C5. Conservation Flashcards
What is conservation?
Conservation is the _____________and ______________of species and habitats (ecosystems) in a sustainable way. Sustainable means that enough resources are taken to meet the needs of people today, without reducing the ability of people in the future to meet their own needs. Conservation is a dynamic process as conservation methods need to be adapted to the constant changes (caused naturally and by humans) that occur within ecosystems.
Conservation is the protection and management of species and habitats (ecosystems) in a sustainable way. Sustainable means that enough resources are taken to meet the needs of people today, without reducing the ability of people in the future to meet their own needs. Conservation is a dynamic process as conservation methods need to be adapted to the constant changes (caused naturally and by humans) that occur within ecosystems.
Conflicts in conservation
Not everyone agrees with every conservation measure though - there’s often conflict between human needs and conservation. Careful management is needed to find a balance between the two and maintain the _______________of natural resources.
Not everyone agrees with every conservation measure though - there’s often conflict between human needs and conservation. Careful management is needed to find a balance between the two and maintain the sustainability of natural resources.
Conservation methods - 1. Management of succession
Human activities can interrupt the process of succession. Conservation frequently involves ________________succession in order to preserve an ecosystem in its _________stage of succession.
Human activities can interrupt the process of succession. Conservation frequently involves preventing succession in order to preserve an ecosystem in its current stage of succession.
Conservation methods - 1. Management of succession - Example
There are large areas of moorland in Scotland that provide habitats for many species of plants and animals. If the moorland was left to natural processes, succession would lead to a climax community of spruce forest. This would mean the loss of the moorland habitat and could lead to the loss of some of the plants and animals that currently live there. Preventing succession keeps the moorland ecosystem intact. There are a couple of ways to manage succession to conserve the moorland ecosystem:
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- Animals are allowed to graze on the land. This is similar to mowing- the animals eat the growing points of the shrubs and trees, which stops them from establishing themselves and helps to keep vegetation low.
- Managed fires are lit. After the fires, secondary succession will occur on the moorland - the plant species that grow back first (pioneer species) are the species that are being conserved, e.g. heather. Larger plant species will take longer to grow back and will be removed again the next time the moor’s burnt
Conservation methods - 2. Seed banks
A seed bank is a store of seeds from lots of different plant species. Seed banks act as a backup for the conservation of plant species in the wild –for example, if a plant species becomes _________or is lost from a particular habitat, stored seeds can be used to ______________the __________.
Seed banks are a good way of conserving plant species-large numbers of species can be conserved in a fairly small space as most seeds are quite small. Seeds can also be stored anywhere in the world and for long periods of time, as long as it’s cool and dry. However, the seeds have to be regularly tested to see if they’re still viable (whether they can grow into a plant), which can be ____________and ____-_____________,
A seed bank is a store of seeds from lots of different plant species. Seed banks act as a backup for the conservation of plant species in the wild –for example, if a plant species becomes extinct or is lost from a particular habitat, stored seeds can be used to reintroduce the species.
Seed banks are a good way of conserving plant species-large numbers of species can be conserved in a fairly small space as most seeds are quite small. Seeds can also be stored anywhere in the world and for long periods of time, as long as it’s cool and dry. However, the seeds have to be regularly tested to see if they’re still viable (whether they can grow into a plant), which can be expensive and time-consuming,
Conservation methods - 3. Captive breeding
Captive breeding programmes involve breeding animals in controlled environments. Species that are _________, or already ________in the wild, can be _____in __________to help increase their numbers. However, there are some problems with captive breeding programmes, e.g. animals like pandas can have problems breeding outside their _______ _________, which can be hard to recreate in a zoo.
Animals bred in captivity can be reintroduced to the wild. This increases their numbers in the wild, which can help to conserve their numbers or bring them back from the brink of extinction. Reintroducing animals into the wild can cause problems though, e.g. reintroduced animals could bring new diseases to habitats, harming other species living there.
Captive breeding programmes involve breeding animals in controlled environments. Species that are endangered, or already extinct in the wild, can be bred in captivity to help increase their numbers. However, there are some problems with captive breeding programmes, e.g. animals like pandas can have problems breeding outside their natural habitat, which can be hard to recreate in a zoo.
Animals bred in captivity can be reintroduced to the wild. This increases their numbers in the wild, which can help to conserve their numbers or bring them back from the brink of extinction. Reintroducing animals into the wild can cause problems though, e.g. reintroduced animals could bring new diseases to habitats, harming other species living there.
Conservation methods - 4. Fishing quotas
Fishing quotas are limits to the amount of certain fish species that fishermen are allowed to ________. Fishing quotas help to conserve fish species by reducing the numbers that are caught and killed they aim to prevent a situation where fish populations reach such ___levels that they are threatened with ___________.
However, fishing quotas can be unpopular with fishermen as they limit their __________ ________. There can also be problems with ‘discards’ ships catching more fish than they are allowed to, then throwing back some fish (which are often dead already) so they don’t exceed their quota. This is __________and ____________contribute to the conservation of fish populations. In areas where there are fishing vessels from more than one country, international cooperation is needed for quotas to be fully effective.
Fishing quotas are limits to the amount of certain fish species that fishermen are allowed to catch. Fishing quotas help to conserve fish species by reducing the numbers that are caught and killed they aim to prevent a situation where fish populations reach such low levels that they are threatened with extinction.
However, fishing quotas can be unpopular with fishermen as they limit their potential income. There can also be problems with ‘discards’ ships catching more fish than they are allowed to, then throwing back some fish (which are often dead already) so they don’t exceed their quota. This is wasteful and doesn’t contribute to the conservation of fish populations. In areas where there are fishing vessels from more than one country, international cooperation is needed for quotas to be fully effective.
Conservation methods - 5. Protected areas
Protected areas, like national parks and nature reserves, protect habitats and the species in them by restricting urban development, industrial development and farming. Habitats in _________areas can be managed to conserve them.
Protected areas also have problems. For example, national parks are also used as ________destinations (many are funded by revenue from tourists). This means there’s conflict between the need to conserve the habitats and the need to allow people to visit and use them.
Protected areas, like national parks and nature reserves, protect habitats and the species in them by restricting urban development, industrial development and farming. Habitats in protected areas can be managed to conserve them.
Protected areas also have problems. For example, national parks are also used as tourist destinations (many are funded by revenue from tourists). This means there’s conflict between the need to conserve the habitats and the need to allow people to visit and use them.
