Biodiversity and the Effect of Human Interaction on Ecosystems

Question 1

What is biodiversity?

Answer 1

The variety of the different species on

earth or within an ecosystem.

Question 2

What is the importance of biodiversity?

Answer 2

To maintain the stability of an ecosystem.

Question 3

How does biodiversity ensure the

stability of an ecosystem?

Answer 3

It reduces the dependence on particular
species for resources eg. food and shelter, so that even if one species is removed other
species can still survive.

Question 4

Why have humans’ consumption of
resources and waste production
increased?

Answer 4

● Rapid rise in human population

● Increase in standard of living

Question 5

Where does pollution occur?

Answer 5

● Air
● Land
● Water

Question 6

State an example of water pollutants.

Answer 6

● Sewage
● Fertiliser
● Chemicals

Question 7

How does eutrophication occur?

Answer 7

Fertiliser from farms pollute the water, causing excessive
algae growth, depleting the oxygen in the water, causing other plants and animals to die.

Dead plants are decomposed by bacteria and the oxygen
level decreases further

Question 8

State an example of air pollutants

Answer 8

● Smoke

● Acidic gases

Question 9

State an example of land pollutants.

Answer 9

● Landfill waste

● Chemicals

Question 10

Which human activities reduce the land

available for animals and plants?

Answer 10

● Building
● Farming
● Quarrying
● Disposing of waste

Question 11

Why have peat bogs been destroyed?

Answer 11

To produce compost to increase food

production

Question 12

Why does the destruction of peat bogs
greatly contribute to the greenhouse
effect?

Answer 12

Peat bogs are stores of carbon (carbon
sinks) and burning them releases a large
volume of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

Question 13

Why have large-scale deforestation

activities occurred?

Answer 13

● To provide land for cattle or rice fields

● To grow crops to produce biofuels

Question 14

What is the greenhouse effect?

Answer 14

Greenhouse gases trap energy from the
Sun as heat in the atmosphere, keeping
the temperature on earth suitable for life

Question 15

What is causing global warming?

Answer 15

The increase in levels of greenhouse
gases eg. carbon dioxide and methane,
causing the temperature on earth to
increase.

Question 16

What are the harmful effects of

deforestation?

Answer 16

● Destruction of many animals’ habitats

● Releases large amounts of greenhouse gases

Question 17

State the consequences of global

warming.

Answer 17

● Rising sea levels
● Melting polar ice caps
● Changing weather patterns
● Migration of animals to find suitable habitats
● Tropical diseases becoming more common
● Extinction of species

Question 18

Describe the steps taken to maintain

biodiversity

Answer 18

● Breeding programmes for endangered species.
● Protection and rebuilding habitats.
● Replanting field margins and hedgerows.
● Reduce deforestation.
● Reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
● Recycling rather than disposing in landfills.