GEOS 348 Environmental Geology
Test #1
Review
What is ENVIRONMENTAL geology? What are the aims of the science? What are the origins of the ‘environmental’
movement?
What is a geologic hazard? Do they really exist? How do humans aggravate geologic events? Give 3 examples.
When dealing with a need for an effective environmental decision what key element play a roll? (Hint: be sure to graph the
decision making foundation).
Explain the geologic axioms “the present is the key to the past” and “the past and the present are keys to the future”. Explain
fully the origin of the phrases.
What framework for analysis does an environmental geologist need to consider in order to evaluate land use or resource
management in an area? Why are decisions deemed urgent or not; new or expected; who does this fit into a policy framework?
What is ecology?
What is a species?
What is a population?
Compare and contrast indigenous vs. invasive species.
What is biodiversity?
How is biodiversity reduced?
What is the hydrologic cycle? Be able to draw and explain it.
What is bankfull stage?
What is a flood recurrence interval? How is it measured?
What is a flood frequency probability? How is it measured?
What is a hydrograph?
What is a rating curve?
What is discharge vs. velocity?
What is a drainage?
What is a drainage divide?
Compare an effluent vs. influent stream
What is baseflow?
What is the difference between a hydrograph representing a forested ‘natural’ watershed environment and another representing
an urban environment?
What is river competency? What is river capacity?
What is suspended load? What is bedload? What is dissolve load?
What happens with land use change in floodplains?
What adjustments or modifications can be made to ameliorate flooding?
What factors affect flood damage?
Be able to read and interpret flood frequency diagrams.
What is the angle of repose; what is its significance to mass wasting?
What is the “slumping” as it relates to mass wasting?
What are a triggers of a slump?
What are the causes subsidence?
What are collapse sinkholes? Solution sinkholes?
What is Karst
What is the difference between a flow and a slide in mass wasting
What is “liquefaction,” and why is it a major cause of property damage, potentially?
When and where is “solifluction” common, and why?
Why is subsidence often associated with oil fields?
Be able to identify slides depicting different features
Most ground subsidence occurs in areas underlain by clastic sediments deposited within the past few tens of millions of years
(Miocene and younger). Explain why this is so.
Discuss the relative effects of rock characteristics and climate on the occurrence of slope failures.
What 3 major factors influence subsidence? Briefly explain and give examples.
A high-rise development is to be built on reclaimed marshland underlain by fine-grained sediments that overlay bedrock at
depth. What subsidence problems could develop? How could they be avoided?
What techniques can be used to analyze the potential for development of collapse sinkholes in limestone areas?