4.1.5 The potential impact on society and outdoor environments of land degradation, introduced species, climate change, urbanisation and other significant threats.

From the Study design Students should be able to identify examples of threats, some of the possible causes of these, and a range of potential impacts, as they relate to specific environments visited.

Threats Land degradation Introduced Species Climate Change Urbanisation

Land degradation Deterioration in the quality of land, its topsoil, vegetation, and/or water resources, caused usually by excessive or inappropriate exploitation.

Causes: Dry land soil salinity due to land clearing cropping and irrigation. Soil contamination due to fertilizing crops and wetland drainage for agriculture. Erosion due to land clearing, overgrazing, pest animals and salinity. Impacts on OE’s: Increased erosion and salinity, insufficient nutrient to support vegetation, reduction in native habitats, reduction in biodiversity. Impacts on Society: Reduces amount of productive land for agriculture (food production), reduction in water resources, reduction in biodiversity.

An introduced species is one that is not naturally occurring in Australia (not native) e.g. foxes, rabbits, cane toads and blackberries. Introduced species

Causes: Early settlers bringing fauna for sport and farming e. g Causes: Early settlers bringing fauna for sport and farming e.g. cows, rabbits, foxes etc. Early settlers bringing flora and fauna to make Australia more like home. Species attaching to equipment or vessels e.g. Northern Pacific Seastar underneath ships. Impacts on OE’s: Compete with and displace native species for nutritious soil and food, reduce biodiversity, contribute to land degradation. Impacts on society: Loss of biodiversity, some landscapes dominated by pest and introduced species.

Climate Change A significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions, or in the distribution of weather around the average conditions (i.e., more or fewer extreme weather events).

Full list of impacts on page 270 Causes: Whilst climate change can be seen as a natural process, human processes - through the burning of fossil fuels - contributed largely since the industrial revolution. Impacts on OE’s: Increased risk of bushfires, greater intensity of droughts/floods, reduction of fish stocks due to reduction in stream flow. Impacts on society: Less snow fall resulting in increased need for man man snow, reduced availability of water for nature and human consummating (agriculture and manufacturing), melting of Arctic and Antarctic ice caps - causing widespread flooding. Full list of impacts on page 270

The physical growth of urban areas as a result of rural migration and even suburban concentration into cities, particularly the very largest ones. Urbanisation

Causes: Population growth places an increased demand on land for infrastructure and resources. Impacts on OE’s: Habitat modification through loss of vegetation, introduced species, loss of habitat and biodiversity. Loss of river flows due to the demand for water, reducing availability for native flora and fauna. Loss of vegetation for human use. Impacts on society: Loss of places to recreate, inspire and be creative in. Increased pressure on agriculture industry to provide food. Increased pressure on water supply (translates to higher cost).

Broad impacts of these threats

When combining the total impact of the previous threats, there are many overarching impacts on society. Such as…

• Fewer places to find inspiration or stimulation for creativity • Less access to recreational sites and challenged based adventure. This leads to existing places being placed under additional pressures due to larger crowds. • Decline in the economic viability of the tourist industry as a result of fewer visitors, resulting in a decrease of income and quality of life for those who rely on tourism. • A loss of biodiversity, species extinction, soil degradation and erosion, increased greenhouse gas emissions, rising salinity levels, a deterioration in water quality and health, and food shortages.

The destruction of indigenous lifestyles amongst cultures that rely on the NE for their survival. • Pressure and inbalance resulting from introduced species such as feral cats, rabbits, foxes and weeds leading to the extinction of species and domination of landscapes and ecosystems by others. • The potential loss of species with economic, medical, food or resource benefits.