What to do in a speech free essay sample

What should you do and not do when giving a speech? When I was younger my dream was to become a dancer, as the years passed by I was falling more and more In love with the Idea of being able to tell a story with Just some music and my body. When I was 14 1 remember dancing for all the presidents of South America, I felt so proud of myself because what president would have time for a little girl with that nonsense. It was so easy to move around, along with the music, to put on facial expressions when they where needed to make it more aromatic and convincing.It was so easy for me to get their attention because I was doing something I loved and was confident of. The funny thing is that once I was up to talking one on one with the Colombian president my hands became sweaty my knees became week, my face red and my hair greasy and I am pretty sure I drove him crazy moving around from side to side. We will write a custom essay sample on What to do in a speech or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I was nervous, very nervous actually and that is why years later I decided to take a speech class because I realized that I was very comfortable by telling stories with my odd but I wasnt comfortable by telling stories with my words. Communication Is the process of sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings with each other in commonly understandable ways (Pearson chill ) We all have something we are very comfortable doing, a way that we express ourselves. Some of us dance, others paint, and draw, sing, run and some give speeches. But no matter what you do to express yourself youll always encounter a situation where youll have to have public speaking knowledge. What do I mean by this?Well we have does and dont when standing in rent of the crowd, and some of them might be very small but once you start realizing what it is that you do it will be so hard to stop it unless you dedicate yourself to fixing the problem. Some of the dont are so hard to fix because we use them on our everyday life. For example teenagers will have a horrible time trying to avoid the word like because we are always using It when talking to our friend. well my dad was going to let me go but he decided not to because I had to clean my room, but Li ke seriously Im not doing anything and Ill be able to clean It tomorrow, Like hes such aJerk Like what the hell, hes not being serious Like he Is never like that but Like did you ask your mom this would be a typical teenagers conversation and the word like is a filler used to connect incoherent sentences. Try avoiding fillers such as mum, like, Gogh, ah. When delivering a speech do not chew gum, you never know when youll bite your tongue instead of your gum, not only that but you might end up chewing like a cow if you get a little nervous. Once done with the speech do not run of the stage, stay in place till your audience has finished applauding for you.We might think that the best way to give a speech is by writing one and memorizing it and then reciting it to our audience but this is a big NO NO because when you do this you may become monotone and will end up getting boring, also if you memorize it and for any reason you forget one word It might trough you off and ruin the rest of the speech for you. Remember to keep your hands In motion with your conversation, not all crazy, do not touch your hair and avoid walking around the whole stage as If practicing for a marathon.Some things you might want to remember to do is, speak enough so the person in front doesnt go deg. Introduce you rself before starting and when leaving thank everyone for listening to you. Maintain a good pasture all the time, keep a nice pace when speaking, not to fast not to slow. Have knowledge on your topic, and try to keep eye contact with everyone. When you first get up on that stage, own it. Everyone is looking at you at this point and if you come up with confidence it will give you more credibility. The more you practice the easier it becomes.When giving a speech remember to avoid moving around, chewing gum, playing with your hands or hair, do not memorize the speech, and avoid the usage of fillers. But remember to take your time, speak conversationally, have a good posture, thank everyone for their presence and most importantly when giving your speech be yourself, have fun and be confidant. You arent the only one that struggle with giving speeches but it is the easiest way to communicate with the rest of the world so it is something we must practice till we are confident enough to take it to the next level.

Factors Affecting Staffing in Australian Manufacturing Industry

Factors Affecting Staffing in Australian Manufacturing Industry Overview of Australian Manufacturing Industry The manufacturing industry in Australia has been recording impressive performance for many years now. The industry offers a lot of employment opportunities to Australians as well as individuals from other countries. The recent researches that have been conducted show that, Australian industry provides more than one million direct job opportunities.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Factors Affecting Staffing in Australian Manufacturing Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The industry constitutes about 14% of private sector employments and about 10% of all Australian jobs. From these researches too, the future of the industry is quite promising. For that reason, the government has invested a lot in the industry to assist in improving it accordingly (Dick 2007, p. 291). In addition, the effective communication between the local and the foreign manufacturers has also co ntributed to the success of the industry. These foreign manufacturers provide the local ones with the necessary information regarding the conditions of the global markets. This implies that, the manufacturing industry in Australia relies mostly on foreign supplies for its achievements (Dick 2007, p. 293). The report compiled in 2006 indicates that, the industry generated more than $448, 560 million to the Australian government. In that year, the industry was operating at a gross product of $ 94, 800 million. There are various components, which contributed to this gross product. They included enterprises with 320 units and establishments at over 460 units. The industry provided more than 210,100 units of job opportunities. The industry also contributed more than $231,560 and $52,530 respectively, to the Australian economy from goods manufactured locally as well as those sold in the global markets (Dick 2007, p. 294). In order to operate properly, the manufacturing industry requires w orkers with appropriate skills related to the industry’s activities. In other words, the industry requires individuals who have technical manufacturing know-how, mechanical proficiency and who can depict maximum loyalty to the manufacturing companies.Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More The industry obtains these workers locally as well as from other countries. This process of obtaining workers to help run the activities of these manufacturing companies is referred to as staffing (Cook 2009, p. 57). There are several aspects, which affect staffing in Australian manufacturing industry. These aspects include demographic, economic, socio-cultural and political factors among others. This paper is going to discuss how these factors influence the staffing process in the Australian manufacturing industry. It will also give recommendations on how staffing in the manufa cturing industry can be done to increase the productivity of the industry (Gatewood, Field Barrick 2011, p. 31). Change in Technology Technology defines the process by which a manufacturing plant transforms its raw materials to final products. Therefore, technology includes aspects such as machinery, work format, employees’ know-how, tools and equipment. As the world continues to change, technology also changes. Research has shown that technological changes impact greatly on the way manufacturers compete with one another, the way they market their products and more importantly, the way they recruit employees (Weihrich, Koontz Cannice 2010, p. 249). Technological improvement has been the main driving force in the creation of new markets for Australian manufactured goods. The advancement has equally resulted in the expansion of the existing markets. Manufacturing companies, which have already incorporated modern technologies into their production processes, produce goods that compete fairly in Australian local markets as well as the foreign ones (Weihrich, Koontz Cannice 2010, p. 251). Following the changes in technology and the quest of manufacturing industry in Australia to keep up with the changes, the industry requires individuals with new manufacturing skills. In other words, as these manufacturing companies struggle to adopt the new technologies, the need to recruit employees with new skills also arises.Advertising We will write a custom report sample on Factors Affecting Staffing in Australian Manufacturing Industry specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Other manufacturing companies have been training the existing employees on the new technologies. Establishing and implementing new technologies is the only way a manufacturing company in Australia can survive the current stiff competition (Ross, Verclas, Levine Levine 2009, p. 43). To some extent, technological advancement in Australia has resulted in under-staffing of the manufacturing companies in this country. It is a common knowledge that new technologies improve the economy of a country. Higher economic growth rates on the other hand, is a characteristic of higher rate of unemployment. Australian manufacturing companies, which use advanced technologies, have retrenched most of their employees who do not have the necessary skills. The companies find it expensive to train and retrain these employees on the aspects of the new technology (Weihrich, Koontz Cannice 2010, p. 256). Social and Cultural Factors The major social-cultural factors influencing the way manufacturing industry in Australia recruit their employees include Australian culture, discriminatory aspect and the size and composition of the Australian population (Vance Paik 2011, p. 180). Culture has great effects on the staffing process in the Australian manufacturing industry. It has been proved that, workers recruited into manufacturing industry with culture as one of the major bases, get assimilated faster, they record better performance, and are likely to stay longer in these companies (Vance Paik 2011, p. 182). Most of the Australian manufacturing companies prefer to employ individuals possessing Australian culture. The companies argue that, these kinds of workers are easy to train, are much familiar with the Australian environment and in most cases, are loyal to the rules of the companies. Employing such individuals also helps the manufacturing industry to improve its productivity. However, some of the companies hold a different opinion they employ people from different cultures. Incorporating foreign employees into the list of workers may help a company to discover new aspects that are crucial to the manufacturing activities (Vance Paik 2011, p. 182).Advertising Looking for report on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Discrimination may lead to a section of a population being denied the chance to work in certain manufacturing companies. It is a fact that some of the Australian manufacturing companies discriminate against some races, minority language group and castes among other groups of individuals. There are some companies, which specifically recruit people from a particular background (Klein 2007, p. 356). Discrimination has also been blamed in the recruitment of a particular sex. Most companies in the industry feel that women are not fit for the manufacturing activities. For that reason, the companies have a staff consisting of more males than females. This may be a draw back to the performance of these companies. Some women are more knowledgeable than their male counterparts and so, denying them the chance to work in the manufacturing industry is the same as preventing the knowledge they have from assisting the companies to achieve their objectives (Vance Paik 2011, p. 185). Demographic Fa ctors The major demographic factors that affect the way Australian manufacturing companies recruit workers include the level of education, age and sex (Caruth, Caruth Pane 2009, p. 118). The level of education is known to influence greatly the way manufacturing industry in Australia staff the companies. Most of these companies require that those interested in working for them be taken through a thorough training before being employed in the companies. Those companies, which deal in production of highly technological products such as motor vehicles require individuals with advanced skills and experience. For that reason, such companies only recruit individuals who have specific qualifications from college (Caruth, Caruth Pane 2009, p. 121). Age is also a major factor that the companies consider when hiring people to work for them. Since manufacturing activities involve mostly physical work, the manufacturing companies insist on recruiting individuals who are young, energetic and wi lling to work for extra hours in form of overtime. This has resulted in the companies having staffs that mainly comprise of individuals between 25 to 40 years of age. Old people are not hired since the nature of the manufacturing jobs is not suitable for them. The companies too have to follow the Australian government rules on employment and so, underage individuals are not employed to work in the companies (Caruth, Caruth Pane 2009, p. 122). Sex refers to either being male or female. The manufacturing companies prefer to hire male individuals to female ones. Since the government employment rules require that expectant women be given a three month-leave from work, the companies feel that, hiring a bigger number of women will interfere with their production pace. The companies also view it as a loss since the women on leave have to be paid without working. As a consequence, the manufacturing companies have staffs constituted by bigger number of men than that of women (Brown Swain 2 009, p. 28). Political Factors Political and governmental forces just like other factors influence the way companies hire employees. Government rules dictate companies to follow the laid down procedures when recruiting individuals to work for them. For instance, companies have to consider aspects such as age, ethnicity and sex while recruiting employees. Government requires that there has to be at least a third of each sex in the total number of employees in every company. It is also a criminal offence in Australia for a company to employ a minor to work for it (Gatewood, Field Barrick 2011, p. 37). There are some companies in Australia for which the government selects the senior staff. These are