6.3.2 - Populations and sustainability Flashcards
Define a limiting factor
An environmental resource or constraint that limits population growth
Give an example of limiting factors
Availability of food
What are the phases of the population growth curve ?
- Phase one - slow growth
- Phase two - rapid growth
- Phase three - stable state
Describe phase one pf the population growth curve
- The small numbers of individuals that are initially present reproduce increasing the total population
- As the birth rate is higher than the death rate, the population increases
Describe phase two of the population growth curve
- As the number of breeding individuals increases, the total population multiplies exponentially
- No constraints act to limit the population explosion
Describe phase three of the population growth curve
- Further population growth is prevented by external constraints
- During this time the population size fluctuates, but overall its size remains relatively stable.
- Birth rates and death rates are approximately equal
What do limiting factors prevent ?
They prevent further growth of a population and in some cases cause it to decline
What can limiting factors be divided into ?
Abiotic and biotic factors
What are abiotic factors ?
- Non living factors
- Temperature, light, pH, the availability of water or oxygen and humidity
What are biotic factors ?
- Living factors
- Predators, disease and competition
Define carrying capacity
The maximum population size that an environment can support
What else affects population size ?
Migration
Define immigration
The movement of individual organisms into a particular area
How does immigration affect population size ?
It increases population size
Define emigration
The movement of individual organisms away from a particular area
How does emigration affect population size ?
It decreases population size
What are density independent factors ?
Factors that have an effect on the whole population regardless of its size
Give some examples of density independent factors
- Earthquakes
- Volcanic eruptions
- Fires
- Storms
What can these factors lead to ?
They can remove whole populations of a species from a region
What can organisms compete for ?
- Food
- Shelter
- Space
- Light
What is competition ?
- Competition is a result of the interactions between living organism
- It has a significant effect on the number of organisms present in an area
What are the two types of competition ?
- Interspecific competition
- Intraspecific competition
What is interspecific competition ?
Competition between different species
What is intraspecific competition ?
Competition between members of the same species
When does interspecific competition occur ?
Occurs when two or more different species of organism compete for the same resource
What does competition over a resource lead to ?
Leads to a reduction of the resource available for both populations
What happens when one species is less adapted to the other that it competes with ?
The species gets outcompeted
What does an organism being outcompeted lead to ?
If conditions stay the same, the less well adapted species will decline in number until it can no longer exist in the habitat alongside the better adapted species
Define the competitive exclusion principle
Where two species are competing for limited resources, the one that uses the resources more effectively will ultimately eliminate the other
When does intraspecific competition occur ?
When members of the same species compete for the same resource
What determines the population size in intraspecific competition ?
The availability of the resource
What does a change in the availability of resources result in ?
It leads to a fluctuation in the number of organisms present in a particular population over time
Describe stage 1 of the diagram for the effects of intraspecific competition over time
- When a resource is plentiful in a habitat all organisms have enough of the resource to survive and reproduce
- This results in an increase in population size
Describe stage 2 of the diagram for the effects of intraspecific competition over time
- As a result of the increased population, there are many more individuals that share the food or space available
- Not enough is available for all organisms to survive
- The population will decrease in size
Describe stage 3 of the diagram for the effects of intraspecific competition over time
- Less competition exists as the smaller population means that less organisms are competing for the same resources
- This means more organisms survive and reproduce, resulting in population growth
What happens once the cycle of stages is over ?
The cycle of events will repeat
What is predation ?
Predation is when the predator kills and eats the prey
What is predation a type of ?
It is a type of interspecific competition, operating between prey and predator species
How have predators evolved ?
They have evolved to become highly efficient at capturing prey
How have prey evolved ?
- They have evolved to avoid capture
- Mimicry or other defence mechanisms
How are the sizes of the predator and prey populations interlinked ?
As the population of one organism changes, it causes a change in the size of the other population
What does this lead to ?
