B15 Biodiversity and pollution

Question 1

What is biodiversity?

Answer 1

The variety of different species of organisms on

Earth or within an ecosystem.

Question 2

Why are ecosystems more stable when there is high biodiversity?

Answer 2

Reduces the dependence of one species on another for food, shelter and maintenance of the physical environment

Question 3

Name an ecosystem that has high biodiversity?

Answer 3

Deciduous woodland

Tropical rainforest.

Question 4

Name an ecosystem that has low biodiversity?

Answer 4

Arctic

Desert

Question 5

Name three sources of water pollution

Answer 5

Sewage

Fertilisers

Toxic chemicals

Question 6

Describe the effects of adding fertiliser or sewage into water

Answer 6

Sewage/fertiliser contains high concentrations of minerals eg nitrates

Causes aquatic plants to grow quickly (algal bloom)

Blocks light getting to lower plants

Plants die and sink

Decomposers/bacteria numbers increase to decompose the dead material

Reduces oxygen concentration in water

Fish and other animal suffocate

Question 7

Describe the effects of burning fossil fuels on the atmosphere

Answer 7

Increases amount of carbon dioxide

Releases sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides

Releases smoke

Question 8

Describe how increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere can
affect plants and animals

Answer 8

Leads to global warming
Change in rainfall
Increase in temperature
Loss of habitat
Increased compeition
Migration of animals towards poles

Question 9

Describe how adding smoke to the atmosphere can affect plants and animals

Answer 9

Causes the formation of smog
Covers leaves in layer of dust
Reduces amount of light reaching the ground
Reduces photosynthesis as less light absorbed
Causes breathing difficulties

Question 10

Describe how adding acidic gases to the atmosphere can affect plants and animals

Answer 10

Releases sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides
Leads to acid rain
Decreases the pH of streams, rivers and lakes
Results in death of aquatic plants and animals

Question 11

Describe the effects of adding toxic chemicals to water

Answer 11

Kills plants and animals in the water
Increases competition for food
Reduces water availability for humans

Question 12

Name two sources of pollution on land

Answer 12

Landfill

Toxic chemicals

Question 13

Give 4 ways in which human reduce the amount of land available for other animals and plants

Answer 13

Quarrying

Building

Faming

Dumping waste

Question 14

Name the ecosystem shown in the photograph

Answer 14

Peat bog

Question 15

How is peatbog ecosystem destroyed by human activity?

Answer 15

Peat is cut and dried for human use

Question 16

What is peat used for?

Answer 16

Peat compost

Fuel

Question 17

What effect does burning peat have on the environment?

Answer 17

Reduces the biodiversity

Fewer plants, animals and microrganisms present

Burning peat releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

Question 18

State what is happening in the photograph

Answer 18

Deforestation

Question 19

Why are trees cut down in tropical areas?

Answer 19

Provide land for cattle

Provide space for rice fields

Grow crops for biofuels

Question 20

Deforestation increases the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Give three reasons why.

Answer 20

Burning
Increased decomposition by microbes
Less photosynthesis

Question 21

Name two greenhouse gases

Answer 21

Methane
Carbon dioxide

Question 22

Name two human activities that increase the amount of

carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

Answer 22

Burning fossil fuels

Deforestation

Question 23

Name two human activities that increase the amount of methane in the atmosphere?

Answer 23

Growing rice in paddy fields,

Intensively farming cattle.

Question 24

Give 3 consequences of global warming

Answer 24

Melting ice caps
Rising sea levels
Flooding
Climate change (changes in rain fall, temperature)

Question 25

How might increased temperatures, caused by global warming, impact
animals

Answer 25

Aminol migration towards poles to find habitats with suitable temperatures

Tropical diseases become more common in areas such as Europe

Loss of habitat (eg ice caps)

Species may become extinct

Question 26

How might flooding, caused by global warming, impact animals and plants

Answer 26

Low lying areas flooded
Habitats destroyed.
Increased competition for resources

Question 27

What programmes are in place to increase biodiversity?

Answer 27

1. Breeding programmes
2. Protection and regeneration of of rare habitats.
3. Reduction of deforestation by some governments
4. Reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by some governments
5. Reintroduction of field margins and hedgerows on farm land
6. Recycling resources

Question 28

Describe how the introduction of hedgerow and field margins can increase biodiversity on farmland

Answer 28

Increased number of plant species added to ecosystem

Increased number of animal species

Increasd number of predators to remove pests from crops

Question 29

How does recycling resources increase biodiversity?

Answer 29

Fewer resources needed by increasing human population

Reduced use of landfill sites

Less pollution from landfill sites