lOMoAR cPSD| 42091925
, lOMoAR cPSD| 42091925
State of the Environment in Southern
Africa
GGH3701
Semesters 1 & 2
Department of Geography
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Please activate your myLife e-mail address and ensure you have regular
access to the myUnisa module site for GGH3701.
CONTENTS
Page
1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 6
2 LEARNING UNIT 0: GETTING STARTED ................................................................................... 6
2.1 An Overview of This Unit............................................................................................................... 6
2.2 More about the Module ................................................................................................................. 7
2.2.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 7
2.2.2 Outcomes and Assessment .......................................................................................................... 9
, lOMoAR cPSD| 42091925
2.2.3 The online learning environment ................................................................................................... 9
2.2.4 Assessments .............................................................................................................................. 14
2.3 Looking at resources, approaches and importance ..................................................................... 15
2.4 Last thoughts .............................................................................................................................. 16
3 LEARNING UNIT 1: ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AND RESOURCES IN SOUTHERN AFRICA17
3.1 An overview of this learning unit.................................................................................................. 18
3.2 A learning strategy for this unit .................................................................................................... 19
3.3 What do we investigate? ............................................................................................................. 20
3.4 How do we investigate? .............................................................................................................. 21
3.5 What is environmental change? .................................................................................................. 21
3.6 What and where are these problems?......................................................................................... 22
3.7 Aiming for sustainability .............................................................................................................. 23
3.8 Actions at our disposal ................................................................................................................ 25
3.9 Last thoughts .............................................................................................................................. 26
4 LEARNING UNIT 2: ATMOSPHERE, WEATHER AND CLIMATE ............................................. 27
4.1 An overview of this learning unit.................................................................................................. 27
4.2 A learning strategy for this unit .................................................................................................... 27
4.3 Basics of the atmosphere, weather and climate .......................................................................... 28
4.4 Climate of Southern Africa .......................................................................................................... 29
4.5 Extreme weather events ............................................................................................................. 31
4.6 Human-induced atmospheric change .......................................................................................... 32
4.6.1 Types and sources of pollutants.................................................................................................. 33
4.6.2 Meteorological conditions and dispersion.................................................................................... 35
4.6.3 Consequences ............................................................................................................................ 35
4.7 Status of air in Southern Africa.................................................................................................... 37
4.8 Possible solutions ....................................................................................................................... 38
2
GGH3701/001
4.9 Last thoughts .............................................................................................................................. 39
5 LEARNING UNIT 3: FRESHWATER SYSTEMS AND RESOURCES ........................................ 41
5.1 An overview of this learning unit .................................................................................................. 41
5.2 A learning strategy for this unit .................................................................................................... 41
5.3 Basics of freshwater systems ...................................................................................................... 42
5.4 Hydrosphere in Southern Africa .................................................................................................. 44
5.5 The human element .................................................................................................................... 44
5.6 Water pollution ............................................................................................................................ 45
5.6.1 Eutrophication ............................................................................................................................. 46
5.6.2 Sewage and microbial pollution ................................................................................................... 47
, lOMoAR cPSD| 42091925
5.6.3 Sedimentation and soil erosion ................................................................................................... 48
5.6.4 Salinisation ................................................................................................................................. 49
5.6.5 Acidification................................................................................................................................. 50
5.7 Current state of freshwater systems ............................................................................................ 51
5.8 Possible solutions ....................................................................................................................... 53
5.9 Last thoughts .............................................................................................................................. 54
6 LEARNING UNIT 4: SOIL RESOURCES ................................................................................... 56
6.1 An overview of this learning unit .................................................................................................. 56
6.2 A learning strategy for this unit .................................................................................................... 56
6.3 Basics of soil systems ................................................................................................................. 57
6.4 The soil setting ............................................................................................................................ 58
6.5 The human element .................................................................................................................... 58
6.5.1 Water erosion ............................................................................................................................. 59
6.5.2 Wind erosion ............................................................................................................................... 60
6.5.3 Physical degradation................................................................................................................... 61
6.5.4 Chemical degradation ................................................................................................................. 61
6.6 Current state of soil ..................................................................................................................... 62
6.7 Possible solutions ....................................................................................................................... 63
6.8 Last thoughts .............................................................................................................................. 64
7 LEARNING UNIT 5: BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY ......................................................................... 65
7.1 An overview of this learning unit .................................................................................................. 65
7.2 A learning strategy for this unit .................................................................................................... 66
7.3 Basics of terrestrial ecosystems .................................................................................................. 66
7.4 Driving forces of degradation ...................................................................................................... 67
7.5 Pressures and impacts................................................................................................................ 68
7.6 State of Southern Africa .............................................................................................................. 70
7.7 Possible solutions ....................................................................................................................... 71
3
7.8 Last thoughts .............................................................................................................................. 72
8 LEARNING UNIT 6: THE OCEAN AND COASTAL SYSTEMS ................................................. 74
8.1 An overview of this learning unit.................................................................................................. 74
8.2 A learning strategy for this unit .................................................................................................... 74
8.3 Basics of the oceans ................................................................................................................... 75
8.4 Human-induced change .............................................................................................................. 76
8.5 Status of oceans in Southern Africa ............................................................................................ 79
8.6 Possible solutions ....................................................................................................................... 81
8.7 Last thoughts .............................................................................................................................. 82
, lOMoAR cPSD| 42091925
State of the Environment in Southern
Africa
GGH3701
Semesters 1 & 2
Department of Geography
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Please activate your myLife e-mail address and ensure you have regular
access to the myUnisa module site for GGH3701.
