Source: University of Texas
Content:
The worksheet deals with global land use change. Compare the land cover in 2000 with the potential vegetation if man had not interfered with the landscape balance.
Source: NASA LCLUC
Didactical Commentary:
- In the worksheet, the students should use different method competences in order to develop answers. An important ability is the comparison of figures. Conclusions should be drawn as to why these changes occurred. In the last assignment one must find out which meaning and magnitude human influence has had on the ecosystem. The students need to be critical here and reflect and evaluate which possibilities could occur.
- Ideally, the students will recognise that the theme is closely coupled with their own world and deal with possible future changes in certain regions, also thinking about how their own world could change.
Solution to the Worksheet 'Global Land Use Change'
1. Compare the global distribution of land cover in 2000 with the potential vegetation distribution, in for example, Europe or North America.
Europe: In Europe, big areas of forest with mid-laditudal/temperate climates have been transformed into cropland. In Scandinavia, the brush wood has expanded at the costs of the boreal forest.
North America : In North America, the croplands have ousted large parts of the mid-latitudal/temperate- and northern forest areas. It also expanded the grassland further into the west.
2. Explain the difference. Classify the causes and factors in groups: natural and man-made, direct and indirect, long term and short term.
- Natural Factors: climate, ground, water, and vegetation, etc.
- Man-Made Factors: human land use, sealing through the growth of the cities, transformation from grassland or forests into agricultural areas, etc.
- Direct Factors: transformation, loss, and fragmentation of land cover, which leads to more erosions (abrasion of ground material from, for example, water), etc.
- Indirect Factors: changes in water circulation, in the nutrient cycle, and in heat balance; changes in the assembly and or loss of bio diversity, etc.
- Long-Term Factors: loss and fragmentation of land cover, changes in the assembly and or loss of bio diversity, etc.
- Short-Term Factors: increased erosion, changes in water circulation and in the nutrient cycle, etc.
3. Predict the future changes. In which zones will the largest changes happen in your opinion? Base your opinion!
The largest changes happen in the tropics. The population increases here the most. The transformations of vegetation coverage and the expansion of cities are also here the largest.
