Research Ideas

Research ideas are designed to stimulate thinking about environmental themes in terms of school projects, research, and potential topics of study at school. The questions are grouped into environmental reporting themes.

Atmosphere

Air Quality

• What is meant by air quality?
• How does air quality affect some ecosystems?
• How can reduced air quality affect our health?
• What human activities have resulted in significant air quality issues in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about air quality in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address air quality issues?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce our impact on air quality?

Climate Change

• What is meant by the 'enhanced greenhouse effect' and 'global warming'?
• What are 'greenhouse gases'? How are they produced?
• How can the 'enhanced greenhouse effect' impact ecosystems?
• What human activities in your community, South Australia and internationally have resulted in the 'enhanced greenhouse effect'?
• How do different types of development and associated human lifestyles (the way we live) impact on greenhouse gas emissions?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about the 'enhanced greenhouse effect' in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address greenhouse issues?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce our impact on climate change?

Ozone Depletion

• What is meant by 'ozone depletion'?
• What are 'ozone depleting substances'? How are they produced?
• How can ozone depletion affect ecosystems?
• What human activities in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally have resulted in the depletion of the ozone layer?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about ozone depletion in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address ozone depletion?
• Why are less developed countries able to use and release more ozone depleting substances under the Montreal Protocol?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce our impact on ozone depletion?

Biodiversity

Introduced Species

• What are introduced species?
• What impact have introduced species had on the environment?
• Why have some native animals come to depend on some introduced species?
• Why do some native plants and animals become pests in other parts of Australia?
• How have human activities impacted on the numbers of introduced species in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about introduced species in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address introduced species numbers in South Australia?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce the impact of introduced species in South Australia?

Native Vegetation

• What is native vegetation?
• How have human activities impacted on native vegetation in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• How has native vegetation loss affected the environment?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about native vegetation in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address native vegetation issues?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce our impact on native vegetation in South Australia?
• What is the difference between using native and locally native species for revegetation?

Threatened Species

• What is meant by the term 'threatened species'?
• How have human activities impacted on threatened species in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about threatened species in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to recover threatened species in South Australia?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce our impact on threatened species in South Australia?

Coasts and the Sea

Aquaculture

• What is meant by 'aquaculture'?
• How has aquaculture impacted on the environment in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about aquaculture issues in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address aquaculture issues in South Australia?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce the impact aquaculture has on the environment?

Fisheries

• What is meant by 'fisheries'?
• How has recreational and commercial fishing impacted on the environment in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?What does the State of the Environment report tell us about fisheries in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address fisheries issues in South Australia?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to protect fish stocks in South Australia?

Health of the Marine and Coastal Environment

• What is meant by the 'marine and coastal environment' of South Australia?
• Why is the marine and coastal environment important?
• How have marine and coastal environments influenced the Australian identity/culture?
• How have human activities impacted on marine and coastal environments in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about marine and coastal issues in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address marine and coastal environment issues?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce our impact on the marine and coastal environments?

Heritage

Heritage

• What is meant by heritage?
• Why is heritage important? How does it relate to our identity and culture?
• How have human activities impacted on heritage in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about heritage issues in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to preserve heritage in South Australia?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce our impact on heritage?

Human Settlements

Energy

• What are the different types of energy in South Australia?
• What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable energy sources?
• How has energy use affected the environment in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about energy use in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address energy issues in South Australia?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce our energy use?

Population and Urban Form

• What is meant by population and urban form?
• What is urban sprawl? How does it affect the environment?
• How has urbanisation impacted on the environment in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about urbanisation in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address population and urban form issues in South Australia?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce the impact urbanisation has on our environment?

Transport

• What are the different kinds of transport used in South Australia?
• How has transport impacted on the environment in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• How does using public transport reduce potential impacts to the environment?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about transport issues in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address transport issues?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to make transport more sustainable?

Waste

• What is waste?
• What are the main sources of waste in South Australia?
• How does waste impact on the environment in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about waste issues in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address waste management issues?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce the impact of waste in South Australia?

Water Consumption in Urban Settlements

• What is meant by water consumption?
• What is meant by wastewater? How is it produced?
• How does water consumption in urban settlements impact on the environment in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about water consumption in urban settlements in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address water consumption issues?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce our consumption of water?

Inland Waters

The River Murray

• What are the major concerns for the River Murray?
• Why is the River Murray so important to South Australia?
• How have human activities impacted on the River Murray in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about the extent of the impacts on the River Murray in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address River Murray issues?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce our impact on the River Murray?
  

Rivers, Streams and Wetlands

• What are the major issues for rivers, streams and wetlands in South Australia?
• What is the role of rivers, streams and wetlands in our ecosystems?
• How have human activities impacted on the rivers, streams and wetlands in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about the extent of the impacts on rivers, streams and wetlands in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address rivers, streams and wetlands issues in South Australia?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce our impact on the rivers, streams and wetlands?

Water Use

• What is meant by 'water use'?
• How does our water use affect the environment?
• In what way does the environment use water?
• How have human activities impacted on the River Murray in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about the issues of water use in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if we continue to use as much water as we are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address water use issues?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce our water use?

Water Quality

• What is meant by 'water quality'?
• What factors are used to measure water quality in South Australia?
• How has water quality affected the environment?
• How have human activities impacted on water quality in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about water quality in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address water quality issues?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce our impact on water quality?

Land Resources

Dryland Salinity

• What is meant by dryland salinity?
• What causes dryland salinity?
• How has dryland salinity impacted the South Australian environment?
• How have human activities impacted on dryland salinity in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about dryland salinity in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address dryland salinity issues in South Australia?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce salinity in our environment?

Land Use

• What is meant by land use?
• How does the way we use land affect the environment?
• How have human activities impacted on land use in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about land use issues in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address land use issues?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce our impact on land use?

Soil Erosion and Acidity

• What is meant by soil erosion and acidity?
• How do soil erosion and acidity affect the environment?
• How have human activities impacted on soil erosion and acidity in your community, South Australia, Australia and globally?
• What does the State of the Environment report tell us about the extent of soil erosion and acidity in South Australia?
• What might happen in the future if things continue as they are?
• What are government, business and industry doing to address soil erosion and acidity issues?
• What can we do individually, or in communities, to reduce our impact on soil erosion and acidity?