)
Water spider Araneae (order)
Flatworm Turbellaria (class)
TOTALS

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 Abiotic measurements

Urban Drain Living Stream

Environmental Indicator Sample 1 Sample 2 Sample 1 Sample 2

Temperature (°C)

Acidity (pH)

Salinity (mS/cm)
Conversion 1mS = 1000µ

Turbidity (NTUs)

Dissolved Oxygen (%)

Phosphates (ppm / mg/L)

Nitrates (ppm / mg/L)

Interpreting Results
Is there a difference in the results between the urban drain and living stream for any of the environmental
indicators? If yes, what is causing the change in the water quality

What do the macroinvertebrates tell us about the quality of the water in the urban drain and living
stream?

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Practise Extended Response Questions
Describe one program to address the impacts of land cover change in local and regional environments.
(8 marks)

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Compare and contrast one program designed to address the impacts of land cover change with an
alternative program designed to address the same impacts of land cover change.
(10 marks)

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Evaluate a program that addresses the impacts of land cover change, considering its social,
environmental and economic costs and benefits.
(12 marks)

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Thank you for visiting us!

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