B6.1 - Monitoring And Maintaining The Environment

Question 1

Sweep nets

Answer 1

Used to capture flying insects and others fury grass areas. A net with a large stick that you swing to catch

Question 2

Pooters

Answer 2

A contraption, where you suck the insects in through a straw. They get trapped in a mesh, and drop into a container. Used for small insects such as ants

Question 3

Kick sampling

Answer 3

When you face downstream holding a net. You lightly kick the water to dislodge the aquatic invertebrates from the river bed.

Ensure the strength, frequency and area of the kick is the dame

Question 4

Tree beating

Answer 4

To collect insects which live in trees. You use a long stick which you use to hit the trees. This makes invertebrates fall out and you catch them in a large outstretched cloth

Question 5

Pitfall traps

Answer 5

Captures small insects living on ground such as beetles, ants. Dig a hole into the ground, with a shallow slope (to make sure they don’t fall and die). Covered with a slight platform, to ensure other animals don’t see it, and to prevent rain (otherwise they drown) Leave slightly open at top to allow oxygen in for respiration.

Question 6

How can u identify organisms

Answer 6

Use identification keys to compare

Question 7

Equation for estimating population size

Answer 7

First sample x second sample / number of marked individuals

Question 8

Capture recapture

Answer 8

Uses scaling up to estimate a population size

Question 9

Limitations of capture recapture

Answer 9

Ensure you use the correct marking technique. E.g water proof mark on aquatic animals

Question 10

Random sampling

Answer 10

Unbiased decisions about where to sample. This is more accurate

Question 11

Non random sampling

Answer 11

E..g using a transect. Measuring at set distances

Question 12

Importance of biodiversity

Answer 12

Needed for all organisms to survive, since all are linked and depend on each other

Question 13

How can biodiversity be lost

Answer 13

Agriculture - intensive farming can reduce biodiversity in attempts to get high yield of good quality foods. Using pesticides and herbicides

Deforestation- removes tree which then ruins food sources, homes, shelters for animals. They are forced to move

Fishing - overfishing reduces biodiversity since not many fish survive.

Pollution - toxic for organisms and most die. Very few can remain in such conditions

Question 14

Eutrophication

Answer 14

Surface run off or leeching through soil takes excess fertiliser into water bodies.

Fertiliser promotes growth of algae bloom, which not only block sunlight for lower plants, but also use up oxygen for respiration.

Algae at the bottom eventually dies from lack of sunlight for photosynthesis and lack of oxygen

Fish and other animals then die, due to lack of food, lack of oxygen

Algal bloom will then die, since not animals will provide CO2 for their photosyntheses

Question 15

Conservation

Answer 15

Process of trying to protect natural habitats and environments to increase the chance of an organisms surviving

Question 16

Examples of conservation

Answer 16

Seed banks

Selective breeding

Question 17

Seed banks

Answer 17

Conserves plants
Seeds stored of varieties of plants, to preserve for future.
It is an example of a gene bank (storing genes)
Backup against extinction of plants

Question 18

Captive breeding

Answer 18

Breeding animals in a human controlled environment such as a zoo or aquarium

Question 19

Purpose of captive breedings

Answer 19

Create a stable population

Reintroducing the species to the natural habitat

Question 20

Disadvantages of captive breeding

Answer 20

Marinating genetic diversity is hard, due to low number of individuals

Organisms born into captivity , may lose natural instinct, and hence be less likely to survive in the natural habitat - w.g. Predators not knowing how to hunt for food

Question 21

Ecotourism

Answer 21

Allowing tourism, but in a way to ensure that the natural environment is not disturbed

Question 22

How to get indication of pollution

Answer 22

Indicator species are organisms used to measure environmental quality . - by seeing the species that thrive in an area, you know how polluted it is.