B6.1 - Monitering And Maintaining The Environment

Question 1

What is a sample

Answer 1

Taking observations or measurements from a small area which is representative of a larger area

Question 2

Pooters

Answer 2

Suck on mouthpiece to draw insects into holding chamber where a filter stop organisms from entering mouth

Question 3

Sweep nets

Answer 3

Sweep large net in air to catch flying insects or in long grass

Question 4

Kick sampling

Answer 4

Kicking a river bank or bed to disturb mud and vegetation. Hold a net downstream to capture any organisms released into flowing water

Question 5

Tree beating

Answer 5

Stretch a large white cloth under tree and shake to dislodge any invertebrates that will fall onto cloth

Question 6

Pitfall traps

Answer 6

Dig a hole in the ground where crawling invertebrates will fall into. Cover the hole with a roof so trap does not fill with rain water

Question 7

What are identification keys

Answer 7

Asking a series of questions about organisms characteristics

Question 8

Branched key

Answer 8

Aka. Spider key
Answering yes and no questions to determine the organism

Question 9

Numbered key

Answer 9

Aka. Dichotomous key
The correct answer to the q will tell what question you go to next

Question 10

What is capture-recapture method

Answer 10

Estimâtes a population from a small sample

Question 11

How does capture-recapture work

Answer 11

1. Capture organisms from sample area
2. Mark individual organisms and release back into community
3. Recapture organisms in original sample area
4. Record no. of marked and unmarked individuals
5. Estimate population size

Question 12

Capture-recapture equation

Answer 12

Estimated pop size = first sample size * second sample size / number of recaptured marked individuals

Question 13

How to sample plants

Answer 13

Use the quadrant as square frame in a grid. Place on ground to take sample of how many organisms in each section

Question 14

Random sampling

Answer 14

Individuals that are selected by chance
- random number generator to determine coordinates otherwise would create BIAS and be tempted to choose one that looks more interesting

Question 15

Non-random sampling

Answer 15

Studies how the distribution of organisms vary over a distance as a direct comparison- transect
- how plant species change as you move inland from sea.

Question 16

Why is biodiversity important

Answer 16

If not, would lead to loss of another’s species food or shelter as they are essential for maintaining a balanced ecosystem

Question 17

What do humans use biodiversity for

Answer 17

Food, wood (building materials), medicine, oil sources and fuel

Question 18

Deforestation

Answer 18

Removing large areas of forest provides wood, shelter, fuel, infrastructure
BUT - reduces number of trees that support animal species as homes are lost and then affects predator species

Question 19

Agriculture

Answer 19

• removing hedgerows to use large machinery but kills bats, hedgehogs and mice
• use of pesticides removes other species in the food chain
• they can also accumulate in the food chain, killing animals that are not targeted
• use of herbicides will reduce plant species but also its animal species as it uses it for food or shelter

Question 20

Hunting and overfishing

Answer 20

• decreases marine species
• hunting decreases species that may have kept plants control. And now results in unchecked plant growth and outcompete other plant species

Question 21

Pollution

Answer 21

• more polluted an area is, the less species can survive through eutrophication

Question 22

What is eutrophication

Answer 22

• when fertilisers run into lake and contaminate, causes algal bloom
• these photosynthesis on surface and plants at bottom do not, and start to die
• their decomposition through microorganisms respiration of decay causes less oxygen levels and more Co2
• decrease in O2 levels, result in killing animals and species in that habitat

Question 23

What is extinction

Answer 23

When no individuals of that species is left on Earth

Question 24

What is conservation

Answer 24

Conservation is protecting a natural environment so that the habitat is not lost through:
- control grazing allowing plant species to recover
- restricting human access with paths to not destroy other
- feeding animals allowing to reproduce
- reintroducing species to increase numbers

Question 25

What is captive breeding

Answer 25

Breeding animals in a human controlled environment

Question 26

Ad and dis of captive breeding

Answer 26

• create a stable population
• gradually reintroduce species back into habitat

BUT
- maintaining genetic diversity would be hard as only few present
- may not be suited to wildlife as they cannot hunt for food

Question 27

Seed bank

Answer 27

Conserves plant species so that any can be grown in future like a genetic material store
- millennium seed bank project at Kew Gardens has around 30,000 species stored at -20 deg

Question 28

Indicator species

Answer 28

Presence or loss of it indicates the environmental changes that have taken place

Question 29

How to measure CO con

Answer 29

Miners would place a canary in a mine and as it was more sensitive to CO, if it fainted then they knew they had to evacuate

Question 30

How to monitor air pollution

Answer 30

Lichens used as indicator species:
- as they have no root system, most nutrition comes from air
- air pollutants such as sulphur dioxide which is produced from combustion of fossil fuels can damage and prevent its growth

Question 31

How to monitor water pollution

Answer 31

Unpolluted - nymphs
Low pollution - freshwater shrimp
High pollution - water louse
Very high pollution - sludge worm (found near sewage)

Question 32

International agreements for conservation

Answer 32

• IUCN - international union for the conservation of nature produces a ‘red list’ for threatened animals and the countries work together to conserve the species
• CITES - Convention of international trade of endangered species of wild flora and fauna prevents exploitation for more than 35,000 species
• Rio summit develops strategies for sustainable development to reduce greenhouse emissions and deforestation to maintain biodiversity

Question 33

Local agreements

Answer 33

• Stewardship Schemes allow farmers in England are given government payments to conserve land so that beauty of landscape is with the normal farming practise
• ecotourism aims that tourism does not have a negative effect on environment or communities by making paths so that animal breeding areas conserved and plant species not trampled on