(agriculture + climate change) factors affecting biodiversity

Question 1

how does monocultures impact

Answer 1

all same crop for high yield

natural vegetation cleared
chemical fertilisers used

low species biodiversity
exhausts minerals in soil

Question 2

how does agrochemicals impact

Answer 2

• fertilisers increase growth but may put smaller plants in shade
• herbicides kill weed but may also kill non target species
• insecticide kill pests but also non target species such as pollinators
• pesticides can be retained in soil and kill invertebrates that are involved in decomposition of material

Question 3

how does habitat destroyed impact

Answer 3

removal of scrub and hedges for larger fields

remove nesting sites
reduces habitat size and habitat biodiversity

loss biodiveristy

Question 4

how does pollution + eutrophication impact

Answer 4

if fertilisers used in heavy rain can get washed to rivers causing pollution

eutrophication is when the nitrates from fertiliser cause algal bloom reducing sunlight to plants
loss biodiversity

fertiliser also increases plankton numbers which when die are consumed by bacteria that deplete oxygen
loss of fish etc
loss biodiversity

Question 5

impact on food chain

Answer 5

loose organisms at trophic level such as apex predators

increase in herbivores
lead to overgrazing

Question 6

how does climate change impact

Answer 6

species cant adapt quick enough

1) distribution species changing
enter habitat where now in competition better adapted species

2) loosing ice in poles
loss habitat

3) ocean more acidic so coral reefs bleached
they hold 25% oceans biodiversity

4) stratification
nutrient deep water not mix surface water so phytoplankton wont grow
no food