Biodiversity and the effect of human interaction on ecyostems

Question 1

Reasons why our population increases

Answer 1

better health care so people are living longer

new medicines are being developed so people don’t die of previously fatal diseases

farmers are able to produce more food using new breeds and equipment

some religions do not permit the use of contraception

Question 2

Issues that may occur if the population grows too high

Answer 2

run out of food and fresh water

more pollution

Question 3

eutrophication

Answer 3

1. Nutrient load up: Excessive nutrients from fertilizers are flushed from land into rivers or lakes by rainwater
2. Plants flourish: These pollutants cause aquatic plant growth of algae, duckweed and other plants.
3. Algae blooms, oxygen is depleted: Algae blooms prevent sunlight from reaching other plants. Plants die and oxygen in water is depleted.
4. Decomposition further depletes oxygen: dead plants are broken by bacteria decomposes, using up even more oxygen in the water
5. Death of the ecosystem: Oxygen levels reach a point where no life is possible fish and other organisms die.

Question 4

Air pollution causes and consequences

Answer 4

Caused by tiny particulates from smoke which can cause smog.

Question 5

What happens to biodiversity when humans clear land

Answer 5

decreases

Question 6

Peat bogs are very important for carbon why and why should we not remove them

Answer 6

Peat bogs are a very important store of carbon. We call them carbon sinks. If all the peat was removed and burned this would quickly release a huge volume of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and contribute to the greenhouse effect.

Question 7

Evidience of the green house effect

Answer 7

Carbon dioxide, water vapour and methane are amongst the most common greenhouse gases. Since the start of the Industrial Revolution in about 1750 the levels of carbon dioxide have increased by 40%.

Question 8

Evidience of global warming

Answer 8

The ten hottest years since records began have been in the last 30 years. The mean increase in the last 100 years has been less than 1°C.

Question 9

evidence for humans are responsible for the increased CO2 in the atmosphere

Answer 9

Our human population has increased in correlation to carbon dioxide levels

Question 10

consequences for global warming

Answer 10

melting of the polar ice caps

the rise in sea level may one day threaten many cities such as London, New York and Amsterdam

weather patterns will change with more unusual weather

animals will migrate towards the poles to find habitats with suitable temperatures

tropical diseases may become more common in other regions, such as the Europe

many species will become extinct

Question 11

How do scientists and concerned members of the public help maintain biodiversity by

Answer 11

breeding programs to help preserve endangered species, like the panda
protection and development of new endangered habitats, often by making National Parks
replanting hedgerows because there is higher biodiversity in them than the fields they surround
reducing deforestation and the release of greenhouse gases
recycling rather than dumping waste in landfill sites[