Biodiversity

Question 1

What is an ecological niche?

Answer 1

The role a species has within an environment

Question 2

What is Endemism?

Answer 2

When a species only lives in one place and is therefore unique

Question 3

Simpson’s Diversity Index

Answer 3

D=(n/N)^2
n= number of organisms in an area
N= total number of organisms of all species

Question 4

Area of high genetic diversity

Answer 4

New Guinea -
Variety of topographies provides a range of ecological zones
Tropical so therefore it has lots of light
Warmth and rain
Island so isolated
Large so can support large food chains
Decay and nutrient cycling are rapid in tropical soils

Question 5

‘Biodiversity hotspots’

Answer 5

High species richness
High levels of endemism
Facing severe human threats
Cover 2.3% of Earth and have lost 70% of natural vegetation
Over 50% of world’s plant species and 42% of terrestrial vertebrate species are endemic to 34 biodiversity hotspots

Question 6

Regulatory value of ecosystems

Answer 6

Atmospheric gases - absorbing co2 and releasing oxygen
Flood regualtion - Transpiration recycles water back into the atmosphere and interception reduces the risk of flooding
Disease regulation
Water purification - wastes broken down by bacteria as part of the nutrient cycling processes
Plants ability to photosynthesise provides the base for food chains

Question 7

Provisioning value of ecosystems

Answer 7

Food - 90% of calories from the human diet comes from 30 plants
Fresh water supply
Wood and fibre
Fuel wood
Economic - Resins, rubbers and timber products
Pollinators such as bees are essential to maintaining habitats

Question 8

Cultural value of ecosystems

Answer 8

Aesthetic value
Spiritual value
Educational value - scientific research that expands our understanding of the natural world - only 1% of rainforest has been tested for medicine - 25% of all medicines come from plants, e.g. Rosy Periwinkle was source of successful drug for childhood leukaemia
Recreation and leisure value - people feel it adds to their quality of life
Ethically we should pass on to our grandchildren the same resources we had without damaging the planet

Question 9

Daintree

Answer 9

Douglas Shire Council - In 2000, council voted to gradually reduce population to 1200 to balance economic development with protection of biodiversity
Did this by increasing ferry prices by $4 in 2003 to finance land-buy-back
Tourist board said the price would deter tourism but numbers have steadily increased
They have also rejected proposals to allow a second ferry or build a bridge to the island
The Australian Rainforest Foundation, a non-profit, used Operation Big Bird to create a 250km wildlife corridor to protect the Cassowary, connects Cairns with Cardwell

Question 10

Local threats to biodiversity

Answer 10

Localised deforestation - clearance for farming and urbanisation (Coastal Squeeze)
Tourism development; trampling, erosion
Overfishing and harmful forms of fishing
Mining, ranching and overgrazing
Runoff from farms and urban areas; eutrophication and heavy metals in rivers, lakes and seas
Siltation from runoff; increased risk of alien invasive species

Question 11

Eutrophication process

Answer 11

Addition of fertilisers or sewage - Increased in algae - Death of algae and decomposition - Leads to increase in CO2 and decrease in O2 - Death of plants and fish

Question 12

Examples of human distribution of invasive species

Answer 12

Accidental release of Burmese pythons in Everglades
Deliberate release of large game fish such as Nile Perch in Lake Victoria
Zebra Muscles that stick to ships or get in through bilges of ships

Question 13

Yields

Answer 13

Carrying Capacity - Natural maximum number of a population an environment can sustain
Maximum Sustainable Yield - The number of individuals that can be taken out of an environment before the population can’t be replenished
Optimum Yield - The safest highest sustainable depletion of an environment, taking into account the scientific errors and uncertainty
Tragedy of the commons - The Sea is own by many people and so it is not sustainably depleted

Question 14

Arguments in favour of developing the ANWR?

Answer 14

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Only 8% is being considered for drilling, 2000 acres would be unaffected
Economic - USA would benefit - e.g. royalties, taxes, and lease rentals
Jobs - Between 250,000 and 735,000 would be created
There is an estimated 16 years worth of Middle East Imports equivalent underneath the Coastal Plain
In 2007, the USA imported an average of 60% of its oil
North Slope in decline - past peak oil
Oil and gas development has had no effect on the wildlife on the North Slope - Caribou herd increased from 3000 to 32,000
More than 75% of Alaskans favour its exploration and production

Question 15

Arguments against the ANWR

Answer 15

Caribou - US Fish and Wildlife Service concluded that oil development would displace the Caribou into areas of more predation, mosquitos and poorer forage
Polar Bear - Females may abandon their dens if disturbed
Birds - are highly sensitive to human activity, Snow geese are disturbed by helicopters and aircraft up to 4 miles away
Risk of oil spills - the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 was an environmental disaster caused sole by human error which led to 11 million of crude oil spilling into the sea off South Alaska, it can take 50-60 years for arctic vegetation to recover