This results in fluctuations in the size of both populations
Describe stage one of the predator prey relationship
- An increase in the prey population provides more food for the predators, allowing more to survive and reproduce
- This in turn results in an increase in the predator population
Describe stage two of the predator prey relationship
The increases predator population eats more prey organisms, causing a decline in the prey population
Describe stage three of the predator prey relationship
- The reduced prey population can no longer support the large predator population
- Intraspecific competition for food increases, resulting in a decrease in the size of the predator population
Describe stage four of the predator prey relationship
- Reduced predator numbers result in less of the prey population being killed
- More prey organisms survive and reproduce, increasing the prey population
What is N ?
Number of population
What is R ?
The growth rate
What is K ?
The carrying capacity
How do you work out growth rate ?
Number of people born - the number of people that die
What are the different types of survivorship curves ?
- Type 1
- Type 2
- Type 3
Describe the type 1 survivorship curve
Most organisms will survive to start with, they will then grow and eventually this will drop off and they will die
Describe the type 2 survivorship curve
It involves a continual decline until they are all dead
Describe the type 3 survivorship curve
Most of them die to start off with and then they level off for a bit and over time the rest of them slowly die
What are R selected species ?
An R selected species is one that bases its life on the growth rate, they want to grow as quickly as possible
What are the characteristics of R related species ?
- Live in an unstable environment
- High fecundity, have lots of babies
- Small body size
- Early maturity
- Dispersed offspring
What are K selected species ?
K selected species are based upon the carrying capacity
What are the characteristics of K related species ?
- They want to live longer
- Lots of parental care
- They have a large body size
- Long life expectancy
- Fewer offspring
What is predation ?
Predation is when the predator kills and eats the prey
What is predation a type of ?
It is a type of interspecific competition, operating between prey and predator species
How have predators evolved ?
They have evolved to become highly efficient at capturing prey
How have prey evolved ?
- They have evolved to avoid capture
- Mimicry or other defence mechanisms
How are the sizes of the predator and prey populations interlinked ?
As the population of one organism changes, it causes a change in the size of the other population
What does this lead to ?
This results in fluctuations in the size of both populations
Describe stage one of the predator prey relationship graph
- An increase in the prey population provides more food for the predators, allowing more to survive and reproduce
- This in turn results in an increase in the predator population
Describe stage two of the predator prey relationship graph
The increases predator population eats more prey organisms, causing a decline in the prey population
Describe stage three of the predator prey relationship graph
- The reduced prey population can no longer support the large predator population
- Intraspecific competition for food increases, resulting in a decrease in the size of the predator population
Describe stage four of the predator prey relationship graph
- Reduced predator numbers result in less of the prey population being killed
- More prey organisms survive and reproduce, increasing the prey population
What does conservation mean ?
Conservation means the maintenance of biodiversity through human action or management
What does conservation include ?
This includes maintaining diversity between species, maintaining genetic diversity within a species and the maintenance of habitats
What does conservation involve doing ?
- Management of ecosystems so that the natural resources in them can be used without running out
- This is known as sustainable development
What is reclamation ?
- A conservation approach
- It is the process of restoring ecosystems that have been damaged or destroyed
What techniques does reclamation involve ?
Controlled burning of an area of a forest, which can halt succession and increase biodiversity
What is conservation said to be and why ?
- Dynamic
- It needs to adapt to constant change
What does preservation mean ?
It is the protection of an area by restricting or banning human interference, so that the ecosystem is kept in its original state
When is the term preservation most commonly used ?
When preserving ecologically, archaeologically or paleontologically sensitive resources
When lands are preserved what is not allowed ?
- Visitation along with most other activities is not allowed
- Except by those who manage and monitor such areas
What is more commonly preserved ?
Objects and buildings
What is more commonly conserved ?
Natural environment
What are the three main categories for conservation ?
- Economic
- Social
- Ethical
What are the economic reasons for conservation ?
