case studies conservation Flashcards
Human activities in the Galapagos Islands?
-whaling trade
-chopping forests for fires to render down whale fat
-removing live giant tortoises
-shark fin market
-intro of non-native plants/animals by tourists (e.g. goats)
Effect on plant populations in Galapgos Islands?
-25% plant species endangered
-building/agriculture has caused habitat fragmentation
-Scalesia trees and shrubs almost eradicated
-depletion of sea cucumber impacts underwater ecology
Control measures in Galapagos Islands?
-park rangers
-limiting human access to specific islands
-controlling migration
-strict controls over movement of introduced animals
-captive breeding programmes to supplement tortoise numbers
Effect on animal populations in Snowdonia?
-rhododendron leaves poisonous to most mammals/invertebrates
-deforestation reduces food sources/habitats
-rhododendron infestation makes suitable habitats unsuitable for grazing animals
Effect on animal populations in Galapagos Islands?
-whaling trade reduces whale population
-giant tortoise population outcompeted by goats
-50% of vertebrate species endangered
-introduced non-native species eat native species
Human activies in Snowdonia?
-attracts millions of visitors each year - walk along same footpaths
-rhododendrons introduced as horticultural plant but spread to become invasive
-conifers planted as cash crops
Plant pathogen hosted by rhododendron?
P. ramorum
-causes disease with withered shoot tips/black leaves
Control measures in Snowdonia?
-drains dug by paths to prevent flooding
-fell infected trees before they become sources of spores
-cutting down/burning rhododendron
-stem herbicide injection to control scattered bushes
Power station in Snowdonia?
Pumped-storage hydroelectric power station hidden deep inside mountain
Where does captive breeding occur on Galapagos Islands?
Charles Darwin Research Station
When was the Galapagos National Park estbalished?
1959
How much of the Galapagos Islands have been designated ‘No-Take’ zones?
36%
Effect on plant populations in Snowdonia?
-as paths become harder to walk on, people trample sensitive vegetation to avoid floods on paths
-rhododendrons grow to 3m and have dense leaves - dark ground so few plants survive
-rhododendron leaves decompose and host a plant pathogen causing a disease
Human activities in Antarctica?
-attracts many visitors
-dumping sewage in sea
-leaving rubbish
-shipping accidents/oil spills
-fishing boats gather where there’s lots of krill
-whale/seal hunting
What is krill used for?
Making nutrional supplements/animal feed
Effect on animal populations in Antarctica?
-hunting/whaling/fishing reduces wildlife populations
-oil spills effect wildlife
-predators of krill can’t adapt to find krill elsewhere = less food sources
-birds swallow long-line fishing hooks
How has global warming impacted Antarctica?
Loss of sea ice affected breeding of Adelie penguins
How do oil spills affect wildlife?
-toxic effects of inhaling vapours can be fatal
-coat fur/feathers = hypothermia and loss of buoyancy
Effect of plant populations in Antarctica?
-oil spills drain O2 from sea and kills plants
-soi contamination around research stations kills wildlife
-visitors are sources of alien plant species, warming islands
-certain lichens and mosses expanded into parts previously too cold
