Biodiversity and the effect of human interaction on ecosystems

Question 1

Define the term biodiversity?

Answer 1

the variety of all the different species or organisms on earth or within an ecosystem

Question 2

What two factors have increased the use of resources by humans?

Answer 2

rapid growth in population

rise in standards of living

Question 3

List three categories of pollution caused by human activity.

Answer 3

air
water
land

Question 4

What can cause pollution in each of these three categories?

Answer 4

Air: smoke and acidic gases
Water: sewage, fertiliser or toxic chemicals
Land: from landfill and from toxic chemicals

Question 5

Name four processes which humans carry out that reduces the land available to other animals , plants and microorganisms.

Answer 5

building
quarrying
dumping waste
farming

Question 6

Give three reasons why humans should not destroy peat bogs to make compost.

Answer 6

Decay of peat releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Reduces the area of the natural habitat for organisms that live there.

Reduces the diversity of the area as it reduces the number of animals, plants and microorganisms living there.

Question 7

What is a biofuel?

Answer 7

A fuel made by living organisms.

Question 8

Why do humans undertake large scale deforestation in tropical areas?

Answer 8

To provide land for cattle farming

To provide land for rice fields

To grow crops for biofuels

Question 9

Name two gases which are increasing in the atmosphere and contribute to global warming.

Answer 9

carbon dioxide

methane

Question 10

List three biological consequences of global warming.

Answer 10

To provide land for cattle farming

To provide land for rice fields

To grow crops for biofuels