- To provide resources that humans need to survive and to provide an income
- e.g. medicinal drugs and food
What are the social reasons for conservation ?
Many people enjoy the natural beauty of wild ecosystems as well as using them for activities which are beneficial to health by providing a means of relaxation and exercise
What are the ethical reasons for conservation ?
- All organisms have a right to exist and most play an important role within their ecosystem
- We have a moral responsibility for future generations to conserve the wide variety of existing natural ecosystems
What can the intensive methods to exploit environmental resources lead to ?
- Destruction of ecosystems
- Reduction in biodiversity
- Depletion of resources
What is a sustainable resource ?
A renewable resource that is being economically exploited in such a way that it will not diminish or run out
What are the key aims of sustainability ?
- Preserve the environment
- Ensure resources are available for future generations
- Allow humans in all societies to live comfortably
- Enable LEDCs to develop, through exploiting their natural resources
- Create a more even balance in the consumption of these resources between MEDCs and LEDCs
Along with sustainable management, what else should be done ?
Existing resources should be used more efficiently
How does using existing resources more efficiently help ?
Prevents finite resources being used up so quickly
As technology improves what can occur ?
Alternatives may be developed that could ease the strain on current finite resources
What is the downside of improving technology ?
- May take many years to develop
- Be more costly
- Have negative environmental effects of their own
What does sustainable management of forests allow for ?
Maintenance of a forests biodiversity, while sustaining both our supply of wood and the economic viability of timber production
What are the techniques to produce sustainable timber on a small scale ?
- Coppicing
- Pollarding
What is coppicing ?
- This is a technique where a tree trunk is cut close to the ground
- New shoots form from the cut surface and mature
Describe how coppicing takes place in a woodland
- The woodland is divided into sections and trees are only cut in a particular section until all have been coppiced
- Coppicing then begins in another area allowing time for the newly coppiced trees to grow.
- This process continues until you reach the trees that were coppiced first
- These will now have grown to mature and the cycle will restart
How does rotational coppicing maintain biodiversity ?
- The trees never grow enough to block out the light
- So succession cannot occur and so more species can survive
What is pollarding ?
- Similar to coppicing but the trunk is cut higher up
- This is so deer and other animals cannot eat the new shoots as they appear
How can sustainable timber be produced on a larger scale?
- Felling large areas of forest
- The felled trees are destroyed and will not regrow
To ensure that production is sustainable what do companies do ?
- Practise selective cutting, removing only the larger trees
- Replace trees through replanting rather than allowing them to regenerate
- Plant trees an optimal distance apart
- Manage pests and pathogens to maximise yields
- Ensure that areas of forest remain for indigenous people
Why do they replace trees rather than waiting for regeneration ?
Ensure that the biodiversity and mineral and water cycles are maintained
Why do they plant trees an optimal distance apart from each other ?
To reduce competition
What is the major disadvantage of tree felling ?
- Habitats are destroyed
- Soil minerals are reduced
- Bare soil which is left is susceptible to erosion
What are trees important for ?
- Binding soil together
- Removing water from soil
- Maintaining nutrient levels through their roles in the nitrogen and carbon cycles
What has overfishing led to ?
Populations of some species of fish decreasing significantly
What happens to the fish that are overfished ?
These fish are then unable to regenerate, meaning that they will no longer be able to provide us with a food source in the future
What do fishing quotas do ?
They provide limits on the numbers of certain species of fish that are allowed to be caught in a particular
What is the aim of fishing quotas ?
This allows the fish to reproduce sufficiently to maintain their population
What are some other techniques to prevent overfishing ?
- Have a minimum net mesh size
- Immature fish can escape. Only mature fish are caught, thus allowing breeding to continue.
- Limit fishing to certain times of the year
- Protects the breeding season of some fish species and allows the fish levels to increase back to a sustainable level
- Set up fish farms instead of wild fishing
- Maintains the supply of fish protein, whilst preventing the loss of wild species, maintains biodiversity, can monitor disease
What is a peat bog ?
