Human Impact Overview - Changed Land Use

This page contains the following section
	Human Impacts on Catchments • Resources

How have land use changes in agriculture, human settlement, introduction of exotic plants and animals, and use of water among others, impacted environmental health in Australia.
Post European impacts have led to degradation of the environment in both rural and urban settings.
How have natural habitats deteriorated? How have ecosystem services been affected?
What are the costs of managing environments to replace ecosystem services provided by natural ecosystems?
What are the consequences of changed flow patterns and pollution, including algal booms, siltation, erosion, changed oxygen levels, decreased biodiversity and others?
What are the consequences of physical changes to the structure of watercourses, including habitat destruction, water quality decline, loss of amenity and recreational and aesthetic values?
What are the consequences of changes to riparian vegetation? Look at things such as poor habitat for animals, plants and other living things, and reduced capacity of the natural environment to filter pollutants.
How does the introduction of toxic materials, sediment, pollution and salinity result in human health problems, deteriorating natural ecosystems in freshwater, estuarine and ocean environments.
How does the introduction of fish and other aquatic animals and plants outside their natural range add to the competitive strain on native species? How do exotic fish, and other animals and plants alter environments to decrease water quality?

Type	Description	Resources Covering the Topic
Easy	- State of the Environment Report 2001. - Overview of Australian Inland Waters issues.	Environment Australia http://www.ea.gov.au/soe/2001/inland/ introduction-2.html#activitiesinthecatchment
	- Thorough overview of water pollution in the Murray-Darling. - Looks at pollution contributions by different sectors of society.	Murray-Darling Basin Commission http://www.mdbc.gov.au/education/encyclopedia/ water_quality.htm
	- What is water quality? - Colour cartoon poster to print. - Includes sketches and brief descriptions of water quality.	US Geological Survey http://water.usgs.gov/outreach/poster5/Poster5.html
	- Human land use and the water cycle. - Diagram that summarises the issues.	Water Backgrounder, State of the Environment - NSW EPA http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/soe/soe2000/bw/ bw_fig_2.htm
	- Sources of water pollution in the Mt Lofty Ranges. - Concise summary of main issues. Includes informative facts, photos and tables. - PDF download worth the wait.	SA Government EPA - The Mt Lofty Ranges Watershed Protection Office http://www.dehaa.sa.gov.au/epa/pdfs/fact5.pdf
	- Overview of water quality and pollution.	Environment Australia http://www.ea.gov.au/water/publications/ index.html#quality
	- Physical changes to the natural habitat across Australia. - Includes maps.	Environment Australia - State of Environment Report 2001 http://www.ea.gov.au/soe/2001/land/ land02-2.html#condition
	- Human settlement patterns across Australia. - Covers a broad spectrum of issues, including the pressures human settlement puts on water resources.	Environment Australia - State of Environment Report 2001 http://www.ea.gov.au/soe/2001/settlements/
	- Impact of development on the water cycle.	WA Government Water and Rivers Commission http://www.wrc.wa.gov.au/public/waterfacts/ 7_water_cycle/impact.html
More Comprehensive	- State of the Environment Report 2001. - Extensive review of Australian Inland Waters issues.	Environment Australia http://www.ea.gov.au/water/index.html
	- What is water pollution? - Comprehensive summary the different types of water pollution.	VIC EPA http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/Water/
	- Water use. - Comprehensive look at how we use Murray water.	Murray-Darling Basin Commission http://www.mdbc.gov.au/education/encyclopedia/ Water_Use/Water_Use.htm
	- Water pollution sources. - A brief summary of how sectors of society pollute water.	QLD Government http://www.env.qld.gov.au/environment/environment/ water/cfow.html#Water%20pollution%20sources
	- PDF downloads - worth the wait with main issues covered. - Click on the education button and go to the list. Open Freshwater Ecosystems: Biodiversity Management Issues brochures. Thorough covering of: • Changes to Natural Flow Patterns, • Changes to Temperature Patterns, • Changes to Riparian Vegetation, • Sedimentation of Rivers and Streams, • Toxic Material, • Increased Salinity, • Removal of Woody Debris, • Changes to River Channels, • Instream Barriers. - Introducing fish outside their natural range.	VIC Government Natural Resources and Environment http://www.nre.vic.gov.au/web/root/domino/cm_da/ nrenpa.nsf/frameset/ NRE Plants and Animals?OpenDocument
	- Condition of Australia’s freshwater resources. - Overview of pressures on Australia’s waterways.	Australian Bureau of Statistics http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/ 94713ad445ff1425ca25682000192af2/ 3f8d7e912784b4eaca256b35007ace03!OpenDocument
	- What is groundwater? Covers the major issues with diagrams. - Pollution, salinity, land degradation.	WA Government. Water and Rivers Commission http://www.wrc.wa.gov.au/public/waterfacts/ 8_groundwater/index.html
	- Industrial pollution. - Description of the types of pollutants from industry.	Info Please http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0851609.html