19.7 Conservation of habitats

Question 1

What is conservation

Answer 1

. It is the management of the earths natural resources by humans
. So the maximum use of them can be made in the future

Question 2

What do humans have to do in conservation

Answer 2

. Maintain ecosystems and biodiversity

So the process entails careful management of existing resources and reclamation of those already damaged by human activities

Question 3

What are the 4 main reasons for conservation

Answer 3

. Personal: To maintain our planet so therefore our life support system

. Ethical: Other species have occupied the earth longer than us so should be allowed to coexist with us
We should respect living things

. Economic: Living organisms contain a giant pool of genes with the capacity to make millions of substances, many of them will prove valuable in the future.

. Cultural and aesthetic: Habitats and organisms enrich our lives. The variety adds interest to everyday life and inspires poets and writers etc

Question 4

How do you conserve habits by succession

Answer 4

• Once the climax community is reached, the species that existed in the previous stages have been outcompeted by other species, or their habitats have disappeared by succession
• To conserve these habitats, prevent succession to stop it changing to next stage

Question 5

Give examples of conserving habitats by succession

Answer 5

. Around 4000 years ago, most of UK lowland was a climax community of oak woodland but most of this forest was cleared to allow grazing and cultivation

. So loads of grasslands that we call natural are the result of grazing by animals eg rabbits and sheep eat any new saplings that could develop into full sized trees