A peat bog is a region of wet, spongy ground that contains decomposing vegetation
What do peat bogs store ?
Carbon dioxide
What does burning peat release ?
- Thermal energy
- Carbon dioxide into the atmosphere
Why is preserving peat bogs important ?
- Prevents further climate change
- Take thousands of years for them to form
How is peat useful for farmers ?
They mix it with soil to improve soil structure and to increase acidity
What are some good properties of peat ?
- Has favourable moisture moisture retaining properties when soil is dry
- Prevents excess water killing roots when soil is wet
- Can store nutrients, but it is not fertile in itself
How does peat form ?
When plant material is inhibited from fully decaying by acidic and anaerobic conditions
In what conditions does peat form ?
Wet or boggy areas, and therefore peat is mainly composed of wetland vegetation including mosses, sedges and shrubs
What plants grow in peat ?
- Sphagnum mosses
- Bog cotton
- Cottonsedge
What animals live in peat ?
- Butterflies
- Moths
- Dragonflies
- Damselflies
- Insects
- Spiders
- Frogs
Why is it important that the remaining peat bogs are conserved ?
- Flood management
- Erosion control downstream
- Carbon storage
What has caused the drying out of peat bogs ?
- Afforestation
- Peat extraction
- Agricultural intensfication
- Land drainage
What is afforestation ?
The establishment of a forest or stand of trees in an area where there was no forest
How do you conserve areas of lowland bog ?
- Ensure that the peat and vegetation of the bog surface is undisturbed and wet.
- Tree removal
- Use controlled grazing to maintain the biodiversity of a peatland
- Intensive land use threatens the existence of the remaining peatlands in the UK
- RSPB
Ensuring that the peat and vegetation of the bog surface is undisturbed and wet
- Most bogs are surrounded by ditches to allow for surface run off of water, which prevents flooding of land
- In restoring a bog, ditch blocking may be required for a period of time to raise the water table to the bog surface
Tree removal
- Trees have a high water requirement due to transpiration.
- Therefore any tree seedling that has the potential to remove water from an area of peatland should be removed to maintain water levels in the area
Use controlled grazing to maintain the biodiversity of a peatland
- It ensures a diverse wetland surface in terms of structure and species there.
- This in turn provides a wide range of habitats for many species therefore increasing biodiversity
RSPB
- The RSPB is an organisation that is working to preserve the peatland ecosystem.
- It is hoped that through the conservation work, an appropriate balance can be met between our need to exploit the land and the maintenance of a sustainable, biodiverse ecosystem
What kind of an ecosystem is the Masai Mara Nature Reserve ?
- Savannah ecosystem
- Divided by the main mara river
What are the fertile regions close to the river like ?
A combination of rich grasslands and woodland
What is the region like further away from the river ?
Open plains with scattered shrubs and trees
What is the region famous for ?
- Annual zebra and wildebeest migrations
- Is home to buffalos, elephants, leopards, lions and black rhinos
What was the masai region dominated by in the past ?
Acacia bush
What did the acacia bush provide ?
A habitat for the tsetse fly
What do the tsetse fly carry ?
African trypanosomiasis AKA sleeping sickness
What did the government do to try and reduce incidences of the disease ?
They cleared major tracts of acacia over the last 50 years
In the past, what type of farming occurred in the masai region ?
Semi nomadic farming
What did the tribes frequently moving lead to ?
Time for the vegetation to recover from animal grazing
Why did the tribes frequently move ?
Depending on climate variation and the presence of the tsetse fly
Where is grazing now limited to in the region ?
Areas on the edge of the reserve, as local tribes are prevented from entering the park
What is occurring in the marginal areas where grazing is taking place in the masai region ?
- Populations have grown
- Larger herds graze
- More trees are removed for fuel
- Risk of soil erosion increases as vegetation is removed
What is cultivation like in the masai region ?
