Our Living Climate

Science: Levels 5 and 6  

• habitats can be described by their physical conditions; changing the physical conditions of a habitat, including by human activity, may affect the growth and survival of organisms (VC2S6U01)
• organisms have evolved over time, as seen in fossils and scientific records; the structural features and behaviours of living organisms enable them to thrive in their environments (VC2S6U02) 

• geological processes including weathering, erosion, transportation and deposition can cause slow or rapid changes to Earth’s surface  (VC2S6U05)
• sudden geological changes or extreme weather conditions can affect Earth’s surface and atmosphere; the impacts of natural hazards, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, wildfires and floods, can be reduced by human actions and technological innovations  (VC2S6U06) 

• proposed scientific responses to socio-scientific issues impact on society and may involve ethical, environmental, social and economic considerations (VC2S8H03) 

• matter and energy flow through ecosystems and can be represented using models, including food webs and food pyramids; populations will be affected by changing biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem including habitat loss, climate change, seasonal migration and introduction or removal of species (VC2S8U04) 

• the use of scientific knowledge to address socio-scientific issues and shape a more sustainable future for humans and the environment may have diverse projected outcomes that affect the extent to which scientific knowledge and practices are adopted more broadly by society (VC2S10H03)  

• the theory of evolution by natural selection includes the processes of variation, isolation and adaptation and is supported by evidence including the fossil record, biogeography and comparative embryology; the theory explains past and present biodiversity and demonstrates how all organisms have some degree of relatedness to each other 
  (VC2S10U05) 

• carbon is cycled on Earth through key processes including photosynthesis, respiration, fire, weathering, vulcanism and the combustion of fossil fuels; these processes change the composition of Earth’s interrelated systems (atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere) over time (VC2S10U10)
• the dynamics of global climate change can be modelled and explained by examining the interactions between greenhouse gas emissions and energy exchanges within and between Earth’s systems; mitigating human-induced climate change requires addressing various activities including power generation, deforestation, manufacturing, transportation, food production and resource consumption (VC2S10U11)