Hydrosphere: subject content
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- Created by: grace.evelyn1
- Created on: 27-04-22 20:38
What are the human uses for water?
Agriculture: 70%. e.g. irrigation.
Industry: 22%. e.g. cooling, heating, washing, solvent.
Domestic uses: 8%. Flushing toilets, Hygiene.
Industry: 22%. e.g. cooling, heating, washing, solvent.
Domestic uses: 8%. Flushing toilets, Hygiene.
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What reasons are the global demand of water increasing?
Increase in population,
Increase in per-capita use with increased affluence
Increased irrigation on farmland,
Industrialisation,
Increase in per-capita use with increased affluence
Increased irrigation on farmland,
Industrialisation,
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what does residence time mean?
Residence time= Volume of water in the reservoir/ mean transfer rate
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How does deforestation affect the hydrological cycle? :human impacts.
Deforestation:
Vegetation intercepts rainfall which may evaporate before it reaches the ground.
Trees return water to atmosphere by transpiration.
Loss of trees can cause loss of precipitation in downwind areas as water infiltrates ground or runs off in
Vegetation intercepts rainfall which may evaporate before it reaches the ground.
Trees return water to atmosphere by transpiration.
Loss of trees can cause loss of precipitation in downwind areas as water infiltrates ground or runs off in
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How does agriculture affect the Hydrological cycle? :human impacts.
Heavy machinery or livestock can cause soil compaction which makes it harder for water infiltration. Runoff increases.
Crop irrigation increases evaporation rates.
Loss of soil biota such as worms reduces infiltration and water retention by soil.
Crop irrigation increases evaporation rates.
Loss of soil biota such as worms reduces infiltration and water retention by soil.
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How does urban development affect the Hydrological cycle? :human impacts
impermeable surfaces reduces infiltration and increases surface runoff. Can cause river flooding downstream.
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How does global climate change affect the hydrological cycle? :human impact.
Higher global temperatures affect rates of melting, evaporation, condensation and wind patterns. These combined alter where and when precipitation takes place.
Melting of ice and snow increase flooding.
Melting of ice and snow increase flooding.
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What are the environmental affects of reservoirs?
Habitat change.
Habitat change.
Flooding the reservoir destroys habitats but can also create new and valuable ones. Wetlands may be created.
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What are the environmental affects of reservoirs? Wildlife barriers
Reservoirs may act as a barrier to wildlife migrating across the river. This may prevent recolonization of areas that have become vacant in bad years.
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What are the environmental affects of reservoirs?
River regime downstream of dams
River regime downstream of dams
Water may be used to regulate river flow, holding water back during times of surplus to ensure adequate river flow in times of shortage. Reduces risk of downstream flooding, reduces periods of low flow. High flow washes away sediment.
River fluctuations
River fluctuations
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What are the environmental affects of reservoirs?
Sedimentation
Sedimentation
Sediments carried into the reservoir settle on the floor and will not be carried further downstream.
Important in fertilising flood plain.
They have built up river banks and counteracted erosion.
Important in fertilising flood plain.
They have built up river banks and counteracted erosion.
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What are the environmental affects of reservoirs?
Microclimates
Microclimates
Large bodies of water may change the local climate. High heat capacity of water helps to reduce temperature fluctuations. Warmer in winter and colder in summer.
Water provides less friction than land, windspeed will be higher.
Greater evaporation from t
Water provides less friction than land, windspeed will be higher.
Greater evaporation from t
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What is an aquifer?
An aquifer is a large body of rock that holds water which is exploited as a resource.
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What are the features of an aquifer?
1. Porosity- Proportion of a rocks volume that is space and can therefore hold water. Chalk, Limestone and sandstone are porous.
2. Permeability- Measure of the ease with which fluids may flow through a rock. Clay is porous but pores are too small for fl
2. Permeability- Measure of the ease with which fluids may flow through a rock. Clay is porous but pores are too small for fl
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What is aquifer recharge?
Precipitation on grounds surface infiltrates and percolates through soil and rock to the aquifer. Water abstraction must not exceed recharge rate.
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What is the drawback of some ancient aquifers?
They're often saline and cause soil salinization as irrigation water evaporates, leaving the salt behind. This can cause osmotic dehydration and the death of crops.
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What are the affects of over-exploitation of aquifers? Changes in surface hydrology
Many lakes, rivers and marshes are fed by groundwater flowing out of aquifers. If the groundwater is over exploited, the water table will lower reducing the outflow of of water in wetlands, causing it to dry up.
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What are the affects of the over-exploitation of aquifers? Ecological impacts
If the water table is lowered then plants that require high amounts of water will die as they cant compete with plants that have low water requirements.
Aquatic animals will die if wetlands dry out.
Other species that rely on aquatic species for food wi
Aquatic animals will die if wetlands dry out.
Other species that rely on aquatic species for food wi
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What are the affects of over-exploitation of aquifers? salt water incursion
In coastal areas the water table may be higher than sea level. As rainwater percolates down into the aquifer, water flows sideways and out of the aquifer into the sea. The seawards flow of freshwater into the sea prevents seawater entering the aquifer. If
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What are the affects of over-exploitation of aquifers? subsidence
Water that is no longer present in the aquifers spaces cannot provide support for the rock above, therefore, become compacted. This can cause damage t buildings and pipelines.
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What are the affects of over-exploitation of aquifers? Reduced supplies
If the extraction rate is greater than the recharge rate then the volume of water available for abstraction will be reduced.
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How can aquifer depletion be monitored?
Aquifer water levels can be monitored by checking the level of the water table in wells or boreholes. This is slow and difficult to coordinate on a large scale.
NASA operates two GRACE satellites (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment). Their orbits a
NASA operates two GRACE satellites (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment). Their orbits a
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Other cards in this set
Card 2
Front
What reasons are the global demand of water increasing?
Back
Increase in population,
Increase in per-capita use with increased affluence
Increased irrigation on farmland,
Industrialisation,
Increase in per-capita use with increased affluence
Increased irrigation on farmland,
Industrialisation,
Card 3
Front
what does residence time mean?
Back
Card 4
Front
How does deforestation affect the hydrological cycle? :human impacts.
Back
Card 5
Front
How does agriculture affect the Hydrological cycle? :human impacts.
Back
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