mostly public companies. In such cases, the dominant factor in the selection is politics. The individuals are purely chosen through parliament votes. Voting in parliament is an activity that is dictated upon by the majority. In some cases, the voting process provides outcome that are not r eally helpful to these public companies. Still, parliament’s decision in Australia is considered final and hence, irreversible (Gatewood, Field Barrick 2011, p. 40). Economic Factors Economy as a whole has great impact on the staffing of a company. The economy of Australia has been steady for the last ten years. In other words, the economy has been expanding rapidly. This has in turn compelled the manufacturing companies to find ways to maintain the expansion. One of the ways has been to intensify the use of modern technologies in production. Technology advancement combines several stages of production thereby minimizing the number of stages that are required in the production of a particular product. As a result, companies find it necessary to retrench some of the workers. In essence, the expansion in Australian economy has resulted in reduced staff in various manufacturing economies (Caruth, Caruth Pane 2009, p. 127). The State of the economy determines the amount of wage s and salaries that manufacturing companies offer their employees. Manufacturing companies would not want to run at a loss by offering huge wages than what the economy can support. This also applies to the Australian manufacturing companies. As a result, only individuals who accept the pay offered to them by the companies are employed and retained in the manufacturing industry (Cook 2009, p. 61). Recommendations Technology is an important factor in the manufacturing industry in Australia. It is a factor that helps a company to compete effectively in the Australian local markets as well as the markets abroad. However, advancement in technology leads to reduction in the number of staff. In other words, it leads to unemployment. It is therefore important that change in technology is designed in such a way that it either maintains the current status of employment or if possible, it increases the number of job opportunities in the manufacturing industry (Weihrich, Koontz Cannice 2010, p . 258). As much as the manufacturing companies feel that employing individuals with background knowledge of the country is more important, to a greater extent it hinders the introduction of new ideas into the industry. The companies should employ individuals with different backgrounds. This implies that the companies should not consider the place of origin during recruitment of employees. Foreigners are known to have new ideas, most of which may be quite crucial in the development of these companies (Koontz Weihrich 2010, p. 224). In order to allow the manufacturing industry in Australia to function independently, the Australian government needs to keep itself away from the industry. In most cases, politics have been proved to cause malfunctions in the operations of manufacturing companies especially the public ones. Since the government may not be in the best position to determine what is really required in a particular company, entirely leaving the decision making processes to th e companies’ board of directors will be the best thing to do (Koontz Weihrich 2010, p. 227). In conclusion, manufacturing industry in Australia plays a great role in boosting the country’s economy. Through the industry, the country has been able to create a lot of job opportunities to majority of Australians. The staffing of these companies is influenced by a number of factors. These factors include demographic, economic, change in technology, government and political influence and social-cultural forces. References Brown, JN Swain, A 2009, The professional recruiter’s handbook: delivering excellence in recruitment practice, Kogan Page, London. Caruth, DL, Caruth, GD Pane, SS 2009, Staffing the contemporary organization: a guide to planning, recruiting, and selecting for human resource professionals, Praeger Publishers, Westport, CO. Cook, M 2009, Personal selection: adding value through people, Wiley-Blackwell, Chichester, NH. Dick, H 2007, The international ization strategies of small-country firms: the Australia experience of globalization, Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd, Northampton, MA. Gatewood, RD, Field, HS Barrick, M 2011, Human resource selection, South-Western Cengage Learning, Mason, OH. Klein, SS 2007, Handbook for achieving gender equity through education, Routledeg, Mahwah, NJ. Koontz, H Weihrich, H 2010, Essentials of management: an international perspective, Teta McGraw-Hill, New Delhi. Ross, H, Verclas, K, Levine Levine, A 2009, Managing technology to meet your mission, a strategic guide for nonprofit leaders, Jossey-Bass, San Francisco, CA. Vance, CM Paik, Y 2011, Managing a global workforce: challenges and opportunities in international human resource management, Sharpe, Armonk, NY. Weihrich, H, Koontz, H Cannice, MV 2010, management: a global and enterprenuerial perspective, Teta McGraw-Hill, New Delhi.

How did slavery affect gender roles for African Americans Essay

How did slavery affect gender roles for African Americans - Essay Example The history of slavery is almost as old as humanity having being practised for centuries in Asia, Africa, Europe and even Americas before European settlement. North America was a late entrant in the human trade as Spanish and Portuguese slavers are approximated to have transported over a million African slaves to South America prior to those in North America (Drescher and Engerman, 1998). Slavery in America can be traced to the first European settlements in the seventeenth century (1619) in Virginia when the Dutch sold the first African slaves (19) to the English colonialist settlers. The number of slaves ballooned with as the importance of cotton and later tobacco trade intensified (Engerman et al, 2003). The original settlers did not regard their slaves as destined for lifelong servitude until the 1660s when Maryland in 1664 declared that all slaves and their children would in future be deemed permanent ‘servants’. This conventional theorem has been disputed by McColley (1988, Pg.280), who asserts that these ‘captives’ were common slaves held against their will and only termed servants by historians due to the lack of records then as the word slave was only introduced from the mid nineteenth century. The decline of slave trade in Europe has though being attributed to the equivalent slavery rise in the New Lands in the Americas (BBC, 2007). The Ante-Bellum South comprised of the southern American states that were still practising slavery before the American Civil War. The ante-bellum south were the plantation owners who relied on slave labour to operate their expansive farms. The main ‘Black Belt’ segment was made of the cotton growing states of Carolinas, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas and Texas; the tobacco producing states of Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina and Kentucky; hemp

International Quality Management System - Practice exam Coursework

