What Is Australia’s Human-Environment Interaction?

Australia’s human-environment interaction includes the burning of vegetation, the introduction of weeds and plants to the continent and the modification of the Murray River. Human-environment interaction describes how people use the environment, adapt to it and change it to suit their needs.

Australia has many examples of human-environment interaction throughout its history, from the Aborigines to the spread of weeds. The Aborigines both used and modified the land to suit their needs. They regularly burned the vegetation from the land in different patterns to help control or prevent wild fires. They completely cleared an area known as the Old Sports Ground as a gathering place for clans. Once the Europeans arrived, this interaction altered in ways that ranged from a modest modification of the environment to complete eradication due to overgrazing.

Another example of human-environment interaction is the introduction of new plants to Australia from immigrants. While Salvation Jane was introduced to the country as a honey plant, it can kill grazing animals. The Murray River is an important resource for Australians. They used it as a water supply in the past, although the river’s flow has since been modified and flows into a series of weirs and locks for local consumption.