B7 Maintaining Ecosystems and Biodiversity (page 94) Flashcards
Why is it important that biodiversity is maintained at a high enough level?
to make sure that ecosystems are stable (see page 83).
How can we maintain biodiversity?
Programmes. (in some areas, programmes have been set up by concerned citizens and scientists to minimise damage by human activities (see page 91) to ecosystems and biodiversity)
Give some examples of biodiversity ecosystem programsmes that have been set up?
1) Breeding programmes
2) programmes to protect and regenerate rare habitats
3) Reintroduce hedgerows
4) regulations and programmes to reduce deforestation.
5) people are encouraged to recycle
Explain what Breeding programmes are to protect biodiversity ecosystems?
they have been set up to help prevent endangered species from becoming extinct. These are where animals are bred in captivity to make sure the species survives if it dies out in the wild. Individuals can sometimes be released into the wild to boost or re-establish a population.
Explain what programmes to protect and regenerate rare habitats are in a biodiversity ecosystem?
Programmes like mangroves, heathland and coral reefs have been started. Protecting these habitats helps to protect the species that live there - preserving the ecosystem and biodiversity in the area.
Explain what programmes there are to reindtroduce hedgerows and field margins for biodiversity ecosystems?
There are programmes to reintroduce hedgerows and field margins around fields on farms where only a single type of crop is grown.
Field margins are areas of land around the edges of fields where wild flowers and grasses are left to grow. Hedgerows and field margins provide a habitat for a wider variety of organisms than could survive in a single crop habitat.
Some governments have introduced regulations and programmes to reduce the level of deforestation taking place, what have they introduced?
to reduce the level of deforestation taking place and the amoung of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere by businesses. This could reduce the increase of global warming (see page 92).
What programmes are in place for people to protect biodiversity?
People are encouraged to recycle to reduce the amount of waste that gets dumped in landfill sites.
This could reduce the amount of the land taken over for landfill, leaving ecosystems in place.
Sadly there are many conflicting pressures that have to be taken into account for biodiversity, name some?
1) the cost
2) peoples livelihood
3) our food security
4) development is important, so land is needed.
Why is cost a conflicting pressure for biodiversity?
Protecting biodiversity costs money. For example, governments sometimes pay farmers a subsidy to reintroduce hedgerows and field margins to their land.
It can also cost money to keep a watch on whether the programmes and regulations designed to maintain biodiversity are being followed. There can be conflice between protecting biodiversity and saving money.
Money may be priorities for other things.
Why is peoples livihood a conflicting pressure for biodiversity?
Protecting biodiversity may come at a cost to local people’s livelihood.
Example:
reducing the amount of deforestation is great for biodiversity, but the people who were previously employed in the tree-felling industry could be left unemployed. This could affect the local economy if people move away with their family to find work.
Why is our food security a conflicting pressure for biodiversity?
There can be conflict between protecting biodiversity and protecting our food security. Sometimes certain organisms are seen as pests by farmers (e.g. locusts and foxes) and are killed to protect crops and livestock so that more food can be produced.
As a result, however, the food chain and biodiversity can be affected.q
Why is development of land a conflicting pressure for biodiversity?
Development is important, but it can affect the environment. Many people want to protect biodiversity in the face of development, but sometimes land is in such high demand that previously untouched land with high biodiversity has to be used for development. e.g. for hourisn developments on the edge or towns, or for new agricultural land in developing countries.
Like many situations in ecology, maintaining biodiversity isn’t black and white, explain why?
There are lots of factors to take into account before decisions on the best way to go forward can be made.
Give an example of how biodiversity can be increased in areas that farm single crops (2 marks)
Hedgerows and field margins can be reintroduced around single-crop fields (1 mark)
These provide a habitat for organisms that would otherwise be unable to live in the area (1 mark)
