Australian Geography NotesStephanie LingCoastal, Land and Water
ManagementCoastal Issues1. Population Growth Overdevelopment and
rapid growth of coastal areas occur due to the current Australian
trend for people to go coastal where the lifestyle is more relaxed
85% of the population live within 50km of the coastal zone2.
Pollution Sewage outfalls add nutrients to the water and pollute
the water Without treatment of sewage and the management of
stormwater, beaches can be unsuitable for swimming3. Tourism and
Recreation Large areas and beaches are highly susceptible to
erosion from recreational activities e.g. Four-wheeled driving4.
Coastal Processes River entrances along coast are prone to silting
up from management for boating access5. Introduced Plants
Introduced plants overtake natural vegetation and does not give
sand dunes protection from wind erosion6. Introduced Animals
Introduced species cause habitat competition and erode the natural
environment7. Inappropriate development Poorly planned developments
alter the natural environment8. Influencing decision-making
Knowledge of the natural processes influence the decisions make on
the management of the coastal environmentCoastal Processes
Constructive and destructive waves coasts are built and eroded by
the energy of waves Erosion and deposition Longshore drift the
movement of material, usually in one direction only from the wind
Rips move sediment through fast moving currents that run out
towards the sea Tides due to the gravitational force of the moon
and the sun acting on the rotation of the Earth. They can move a
lot of sediment into bays and estuaries Storm surges a rise in sea
level resulting from the effects of intense storm surges
Coastal Management
Hazards and Threats Flooding Wave erosion Wind erosion Water
quality Acidic soils from fertilisers WeedsHuman Activities
Dredging Levelling of dunes for buildings Unrestricted public
access Grazing Dumping TourismManagement Strategies Protect water
quality by reducing sedimentation, algal blooms and discharges of
polluted water Permits required for ocean disposal, dredging,
dumping of vessels and sea burials Coastal zone management Clean Up
Australia Day
Management Solutions to reduce erosion Beach nourishment
placement of sand on beach which is spread by natural processes
Groyne structure to prevent sand moving from longshore drift Sea
wall structure that separates land from water Offshore breakwater
structure to reduce wave energy Purchase property buying buildings
to remove structures prone to erosion
Land DegradationCausesEffectsManagement
Compaction
- planting crops without rest years- driving heavy machinery-
hoofed animals-reduced infiltration of water- increased runoff-
reduced vegetation- resting paddocks- concrete bases at watering
points for stocks
Acidification
- acidic soils from overusing fertilisers- acidic soils less
productive- long-term use of fertiliser causes degradation leading
to a loss of productivity - legume crops to replace nitrogen in
soil- use fertilisers sparingly
Weed Invasion
- introduced plants- birds
- compete with crops for nutrients and moisture- choke native
vegetation- attract feral animals- prevent weed species from
entering Australia at customs- herbicides- Planting crops- Cutting
weeds manually- biological control
Introduced Animals
- rabbits, goats- strip ground of vegetation leaving it bare and
susceptible to erosion- holes cause tunnel erosion- trapping or
shooting- poisons- biological control
Air QualityAir pollution is the introduction of chemicals,
particulate matter or biological materials that cause harm or
discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or damages the
natural environment into the atmosphere. Air pollutants can have an
unpleasant odour, irritate the senses, reduce visibility, damage
property and even cause death. Air quality has both spatial and
ecological dimensions.Spatial dimensions are where things are and
why. Air quality differs between places, at different times and
under different weather conditions.Ecological dimensions are the
interactions of humans in a space or issue. Human interactions
include, transport, industrial activity, smoking and storms from
overgrazing on marginal land, bushfires and burning fossil
fuels.Pollutants can be classified as either primary or secondary.
Usually primary pollutants are substances directly emitted from a
process, such as burning fossil fuels for transport, power
generation and industrial production.Secondary pollutants are not
emitted directly, rather, they form in the air when primary
pollutants react or interact. An important example of a secondary
pollutant is ground level ozone one of the many secondary
pollutants that make up photochemical smog.Managing Air
QualityThere are various air pollution control techniques and land
use planning strategies available to reduce air pollution. At its
most basic level land use planning is likely to involve zoning and
transport infrastructure planning. In most developed countries like
Sydney, land use planning is an important part of social policy,
ensuring that land is used efficiently for the benefit of the wider
economy and population as well as to protect the environment.