International Quality Management System - Practice exam - Coursework Example Delivering quality products and services also help in building a reputation for business, which influences the achievement of competitive advantage (Goetsch & Davis, 2013). In many cases, businesses seek to achieve accreditation from the international body that recognizes quality standards. The body gives ISO certification to businesses that meet the international quality standards, which helps in building a company’s brand and reputation. Quality is not achievable unless created, meaning that the products and services being able to achieve quality standards cannot happen by accident. The achievement of quality is a process because quality helps in the creation of value for both customers and the business. Based on this understanding, businesses have shifted from only achieving quality, but improving on this process by applying total quality management. Total quality management is a process that focuses on increasing a company’s competitive level through the constant improvement of its functions. Functions in this case include services, business processes, employees, products, and the business environment (p. 4). Total quality management also focuses on the continuously attaining customer satisfaction at the lowest costs. Quality can be achieved by improving a business’ operation characteristics, making the products be durable, reliable and the features of the product. Juran defined quality as ‘fitness for use’ and was of the belief that money was the language that is mainly used in management. Juran developed the Juran’s trilogy that had quality improvement, quality control and quality planning as the three main elements. In quality planning, Juran intimated that it is important for a business to identify its customers and their needs before embarking on the process of delivering quality (p. 10). Once these elements have been identified, a business can be able to develop products and services that can meet the needs of the customers. For this

Bus. team B Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bus. team B - Essay Example Therefore, health care sector poses greater opportunities for entrepreneurs. Daily Apple Inc will provide food solutions as the best alternative medical practice. People are now becoming more health conscious and they do not want to rely on medicine as sometimes it has adverse effect on body. The health care product offered by Daily Apple Inc is unique and the best alternative for medical practices. The target market of the Daily Apple plc will include health care market and general food market. The company will enter the market with ten organic food items and the market will be segmented based on the segmentation of the products. According to different markets, various techniques for supply chain will be designed. It will be easier to penetrate the general and health care market for distribution of the products. To identify other potential target markets, research and test marketing will be conducted. Opportunities in health care for constant innovation are higher than any other sectors. In order to bring efficiency and improvement in human health, advance technology is very important. Every day, latest health care products like medicines are introduced to counter the various types of diseases and infections. However emerging diseases and infections that pose continuous threats to the human life seem numerous. In this respect, chemical medicines are the most widely used solution. However, these chemical medicines also have adverse effect on human body that leads to further health related issues. This is known as the side effects of chemical based medicines. The health care consumer groups have become aware of this fact and hence are looking for other better alternative medical practices. Daily Apple Inc has been able to identify these requirements of market and hence it came up with a solution. Daily Apple Inc has introduced organic foods to offer alternative health

The Four Different Spheres

The Four Different Spheres The Great Barrier Reef is the largest reef system in the world, stretching around 2300 kilometres. It is located on the North East Australian coastline and due to its area faces both positive and negative interactions with the atmosphere. The reef lies in an area classified as Australias Cyclone Zone, and for many thousands of years the reef has been struck by severe tropical cyclones, that have resulted in the changing nature of the ecosystem. The degree of impact on the reef is subject to the intensity and extent of the storm, though the overall outcome of a storm is damage for the living and non-living organisms like the coral. The damage occurs due to the large storm waves that are produced from strong winds and low-pressure systems. The forceful waves rip apart the more fragile coral and create chips and imperfections in the harder coral. In severe cyclone cases the cyclone can cause a whole reef ecosystem to be buried under sediment. Tropical cyclones also bring with them heavi ly-induced rain cycles. The extra volume of fresh water means that the salinity of the reef ecosystem is then distorted, and could affect the growth of the coral, as coral reefs are highly specialised and need certain conditions to thrive. The turbidity of the water can also intensify and result in coral bleaching. The atmosphere can also be a constructive interaction with the Greater Barrier Reef. For example in 2006 Cyclone Larry hit the shores of North Queensland and destroyed many homes and businesses of the surrounding area. The cyclone also struck the reef, but instead of causing destructing within the ecosystem, the cyclone prevented mass coral bleaching to occur by lowering the temperature of the water. Lithosphere The Great Barrier Reef is aided in its functioning and transforming by the lithosphere. The reef itself produces limestone, the exoskeleton of the deceased coral polyp. This limestone is then weathered down and reallocated by the 4 biophysical environments to other parts of the reef. The limestone is then able to create new landforms like coral cay. The limestone is also used as a defence mechanism by coral against the violent and erosive waves. Like all living organisms coral die and the death of one coral could mean the birth of new coral, as new coral will use the limestone structures created by the deceased coral to grow on. Another lithospheric factor affecting coral functioning is sediment. Sediment like sand can have the effect of clouding up the water of the reef resulting in increased turbidity levels of the water. There is then less sunlight penetration into the reef, affecting the process of photosynthesis and coral bleaching is more likely to occur. Sediment can also over whelm the coral reefs through sediment runoff. The sediment runoff could bring with it many natural and threatening chemicals that could harm the functioning of the Great Barrier Reef. Hydrosphere The Great Barrier Reef tends to have best coral growth when hydrosphere conditions are at their greatest. For example coral reefs tend to have optimal growth when wave energy is high. The wave energy is broken by reef through the seaward, and produces an area of peaceful, protected water behind the reef. The waters of the Great Barrier Reef tend to flow in a northerly direction most of the year, though during monsoonal, wet seasons the formation of the waters changes, and there is a reversal in the direction of the waters. This reversal allows for the cooler southern ocean current to flow into the reef. The reversal in water direction is a key component for the ecology of the reef. The waters that run from the north are warm and highly in salinity, they provide the reef with high nutrient levels and are major influences for the diversity of the ecosystem. Biosphere The biosphere element of the Great Barrier