ANALYSE AND APPLY 6. Use your atlas to find the Cape Hillsborough and Macedon volcanoes, or refer to FIGURE2 . a. Calculate the distance between them. b. Use the information in this lesson to work out the rate at which the Australian landmass is moving. c. State how far Australia has moved over the Bass Strait hotspot. Now calculate where under Bass Strait this hotspot might be now. d. Use the information in this lesson to explain why this hotspot has changed its location over time. 7. It is said that the amount of water that flows down the Amazon River in a day is more than flows down the Murray River in a year.
a. Consider what this tells you about the dryness of Australia’s climate. b. Describe how this might affect the environment around the Murray River.
8. Describe the role of the Bass Strait hotspot in creating the landforms on Australia’s east coast. 9. Describe how Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre has changed over time. Identify a reason for these changes. EVALUATE AND COMMUNICATE 10. Approximately 80 per cent of the water flowing through the Murray–Darling Basin is diverted. a. Identify what this water is used for.
b. Predict what impact this might have on people and the environment. Answers and sample responses for this topic are available online.
LESSON 13.7 Rainforests and grasslands
LEARNING INTENTION By the end of this lesson you should be able to:
• describe the characteristics and distribution of rainforests • describe the characteristics and distribution of grasslands • explain the importance of rainforests • compare Australia’s grasslands with those in the Serengeti.
Tune in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities use fire sticks to light fires, referred to as ‘cool burns’ as a method of land management in grassland ecosystems. Only small areas are burnt, and careful attention is paid to the condition of the grass, temperature and winds. Fires are low and lit in the early morning or late afternoon when it is cooler to help prevent them from getting out of control. The dry undergrowth is burnt, reducing fuel load. The practice helps encourage new growth and maintains the grassland. 1. Discuss with a partner the benefits of landscape burning. 2. It has been suggested that more selective burning of bushland should take place during winter to reduce the threat of bushfires in summer. Brainstorm a list of advantages and disadvantages of this suggestion.
FIGURE1 A cool burn
TOPIC13 Landforms and landscapes – diversity, significance and management 311
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