It has increased in recent years
What has converting grassland to cropland led to ?
Natural vegetation being removed and more nutrients in the soil being used up
Over time, what does nutrients being used up cause to happen ?
Leads to a reliance on fertilisers for effective crop growth
What does the masai mara rely on for economic input ?
Ecotourism
What is ecotourism ?
Tourism directed towards natural environments, to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife
What is the aim of ecotourism ?
It is a sustainable development which aims to reduce the impact that tourism has on natural environments
What are the key principles of ecotourism ?
- Ensure that tourism does not exploit the natural environment or local communities
- Consult and engage with the local communities on planned developments
- Ensure that infrastructure improvements benefit local people as well as visitors
What are the possible negatives of ecotourism ?
Tourist movements such as the repeated use of hiking trails, or the use of mechanised transport can contribute to soil erosion and other habitat changes
The MMNR and conservation
The nature reserve plays an important role in the conservation of endangered species
Black rhinos
They are one of the most endangered animals in africa and are on the IUCN critically endangered list
Why are black rhinos traded and poached ?
- Rhino horn is in huge demand due to its use in traditional medicine
- Sums of money are offered to trade in this material
What was established to encourage a balance between the needs of local communities and wildlife ?
An active conservation and protection programme
What did this conservation programme in the NNMR involve ?
Employment of reserve rangers, and the provision of communication equipment, vehicles and other necessary equipment and infrastructure
What have the measures in the MMNR conservation project led to ?
They have helped to deter poachers from entering the reserve
Why does there have to be a constant balance between the human and animal populations in the MMNR ?
Increasing wildlife density threatens pastoral and cultivation lifestyles
In what ways does the MMNR strike a balance ?
- Land being fenced
- Legal hunting
- Diseases being introduced
- Building more homes
Land being fenced
- Elephants in particular threaten cultivation as they are often responsible for crop trampling and damage to homesteads
- Land is therefore fenced but it can have a negative effect on natural migration
Legal hunting
- Used to cull excess animals
- This can successfully maintain population numbers and bring in money for conservation work
- However, the numbers must be monitored to ensure that levels are sufficient to maintain the natural balance
Diseases being introduced
- Livestock face threats from migratory wildlife, diseases are then introduced to the domesticated animal population
- Equally, the domesticated cattle eat vegetation that could be used by migrating zebras and wildebeest, and diseases can spread from the domestic to the wild animals
Building more homes
- As the human population expands more homes are required as well as land for cattle and agriculture.
- Evidence suggests that wildlife density declines significantly as the density of the built environment rises
What kind of an ecosystem is the Masai Mara Nature Reserve ?
- Savannah ecosystem
- Divided by the main mara river
What are the fertile regions close to the river like ?
A combination of rich grasslands and woodland
What is the region like further away from the river ?
Open plains with scattered shrubs and trees
What is the region famous for ?
- Annual zebra and wildebeest migrations
- Is home to buffalos, elephants, leopards, lions and black rhinos
What was the masai region dominated by in the past ?
Acacia bush
What did the acacia bush provide ?
A habitat for the tsetse fly
What do the tsetse fly carry ?
African trypanosomiasis AKA sleeping sickness
What did the government do to try and reduce incidences of the disease ?
They cleared major tracts of acacia over the last 50 years
In the past, what type of farming occurred in the masai region ?
Semi nomadic farming
What did the tribes frequently moving lead to ?
Time for the vegetation to recover from animal grazing
Why did the tribes frequently move ?
Depending on climate variation and the presence of the tsetse fly
Where is grazing now limited to in the region ?
Areas on the edge of the reserve, as local tribes are prevented from entering the park
What is occurring in the marginal areas where grazing is taking place in the masai region ?
- Populations have grown
- Larger herds graze
- More trees are removed for fuel
- Risk of soil erosion increases as vegetation is removed
What is cultivation like in the masai region ?
It has increased in recent years
What has converting grassland to cropland led to ?