Reef is how the reef grows and obtains its wonderful features. One animal that has been credited for helping to develop the reef is the polyp. Polyps are simple organisms that have a stomach and their calcium carbonate exoskeleton. Within the polyp is an interdependent alga called zooxanthallae. The two organisms provide mutual benefits with the zooxanthallae providing sugars and oxygen through the process of photosynthesis and the polyp in turn supplying nutrients. Polyp regrowth occurs with the use of the deceased polyps exoskeleton. Although coral reproduction is different, where the coral will release their eggs into the warm, summer water, and instantaneously corals release mass amounts of sperm. The fertilised eggs develop into larvae and the larvae continue the reef-building procedure on the dead corals skeleton. The diverse range of species within the Great Barrier Reef also has an impact on its functioning. For example crustaceans a re great at executing the nutrient recycling role, while the crown of thorn star fish is known for attaching itself to coral and eating it to death. Coastal Dunes Atmosphere The four spheres play a decisive role when it comes to the structure, extent and the complexion of coastal dunes. The most pivotal biophysical interaction is the atmosphere. The atmospheres main components impacting coastal dunes are wind, temperature and precipitation, as well as climate. Wind is a major contributor to shaping dunes through aeolion transport, where sand grains are picked up and transported to another location. The amount of sand removed from a dune is dependent on the size of the sand particles, velocity of the wind, nature of vegetation cover and more. For sand particles to be displaced they must be of a certain diameter, around 0.15mm. The faster the velocity of the wind the more likely sand grains will be moved, as there is more force behind the wind. The type of local vegetation and amount of vegetation on the sand dunes also impacts aeolian transport, as the vegetation becomes a barrier against the wind for the sand, and the greater the vegetation the less sand taken. Through the vegetation the dunes are able to continue to grow and increase their diversity. Temperature plays the role of influencing the rate of sand dryness, and type of vegetation on the dunes. Temperature values also determine the functioning of ocean currents. As temperature increases the dryness of sand increases resulting in only few vegetation that are able to live on the dunes, which then affects the rate of aeolian transport. Precipitation is also an atmospheric component that impacts coastal dunes, through the level of rainfall. The amount of vegetation on dunes is dependent on the level of rainfall, with regular rainfall meaning a greater variety and denser vegetation, and little to no rainfall putting the ecosystem at risk, through the little vegetation to protect the sand from aeolian transport. Hydrosphere Hydrological processes are one of the most significant components on earth for change to occur. The hydrological processes that have an impact on coastal dune ecosystems include wind-induced waves, longshore drift and rainfall. Wind-induced waves are important for developing coastal dunes, and combine both the hydrosphere and lithosphere. When there are periods of calmness within the ocean, this means sand is able to be transported from offshore deposits to the beaches. This gives supply to dunes where the winds transport the sand. On the other hand when there are treacherous conditions in the oceans the waves become powerful and crash into the coastline with such force that there able to remove sand from beaches and foredunes. Another hydrological process impacting coastal dunes ecosystems is longshore drift. Longshore drift is the transportation of sediment by currents that are running at parallel to the shoreline. Through longshore drift sediment is able to be produced in one loca tion of a coastal system and then transferred to another location. Longshore drift allows dunes to be created by sediment that has been transported over a long distance. Longshore drift is quite common on the East side of Australia, with many of the islands up in Queensland having been made from sediment that came from New South Wales. The final hydrological process to impact coastal dunes is rainfall. The amount of rainfall has a bearing on the erosion of the sand. When there is high rainfall runoff starts to occur which in turn erodes at the surface of the sand, the surface is then vulnerable to the effects of atmospheric winds. Biosphere The biosphere influences coastal dunes through flora and fauna. There are three species to flora, primary species, secondary species and tertiary species. The primary species are those that are closest to the sea. These areas are only colonised by specialised plants that are able to handle salt spray, sand blast and strong winds. The main role of the pioneer species like Marram Grass is to stabilise any incoming sand. These species of fauna spread at a rapid pace, with strong root systems, and so their able to protect much of a sand dune from its various vulnerabilities. The pioneering plants as their referred to, are vital in reducing wind erosion and stabilising the sand, leading to a better functioning coastal dune ecosystem. The secondary species is the foredune vegetation. They are usually comprised of shrubs and small trees like the coastal wattle, and help in maintaining foredune sand mass. The tertiary species are those that go beyond the coastal moorland, like tall trees. Th e vegetation in this zone is protected from the atmospheric and hydrological processes affecting the ecosystem. The vegetation in this area is not fixed, with variables being the local topography and climate. The development of humus and growth of plants occur, the sunlight exposure and soil conditions start to change. When the soil becomes richer, it attracts shrub and woodland plants, thus changing the vegetation. This process is known as succession. Fauna on coastal dunes is not very evident. Not many fauna live on the dunes closest to the beach, as the conditions are too extreme for them to handle, with maybe only few crabs calling this area home. Along with crabs the only likely animal seen on dunes closest to beaches are striped skink. Towards the back of the dune systems an increasing number of bird species can be found. Lithosphere Question 2. Analyse the impacts due to both human-induced modifications and natural stress on both ecosystems at risk. How does each ecosystem adjust in response to natural stress? Coral Reefs Human Modifications Human dependence on the Great Barrier Reef has been for many thousands of years, dating back to the times of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. As human populations grow the demand for coral reef resources will increase as well. The main human induced modifications are over-fishing and tourism. Over-fishing of the coral reef often occurs when there is an increase in the human population, as there is a now a greater demand for seafood and unique marine life. Fishermen usually target those fish that are closely connected with the coral, like the large wrasses and snappers. When the captures for these species decrease, the fishermen then target all species of fish using more efficient methods of capturing, like spears or mesh nets. As they fish down the food chain fishermen bring great vulnerability to the coral reef ecosystem. Through observation and research its proven