B6 - global challenges Flashcards
1
Q
what is conservation?
A
the preservation and careful management of the environment or natural resources
2
Q
what is an ecosystem?
A
community of organisms (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components of an area and their interactions
3
Q
what is ecotourism?
A
tourism driven towards natural environments to benefit local conservation schemes
4
Q
what is a habitat?
A
place where plants, animals and all other living organisms live; a habitat includes all biotic and abiotic factors
5
Q
what is capture-recapture?
A
method of estimating population size:
- organisms captured, marked, then released back into community
- time allowed for them to re-distribute and another sample collected
- number of marked and unmarked species in second sample compared
6
Q
what is a pooter?
A
piece of equipment used for sampling a known area to determine abundance and distribution of organisms
7
Q
what is pollution?
A
contamination or destruction of natural environment due to human intervention
8
Q
what is a quadrat?
A
square grid used for sampling known area to determine abundance and distribution of organisms
9
Q
what is random sampling?
A
sampling technique used to avoid bias in which sample area chosen at random
10
Q
what is a species?
A
group of organisms that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring
11
Q
what is sustainability?
A
ability to maintain something for future generations
12
Q
what is a transect?
A
a line (usually created by tape measure) along which samples are taken; used to measure abundance and distributions of organisms in an ecosystem
13
Q
what techniques can be used to sample different species?
A
- pooter
- kick sampling
- pitfall trap
- sweep nets
- quadrat
14
Q
what is a pooter used to sample?
A
ground insects
15
Q
what is a biological control?
A
using a natural predator to control a pest population
16
Q
what does abundance mean?
A
how many individuals you find in an area i.e. population size
17
Q
how does a pooter work?
A
poster is jar with rubber bungs sealing top and two tubes stuck through bung
- if you suck on shorter tube and put end of longer tube over an insect it’ll be sucked into the jar
- go around sample area and collect insects etc
18
Q
besides pooters, what else can be used to investigate ground insects?
A
pitfall traps
19
Q
how do pitfall traps work?
A
steep sided containers sunk in a hole in the ground with partly open top
- leave trap overnight in sample area
- insects that fall in can’t get out again so are collected
20
Q
what does a sweep net collect?
A
insects, spiders etc from long grass
21
Q
how does a sweep net work?
A
net lined with strong cloth
- stand still in sample area and sweep net once from left to right through grass
- quickly sweep net up and turn insects out into a container to count them
22
Q
what does a pond net collect?
A
insects, water snails etc from ponds and rivers
23
Q
how does a pond net work?
A
- stand in sample area and sweep net along bottom of pond or river; turn net out into white tray with a bit of water to count organisms
24
Q
what does distribution mean?
A
where an organism is found in a habitat i.e. in a part of a field
25
what are used to identify creatures?
keys
(series of questions that can be used to figure out unknown organism)
26
what are the four main human activities which reduce the amount of land and resources available to other animals and plants?
1. building
2. farming
3. dumping waste
4. quarrying
27
describe how humans can cause habitat destruction
- woodland clearance: often to increase farmland; can result in reduction in no. of tree species so reduce biodiversity; destroys habitats of other organisms
- monoculture: when areas of land used to grow a single crop; efficient way to grow crops but can lead to reduction in biodiversity as habitats cleared to make way
28
describe the impact of waste on land
pollution from human activities reduces biodiversity:
- toxic chemicals for farming
- burying nuclear waste underground
- dumping household waste in landfill sites
- sewage and toxic chemicals from industry may pollute lakes/rivers/oceans; chemicals on land may leak into water
- smoke and gases released may pollute air e.g. sulfur dioxide can cause acid rain
29
give an example of how hunting reduces the number of a species
species of rhino are hunted for their horns and this has contributed to them becoming endangered
30
give an example of how if too many individuals are killed there is a risk of extinction
fishing on a big scale can reduce fish stocks to such a low level that it might cause a species to die out completely
31
what is the impact of removing a species from an area?
- reduced biodiversity
- negatively impact food chains = reduce biodiversity more
32
how can conservation schemes help to protect biodiversity?
by conserving species or their habitats
33
what are some examples of conservation methods?
