Battle For The Biosphere

Question 1

Give some examples of biosphere conservation on a global scale

Answer 1

CITES (convention of international trade in endangered species)

• protects 34,000 species
• bans trade of eg elephant tusks
• harsh penalties for poachers

RAMSAR Convention on Wetlands

• protects 1700 wetlands eg salt marshes, coral reefs, river estuaries
• treaty signed by 153 states worldwide

Question 2

Give some examples of biosphere conservation on a local scale

Answer 2

SSSI (sites of special scientific interest)

• protects areas of rare species from development
• limited access only for research

National parks

• in uk
• have private planning authorities to protect from tourism

Community forests
- woodlands near cities for leisure

Question 3

What is sustainable management and give a named example

Answer 3

• conserving the environment so it can regenerate
• avoiding exploitation for profit of people who don’t live nearby
• provision for local people (esp poor / disadvantaged)
• education of locals so they feel involved in the project as the most important stakeholders

Eg - CAZ area of tropical rainforest, Madagascar

Question 4

Give an example and the effects of direct and indirect degradation of a named area of the biosphere

Answer 4

The Amazon Rainforest

Direct:
- deforestation for...
•cattle ranching
•subsistence farming
•large arable farms
•logging
•HEP / roads / mining etc

Indirect:
- global warming
•changing weather patterns
•changing temp
•changing sea level + temp
•extreme weather
->rainforest dies back due to arid climate
->migration of animals, species stress ->extinction

Question 5

Describe an area using a sustainable management scheme

Answer 5

CAZ tropical rainforest, Madagascar

• 400,000 hectares area
• supported by the WildlifeConservation Society (NGO) and World Bank

Schemes:
• some areas given to local villagers to manage
- they use some resources to protect forest from illegal loggers & earn money
• alternative incomes provided
- eg fish farming in small pond
- reduced need to cut trees for timber
• development of ecotourism
- entrance fees being reinvested into conservation
• replanting 300 hectares
- creates jobs for 200 locals
• educating farmers how to be sustainable
• selling rainforest’s carbon credits go TNCs and developed countries
- people meet carbon reduction targets
- money is reinvested in conservation