that coral with no fish are more prone to overgrowth by macro-algae and increases in coral diseases. There is also physical damage sustained by the coral, through the anchors, nets and traps, which ends up causing more complications for the coral reef. Tourism is the other major human induced factor impacting coral reefs, and especially the Great Barrier Reef. Tourism is a key contributor to the Australian economy, with one of its foremost assets, the Great Barrier Reef bringing in $4 billion a year. Research performed by James Cook University of Cairns found several comprehensive impacts of tourism on the reef. The first being coastal tourism development, where many people visiting the reef want to stay as close to the reef as possible. The coastal developments and building of groynes and marinas near and around the Great Barrier Reef disrupts currents and frequently gravitates to the displacement of sediment. There is also increase tourism on the islands near the reef causing problems linked with sewage and rubbish. Marine based tourism also occurs in the Great Barrier Reef with the anchors and anchor chains of boats having catastrophic effects on the coral, like physical damage. Although operators are very careful when it comes to tourist interaction with coral animals, some tourists negatively interact with the wildlife causing complications in the breeding cycles and natural interactions. Another human impact towards the Great Barrier Reef is land clearing. Approximately 25% of all land in Queensland drains out into the reef. The runoff is a major contributor to degradation in the reef, with agriculture; urban development and aqua culture all impacting the quality of the reef water. The rate of sediment runoff is dramatically increasing through greater urban populations moving to the reef and intensified agriculture. The increase sediment means in a reduction in light energy for photosynthesis to occur, resulting in greater disease and overtime the suppression of the reef. The increase in wetland clearing has also obstructed in the reef development. The wetlands provide many species of the reef habitats and nurseries. When the wetlands for example estuaries are destroyed these species will then need to find new environments and new nurseries disrupting equilibrium within he ecosystem. The wetlands also house a significant amount of water when heavy rainfall occurs. Wi th depleting wetlands this means more fresh water will flow into the reef having damaging effects on the salinity levels of the reef water. Natural Stresses Great Barrier Reef natural stresses!!!!!!! Coastal Dunes Human Modifications Humans have also have dramatic impacts on coastal dune ecosystems. The main reasons to human induced modifications are the ever growing desires of humans to live on the coasts, and the increase in human population. Coastal dunes are used by humans for mining, waste-water disposal, housing and many more. The activities create problems including sand inundation and species loss. Coastal development is occurring all over the world, due to the demand of humans to live near water. Most coastal development involves the process of flattening the parallel dunes to build, and sometimes even the foredune. These actions result in the flow of sand inland being disrupted, and the protective barrier situated between the land and the sea vanishes. Another form of coastal development affecting coastal dunes is reclamation. Reclamation involves building a wall that is some distance off the coast and filling in behind the wall. It is done to extend the land out into water, and although it is positive for humans it is extremely harmful to dune ecosystems, as it alters the movement of sediment along the coast. The areas that are reclaimed are usually tidal floats that often provide sand for dune development and growth. Humans also destroy the coastal dunes through the recreational practices that take place. When people try to make their way to beaches they usually along the plants. This creates holes in the dunes and invites resilient weeds who can cope with trampling to grow. Most vegetation degradation occurs in the foredune, which happens to be the most important part of the dune system, as it protects the least stable component of the dune system. The weight of vehicles and other means of transport compact the sand, resulting in the sand having less oxygen and therefore less plant growth. For example in Lake Huron, Ontario, Canada research has found that the increase number of vehicles having access to the dunes and beaches has caused the deeper sand to become compact, and surface sand to loosen. The loosened sand becomes vulnerable to wind erosion, and causes a decrease in the rate of organic decay and consequently the rate of soil formation is reduced. The research also found that where vehic les had treded on the vegetation, there was greater wind velocity, as there was less vegetation to be a force slowing the wind. Coastal dunes are very specialised and tenuous. When there is an introduction in a flora and/or fauna species, this creates havoc in the dune ecosystem, as the ecosystem has certain needs to properly function. Some species were once introduced to stabilise the dunes but end up becoming the vulnerability of the dune system. One species that has caused major dune damage is the rabbit. The rabbits were introduced to Australia by the First Fleet and have been destructive ever since their introduction. Rabbits impact coastal dunes through eating the grasses and other vegetation, reducing the ground cover and they expose sand to wind erosion. An example of floral impact on the coastal dunes is the detrimental bitou bush. The bitou bush a native of Southern Africa was first introduced in the 1920s. Once the bitou bush has entered the dune system it quickly takes over and kills all the native plants. The bitou bush is so successful due to its high-volume of seed production, large root system s and having no predators in Australia. The major problem with the bitou bush is the monoculture it creates on the dune system, with there being no diversity on the ecosystem. If the bitou bush is removed then the sand is left exposed to wind erosion, causing greater problems. Although, the problems created by leaving the bitou bush are far greater than those eliminating the bitou bush, so much of the bitou bush on the coast is being killed. Natural Stresses Coastal environments are constantly changing, especially coastal dunes. These changes are brought on by humans actions and natural stresses placed on the dunes. The major natural factor impacting coastal dunes is storm damage. Storm-induced waves are able to cause a great deal of damage to the structure of the dune system. The ferocious power of the storm can leave the beaches degraded with little sediment, for dune reconstruction to occur, and sometimes even erode the foredune. Structural damage comes in two main forms, one being washovers, and the other being washouts. An example of a major storm damage that has happened was in 1999 where there destruction on the coastline of Byron Bay, New South Wales. The storms were ruthless and the waves were as high as 3-metres. The storms created mass coastal erosion, with washovers taking place in several locations, generating widespread erosion in the adjacent parallel dune system. There was also recently a series of storms that occurred in Byron Bay in 2009. The strong storms meant the New South Wales Government had to fork out around$740,000 for rebuilding and