Natural vegetation being removed and more nutrients in the soil being used up
Over time, what does nutrients being used up cause to happen ?
Leads to a reliance on fertilisers for effective crop growth
What does the masai mara rely on for economic input ?
Ecotourism
What is ecotourism ?
Tourism directed towards natural environments, to support conservation efforts and observe wildlife
What is the aim of ecotourism ?
It is a sustainable development which aims to reduce the impact that tourism has on natural environments
What are the key principles of ecotourism ?
- Ensure that tourism does not exploit the natural environment or local communities
- Consult and engage with the local communities on planned developments
- Ensure that infrastructure improvements benefit local people as well as visitors
What are the possible negatives of ecotourism ?
Tourist movements such as the repeated use of hiking trails, or the use of mechanised transport can contribute to soil erosion and other habitat changes
The MMNR and conservation
The nature reserve plays an important role in the conservation of endangered species
Black rhinos
They are one of the most endangered animals in africa and are on the IUCN critically endangered list
Why are black rhinos traded and poached ?
- Rhino horn is in huge demand due to its use in traditional medicine
- Sums of money are offered to trade in this material
What was established to encourage a balance between the needs of local communities and wildlife ?
An active conservation and protection programme
What did this conservation programme in the NNMR involve ?
Employment of reserve rangers, and the provision of communication equipment, vehicles and other necessary equipment and infrastructure
What have the measures in the MMNR conservation project led to ?
They have helped to deter poachers from entering the reserve
Why does there have to be a constant balance between the human and animal populations in the MMNR ?
Increasing wildlife density threatens pastoral and cultivation lifestyles
In what ways does the MMNR strike a balance ?
- Land being fenced
- Legal hunting
- Diseases being introduced
- Building more homes
Land being fenced
- Elephants in particular threaten cultivation as they are often responsible for crop trampling and damage to homesteads
- Land is therefore fenced but it can have a negative effect on natural migration
Legal hunting
- Used to cull excess animals
- This can successfully maintain population numbers and bring in money for conservation work
- However, the numbers must be monitored to ensure that levels are sufficient to maintain the natural balance
Diseases being introduced
- Livestock face threats from migratory wildlife, diseases are then introduced to the domesticated animal population
- Equally, the domesticated cattle eat vegetation that could be used by migrating zebras and wildebeest, and diseases can spread from the domestic to the wild animals
Building more homes
- As the human population expands more homes are required as well as land for cattle and agriculture.
- Evidence suggests that wildlife density declines significantly as the density of the built environment rises
What is the terai region of nepal defined by ?
A belt of well-watered floodplains stretching from the indian border in the south to the slopes of the bhabhar and siwalik mountain ranges in the north
Is the terai region of nepal fertile ?
Yes, it is the main agricultural region of the country
What occurs in the terai region ?
- Farming
- Trading
- Industries
- Services
What could happen due to the high population density ?
Natural resources are at risk of being overused
What is the terai region composed of ?
A fertile alluvial soil which is rich in plant nutrients
How biodiverse is the terai region ?
- It is an area of extreme biodiversity
- Many subtropical plants and large areas of thick forest
Why is the terai region important to people ?
- People depend on it for income
- Because of poverty and corruption, large areas of forest have been cleared for agriculture to sell the timber
What has the removal of large parts of the forest lead to ?
It has exacerbated the effects of monsoon flooding, causing severe disruption to communities downstream
What will happen if deforestation of the region continues ?
The communities of the terai would be left with only small, isolated pockets of forest
Who would be affected by more deforestation ?
The wildlife in the region as well as the local population who rely on the forests for income through tourism, harvesting wood and for burning as fuel
What is the aim of sustainable forest management ?
- Provide a livelihood for local people
- Ensure the conservation of forests
- Provide the nepali state with income for general development
How is sustainable management being achieved in the terai region ?