Question 16

Players in the ANWR

Answer 16

Politicians - Republicans want to develop the area, Bush administration failed to get enough votes, Democrats oppose the developments
Arctic Power - Non-profit with 10,000 members to expedite congressional approval of oil exploration and production within the Coastal Plain of the ANWR
Alaskan residents - 75% support development but 75% also say that they live there for pristine environment but they can have both development and conserve the environment as seen on the North Slope
The Inupiat - believe that the oil industry around Prudhoe Bay has brought benefits from jobs
The Gwich’in - Rely on the Caribou Herd for food, clothing and tools. The Coastal plain is the birthing place and nursing ground for the caribou. The Gwich’in call the the Coastal Plain “The Sacred Place Where Life Beins”
Centre for Biological Diversity - non-profit conservation organisation with 40,000 members that work to protect the diversity and endangered species

Question 17

What is being done in the ANWR?

Answer 17

The Centre for Biological Diversity has:
Drawn attention to the plight of the polar bears to put pressure to stop oil exploration
Worked to designate critical habitat for the bowhead whale
Secured the designation of me than 26 million acres of protected ocean and shoreline for the threatened spectacles and Steller’s eider ducks
The Obama administration failed to secure enough votes to ‘lock-up’ the ANWR

Question 18

Players in the conservation of the environment?

Answer 18

IGOs - UNESCO, UNEP - Global treaties, scientific research and monitoring
Individuals - Al Gore, David Attenborough - Able to reach an audience to campaign
NGOs - Greenpeace, WWF - Help manage conserved areas or campaign in media
Government - UK(local and national) - crucial to implement the policies agreed abroad and at home

Question 19

Iconic and Keystone species

Answer 19

Iconic species are those which are easy to campaign for and raise money but the keystone species are the ones which are necessary to maintain the food web - Krill in the arctic ocean

Question 20

Eco-regions

Answer 20

Large area of land where the majority of species interact in ways essential for their long-term survival
Sunda Shelf Mangroves - Bornea and East Coast of Sumatra - 37,400 km^2 = five major mangrove types live here, more than 250 bird species (many are migratory), home to the proboscis monkey, one of few large mammals limited to mangrove and peat swamp forest habitats.

Question 21

UNESCO conservation plan

Answer 21

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve:
- Two cores so that if one population is under a natural threat it can migrate and is not forced to stay there and die out and are completely protected
- Buffer zone allows for access for locals to make a living or for tourists to experience the ecosystem
Allows economic development in the transition zone
Eco-tourism allowed
Research facilities
Example: Galapagos

Question 22

Biodiversity futures:

Answer 22

UNEPs GEO-4 Project (2007) identifies 4 possible futures
Markets first: Profit driven future, continued degradation of biodiversity
Policy First: A greater balance between human and ecological well-being but humans are put first by short-termists policy makers
Security First: ‘Me First’ where the focus is on maintaining the wealth of a few, the environment is there to be exploited
Sustainability First: Equal weight is given to human and ecological wellbeing, and thinking is long-term to gradually recover lost ecological ground

Question 23

Threats to mangroves

Answer 23

Coastal squeeze
Aquaculture - 50% of loss in Asia is due to this (38% just for shrimping)
Climate Change - Coral reef ‘bleaching’ and is flooded by sea level rise
Is allowed because it is not an iconic species
Use of land and fuel wood
Over 50% of the world’s mangroves have been lost
By 2007 - less than 15 million hectares left
Loss of coral reef means that in an ocean that is more stormy the mangrove has lost its natural protection of a breakwater

Question 24

Issues with shrimping to Mangroves?

Answer 24

Shrimp farming - releases anti biotic when starting farms - kills bacteria and slows down ecosystem processes + eutrophication

Question 25

Use of mangroves?

Answer 25

Sequester carbon dioxide
Protect from tsunamis and hurricanes
Coastal defence
Protect coral reefs from sedimentation - stops sediment filling up coral reef and stopping the filter feeding of the Polyps
Provide nursery for fish
Provide food for endangered making life and land animals - Bengal Tiger
Adapt for sea level change - traps sediment to build up coast and counter sea level rise or retreat up river
Provide green economy services

Question 26

Malaysian rainforests

Answer 26

Taman Negara - 3000 plant species - regulation value
National Park - Tourist industry - Eco-tourism
The WWF suggest that 40% of Malaysian jungle has been deforested, 14.4% just from 2000 and is currently the fastest deforesting area in Asia - Palm oil
The Taman Negara National Park creates sustainable jobs for local people based off of its eco-tourist industry. The locals at the National Park work as boat drivers, tour and trek guides and tourist board officials.