2.4 Inter-relationships between the natural environment and human activities

Environmental hazards to humans include:

-volcanic eruptions

-earthquakes

-tropical storms

-flooding

-drought

Environmental opportunities for humans:

            -energy source renewable e.g. solar, hydroelectric etc, or non-renewable e.g. coal

                        -where there are droughts, lack of cloud is ideal for solar power

                        -volcanic areas are good for geothermal energy

            -medical research and genetic engineering of crops using genetic material

            -flooding rivers have alluvium deposits which make very fertile land

            -exotic foods from Amazon rainforest

            -tourist destination = source of wealth

-tropical rainforests provide wood for making paper, furniture etc.

            -volcanic eruptions (and forest fires) produce fertile soil (Merapi)

Corals create a tourist attraction:

-it is beautiful/unique/visually attractive/spectacular/to see one before they die out completely;

-fishing;

-diving;

-boat trips;

-lots of species of fish/exotic fish/plants/large biodiversity etc.

Volcanoes:

Positive:

   fertile/volcanic soils;

   geothermal power;

   attract tourists/tour guides/souvenirs etc.;

   resource extraction/or examples e.g. sulphur;

   researchers/vulcanologists live close by to study volcanoes;

   they have lived there all their lives/sentimental attachment;

   close to family/friends;

   work/education in area;

   cannot afford to move;

   pressure of living space;

   confidence in prediction/safety;

   willing to take the risk/they don’t think it will erupt etc.

Negative:

-death by jumping in volcano :p

-death by tripping over tree root which has grown because of the fertile ash deposits

-if the ash and mud from a volcanic eruption mix with rain water or melting snow, fast moving mudflows are created (lahars)

-clears settlements/woodland/agriculture

-changes landscape

Food Shortages:

Causes:

                     Human Causes:

                                    -poverty

                                    -poor distribution/transport difficulties

                                    -war and civil conflict

                                    -commercial farming

                                    -overpopulation

                                    -poor government management of resources

                     Physical causes:

                                    -soil exhaustion

                                    -drought

                                    -flood

                                    -tropical cyclones

                                    -pests

                                    -disease

Effects:

-hunger

-susceptible to infectious diseases

-impair physical and mental development

-reduce labour productivity

-increase risk of premature death

-5 to 10% reduction in lifetime earnings

Solutions:

The Green Revolution

The introduction of modern farming methods to poorer countries to increase their food production, such as:

1. High-yield Varieties (HYVs)

Advantage: faster growing & resistant to disease

Disadvantage: need N fertilisers & pesticides = less sustainable due to damage to the environment

2. Irrigation - overcoming unreliable weather
3. Appropriate technology – simple wells, low cost sustainable schemes
4. Land reform – improve efficiency, increase farm size for small landowners, set an upper limit of land owned by the wealthy, give surplus land to landless people (this is done in the Lower Ganges Valley)
5. Nitrogen fertilisers – increasing yield, surplus can be sold for profit but, expensive, possible eutrophication

Food aid - collecting and transporting food to crisis areas