- Through supportive national legislation
- Through the development of local community forestry groups
What do the local groups do in the terai region for management to be sustainable ?
- They develop their own operational plans, set harvesting rules, set rates and prices for products and determine how surplus income is distributed or spent
- Through the creation of cooperative networks small forestry businesses can work well together
How is the terai region being managed now ?
In a manner that will secure both the biodiversity of the region, and the economic welfare of its residents for the future
What are environmentally sensitive ecosystems ?
Regions that are less resistant to change than others
What types of management techniques are used in environmentally sensitive areas ?
- Limiting the areas tourists can visit
- Controlling the movement of livestock
- Introducing anti-poaching measures
- Replanting of forests and native plants
- Limiting hunting through quotas and seasonal bans
What are the galapagos islands ?
- A group of volcanic islands that rise up from the bed of the pacific ocean
- 1000km west of ecuador
Why are the galapagos islands of interest ?
- They have never been connected to the mainland
- The original flora and fauna that reached the islands’ shores had to survive a crossing of hundreds of kilometres of oceans
What are most of the land animals living on the galapagos islands ?
Reptiles
What is the only land mammal in the galapagos islands ?
Galapagos rice rat
How did the galapagos rice rats reach the islands ?
Being washed away from the mainland river banks, floating on rafts of vegetation
Which species are unique to the islands ?
- Galapagos giant tortoise
- Flightless cormorant
How are the galapagos giant tortoise adapted to the islands ?
Grows to over 150cm in length
How are the flightless cormorant adapted to the islands ?
Reduced wings were better for fishing underwater, when flight was not needed to escape mainland predators
What does snowdonia national park contain ?
Highest mountain range in england and wales, with four peaks over 1000m
What does the rugged terrain of snowdonia include ?
Lakes and fast flowing rivers, and wide tracts of ancient woodland heath
What types of birds are present in snowdonia national park ?
- Coast and estuary birds such as choughs, cormorants, and oystercatchers
- Forest birds such as pied flycatcher, redstart, and wood warblers
- Moorland and mountain birds such as ospreys, buzzards and sparrowhawks
Why are there so many types of birds in snowdonia ?
There is a rich diversity of habitats in the region
What animals are present in snowdonia ?
- Over 40 species of land animals
- Badgers, voles, deer and hedgehogs
When was snowdonia national park created ?
1951
How many people live in snowdonia national park ?
- Over 25,000
- They work on the land
What are the key purposes of the snowdonia national park authority ?
- Conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area
- Promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the park
- Enhance the economic and social well being of communities within the park
What is the lake district ?
- Englands largest national park
- Over 2292km^2
What does the lake district contain ?
- Scafell pike, englands highest mountain
- Wastwater, englands deepest lake
What is the terrain like in the lake district ?
- Regions of moorland and fell
- Includes 16 lakes dammed by glacial soil and rock debris, from around the end of the last ice age
What do the dales and the fringes of lakes provide ?
A rich variety of habitats, including areas of ancient woodland
What wildlife live in the lake district ?
- Water voles, natterjack toads and a number of species of bat
- Red deer and birds of prey such as the golden eagle and osprey
What native species of the lake district are under threat ?
- Red squirrel
- Vendace, a species of fish which is only found in this region and appears on the IUCN endangered list
Where can habitats for plants be in the central fells ?
Above the tree line
What is the role of habitats that exist above the tree line ?
They support a diverse range of arctic alpine plant communities
What species are present in habitats above the tree line ?
- Purple saxifrage
- Alpine cinquefoil
Give examples of specialised trees that have evolved in the harsh habitats of the lake district
- Dwarf juniper
- Dwarf willow
Give an example of a plant that is present in the lower regions of the lake district
Sundew, one of the UKs few carnivorous plants
What is the role of the lake district national park authority ?
To conserve the region while enabling access for many millions of visitors each year
How is the lake district ecosystem being secured ?
- Active management of the countryside
- e.g. replanting native tree species
