HSC Geography Notes (All 3 topics)

Resource Description

Case studies for ecosystems: Coastal dunes and Coral reefs (With some examples)
Megacities: Mumbai + Jakarta
Economic activity: Tourism
Economic enterprise: Taronga zoo

Geo revision notes
Key terms are underlined.
Ecosystems and their management:
– Biophysical interactions which lead to diverse ecosystems and their functioning
– Vulnerability and resilience of ecosystems
– Impacts due to natural stress
– Impacts due to human induced modifications to energy flows, nutrient cycling,
and relationships between biophysical components
Biophysical interactions
 Defined as how an ecosystem operates with the surrounding areas, utilise the spheres
 TRANSFER OF ENERGY – FROM SUN ALL THE WAY TO DECOMPOSERS
 LEARN ONE CYCLE
 An ecosystem is defined as all the biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) things within a certain area, that is common
o Each will have its own collection of organisms living there
o All organisms will interact with each other in certain ways (energy and
nutrient cycling)
 Ecosystems use all the different spheres in each of its own ways. For example, the lithosphere and atmosphere, both major carbon sinks, play a major role in the carbon cycle
 This leads to diverse ecosystems – different surrounding circumstances change what type of ecosystem is created. For example, altitude is a main reason for the nature and spatial distribution of alpine ecosystems