CONTENTS
Page
1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 6
2 LEARNING UNIT 0: GETTING STARTED ................................................................................... 6
2.1 An Overview of This Unit............................................................................................................... 6
2.2 More about the Module ................................................................................................................. 7
2.2.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 7
2.2.2 Outcomes and Assessment .......................................................................................................... 9
, lOMoAR cPSD| 42091925
2.2.3 The online learning environment ................................................................................................... 9
2.2.4 Assessments .............................................................................................................................. 14
2.3 Looking at resources, approaches and importance ..................................................................... 15
2.4 Last thoughts .............................................................................................................................. 16
3 LEARNING UNIT 1: ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE AND RESOURCES IN SOUTHERN AFRICA17
3.1 An overview of this learning unit.................................................................................................. 18
3.2 A learning strategy for this unit .................................................................................................... 19
3.3 What do we investigate? ............................................................................................................. 20
3.4 How do we investigate? .............................................................................................................. 21
3.5 What is environmental change? .................................................................................................. 21
3.6 What and where are these problems?......................................................................................... 22
3.7 Aiming for sustainability .............................................................................................................. 23
3.8 Actions at our disposal ................................................................................................................ 25
3.9 Last thoughts .............................................................................................................................. 26
4 LEARNING UNIT 2: ATMOSPHERE, WEATHER AND CLIMATE ............................................. 27
4.1 An overview of this learning unit.................................................................................................. 27
4.2 A learning strategy for this unit .................................................................................................... 27
4.3 Basics of the atmosphere, weather and climate .......................................................................... 28
4.4 Climate of Southern Africa .......................................................................................................... 29
4.5 Extreme weather events ............................................................................................................. 31
4.6 Human-induced atmospheric change .......................................................................................... 32
4.6.1 Types and sources of pollutants.................................................................................................. 33
4.6.2 Meteorological conditions and dispersion.................................................................................... 35
4.6.3 Consequences ............................................................................................................................ 35
4.7 Status of air in Southern Africa.................................................................................................... 37
4.8 Possible solutions ....................................................................................................................... 38
2
GGH3701/001
4.9 Last thoughts .............................................................................................................................. 39
5 LEARNING UNIT 3: FRESHWATER SYSTEMS AND RESOURCES ........................................ 41
5.1 An overview of this learning unit .................................................................................................. 41
5.2 A learning strategy for this unit .................................................................................................... 41
5.3 Basics of freshwater systems ...................................................................................................... 42
5.4 Hydrosphere in Southern Africa .................................................................................................. 44
5.5 The human element .................................................................................................................... 44
5.6 Water pollution ............................................................................................................................ 45
5.6.1 Eutrophication ............................................................................................................................. 46
5.6.2 Sewage and microbial pollution ................................................................................................... 47
, lOMoAR cPSD| 42091925
5.6.3 Sedimentation and soil erosion ................................................................................................... 48
5.6.4 Salinisation ................................................................................................................................. 49
5.6.5 Acidification................................................................................................................................. 50
5.7 Current state of freshwater systems ............................................................................................ 51
5.8 Possible solutions ....................................................................................................................... 53
5.9 Last thoughts .............................................................................................................................. 54
6 LEARNING UNIT 4: SOIL RESOURCES ................................................................................... 56
6.1 An overview of this learning unit .................................................................................................. 56
6.2 A learning strategy for this unit .................................................................................................... 56
6.3 Basics of soil systems ................................................................................................................. 57
6.4 The soil setting ............................................................................................................................ 58
6.5 The human element .................................................................................................................... 58
6.5.1 Water erosion ............................................................................................................................. 59
6.5.2 Wind erosion ............................................................................................................................... 60
6.5.3 Physical degradation................................................................................................................... 61
6.5.4 Chemical degradation ................................................................................................................. 61
6.6 Current state of soil ..................................................................................................................... 62
6.7 Possible solutions ....................................................................................................................... 63
6.8 Last thoughts .............................................................................................................................. 64
7 LEARNING UNIT 5: BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY ......................................................................... 65
7.1 An overview of this learning unit .................................................................................................. 65
7.2 A learning strategy for this unit .................................................................................................... 66
7.3 Basics of terrestrial ecosystems .................................................................................................. 66
7.4 Driving forces of degradation ...................................................................................................... 67
7.5 Pressures and impacts................................................................................................................ 68
7.6 State of Southern Africa .............................................................................................................. 70
7.7 Possible solutions ....................................................................................................................... 71
3
7.8 Last thoughts .............................................................................................................................. 72
8 LEARNING UNIT 6: THE OCEAN AND COASTAL SYSTEMS ................................................. 74
8.1 An overview of this learning unit.................................................................................................. 74
8.2 A learning strategy for this unit .................................................................................................... 74
8.3 Basics of the oceans ................................................................................................................... 75
8.4 Human-induced change .............................................................................................................. 76
8.5 Status of oceans in Southern Africa ............................................................................................ 79
8.6 Possible solutions ....................................................................................................................... 81
8.7 Last thoughts .............................................................................................................................. 82