repairs. The seawalls needed repairs while many houses in the area needed rebuilding and money was needed to regenerate the dunes at Belongil Beach. A further example of storms impacting coastal dunes was in Stockton Beach, Newcastle in 2007. The storms occurred over the June long weekend and resulted in approximately 100,000 cubic metres worth of sand being lost, as well as structural damage like erosion around sea walls. This caused major disturbance to the coastal dune functioning, as will take a long time to recover. Dune systems dont have perfectly shaped surfaces. The dunes often have recessions and elevations along the tops of the dunes. When a storm-waves height surpasses the height of a recession in the dune, water seeps into the dune creating a washover. With consecutive, formidable storm-induced waves the washover impression deepens and widens. This results in a greater volume of water being able to spill over and flow inland. In some intense storm events like tropical cyclones, the washover may continue into the inland dunes. Luckily coastal dunes redevelop over time through constructive waves transporting sand to the beach. Although, areas hit by intense, frequent storms go through the rebuilding process much slower, due to a considerable quantity of sand being removed. Recurring, powerful storms also cause damage to the flora of the dune, further decelerating the process of regeneration. An example of how washovers have caused damage to dunes was the major storm damage that occurred at the Newcastle Port in 1974. The storm was called the Sygna Storm due to its ability to shipwreck the MV Sygna heading for Europe. The strom has wind gusts up to 165 kilometres/per hour, and swells were up to and over 17 metres high. The impact of the storm on the dunes was the well-built foredunes had been completely flattened. Washouts are linked with the penetration of sand barriers like those that segregate coastal lagoon from the open sea, after there has been a period of substantial rainfall. Washouts can also occur in dune systems, when there is a build-up of water in the swales that separate dunes. When there are slumps in the dunes surfaces, the water gets directed through the low points and overspills onto the beach, sometimes transport sand with it. ADJUSTMENT IN RESPONSE TO CHANGE Question 3. Compare and contrast the vulnerability and resilience of the two ecosystems at risk. Question 4. Evaluate the traditional and contemporary approaches to management and protection of both ecosystems. The two ecosystems at risk, coral reefs and sand dunes, are both highly specialised, and for this reason there have been many traditional and contemporary management strategies used to sustain them, and keep them as risk free as possible. Coral Reefs Traditional Management Strategies Traditional management approaches were mostly used by the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The Aboriginals focused on preserving the reefs and maintaining equilibrium in the ecosystem. The first traditional management plan was season hunting. Season hunting involves hunting only occurring at specific designated times of the year, for example summer. This strategy guarantees that there will be flora and fauna available for the future generations, as well as not severely impacting the process in the food web. The Aboriginals and Islanders only took what resources they needed from the reef, which helped in maintaining dynamic equilibrium in the reef. The strategy has close links to ecological sustainability, as it focuses on protection and fostering the ecosystem. Another impressive traditional management tactic used by the Aboriginals in maintaining the reefs was restrictions on fish sizes. This practice involves only catching fish of a certain length of above. Through this practice the fish of the Great Barrier Reef are given the chance to reproduce at least once before their caught. This lets the ecosystem maintain levels of fauna and as much equilibrium as possible. Add more. Third Traditional Management Strategy Contemporary Management Strategies Coral reefs are also maintained through contemporary management strategies, with one being zoning. Zoning involves establishing what can be done and where it can be done. The purpose of zoning is to diminish stress placed on certain areas of the reef and maintain their ecological sustainability. An example of zoning is allowing commercial fishing to occur in some parts of the reef, while tourism developments can occur in the outer reef area. If imposed properly zoning is a very successful tool in managing and protecting the reefs, as well as allowing present generations to access its natural resources without compromising the reef for future generations. Another way in which reefs can be preserved is through benchmark data. Benchmark data is comparing the ecosystem that is at risk with the standard of that ecosystem. Benchmark data helps in understanding whether the reef ecosystem is at the standard that it should be to be regarded as healthy. For example the standard level globally for the amount of dissolved nitrogen in the water of coral reefs is 0.014ppm. This knowledge would help in knowing if there is too much nitrogen or not enough nitrogen in the water, and humans may then be able to influence its level of nitrogen. Benchmark data is important in interpreting the risk factor the reef ecosystem has. The managing of tourism on the reef is also a significant factor of contemporary management strategies. Tourism generally has a negative impact on the reef, so its important that these tourists learn more about the reefs and the need to manage them. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) makes all tourists pay a certain fee when visiting the reefs, so they can reinvest the money into education about the reefs and to manage them. One of the major issues regarding tourism in reefs is the concentration on certain areas. For example, around 85% of all Great Barrier Reef tourism occurs in the areas of Cairns and Whitsunday Islands. Though they only make up 7% of the entire Great Barrier Reef putting immense risk on these areas. Tourism in the Great Barrier Reef is usually a day trip and mostly spent on reef pontoons. Over the years there have been many pontoon accidents and so the GBRMPA decided to ban all pontoon activity unless granted otherwise. The GBRMPA has also impos ed speed limits in the reef as a way of managing the risks of the reefs. As there are thousands of boats passing through the reef every day, the GBRMPA made speed limits for boats so that the risk faced by the reefs be minimised. Tourism also impacts the wildlife and breeding cycles. Fauna have certain places and times when they are breeding and sometimes humans disturb their cycles, creating disequilibrium in that area. For example research found that many bird species that regularly bred on Michaelmas Cays had stopped breeding due to the growing tourist activity on the island. The Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) are in charge of most islands on which birds breed, and so if there irregularities in bird breeding on an island due to human activity, then the QPWS permanently close the island from humans. Coastal Dunes Traditional Management Strategies Very little is known on the traditional Aboriginal ways of the management of coastal dunes. There is archaeological proof that the Aborigines did frequent the dunes but would have only been used as camp sites or for special ceremonial occasions. The findings of middens, which are mounds of shells that indicate a seafood-based meal had occurred, are indicators to the type of marine environment in the area, and the time that the Aborigines used the resources. ASK MISS ABOUT MANAGEMENT THROUGH MIDDENS. Another traditional management strategy though to be used by the Aborigines was the use of totems. Totems are animals assumed as an emblem to an individual or family. For many Aborigines the totems were an animal ancestor of theirs. Their role was to look after and try to preserve their totem. They were not allowed to eat their totem animals or harm it in anyway. This management strategy helped in making sure species were not overhunted. The most known form of Aboriginal management of coa stal dunes was back-burning or cool burning. Back-burning occurred through fires or fire stick farming, and would occur during cool periods so the fires would not get out of hand and kill the whole ecosystem. ASK MISS ABOUT MANAGEMENT THROUGH FIRES. Contemporary Management Strategies For successful dune protection to occur, the natural functioning of the dune must be sustained, while allowing humans to use the coastal dune ecosystem in a sustainable manner. As dune restoration is extremely costly many bodies of power have used strategies that protect the current dunes, and keep them in the best possible condition. One strategy imposed is land-use controls. Through state and local governments there is the ability to have stricter planning laws on human activities, as undertakings on the coastal ecosystem like residential development has extremely negative consequences on the dunes. Local governments have the power to accept or decline any development applications on the dunes. With this power given to local governments the dune system, and specifically the foredune would be able to function in a more natural state. Fencing is another management strategy against human activities, especially trampling from beach users. Dune fences are usually built around the foredune area, and assist in stopping people from trampling the dune vegetation. Particularly when the vegetation is immature and fragile, as its at its most vulnerable state. The fences are made of timber and wire, allowing wind and sand sediment easy access in and out. Along with fencing, fenced access ways are used for people to get to and from the beach. Fenced access ways are built through the dune, and at an angle to the prevailing wind as it minimises funnelling. They are fenced off to further protect the vegetation. With the fenced access ways many dunes have board and chain paths. The chain and board paths help the coastal dunes through reducing trampling by humans, as well as the timber slats being an obstacle to wind erosion to the exposed sand. http://www.mrstevennewman.com/geo/Stockton/nature_change/Washover.JPG Rise in mean annual sea temperature Water temperature is one of the most important variables determining ecosystem function in the marine environment. External temperature controls metabolic rates, which, during non-stress conditions, increase with increasing temperatures in all but warm-blooded organisms. Consequently, persistent warmer temperatures can accelerate life history and population parameters such as growth and reproductive age, and ecosystem properties such as rates of calcification and community metabolism, until they reach a level where temperature stress accumulates and rates start to decline75. While warmer sea temperatures increase growth rates in some organisms such as fleshy macroalgae, they may slow down growth in others because of the relative lower nutrient concentrations in warmer compared to cooler water. At higher temperatures, water column productivity accelerates, depleting the standing stock of dissolved and particulate nutrients including phyto- and zooplankton (McKinnon et al. chapter 6). For example, kelp and other temperate brown macroalgae grow most prolifically at cooler temperatures where nutrient concentrations are higher than in warmer nutrient-depleted waters18, while the productivity of other macroalgae might increase at higher temperatures (DiazPulido et al. chapter 7). Similar responses are likely to occur in other species groups, exemplifying that shifts in the relative abundances of species are to be expected, with profound but yet poorly understood consequences for ecosystem properties and species interactions. Altered reproductive timing has bee n linked to rising mean annual sea temperature. Of particular concern is a potential desynchronisation of the mass-spawning event of corals that occurs annually in the GBR. Thousands of coral species from unrelated taxa synchronise their annual spawning based on sea temperature and moon phase5. The role temperature plays is demonstrated at Magnetic Island off Townsville, where waters are approximately 1Â °C warmer than in the surrounding region and a proportion of species spawn one month earlier on this reef than conspecifics in cooler waters near-by. Similarly, reproduction of fishes on the GBR appears to be triggered by increasing sea temperature in at least some tropical reef fishes16,17,98,49, including coral trout102. Increased temperature could cause an earlier start to the breeding season in these species, and possibly a longer breeding season if thermal limits for reproduction are not exceeded.

Grandma, Schnitzel and Politics :: Personal Narrative Profile

Grandma, Schnitzel and Politics I strolled the streets of Tel Aviv taking in the smell of fried falafel mixed with the salty ocean breeze. I watched people hurrying, lunging for bus doors before drivers pulled away. Then I realized that if I didn't get to my grandmother's in ten minutes, I'd be late - an offense that could provoke the dreaded silent treatment. I ran from the beach to her apartment on Bet-Lechem street and flew up the stairs two at a time, jumping over the Arab lady who sat scrubbing the floor. I arrived at the fifth story apartment breathless, wondering how the old lady climbed the stairs carrying five kilos of fruits and vegetables in each hand. She opened the door and squeezed me hard reminding me how she managed the stairs. She offered a wrinkled, rubbery cheek to kiss and then immediately ushered me to my place at the table, assuring me that lunch was all ready. I sat down and skimmed through her copy of the Post, vowing not to let her sucker me into a political discussion. She returned with the first course. "I made a chicken soup with canadelach special for you," she said. "Grandma, next time write me a list, and I'll go shopping for you." She snorted, "You know how to pick vegetables." "Then, I'll just carry the bags," I offered. "Darling, when I can't take care of myself, I'll write a big Shalom on the wall," she made a sweeping gesture indicating the whole dining room wall, "and that's this: I'll take all my pills." Then on her feet again, she plunged out of the room with her gray head down. A minute later, she returned with a full tray of salad, tehina, fresh bread, schnitzel, peas, beer and apple compot. The schnitzel itself left little room on my plate for other food. "I also made blintzes for you special, darling because I know you love them," she said. As I sat, she told me stories I'd heard before. She told me how when she was a girl in Poland, they hadn't had cars yet. They rode in horse and carriage. And when she came to Israel, the men stopped and stared at her. She told me for the nine-hundredth time that it was her father who had built the building we were sitting in.