HISTORICAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE OUTDOORS Understanding some of the ways people have thought acted, and the ways we currently think and act, with respect to outdoor environments, as well as the impact of these actions, gives us a starting point form which to consider how we might respond t environmental conflict and crisis into the future.

Outcome 1 Students should be able to use specific references of outdoor experiences to explain and evaluate how relationships with outdoor environments have changed over time. Key Knowledge Key Skills An overview of Australian environments before humans, including characteristics of biological isolation, geological stability, and climatic variation. Describe the characteristics of the Australian environmental before humans. Relationships with Australian environments expressed by indigenous communities, before and after European colonisation. Describe and analyse; changing relationships with Australian outdoor environments expressed by indigenous cultures, influences of historical events, key social and cultural issues. Relationship with the outdoors influenced by; indigenous settlers, increasing population, industrialization, nation building. Evaluate the role of a specific environment movement in changing relationships with outdoor environments. Role of environmental movements in changing relationships with outdoor environments. Plan for and reflect upon a range of practical sustainable outdoor experiences and analyse information collecting during these experiences.

Describe your relationship with the outdoor environment? What are your feelings about the outdoor environment? What are your experiences and history with the outdoor environment? What are things you like and don’t like about the outdoor environment? What are things you do in the outdoor environment?

Relationships in and with outdoor environments A little hard? Relationships in and with outdoor environments Perceptions (What we think) Interactions (What we do) Impacts (The effects) Our perceptions help to determine the interactions we have, and the interactions we have also help to influence our perceptions.

Describing relationships using metaphors A metaphor is where two unlike things are compare with each other because of something they have in common. They are often uses when we’re trying to understand something complex to compare it with something simpler. The foot of the mountain Outdoors as a museum Outdoors as mother Outdoors as a cathedral What to these metaphors mean? Are they useful to explain a relationship with the environment? Can you think of any others?

Look at the quotes above and answer the following: Man, if we look to final causes, may be regarded as the centre of the world. - Francis Bacon, Of the Wisdom of the Ancients, 1857 I dream of looking abroad summer and winter, with free gaze, from some mountainside…I to be nature looking into nature with such easy sympathy as the blue-eyed grass in the meadow looks in the face of the sky. - Henry David Thoreau, Familiar letters of Henry David Thoreau, 1841 Learning Activity Look at the quotes above and answer the following: What do you think they mean? What sore of relationships are these people describing? Find some examples of metaphors in the two quotes.

Overview of Australia’s Natural History The Australian outdoor environment before humans can be broken down into three distinct sections. The three distinct sections of geological time which include; 1. Precambrian phase 2. Gondwanaland phase 3. Isolation phase

Precambrian Phase In the Precambrian phase three early pieces of the continental crust, known as craters formed. It is the beginning of life; it recognises a period where single celled organisms such as bacteria begin to form. During the late Precambrian phase the first multicellular soft bodies animal such as jelly fish arise.

Gondwanaland Phase Gondwanaland land formed along with Laurasia, when the super continent Pangaea broke up (refer to image). Gondwanaland is when Australia was still connected to Antarctica and India. During this stage the earth began to get warmer and there was the development of crocodiles, dinosaurs and mammals. This splitting of Gondwana land caused natural isolation or biological isolation and has a range of effects on the environment. During the Isolation phase Australia separated and remained warm and humid with rainforest vegetation.

Isolation Phase This isolation has resulted in Australia’s geological stability and climatic variability. Inland Australia also had an abundance of rivers, plants and wildlife. During this period of Isolation is where the development of Australia’s and other countries natural environment formed.

AUSTRALIA BEFORE HUMANS… Learning Activity What sets the Australian environment apart from the environments of other continents?

Why is Australia so unique? Biological Isolation Geological Stability Climate Variation

Biological Isolation Understanding biological isolation Learning Activity What do you think it is about? Lets create a mind map to break the term ‘Biological Isolation’ down and the components it encompasses. Attempt to write your own definition of Biological Isolation Look up a definition and compare it to your own. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bPX0f120nc

Biological Isolation Understanding biological isolation Definition -Biological Isolation refers to when a collection of species do not have contact with another species that they are able to breed or mate with. This process can be man made or natural. Natural Isolation occurred when Australia split from Gondwanaland to form its own land form in isolation. Sometimes natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcano eruptions and mud slides can force populations into separate areas. This means that these organisms will either die out or evolve separately. Therefore after many years they can evolve into a different species and would not be able to mate with their original species. Geographical Isolation contributed to Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. In short, Charles Darwin’s theory was that species change over time, or evolve in response to the environment.

Did you know… A high percentage of endemic specie are found in Australia Species endemic to Australia include; 95% of fungi 85% of land mammals 89% of reptiles 94% of frogs 91% of flowering plants 57% of mangrove species

An Australian example… An example of Biological Isolation and the evolution can specifically be seen when looking at the platypus. Large water rats were around in the Gondwana period. When Australia split with England, water rats in Australia where left without breeding partners. As suggested by Charles Darwin, biological isolation resulted in the water rats in Australia forming into their own species, as we know as the platypus (Australian Government, 2010).  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTnmECQBY5g (35.50)

Geological Stability Understanding geological stability Learning Activity Does Australia have active volcanoes? How did the 12 apostles form? Why are they diminishing? How did Remarkable Rocks form? Do you think Australia is more prone to droughts and floods compared to other countries? Do you think Australia is more prone to Bushfires? What to you think geological stability is about?

