Tuesday, September 28. 2021

Today's schedule is CDAB 

C & D Blocks Social and Environmental Sciences - Today you start with Benton in 145 where you'll look at how the ecology of the Colorado River is changing. First we'll study adaptations and the status of endemic/endangered fish populations and secondly we'll look at Tamarisk, an introduced species, to see effects on the river and riparian zone. (What is the value of biodiversity?) From Discover Moab

Riparian lands in the Western U.S. have been severely impacted by many human-related actions, but none so much as the introduction of tamarisk, an invasive and non-native plant. Tamarisk plants hoard light, water and nutrients, and can impact natural systems and destroy native wildlife habitat. The Colorado River Corridor is an ecosystem that has been out of balance for several decades, and now the tamarisk has spread to such an extent that it has effectively altered the natural functions and processes of the ecosystem. The issue is widespread and complex, and there are no easy answers or solutions. 

For more on the Tamarisk check out:
The Battle Over the Tamarisk Tree: Ecologists seek balance as one non-native species eradicates another.
Photos: Colorado River battle against a serious enemy -- invasive tamarisk
NPS Grand Canyon Exotic Tamarisk Management

After, with Young in 115, we are going to take a look at the population changes that have occurred in the US Southwest over the last 80 years (since the completion of the Hoover Dam in 1936). We'll try to discuss the role of water in America's expansion during the 18th and 19th centuries by looking particularly at the geography of major cities, specifically we are going to look at Phoenix, Arizona, and Las Vegas, Nevada (just the cities and not the metropolitan areas). Phoenix (city) has a 2018 population of  1,660,272 people but the metropolitan Phoenix population is 4,857,962 people. Las Vegas (city) has a 2018 population of 644,644 people but the metropolitan Las Vegas population is 2,227,053 people. I'll have you graph the populations of these two cities for ten year intervals starting in 1930 up to last year (2018).

Check out this super sweet interactive map of Las Vegas' population growth and water use. Also
this awesome interactive How much longer can the Colorado River sustain us? or this one that asks how long Las Vegas can keep growing with the water it gets from the Colorado River Also, check out this great article, In Era of Drought, Phoenix Prepares for a Future Without Colorado River Water

You'll have some questions to answer for me:

• What do these two cities have in common?
• Why do you think these cities were so populated and were able to grow so quickly?
• Why is access to water important economically?
• What role do you think access to waterways and fresh water plays in the expansion of the population in the Colorado Basin throughout 1900s?
• How are these cities surviving where water is not easily accessible? From where does their water come?
• What are some of the new technologies that allow for water to be transported long distances? Are these really "new" or are they carried over from the ancient cultures?
• Is a high quality of life sustainable in harsh climates?
• What is the cost of this life population shift on both the environment and on the demand for fresh water?

A Block Criminology -Today we'll talk about victims of crime. Every day we have specific routines we engage in. Many of these routines are tailored to preventing us from becoming victims of crime. We do things like lock our doors, watch where we walk at night, or avoid walking alone. We take these actions because at some level we are afraid of the possibility of being a victim of crime. Despite taking these actions people often fall prey to crime in Canada. So what do we know about victimization?

1. Women were at higher risk than men of being victims of a violent crime
2. Age was the key risk factor in violent victimization
3. Drug use, binge drinking and the frequency of evening activities were associated with the risk of violent victimization
4. Mental health was associated with the risk of violent victimization
5. People who suffered child maltreatment were more likely to be victims of a violent crime
6. People with a history of homelessness were more likely to report being a victim of a violent crime
7. The risk of violent victimization was higher among people residing in a neighbourhood with low social cohesion
8. Aboriginal people, in particular women, were more likely to be victims
9. One-quarter of violent incidents took place at the victim’s place of work
10. The majority of offenders were male and, on average, in their early thirties
11. Most victims knew their attacker
12. Most violent incidents did not involve weapons and did not result in physical injury
13. Low social cohesion was associated with a higher risk of household victimization
14. Households residing in apartments or condos were less likely to be victimized by household crime
15. The size of the household was linked to the risk of victimization
16. One incident in five resulted in losses of $1,000 or more
17. Most incidents of victimization did not come to the attention of the police

B Block Physical Geography - Today you’ll look at tectonics and plate boundaries. You’ll have to take down a few notes on divergent, convergent, and transform plate boundaries along with hot spots and then you'll need to define anticline & syncline, and work on questions 4 - 5 from page 412 in your Geosystems text). While you're doing this we'll watch: