Geological Hazards: Causes and Risk Factors
Expansive Soils
Expansive soils are soils that increase in volume in the presence of water. They can exert pressure as strong as a floor, for example. This type of expansive soil is formed by clays, plasters, and anhydrite.
Radon
Radon is the main cause of radiation risk as a natural contaminant worldwide. It lodges in the lungs and can cause lung cancer. The toxic effects are seen with the passage of time.
Instability of Slopes
Human Causes
Human causes are diverse. They can be caused by the rejection
Read MorePlant Life in Spain: Habitats, Vegetation, and Flora
Vegetation and Flora in Spain
The vegetation, or flora, is the set of plant species in an area. Factors that influence vegetation include plant formations, physical factors like climate (temperature and precipitation), relief (altitude), soil type, and human impact. In Spain, plant communities form distinct landscapes.
Siberian Floristic Region
The Siberian floristic region is characterized by deciduous heath and grassland.
Deciduous Forest
Deciduous forests feature tall trees with straight trunks, smooth
Read MoreGlobal Energy Production: Sources and Trends
While total world energy came from 82% fossil fuels, 10% biofuels, 5% nuclear, and 3% renewable (hydro, wind, solar, geothermal), only 18% of that total world energy was in the form of electricity. Most of the other 82% was used for heat and transportation. Recently, there has been a large increase in international agreements and national Energy Action Plans to increase the use of renewable energy due to pollution that comes from fossil fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas.
EU Energy Production
Due
Read MoreUnderstanding Weather Elements and Climate Mechanisms in Spain
Weather in Spain
The Elements of Weather
The elements of weather are a set of indicators that show the basic characteristics of a specific climate. The most significant are rainfall, temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, humidity, clouds, and fog.
Temperature
Factors influencing temperature are latitude, altitude, and proximity to the sea. On a map, it is represented by isotherms, which are lines that connect points on the Earth’s surface that have the same temperature. Absolute temperatures are
Read MoreAlfonso XIII’s Reign: Restoration to Crisis in Spain (1902-1923)
Alfonso XIII’s Reign: From the Restoration to the Crisis
The Restoration System Designed by Cánovas
When designing the Restoration system, Cánovas del Castillo envisioned Spain as:
- A rural country with scarce communication media.
- Where local *caciques* (political bosses) controlled the vote.
However, 30 years later, the situation had changed:
- Economic growth and the development of the middle class occurred.
- Vote control was no longer possible in large cities, leading to the rise of socialist movements.
Environmental Pollution: Water and Air Contamination
Contamination
Water Contamination
Contamination of waters, rivers, seas, and swamps.
Organic Waste
A river is polluted when organic waste is dumped into it. Sources include sewage and agricultural industries (dairy, farm animals, oil production).
Discharged organic matter is degraded by decomposers, which consume a lot of oxygen. This greatly increases the Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), causing fish kills that further aggravate the problem.
Eutrophication
This problem occurs when phosphates are poured
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