Ecosystems+at+risk

= = =media type="custom" key="5750085" width="100" height="100" align="right"= = = = = =ECOSYSTEMS AT RISK=

See attached notes to help you prepare for the exam:
 * ASSESSMENT ON WHOLE TOPIC TUESDAY 12TH MAY, 2015 worth 20% - if you miss this assessment without good reason and documentary evidence you will get zero**
 * [[file:Notice 1 of Assessment - May 2015.docx|Notice 1 of Assessment]]
 * [[file:Notice 2 of Assessment - May 2015.docx|Notice 2 of Assessment]]

The information below is on an earlier case study done in previous years. This year we are doing **Coral Reefs and Intertidal Wetlands of Homebush Bay.**

Please disregard the following case study if you are a 2015 student at Bankstown TAFE. A few Minamurra photos for the Minnamurra Case study that was done in previous year:
 * [[file:bankstowntafehsc/P1040503.JPG|P1040503.JPG]]
 * [[file:bankstowntafehsc/P1040501.JPG|P1040501.JPG]]
 * [[file:bankstowntafehsc/P1040504.JPG|P1040504.JPG]]
 * [[file:bankstowntafehsc/P1040396.JPG|P1040396.JPG]]
 * [[file:bankstowntafehsc/P1040397.JPG|P1040397.JPG]]

Can you work out the natural and human stress events from these images? Give up? Natural stresses in Minamurra include Storms which can destroy the canopy as was done so in one of the photos. The large trees were weakened by borers and decomposing organisms (also natural stressors). The large red cedar is a remnant from early days of logging (human stress event).

Biophysical Interactions include: Climate (high rainfall caused by??, plus the microclimate under canopy ), Landforms (the Illawarra escarpment, protected gully, easterly aspect), Soils (high recycling in humid conditions of leaf litter, unusually fertile bedrock base weathers to fertile volcanic soil, nutrients in top few centimeters), Vegetation (microclimate under canopy, leaf litter trapped in epiphytes, strangler fig interactions; Organisms such as food chain interactions eg: Lilly Pilly fruit -> Parrot or Berries/Fruits -> Sugar Glider -> Owl. Energy lost at each tropic level along the food chain.
 * [[file:bankstowntafehsc/P1040368.JPG|P1040368.JPG]]
 * [[file:bankstowntafehsc/P1040338.JPG|P1040338.JPG]]
 * [[file:bankstowntafehsc/P1040374.JPG|P1040374.JPG]]

Consider interaction diagrams given in class and with sample essay.

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Textbook
You will need to bring your textbook - //Global Interactions HSC Course// by Grant Kleeman from 16th March. Another good textbook you might like to borrow from a library is the Macquarie Revision Guides - HSC Geography by Owens, Paine and Reid. This book provides a good outline of topics but you need to supplement all topics in all books with current material.

Excursions
There will be an excursion to Pyrmont at the end of Term 2 on MONDAY 22ND MAY, 2015 in the non-teaching week. The will be $4, plus the train/ferry fare. You might be advised to buy a day tripper concession ticket for ferry, ferry, bus and train trips on the day. This excursion is COMPULSORY. You will have to complete an assessment task based on this and using fieldwork techniques.

Syllabus
To access the syllabus for this topic, please click on

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Lessons
You can access all the lessons completed in class by clicking on

Minamurra Falls case study
You can access material on the Minamurra Falls case study by clicking on the following links:
 * [[file:bankstowntafehsc/MINAMURRA FALLS CASE STUDY.doc|MINAMURRA FALLS CASE STUDY.doc]]
 * [[file:bankstowntafehsc/Minamurra rainforest_veg[1].doc|Minamurra rainforest_veg[1].doc]]
 * Your new case study can be found at: []

Lesson Material
Hint: The more you read, the better your vocabulary, the better you will write and the more you will understand if the same information comes from different sources and explanations.

NOT ALL LESSON MATERIAL WILL BE UPLOADED - You still need to attend class to participate in discussion and class notes - some notes are only in dot points with class discussion adding to this material. You will need to read your textbook chapters plus other chapters of work issued from various other sources issued in class. The Macquarie Revision Guide ; Geography textbook has a good chapter on coral reefs. Note that not all items can be uploaded in whole for copyright reasons such as magazine articles.

Issues in the News Relevant to this Topic

 * An annual event to raise awareness on Global Warming is the Walk Against Warming []
 * Check out the Icelandic volcano dramas at the following :
 * []
 * []

This news item is relevant for both the Ecosystems at Risk and Economic Activity topics.

Keep up to date with the following other news events this week:
 * the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico threatening the wetlands of the Mississippi delta []
 * ABCTV Thursday nights 8pm Catalyst program or go to the link - last night was on Global Warming and its impacts on Antarctica - look at the evidence presented and the impacts which are occurring [] an earlier program also explored global warming and glaciers so check out this link []

Notices

 * You need to access the HSC Online Geography site for Minamurra Rainforest Ecosystem Virtual Fieldtrip via the Board of Studies.
 * We have nearly finished the second case study. Assessment on WHOLE of Ecosystems topic Friday 7th May.
 * You will also be doing mapping skills for the next two Friday's