2.1.

3- Scientific understandings of
outdoor environments
Part 2: Effects of natural changes
All ecosystems are dynamic- they are constantly changing.
Change occurs on three levels:

Individual Community Large Scale

Change can also be short-term or long-term.

 Individual
Individual plants and animals
constantly grow, develop,
reproduce, die and decompose
Community
One type of community can
succeed another type. Natural
changes in plant communities
are often referred to as ‘plant
succession’ and result in ‘climax
vegetation type’. In most of
Victoria, climax vegetation is
dominated by fire-adapted
eucalypts.
Climatic change and movement
in the Earth’s crust can cause
large-scale natural changes to
occur. Some abiotic factors can
result in sudden change (floods,
cyclones, earthquakes,
landslides and tsunamis) but
more often changes happen
slowly, such as the natural
erosion process which leads to
the weathering of rocks and
soils.
Short-term
▪ Change from day to night
▪ Lunar influences (tidal flow)
▪ Solar influences (seasons)
▪ Fire, flood and drought
Long-term changes
▪ Migration
▪ Succession
▪ Climate change
▪ Adaptation
There are six main categories of natural changes but we commonly call these natural
disasters due to the affect they have on the environment.

▪ Fire, (short term)

▪ Earthquake, (large scale)

▪ Flood, (short term)

▪ Volcano, (large scale)

▪ Drought, (short term) and

▪ Storms {hurricane, cyclone, typhoon, tornado, sandstorm} (large scale).

Migration
The movement of a species from one location to another in response to
changes in habitat.

What changes could induce a species to move?

• Season/climate
• Food availability
• Breeding seasons
• Habitat change
Example 1- The short-tailed shearwater (mutton bird)
breeds in burrows along the southern coast of
Australia. After breeding it undertakes one of
the longest migrations in the world to the
North Pacific (via Japan) and along the west
coast of America before returning to Australia.
Chicks leave the burrow after about 95 days
and follow their parents along the migratory
path. The route they follow seems to take
advantage of both available food and
prevailing winds.
Example 2-
Southern bluefin tuna spawn near Java, Indonesia. The young migrate slowly south with each
age group moving together. Two year olds have been caught off Perth and four year olds near
Tasmania. By the time they reach the NSW coast they are five years old. They reach maturity
at seven years of age and return to where they were born so that they can breed.

As they don’t spawn until they are

seven it is important not to interfere
with their migratory route to Java so as
to maintain a breeding stock of tuna.
Succession
Is the process of change in species structure of an ecological community over time.
Succession can happen over a very long period (such as after a volcanic eruption) or after
a short period of time (such as regrowth after a fire).

There are two types of succession:

Primary
&
Secondary
Primary Succession:
Primary succession occurs after a major impact has been felt on an ecosystem, resulting in
total destruction. A community will be established where it has never been before in a
previously unvegetated, bare area. Coastal and rocky environments provide good examples
of primary succession.
Secondary Succession:
When succession occurs in an area that has
been previously occupied by a community
it is referred to as secondary succession.
This can occur after grazing, timber
harvesting, fire or other mass disturbance
has cleared an area. Over time, the
community that develops will be similar to
the original community. The factors that
influence the rate and degree of
succession can vary according to the event
that occurred.
Learning Task:

▪ Cut out and paste a copy of the above diagram into your work book
▪ Explain which forest is an example of primary succession and which is an example of secondary
succession.
Climate Change http://www.ted.com/talks/al_gore_warns_on_latest_climate_trends.html

There are differing views about the effects of climate change and scientists do not always agree
about the level of change that has occurred or whether any change is in fact natural or has been
hastened by humans.
Facts:
• Over the past century there has been a notable increase in global temperature.
• There is sufficient evidence to link this change increases in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

A small temperature change can result in

significant climatic change and noticeable
local change.
Australia’s temperature increased by 0.7°C
from 1910-1999; the majority of this change
occurred after 1950.
What is Climate Change?
Climate change and global warming are often used interchangeably but there is a
difference-
 Global warming is the gradual increase of the Earth’s average surface temperature, due
to greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
 Climate change is a broader term. It refers to long-term changes in climate, including
average temperature and rainfall.
Impacts of Climate Change?
The CSIRO has suggested that, at current trends:
- temperatures in Victoria could increase by 4°C
- rainfall increase in north and eastern regions during summer
- rainfall decrease in the southeast
This could result in:
- Warm rain and higher temperatures could lead to a reduction in snowfalls and
shorter snow seasons.

What would be a consequence of this?

See the list of other possible effects on pg.100