ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT UNIT

RESOURCE: Changing & managing the environment - Chap2 Oxford Hum10 textbook (PDF on WISE:
https://wise.wesleycollege.net/homepage/940/)

 READ: Understanding environmental change: Oxford Humanities 10 textbook p.46 – 47

1. How have human activities impacted the land?

2. Why have human changes to the environment increased over the last 200 years?

3. Examine the image of Glen Canyon dam on p.47. List all of the human impacts that you can
see.

4. Sources 1 and 3 (p.46-47) show the effects of environmental changes in desert areas. What
factors do you think make these areas particularly vulnerable to the effects of human activity?

 READ: Degrading the land: Oxford Humanities 10 textbook p.48 – 49

5. What is land degradation?

6. Why is land degradation a concern for many people in Australia and around the world?

7. Examine Source 3 on p.49. Describe the areas of Australia at risk from gully erosion. Use the
names of states and specific places in your description. You may need to refer to a more
detailed map of Australia to assist you.

8. Which areas of Australia are most at risk from salinity?

9. List those areas in Australia that are at risk from erosion, salinity and desertification.

 READ: Degrading the atmosphere: Oxford Humanities 10 textbook p. 50 – 51

10. What is the ozone layer?

11. Why is the air quality so poor in India?

12. Air pollution has been described as a ‘transnational’ problem, meaning that is crosses
international borders. Explain why this makes it a difficult problem to solve.

13. Examine Source 1 on p.50. Which regions have the highest death rates due to air pollution?
 14. In Source 1, which regions do you predict the rates to grow? Give some reasons for your
answer.

 READ: Degrading water: Oxford Humanities 10 textbook p. 52 – 53

15. In what ways can building a dam contribute to water degradation downstream?

16. Which human activities contribute to water degradation?

17. How do you feel about the scene in Source 2 on p.52? What has caused water degradation in
this river?

18. Examine Source 3 on p.53. Describe the changes in Lake Chad evident in these two satellite
images.

19. Do you think that Lake Chad will disappear completely? Give some reasons for your answer.

20. Examine Source 1 on p.52. Why do you think this dam might have been constructed? Give
evidence from the photograph for your answer.

21. How has the dam from Source 1 changed the natural environment?

READ: Damming the rivers: Oxford Humanities 10 textbook p. 54 – 55

22. Why are many fast-flowing rivers dammed?

23. Why has the Glines Canyon dam been removed?

24. Examine Source 2 on p.55. Describe the location of the dams on the Elwha River.

25. Estimate the length of the Elwha River and the area of its catchment.

26. Why is it important to consider the whole catchment rather than just the river when analysing
the impact of a dam?

27. Discuss this statement: ‘Despite their negative impacts dams are beneficial to people and the
environment.’

READ: Pollutants in our water: Oxford Humanities 10 textbook p. 56 – 57

28. What are the three main types of water pollution?

 29. Which of these is the main source of pollutants in the Ganges River?

30. Examine Source 1 on p.56, showing some of the main sources of water pollution. Classify each
of these as physical, chemical or biological:

Main sources of water pollution Physical, chemical or biological

Oil pollution
Nuclear waste
Sewage treatment plant
Industrial waste
Leaking septic tank or broken sewer pipe
Changes in water temperature due to water capture
and timed release from dams
Increased stream erosion due to land clearing
Household waste
Fertilisers from farming
Animal waste from farming
Littering in streams and waterways and waste from
stormwater drains
Pesticides
Desalination plant

31. As well as water pollution, what other environmental impacts of mining can you identify in
Source 3 on p.57, showing the Queen River valley? How might these also contribute to water
pollution?