- protecting habitats
- controlling or preventing the introduction of harmful species
- creating protected areas for organisms
- protecting organisms in safe areas away from their natural habitat
34
how does protecting habitats work as a conservation method?
- includes things like controlling water levels to conserve wetlands and coppicing to conserve woodlands; allows organisms to continue living in their natural habitat
35
how does controlling or preventing the introduction of harmful species work as a conservation method?
- schemes aim to prevent introduction of harmful species that could threaten local biodiversity e.g. controlling grey squirrels
36
how does creating protected areas for organisms work as a conservation method?
- protected areas include national parks/nature reserves
- organisms/habitats protected by restricting development of land
- can also be found in the sea
37
how does protecting organisms in safe areas away from their natural habitat work as a conservation method?
- e.g. zoos/botanical gardens/seed banks
- organisms protected from harmful activities such was hunting and habitat destruction
- can be used to increase numbers of organism before being released e.g. captive breeding
38
besides benefitting endangered species, what can conservation schemes help humans to do?
- protecting human food supply
- ensuring minimal damage to food chains
- providing future medicines
- providing industrial materials and fuels
39
how do conservation schemes help to protect human food supply?
- overfishing greatly reduced fish stocks in oceans
- conservation programmes ensure future generations will have fish to eat
40
how do conservation schemes help to ensure minimal damage to food chains?
- if one species becomes extinct, will impact all organisms fed on/eaten by species so whole food chain affected
41
how do conservation schemes help to provide future medicines?
- many medicines come from plants
- undiscovered plant species may contain new medicinal chemicals
- could miss out on valuable medicines
42
how do conservation schemes help to provide industrial materials and fuels?
- plants and animal species involved in production of industrial materials e.g. wood, paper etc
- if these species become extinct then important resources become more difficult to produce
43
give an example of ecotourism
The Eden Project in Cornwall; 'eco theme park'; huge plastic domes that represent different ecosystems e.g. rainforest; educates visitors about conservation
44
why can maintaining biodiversity be challenging?
- agreements about conservation schemes can be difficult to arrange
- conservation schemes can be difficult to monitor
45
describe how agreements about conservation schemes can be difficult to arrange
- may require different countries to work together
- may be objected to by local residents
46
describe how conservation schemes can be difficult to monitor
e.g. keeping track of fishing quotas can be hard
- difficult if trying to work out how successful scheme is and if people sticking to it
47
what environmental changes can cause distribution of organisms to change?
- availability of water
- change in atmospheric gases
- change in temperature
48
how can a change in water availability affect distribution of organisms?
- distribution of some animal and plant species in tropics changes between wet/dry seasons
49
how can a change in atmospheric gases affect distribution of organisms?
- distribution of some species changes in areas where there is more air pollution
50
how can a change in temperature affect distribution of organisms?
- can be due to seasonal factors/geographic factors/human interaction
- global warming
51
what are some consequences of global warming?
- sea levels rising = flooding = loss of habitats
- distribution of animals/plants changes
- changes in migration patterns
- reduced biodiversity if some species unable to survive
52
what is biotechnology?
the use of biological processes or organisms to produce products
53
what is a donor organism?
organism from which desired genes are taken
54
what is a fertiliser?
natural or artificial materials that are added to soils to provide essential nutrients and improve plant growth
55
what is food security?
the ability of human populations to access food of sufficient quality and quantity
56
what are foreign genes?
genes that are inserted into an organism from a different species
57
what is a gene pool?
all the genetic material present in a population
58
what is genetic engineering?
altering an organism's genome (by inserting a desired gene from another organism) to produce an organism with desired characteristics
59
what is a genome?
the organism's complete genetic material
60
what is a host organism?
organism into which foreign genes are inserted
61
what are hydroponics?
a method of growing plants in water containing dissolved minerals
62
what is intensive farming?
farming which uses techniques to produce the maximum yield of food products from the minimum area of land; often achieved by using chemicals and machinery
63
what are ligase enzymes?
enzymes which re-join DNA at sticky ends
64
what is organic farming?
organic farming uses more natural methods of producing crops and rearing animals, avoiding the use of artificial chemicals
65
what is a pesticide?
a chemical used to control pests around crops
66
what are restriction enzymes?
enzymes which cut DNA at specific base sequences producing sticky ends
67
what is selective breeding?
the process by which humans breed animals and plants with desired characteristics
68
what are sticky ends?
exposed unpaired bases on the ends of the DNA strands produced by restriction enzymes
69
what is sustainable food production?
producing food using methods that can be continued indefinitely
70
what is a vector?
a vehicle, such as a bacterium, used to transfer genetic material into an organism
71
what is a yield?
the amount of agricultural product produced
72
what factors affect food security?
- increase in population
- changing diets (in wealthier populations)
- new pets arriving/evolving
- climate change
- sustainability
- cost of agricultural inputs
- environmental change
73
how can changing diets in wealthier populations affect level of food security?
- increase in wealth may cause diets to include more foods e.g. eating more meat
- increased demand for meat = bad for food security
- less energy/biomass as you move up food chain so for given and, could produce more food growing crops rather than grazing animals
- animals being reared are often fed using crops which could be used for humans
74
how can new pests and pathogens affect level of food security?
- can result in loss of crops or livestock = famine
75
how can sustainability affect level of food security?
- need to meet needs of population without harming environment so future generations still meet their own needs
- unsustainable methods e.g. farming practices that permanently damage environment = lead to food insecurity
76
how can environmental change affect level of food security?
- may impact ability to produce food
- increased temperature could affect growth patterns of crops; could cause yield reduction
- rising sea levels = reduce available land
- pollution could reduce ability to grow crops
77
how can cost of agricultural inputs affect level of food security?
78
why are 100% of crops not harvested?
- disease
- pests
- weeds
79
how can farmers improve efficiency?
- maximising photosynthesis
- using fertiliser
- removing competition and pests
- choosing crop varieties carefully
80
explain how a farmer could improve efficiency by maximising photosynthesis
light, water and temperature levels controlled
81
explain how a farmer could improve efficiency by using fertiliser
help soil to remain fertile for the plant to grow
82
explain how a farmer could improve efficiency by removing competition and pests
- herbicides to kill weeds
- insecticides to remove insects
- fungicides to remove disease causing fungi
83
explain how a farmer could improve efficiency by choosing crop varieties carefully
using crop varieties that are pest resistant or produce a higher yield
84
what does intensive farming include?
- pesticides and fertilisers
- maximising animal growth
- minimising labour inputs
85
what is a feature of organic farming?
yield may be smaller so more expensive product
86
what are some sustainable farming methods?
- using manure
- crop rotation
- biological controls
- gene technology
87
what are advantages of hydroponics?
- gain all minerals from specifically treated water and maximise area
- quick to harvest
- easily control limiting factors
88
what are some problems with overfishing?
- reduction in some populations of fish species
- fish population can't regenerate
- become a problem in the long term
89
what are some solutions to overfishing?
- limiting the type and number of fish caught in an area
- limiting the size of the mesh size of nets
- fish farming
90
what is fish farming?
breeding fish in large cages in the sea or rivers
91
what are some advantages of fish farming?
- protect from predators
- easier to catch
- allows wild populations to recover
92
what are some disadvantages of fish farming?
- close confinement (disease can spread quickly)
93
what could some desired characteristics be for animals?
- maximum yield of meat
- good health, disease resistant
- temperament, speed, fertility, good mothering skills
- chickens that produce large eggs
94
what could some desired characteristics be for plants?
- wheat plants producing lots of grain
- tomato plants with high yields
- disease resistant plants
- large or unusual flowers
95
how does a farmer selectively breed organisms?
1. describe which characteristic of the species is desirable
2. select parents with high levels of this characteristic
3. breed from these individuals
4. select the best offspring and breed again
5. repeat for many generations
96
describe some features of wild wheat plants
- small ears with few seeds
- brittle stalks that ears often fall off of
- ears ripen at different times
- stalks grow to different heights
97
describe some features of modern wheat plants
- large ears with many seeds
- stronger stalks that ears stay on
- ears ripen at the same time
- stalks grow to the same height
98
what are some disadvantages of selective breeding?
1. reduce gene pool (variation) of a species
2. increases chances of inheriting a genetic disease
3. may create physical problems in specific organisms
99
why is reducing the gene pool of a species a disadvantage of selective breeding?
if a new disease arises, may not be an organism containing gene for resistance so species could become extinct
100
why is an increase in chance of inheriting a genetic disease a disadvantage of selective breeding?
could lead to problems within specific organisms e.g. high percentage of Dalmatian dogs are deaf
101
why is potentially creating physical problems in specific organisms a disadvantage of selective breeding?
could lead to problems in organisms quality of life (could be costly to treat) e.g. large dogs can have faulty hips due to not being formed correctly
102
how are organisms genetically engineered?
1. identify gene coding for characteristic
2. remove gene from donor organism
3. insert gene into host organism, often a bacterium
103
what are used to move a gene between genomes?
enzymes
104
what are the two enzymes used to move a gene between genomes called?
- restriction enzymes
- ligase enzymes
105
what do restriction enzymes do?
- cut donor DNA at specific base sequences (either side of desired gene)
- make a staggered cut, leaving 'sticky ends'
- same restriction enzyme used to cut open bacterial plasmid
106
what do ligase enzymes do?
- rejoin DNA at sticky ends
- both host and DNA have same sticky ends, so new gene is joined into plasmid DNA
107
how do you genetically engineer bacteria to produce insulin?
1. a plasmid is removed from the bacterial cell
2. a small section of gene is cut out of the plasmid using restriction enzymes
3. the gene for human insulin is inserted into the gap of the plasmid
4. genetically modified plasmid is introduced into a new bacterial cell; the plasmid is now called a vector, it carries the human gene
5. cell divides rapidly and starts making insulin
6. GM bacterial grown in large fermentation vessels (containing all nutrients needed) to create large amounts of cells; more cells divide, more insulin produced
7. mixture is filtered to release insulin
8. insulin is purified and packaged, ready for distribution
108
what are the 2 options for cells incorporating foreign genes?
1. antibiotic resistance genes
2. fluorescence gene marker
109
describe how antibiotic resistance genes can show if cells have incorporated genes
1. insert an antibiotic resistant gene into the plasmid at the same time as inserting the gene for the desired characteristic
2. transfer bacteria to an agar plate containing selected antibiotic; allow time for bacteria to grow
3. any bacterial colonies present will survive because they now contain antibiotic resistance marker gene; these bacteria will also contain desired gene
110
how can fluorescence gene markers show if cells have incorporated genes?
will cause organisms to glow in the dark
111
what are some issues behind genetic engineering?
1. modified animals could become the new 'wonder pet' and make loads of money
2. GM crops could escape and breed with weeds, making 'super weeds'
3. modified animals can be made disease resistant
4. parents could pick genes for babies, 'designer babies'
5. GM crops can be made to taste better/be bigger
6. GM crops can be pest resistant so won't require expensive pesticides
7. GM crops can be made to grow in very dry environments
8. more we modify animals, more we learn to treat human conditions
9. don't know what GM crops could do to us if we eat them
112
is the issue of modifying animals potentially becoming new 'wonder pets' and making lots of money an economic, social or ethical issue?
economic and ethical
113
is the issue of GM crops potentially escaping and breeding with weeds to make 'super weeds' an economic, social or ethical issue?
economic and ethical
114
is the issue of modified animals potentially becoming disease resistant an economic, social or ethical issue?
economic, social and ethical
115
is the issue of parents potentially being able to pick genes for their babies, making 'designer babies' an economic, social or ethical issue?
social and ethical
116
is the issue of GM crops potentially being made to taste better and be bigger an economic, social or ethical issue?
economic and social
117
is the issue of GM crops possibly being pest resistant so not requiring expensive pesticides an economic, social or ethical issue?
economic
118
is the issue of GM crops possibly being made to grow in very dry environments an economic, social or ethical issue?
economic and social
119
is the issue of the more we modify animals, the more we learn to treat human conditions an economic, social or ethical issue?
social and ethical
120
is the issue of not knowing what GM crops could do to us if we eat them an economic, social or ethical issue?
social and ethical
121
what are some examples of genetically modified organisms?
- golden rice
- herbicide resistant crops
122
what is golden rice?
- wild rice with added gene to produce beta carotene
- changes colour to golden
- beta carotene needed by humans to make vitamin A
123
what is an advantage of golden rice?
can be used in areas where vitamin A deficiency is common so can help prevent blindness
124
what are disadvantages of golden rice?
- fears it will crossbreed with and contaminate wild rice
- worries GM organisms might harm people
- beta carotene levels aren't high enough to make difference
- GM organisms can be expensive
125
what are herbicide resistant crops?
- crops with genes to make resistant to herbicides
126
what is the advantage of herbicide resistant crops?
farmers can spray the entire field with herbicide and only the weeds will die; reducing quantity of herbicide that needs to be used
127
what are potential disadvantages of herbicide resistant crops?
- potential development of herbicide-resistant weeds
- loss of biodiversity as fewer weed species survive as a food/shelter source for animals
128
describe how biotechnology is used to create organisms resistant t pesticides
1. the gene that controls a useful characteristic, such as pesticide resistance, is identified in a plant with natural resistance to the pesticide
2. the DNA of a carrier or vector e.g. virus/bacteria is cut open using same restriction enzymes
3. useful gene inserted into carrier DNA using ligase enzymes and combined DNA placed in a virus
4. virus injected into plant cell; this is called insertion
5. new gene inserted into host DNA
6. new gene begins to work; host is now transgenic organism (genetically modified organism)
7. GM organism is cloned, produces large number of identical idividuals, all resistant to pesticide
129
what is the name of an organism that has had a new gene put into it?
transgenic
130
what is AIDS?
acquired immunodeficiency syndrome
- later stage of HIV infection in which prolonged attack by the HIV virus results in a weakened immune system susceptible to other infections
131
what is an antibiotic?
a type of medication that helps cure the bacterial disease by killing infective bacteria inside the body
132
what is antibiotic resistance?
the ability of bacteria to become resistant to the treatment that is being used to kill it i.e. antibiotics (provides evidence for evolution)
133
what are antibiotic resistant markers?
an antibiotic resistant gene that produces a protein which enables a cell to become resistant to antibiotics
134
what is an antigen?
a protein found on surface of pathogen that induces an immune response
135
what does antiseptic mean?
type of medication that helps to kill microorganisms that cause disease
136
what does antiviral mean?
type of medication that helps cure viral diseases by killing infective viruses inside the body
137
what are aseptic techniques?
range of techniques used to culture microorganisms under sterile conditions in order to minimise contamination
138
what is athlete's foot?
disease caused by fungus in animals transmitted by touched infected skin; causes red flaky rash in between toes and treated using anti fungal creams
139
what is autoclaving?
method use to sterilise glassware and growth media in a strongly heated container/oven
140
what are bacteria?
type of pathogen which is single-celled and prokaryotic (not all bacteria are pathogenic)
141
what is barley powdery mildew?
disease caused by fungus in plants which causes white fluffy growth on leaves, eventually leading to plant death
142
what is a benign tumour?
a tumour that is non-cancerous so cannot spread around the body
143
what is blood?
tissue containing red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma and platelets
144
what is bronchitis?
non-communicable disease causing inflammation of the bronchi and bronchioles
145
what is cancer?
result of changes in cells that lead to uncontrolled growth and division
146
what are carcinogens?
chemical or agents that are cancer causing
147
what are cardiovascular diseases?
non-communicable disease affecting heart or blood vessels
148
what is cervical cancer?
non-communicable disease as result of prolonged infection by HPV
149
what are cilia?
hair like structures that waft substances away
150
what is cirrhosis?
non-communicable disease due to excess alcohol consumption that causes scarring of liver
151
what is a communicable disease?
disease caused by pathogen which can be spread between individuals; not inherited or caused by environmental factors
152
what is coronary heart disease?
non-communicable disease involving blockage of coronary arteries and disruption of oxygen supplies to heart
153
what is crown gall disease?
disease caused by bacterium in plants which infects stem and roots causing tumours
154
what is a disease?
illness that affects animal or plants health
155
what is flaming?
method used to sterilise equipment (usually bottlenecks) to prevent contamination
156
what is fungi?
type of pathogen which is eukaryotic and can be single-celled or multicellular e.g. yeast and mushrooms
157
what is a habitat?
well-being of an individual with regards to their physical and mental state
158
what is human chorionic gonadotropin?
hCG
hormone present in urine of pregnant women
159
what is HIV?
human immunodeficiency virus
- communicable disease caused by virus transmitted through bodily fluids; may spread via unprotected sex and the sharing of needles
160
what is HPV?
human papillomavirus
- communicable viral disease transmitted through unprotected sex
161
what is the immune system?
body's defence mechanism against foreign bodies
162
what are immunosuppressant drugs?
medication that suppresses immune system and must be taken after transplant to prevent rejection
163
what is lymphocyte?
type of white blood cell made by the body to protect against disease and infection
164
what is malaria?
disease caused by protist spread by mosquitoes; causes recurring fever which can be fatal
165
what is a malignant tumour?
a cancerous tumour that grows rapidly and ca spread around the body
166
what are monoclonal antibodies?
antibodies produced from single clone of cells specific to one binding site on one protein antigen
167
what are non-communicable diseases?
a disease that cannot be transmitted as it is caused by environmental factors or is inherited; not pathogenic
168
what is a non-specific defence system?
defence system that protects against a variety of pathogens
169
what is a pathogen?
bacteria/virus/other microorganism that can cause disease
170
what is a placebo?
inactive version of drug; indistinguishable from real drug but as no effect on recipient
171
what are platelets?
cell fragments involved in clotting of blood
172
what is a protist?
type of pathogen which is eukaryotic and single celled; from the kingdom Protista
173
what are statins?
type of drug used to lower cholesterol levels; used in treatment of some cardiovascular diseases
174
what is a stent?
wire mesh used in treatment of coronary heart disease, it widens the artery in order to maintain hearts oxygen supply
175
what is a stroke?
form of brain damage in which blood supply to region of the brain is cut off; may be due to blocked artery or bleeding in blood vessels of brain
176
what is a tissue transplant?
operation to replace damaged tissue with healthy tissue from healthy donor
177
what is tobacco mosaic virus?
TMV
- a disease caused by a virus in plants which affects chloroplasts and produces a mosaic pattern on the leaves; prevents efficient photosynthesis/limits plant growth
178
what is transplant rejection?
the rejection of the transplant tissue by the immune system of the recipients' body
179
what is tuberculosis?
a communicable disease which damages and destroys lung tissue, suppressing the immune system
180
what is a tumour?
a mass of cells formed due to uncontrolled cell division
181
what is a vaccination?
method of introducing small quantities of inactive/dead forms of pathogen to stimulate antibody production by white blood cells
182
what is a virus?
a type of pathogen that can infect any living organism; only able to reproduce within living host
183
give some examples of non-communicable diseases
- epilepsy
- anorexia nervosa
- diabetes
- asthma
- cystic fibrosis
184
give some examples of communicable diseases
- HIV
- measles
- malaria
- influenza
- genital herpes
185
what are the different types of pathogens?
- viruses
- bacteria
- protoctists
- fungi
186
name two viruses and their hosts
- influenza: animals inc. humans
- tobacco mosaic virus: plants
187
name two bacteria diseases and their hosts
- cholera: humans
- tuberculosis: animals (cattle) inc. humans
188
name two protoctists and their hosts
- malaria: animals inc. humans
- late blight: plants (potatoes/tomatoes)
189
name a fungi disease and it’s host
- athlete’s foot: humans
190
how might pathogens enter the body?
- digestive system
- cuts in the skin
- respiratory system
- reproductive system
191
