Geography 3AB: The Geography of Climate Change
Geopac 5
Climate Impacts and Response
Key Learning points
Spatial association

explain how the following cultural patterns and processes and their interaction with natural systems affect climate
change i.e. agricultural land use, urban land use, including power generation, transport, industry, pollutants and
aerosols, human sources of greenhouse gases
Spatial interaction

explain the impact of climate change upon spatial patterns in the natural and cultural environments e.g. the distribution
of plant and animal communities and the location of human settlement and land uses examine the impact of climate
change upon the spatial patterns of agriculture or human settlements
Natural systems and climate change
The impact of climate on spatial interactions in natural and spatial systems
1. Read page 236
How are the activities of humans thought to be impacting on natural systems and climate?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
2. How may communities and nations need to respond to the effects of climate changes?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
3. Read page 237
‘Climate change can impact on a number of natural systems including……..:'



4. Give some examples of how climate change can affect both the types of species found within an
ecosystem, as well as their extent and distribution
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
5. Read page 238
How might climate change impact on the

World’s deserts?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

Mountain ecosystems?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

Aquatic and marine environments?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
6. Read page 239
What is meant by ‘climate feedback mechanisms’ and ‘biogeochemical cycles’?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
7. Explain how climate change will cause changes which will in-turn cause further changes
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
8. How have the following changes in climatic conditions in Australia over the past 30 or so years affected
ecosystems?

Increasing levels of rainfall in the northern regions
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

Declining rainfall in southern areas
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

Increase in the average temperature
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

The warming of the oceans
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
9. Read page 240
What is the potential impact of climate change on soils?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
10. What is the potential Impact of climate change on landforms?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
11. What is the potential Impact of climate change on the oceans?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Agriculture and climate change
Read pages 241-44
12. Explain the different ways that agriculture can change climate by affecting the energy budget,
hydrological cycle, carbon cycle or atmospheric circulation.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
13. Explain how climate variability can affect agricultural production.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
14. Study the map of projected climate changes in agricultural production by the year 2080 and write a
detailed description of the changing pattern. Suggest reasons for these changes.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
15. Outline the different ways that agriculture may need to adapt to changes in local climatic conditions
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Urban settlement and climate change
Read pages 244-47
16. List some of the contributions cites make to the possible drivers of climate change.
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
17. Outline how the following aspects of urban settlement impact on climate, on the local and global scale

Motor vehicles and urban development
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

The use of fossil fuels
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________

Pollutants and aerosols from urban and industrial activities, and carbon dioxide
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
18. How will people living in cities have to adapt to climate change?
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________