Strategies that can be used to reduce pollution include: Improve
public transport so it is convenient, safe, reliable and cheap. Use
some petrol taxes to subsidise improvements to public transport.
Restrict new housing developments if access to public transport is
poor. Provide more transit and bus lanes. Encourage transport of
freight by train. Implement stricter emission controls for motor
vehicles and industry. Provide financial incentives for households
to install solar hot-water heaters Use the polluter pays principle,
whereby people pay for the pollution and waste they produce.Taking
ActionAir pollution is likely to remain a serious problem due to
population growth and our continual reliance on fossil fuels for
transport and electricity. However, by the early twenty-first
century, emissions in Australia were increasing more slowly that
the rate of population or economic growth. This slowdown can be
attributed to the actions of individuals, groups and
governments.Individuals and Groups community awareness has risen
due to campaigns by groups such as smog busters and the Armidale
Air Quality Group.Local Government local councils enforce laws that
prohibit backyard burning or incineration of toxic wastes by
industry. In NSW, local councils have developed air quality
management plans that have helped to improve air quality.State
Government the government aims to improve air quality by reducing
the use of private cars. It plans to develop 23 priority bus
corridors by 2012 and 200km of cycle ways across NSW by
2010.Federal Government the government is working with the CSIRO to
gather information used to enable environment protection to test
management strategies and educate schools and health institutes in
air pollution. The federal government recognises air pollution as a
global issue.Acid Rain - Rainfall made sufficiently acidic by
atmospheric pollution that it causes environmental harm, typically
to forests and lakes.Smog - Fog or haze intensified by smoke or
other atmospheric pollutantsEnhanced Greenhouse Gases -
Strengthening of greenhouse gases through human activitiesGlobal
Warming - an increase in the Earths average atmospheric temperature
that causes corresponding changes in climate and that may result
from the greenhouse effect.Temperature Inversion - A temperature
inversion is a thin layer of the atmosphere where the normal
decrease in temperature with height switches to the temperature
increasing with height.SmogSmog is made up of a combination of air
pollutants that can affect human health, harm the environment and
cause property damage, e.g. buildings eroding.Smog-forming
pollutants come from many sources such as automobile exhaust, power
plants, factories and many consumer products, including paint,
hairspray, charcoal starter fluid, chemical solvents, and plastic
popcorn packaging. In urban areas, at least half of the smog
precursors come from cars, buses, trucks, and boats.The levels of
smog in Australian air are considered too low to have an effect on
air quality, however in countries with a higher population density
such as Mexico City, have the worlds worst levels of smog. As a
result, children and the elderly are advised not to live in the
city. The heavy smog levels have caused serious health issues in
the city affecting many poorer people who need to live in the city
due to jobs, therefore suffering from the smog. Smog is not only a
city problem. As smog levels increase, winds are carrying smogs
away from urban areas and harming people in ecosystems in
surrounding areas. These areas may include agriculture; infecting
crops when exposed to smog. Air pollution ranked seventh on the
worldwide list of risk factors, contributing to 3.2 million deaths
in 2010.Management StrategiesSmog in Hong Kong is caused by a
combination of pollutants from motor vehicles, industry and power
plants throughout the region. To manage air pollution issues, the
government has implemented a motor vehicle control program. This
plan includes replacing diesel vehicles with petroleum gas
vehicles. After the government implemented these control measures,
air quality in districts with heavy traffic has been improved.Urban
growth and declineSpatial Dimensions Urban areas grow and decline
due to push factors such as unemployment and low socioeconomic
status, and pull factors such as employment, lifestyle and
educational opportunities. Growing: Brisbane, Darwin, Sydney and
cities along the eastern coast Declining: Hobart, exploited mining
cities and old industrial parts of cities
Push Factors: Lack of job opportunities Cosy Stuff Coast Drought
Floods Lack of Health/ EducationPull Factors: Bright lights Big
city Better facilities Lifestyle Education Jobs
Employment StructurePrimaryAgriculture, mining
