1. Intro Flashcards
Define Biodiversity
Biological diversity means the VARIABILITY among living ORGANISMS from all sources including terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ECOSYSTEMS and the ecological complexities of which they are part; this includes DIVERSITY WITHIN SPECIES; BETWEEN SPECIES AND OF ECOSYSTEMS
What is Biodiversity - short definition
Variation at all levels of biological organisation
Define Ecosystem
All biotic and abiotic things, present in an area and functioning as a unit
Define biotic
Living things
Define abioitic
Non-living things
Define ecosystem service
The goods and services that are provided by ecosystems to humans
Define ecosystem disservice
The negative effects of nature on human well-being
Estimates of global biodiversity
8.1 million animal and plant species
How many species are scientifically named?
Approx. 1.7 million species of animal and plant named… increases by approx. 10,000 every year.
What is the conservation problem
We haven’t identified all of the different species (8.1 million species estimated only about 1.7 million named) so hard to conserve i.e. monitor the species
What is the percentage of wildlife population decrease?
According to WWF Living Planet report 2022, wildlife pop. revealed an average decline of 69% in species population sinc 1970.
What is the population trend in grassland butterflies, farmland birds and forest birds in the EU
2020 ECA showed a 39% decrease in butterflies from 1990 - 2017 and a 34% decrease in farmland birds and 1% increase in forest birds from 1990 - 2018.
What is the global agricultural land area (in percentages)
Approx. 38% agricultural area (1/3 cropland, 2/3 grassland) - FA0 2020
What is the European Agricultural Land Area? How many farms?
9.1 million farms account for approx. 38% of the total land area (EC, 2020)
What is the Irish Agricultural Land Area?
Approx. 64% of total national land area (DAFM, 2020)
What is Ireland’s agricultural land use like?
92% Grassland, 6% Cereals, 2% Other Crops (Fruit and Horticulture and other cereals)
How many livestock (chicken, cattle and sheep are there) in ireland
Poultry - 16 mill, Sheep 5.5 mill, Cattle 7.3 mill
Where was the first centre of agricultural innovation
The Fertile Crescent (Between Turkey, Lebanon and Syria)
What is the percentage of forest cover in Europe v. Ireland
Europe’s forest cover percentage is just under 40%, Ireland’s is 11%
Biodiversity evolved with agri. practices, climate and underlying geology. How has agricultural innovation since WW2 affected biodiversity
- Intensification and specialization of land use.
- Habitat removal, fragmentation and degredation.
- Loss of genetic diversity (through monocrops)
- Increased inputs (pesticides, fertilizer) all affect the biodiversity in a farming ecosystem.
What is land abandonment
Land abandonment occurs when a particular land use ceases, and there is no clearly defined subsequent land use practice. It may happen due to land degradation
Explain Intrinsic Biodiversity Value
The intrinsic value of biodiversity relates to an organisms right to survive, regardless of its worth to human kind.
“every form of life is unique, warranting respect regardless of its worth to man” - UNCN
What are ecosystem services
The benefits that humans derive from ecosystems
What is the anthropocentric value of ecosystem services
Ecosystems benefits to humans
Name three different classification of ecosystem services
- MEA/MA Millenium Ecosystem Assessment
- CICES - Common International Classification of Ecosystem Services
- TEEB - The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity
Describe the factors in the MEA
- Provisioning, 2. Supporting, 3. Regulating, 4. Cultural.
What is the economic value of ecosystem services?
Estimated global value of US 125 TRILLION per year.
Why are ecosystem service important?
They underpin our success as a species and our agricultural production systems
What is a keystone species
A keystone species is an organism that helps hold an ecosystem together. Strongly interacting species that have a large impact on their ecosystems.
It can be predator, e.g., grey wolf
How does biodiversity affect food production?
By clean water and water cycling, pollination, regulation of air quality, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration and storage, regulation of pests and diseases, human wellbeing, regulation of erosion, soil formation and structure.
What European policies support biodiversity?
European Green Deal, EU Biodiversity Strategy and the Farm to Fork Strategy
Give some targets of the farm to fork strategy (GHG reduction, organic, fertilizer use, pesticide use, antimicrobials)
GHG - 50% REDUCTION
Organic farming - 25% of agricultural land.
Fertilizer - 20% reduction in use
Pesticides - 50% reduction in use
antimicrobials - 50% reduction in sales.
Explain provisioning ecosystem services
The products of ecosystems that humans depend upon and that traditionally command an economic value e.g.,
Food
Fuel
Fibre
Pharmaceuticals
Clean water
How many plant varieries are available for production and how many are used?
Approx. 250,000 plant species, only 3% of these used. (fao)
How many plant species provide 75% of the global food?
12 plant species
What are the 3 mega crops and what percentage of global food to they supply?
Rice, wheat and maize supply 50% of the global food.
What is the issue with dependence on so little crop species and variety?
There are issues in terms of disease management e.g., Irish famine - lumper potatoe
PRG (what does it stand for) and how many grass seed sales does it account for in Ireland (%)
Perennial ryegrass accounts for 95% of grass seed sales
What are the properties of PRG?
- Early spring growth
- Long growing season
- Rapid recovery following defoliation
- Palatability and digestibility
- Highly dependent on fertilizer N
What is a multispecies sward?
Sown swards consisting of more than 3 species, usually coming from different plant functional groups e.g. grasses, legumes and forage herbs.
Describe niche complenatarity
Niche complementarity is functional trait differences leading to resources being used differently.
Give an example of two grass species and two legume species and two forage herbs
Grass: Perennial ryegrass (short roots) and timothy (longer roots)
Forage herbs: white clover and red clover (tap root)
Legume: Chicory (tap root) and Plantain
Describe facilitation (re MSS)
Facilitation is the increased positive interactions between species
