6.3.2 Sustainability Flashcards
What is a sustainable resource?
A renewable resource that can be economically exploited in a way that it won’t diminish or run out.
What are the aims of sustainability
- To preserve environment
- Ensure resources are available for future generations
- Allow humans in all societies to live comfortably
- Allow LEDCs to develop through exploiting their natural resources
- Allow a more balanced consumption of resources between MEDCs and LEDCs
What is coppicing
Small scale timber production whereby the tree trunk is cut close to the ground. Through this, no shoots are still able to form from the cut surface and mature. These shoots are then cut and the shoots continue to grow again. These shoots can be used for fencing.
Normally this is done in a rotational way. Woodland is divided into sections and trees are only cut in a particular section until all have been coppiced. Once an area has been fully coppiced, you rotate round, allowing the previous area to grow back. This process continues until you reach the first area.
Because trees are constantly coppiced, what does this halt
Succession which is good as now more species can survive.
What can’t coppocing prevent
Grazing from animals. When young shoots are going, they could be eaten by animals
Advantages coppicing
- New stems grow more rapidly than newly planted saplings.
- tree lifespan extended
- few larger trees means more light for smaller plants
- provides a variety of habitats
- roots prevent soil erosion
- prevents succession
- maintains soil quality
- less disturbance to habitats
What is pollarding
Alternative to coppicing but the trunk is cut higher to so cannot be eaten
What is large scale sustainable timber production based off of
Felling large areas of forestry. The trees are destroyed and will not regrow
To ensure that felling is somewhat sustainable, what can be done
- Selective cutting, involves only removing the largest trees
- Replace trees rather than waiting for natural regeneration. This also ensures biodiversity and mineral and water cycles are kept
- plant trees at optimal distance to reduce competition, resulting in higher yields.
- manage pests to maximise yields
- ensure areas of forests are available to indigenous yutes
Disadvantages of felling
Habitats destroyed
Soil minerals reduced
Bare soil is susceptible to erosion as there is no roots
What has been done to prevent over fishing internationally
International agreements made to ensure overfishing does not cause populations to to die out. An example being the Common Fisheries Policy in the EU. These provide fishing quotas that limit the the numbers of certain species of fish that are allowed to be caught in an area. The aim is to maintain their natural population and allow them to maintain their population.
How do net sizes contribute to preventing overfishing
Using nets with slightly bigger mesh sizes can be made so that immature fish escape but catching the mature ones. This allows breeding to continue
Limiting fishing
Commercial and recreational fishing is only limited to certain times of the year. This protects the breeding season of fish and allows them to increase back to a sustainable level. E.g. fisherman are only allowed to catch the red snapper in the Gulf of Mexico between May and July
How does fish farming help sustainability
This maintains the supply of protein food whilst preventing the loss of wild species. E.g. tilapia are amongst the easiest and most profitable fish to farm from due to their diet, high stocking densities and rapid growth. Sometimes in some regions, fish are placed in rice fields at planting time, where they grow to an edible size when the rice is also ready to harvest