Geological Isolation Understanding geological stability When looking at the Natural History of Australia it has been relatively stable. There have been little volcanic eruptions in comparison to other countries. This is due to the fact that Australia is situated away from the Tectonic boundaries. Geological stability in Australia is relatively stable, except when looking at erosion and the uplift of the Great Dividing Range. This geological stability is the cause of Australia’s Natural Environment today.

The erosion over the past millions of years has resulted in the display of many amazing rock formations including the 12 Apostles in Victoria, Remarkable Rocks in South Australia and Wave rock in Western Australia.

The geological stability of the climate of Australia is what causes the soil to be red in the Northern Territory. Soil is the product of rock erosion and this erosion is caused by weathering. Australia has a hot climate which causes the change to be chemical and reactions such as oxidisation occur resulting in this red colour. Geological stability means that there is little new fertile soil developed; therefore the old soil is blown away. This makes it difficult for new plants to fasten their roots and this is particularly evident in the dryer regions of Australia such as in the Northern Territory. Therefore Australia is more prone to droughts and floods, and especially with the effect of climate change these are becoming more and more frequent.

Because Australia has been separated from the rest of the world for millions of years it has learnt to adapt and the flora and fauna has evolved to be of varying shapes, sizes and colours. Eucalypts is a perfect example of a plant that has learnt to live in Australia, in all its diverse environments learning to adapt to live in both the snow and the arid desserts, and in turn separating into over 900 other species. Learning Activity Explore the Geoscience Australia website! www.ga.gov.au Find out about the geology of a place you’ve visited, or may visit in the future. How did it come to be like this? Find out about the time periods and processes that were involved in its formation. Examples; Uluru, Warrumbungles and the Bungle Bungles? Australia: The First 4 Billion Years https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tYjd_CfoS8

Climate Variation Understanding climate variation Learning Activity What is the difference between weather and climate? What is climate variation? Why does it occur? Explore the Bureau of Meteorology’s website www.bom.gov.au 5. Can you find and summarise a climatic history of Kangaroo Island or another location?

So what is climate variation? Climatic variations refer to the changes in climate over time and also the variability that Australia experiences from decade to decade. The degree of climate variability can be described by the differences between long term statistics of meteorological elements and measuring tools. The climate of any region is determined by four geological aspects, including; Latitude distance from the sea direction of winds elevation. These factors all change depending on geological stability and many other contributing factors, even simply just time. Climate changes effects living things on earth via altering the environment and weather patterns.

Learning Activity 1. Divided into small groups of 2. 2. Choose a topic to do with climatic variations that have occurred in Australians past climate history. Topics include; El Nino, La Nino, The ice ages, Interglacial Periods, Global Warming and Climate Change. 3. Each group is to come up with a response to the following dot points and present it in an interesting way to their fellow class mates: What is it? In what time periods did or does it occur? What has been the result of your climate variation? Present your response in an engaging manner: PowerPoint, Video, Play, Small group discussion, News report, YouTube.

Climate Variation in Australia… For the past 2 million years or more the climate of Australia has been dominated by extended periods of globally cooler temperatures then present. This is known as the “ice age.” These ice ages are interrupted by briefer periods of warm weather known as the “interglacial” periods. Currently, we are in the Interglacial period in Australia and it has lasted approximately 10000years. Although weather is complex and there are many integral changes that occur, these are two semi stable states which have been identified. A change to the interglacial period can be triggered by the earth’s orbit which effects the heat distribution by the sun. The large climate changes have in the past controlled human migration in pre history. These are very large climatic changes that can occur and there are also smaller climatic changes of only a few degrees which can affect regions for decades.

El Nino and La Nino… The El Nino and La Nina effects also play a major role in the climatic variations that have occurred in the past. El Nino refers to when the sea surface temperature rises in the Eastern and Pacific Ocean. Recurs approximately every 3-8 years. This El Nino period can cause many bush fires as the weather is hotter and dryer over these periods. http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/ens o/index.shtml

El Nino and La Nino… Drought is also more common during an El Nino period, although droughts can strike at any time. Climate is an ever changing phenomenon and does not rotate through any particular perfect sequence. There can be strong and weak periods of the El Nino which determine the impact it has on the weather.

La Nina La Nina effect on weather refers to periods of cooler weather, which has a stronger effect then El Nino. This impacts the temperatures making them cooler but can also increase the rainfall at a particular.

Human Impact on Weather Patterns… Human impact has seen significant changes to the weather patterns. In the past 20 century there has been an increase in the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil & natural gas) agriculture and land clearing which has been increasing the concentration of gases and therefore trapping the heat causing the earth to heat up. This has a large impact on the climatic variations and on earth itself. This global warming causes sea levels of rise, temperatures to rise, more droughts and an increase in storm surges and severe weather events (Commonwealth of Australia, 2010).