Biophysical Interactions - Maddens Creek
Describe and analyse the biophysical interactions that impact on the Madden’s Creek ecosystem.
The Madden’s Creek ecosystem is located at the beginning of George’s River and is found 60km south west of Sydney at an elevation of 350 meters above sea level. About 45% of the catchment contains large tracts of natural bush land. It is home to many species of flora and fauna creating a wide range of biodiversity that interlink and affect each other significantly. In this ecosystem there is a mixture of rural and recreational land uses which all have a significant impact on the biophysical interactions in the area.
• Atmosphere – this is the combination of gases that overlap the globe. It has layers that surround the earth and are responsible for both air and weather.
• Lithosphere – is the earth’s solid outer shell and forces the shape of the earth’s surface.
• Biospheres – is the meeting point for all the spheres and is the earth’s surface zone and the atmosphere, were all organic life lives. It comprises of an organism that belongs to a population, which then belongs to a community that belongs to an ecosystem, which makes up the entire biosphere.
• Hydrosphere – this comprises of the water storage system with the lithosphere. It involves the water cycle, distribution of water, impact of humans on the hydrosphere and the impact of the hydrosphere on humans.
Orographic rainfall is a process that leads to precipitation. Its occurance encompasses the hydrosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere. It refers to when mountain ranges or plateaus and interrupts the movement of air mass. As moist air rises, it cools until it reaches a point on a mountain; the water vapor condenses and forms clouds, which eventually leads to rain. This process was clearly seen on fieldwork at Sublime Point where rainfall is more than 1400mm compared to 1100mm at Sydney and 780mm at Campbelltown. With an undulating plateau and costal plain, Sublime Point marks the beginnings of the
The Madden’s Creek ecosystem is located at the beginning of George’s River and is found 60km south west of Sydney at an elevation of 350 meters above sea level. About 45% of the catchment contains large tracts of natural bush land. It is home to many species of flora and fauna creating a wide range of biodiversity that interlink and affect each other significantly. In this ecosystem there is a mixture of rural and recreational land uses which all have a significant impact on the biophysical interactions in the area.
• Atmosphere – this is the combination of gases that overlap the globe. It has layers that surround the earth and are responsible for both air and weather.
• Lithosphere – is the earth’s solid outer shell and forces the shape of the earth’s surface.
• Biospheres – is the meeting point for all the spheres and is the earth’s surface zone and the atmosphere, were all organic life lives. It comprises of an organism that belongs to a population, which then belongs to a community that belongs to an ecosystem, which makes up the entire biosphere.
• Hydrosphere – this comprises of the water storage system with the lithosphere. It involves the water cycle, distribution of water, impact of humans on the hydrosphere and the impact of the hydrosphere on humans.
Orographic rainfall is a process that leads to precipitation. Its occurance encompasses the hydrosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere. It refers to when mountain ranges or plateaus and interrupts the movement of air mass. As moist air rises, it cools until it reaches a point on a mountain; the water vapor condenses and forms clouds, which eventually leads to rain. This process was clearly seen on fieldwork at Sublime Point where rainfall is more than 1400mm compared to 1100mm at Sydney and 780mm at Campbelltown. With an undulating plateau and costal plain, Sublime Point marks the beginnings of the