4. Anthropocene Flashcards
What does the term Anthropocene mean?
A new geological age which is now being used to describe the current state//
Why do we use the term Anthropocene ?
to describe a new geological age which has : a huge carbon footprint // increased greenhouse gas concentrations(methane and carbon dioxide ) // increased energy usage // increased use of nitrogen fertilisers used
overall all of these changes are occurring due to the increased human population
What are some major issues facing humans in the Anthropocene?
AIR POLUTION DISEASE-> myocardial infarction// hyper-tension// congestive heart failure // chronic obstructive pulmonary disease// WATER BOUND DISEASES-> diarrhoeal // typhoid fever// lower respiratory tract
What are some major issues facing the planet in the Anthropocene?
rising temperature / melting ice / rising sea level / shorter , milder winter / more extreme weather events // effects on ecosystems and organisms
What did the lancet commission on pollution and health explain?
2017 -> pollution is to be largest environmental cause of disease and premature death// pollution is discriminative and effects developing countries and children more
What is the pollutome?
3 different layers of pollution -related deaths
1. well characterised health effects caused by pollutants // 2. emerging but still unquantified health effect / 3. inadequate characterised health effects of emerging pollutants
What are the main forms of pollution?
AIR - PM2.5 particles of air pollution in the ozone // WATER - inadequate sanitation // SOIL// CHEMICAL // OCCUPATIONAL
What changes are being seen in ecosystems within the Anthropocene?
CHANGES IN EGG -LAYING time // CHANGES IN MIGRATION- // RANGE SHIFTS- mountain heath and willow scrub has changed // EXTICTION RISK - IPCC found 20-30% of plant and animal species are at risk of extinction
What are some issues with marine plastic ?
impacts ecosystem functioning // impacts beach quality /
What environmental factors can worsen marine plastics ?
ocean currents and prevailing winds -> spread issues across countries and across international waters
What does damage costs to a country depend on?
- Total volume and type of plastic waste in the sea// 2. Ocean current patterns -> in relation to their location //3. Exposure //4. Patterns of use and settlement of coast
What does abatement refer to?
reduction or removal of an issue over time
How can we reduce the issue of marine plastics in the ocean?
Reduce amount of current plastic usage on land // Reduce current stock of plastic in ocean and on land in landfill sites // Clean up plastic waste deposits on coastlines // Reduce quality of plastic waste disposals
What did Nordhaus 2015 pose?
2 solutions to marine plastic:
1. Set up smaller group of countries which are willing to pursue strong mitigation policies // 2. Commit all countries to a solution project
What are some characteristics of deep sea fishing?
Diverse// Sometimes extremely long lived // Very low survival of brought to surface// Difficult and expensive to study// Very few long term fish (fishery-independent surveys)
//Less well understood than shallow species
How does fishing affect deep sea populations?
trawling is the main method of fishing / removes most of the benthic fauna, resulting in declines in faunal biodiversity, cover and abundance
What can we do to protect deep sea fish biodiveristy?
- “FREEZE THE FOOTPRINT” -> prevent fishing somewhere which has not been fished yet -> However this is dependent on how you segment the ocean //2. MPA (marine protected area ) -> Identify vulnerable marine ecosystem (deep sea coral reefs / sponge beds…) / may be high fish diversity / However extremely difficult to enforce // 3. MORE SELECTIVE FIHSING GEAR-> Only catching species fish preventing reducing species richness within an area// 4. DEPTH LIMIT
-> European commission proposed a 600m limit on trawling
What should a depth limit on trawling be based off?
AIM = Calculate ecologically important catch indices //Calculate value er unit effort of trawl // Determine if there is a relationship between trend and depth
What does the Simpsons diveristy refer to?
Measure of the number of species and their relative abundance / understands the damage to the environment worsens with depth
Where does trawling affect the most diverse fish assemblages ?
600m or deeper //limiting trawling to 600m would protect 80 species of fish
What is a protected area?
a geographic area governed and managed in ways that achieve positive and sustained long-term outcomes for the in situ conservation of biodiversity, with associated ecosystem functions and services and where applicable, cultural, spiritual, socio–economic, and other locally relevant values
What are some benefits of protected areas?
Act as refuges for species/ allowing functioning of natural ecosystems / maintain ecological processes / protect species from extinction
What methods have been used to minimise human impacts and reverse its consequences?
What are some different conservation approaches?
- Area based conservation (OECM)// 2. Restoration/ re-introduction // 3. Control of invasive species /4. Control of disease
Any action / initiation/ policy
