(15 hours)
4.1 Introduction to water systems
4.2 Access to fresh water
4.3 Aquatic food production systems
4.4 Water pollution
By the end of this Subtopic 4.1 - Introduction to water systems, you should be able to:
- Construct a diagram of the hydrological cycle.
- Analyze interactions between flows and storages within the hydrological cycle.
- Distinguish between transformation flows and transfer flows within the hydrological cycle.
- Explain the key factors that drive the global ocean conveyor belt.
- Outline how the global conveyor belt distributes heat around the world and affects weather.
- Discuss how human activity can influence the hydrological cycle.
- Explain how urbanization can lead to flash floods and how sustainable urban drainage systems can alleviate the problem.
By the end of this Subtopic 4.2 - Access to fresh water, you should be able to:
- Analyze the factors contributing to an unequal and inequitable supply of fresh water.
- Outline how climate change may alter rainfall patterns and therefore effect water supply.
- Discuss the factors contributing to an increase in water demand.
- Explain the limitations to meeting water demand.
- Define water stress.
- Distinguish between water stress and water scarcity.
- Evaluate strategies used to meet an increasing demand for water.
- Discuss with reference to a case study, how shared water resources can cause international conflict.
By the end of this Subtopic 4.3 - Aquatic food production systems, you should be able to:
- Outline the different oceanic zones.
- Outline the different zones within a lake ecosystem.
- Construct food chains and webs within aquatic ecosystems.
- Describe factors which effect primary production within aquatic ecosystems.
- State a range of food resources available from aquatic ecosystems.
- Explain why demand for fish has increased and continues to grow.
- Discuss with reference to a named animal why harvesting of some species is considered controversial.
- Explain with reference to a case study, why unsustainable fishing has occurred in some areas.
- Compare and contrast management of two capture fisheries.
- Evaluate the different approaches used to encourage sustainable fishing.
- Explain maximum sustainable yield as applied to capture fisheries.
- Distinguish between open and semi-closed aquaculture systems.
- Distinguish between capture fisheries and aquaculture.
- Evaluate the use of aquaculture.
- Explain the environmental impacts of aquaculture.
By the end of this Subtopic 4.4 - Water Pollution, you should be able to:
- Identify different sources of freshwater and marine pollution.
- Explain sources and effects of organic pollution.
- Explain the process of eutrophication and its impacts.
- Describe positive and negative feedback as applied to eutrophication.
- Discuss with reference to a case study, impacts of toxic metal poisoning.
- Outline the effects of a variety of different aquatic pollutants.
- Analyse water pollution data.
- Evaluate different parameters used to determine water quality.
- Distinguish between direct and indirect parameters used to determine water quality.
- Discuss the role of using biotic indices to determine the quality of aquatic ecosystems.
- Evaluate different strategies used to reduce water pollution and manage its impacts.