chapter 2 - conservation of biodiversity Flashcards
5 resources
wood, fuels, food, fibres, oils
selective bred crops (2)
potato bean of North America has high protein
Yeheb tree from Somalia has edible nuts, drought resistant and can grow in poor soils
what is biomimetics?
it involves the use of knowledge of the adaptations of other species to improve the designs of manufactured items
5 biomimetics examples
vehicle design - splayed wingtips of birds reduces turbulence and has been used on planes
infection control - bacteria don’t stick to sharkskin, an immitation is used in hospitals
architecture - lightweight structure of birds bones have been used in lightweight bridges and roofs
adhesion - seeds of some plants have hooks that stick to passing animals for seed dispersal, velcro
materials - spider silk is being copied for car airbags / armour
medicines made from plants
poppies - morphine
willow bark - asprin
physiological research
hippos skin secretes hipposudoric acid which is a natural sunscreen
dolphins & bats that use echo-location have been studied to enable development of new 3d ultrasound scanners
pest control species
parasitic wasp that is released into greenhouses to control whitefly
ladybirds and beetles (natural predators) can be increased by more hedgerows and beetle banks
what is CWR
Crop Wild Related species - characteristics from wild crops bred into domesticated crops
introduced characteristics (6)
disease resistance - sugar cane has been protected from sugar cane mosaic virus by cross breeding wild sugar cane
salt tolerance - sea kale is salt tolerant and is being studied to see if it can cross breed
drought resistance - varieties of cacao, bred with wild plants from the amazon
high yield - oil palm increased 25% cross breeding with varieties in central africa
improved taste / appearance - sweeter, more yellow pineapples have been produced since 1990’s
nutrient uptake - crossbreeding with wild wheat = more nutrient uptake
what is a gene pool?
total number of different genes present in all individuals in a population of a particular species
CO2 and oxygen are regulated by what two things?
photosynthesis and aerobic respiration
pollinator examples
insects (butterflies, moths, bees, wasps), birds, bats, monkeys
over-exploited species (for food)
cod, tuna, sharks
over-exploited species (for fashion)
fur coats - leopard, snow leopard, tiger, fur seals
bags / shoes - crocodiles and alligators
feathers - kingfishers, parrots and ostriches
over-exploited species (for furniture&ornaments)
furniture - mahogany
black piano keys - ebony wood
white piano keys - elephant ivory
jewellery - shark teeth, turtle shells
over-exploited species (for traditional medicines)
tigers - tail for skin diseases, whiskers for toothache
rhino - horn for anything from nosebleed to smallpox
seahorses - infertility, baldness, asthma, arthritis
how has land drainage affected the wetlands?
water drainage has meant reclaimed land for farmers, lower water tables means wetland areas dry out so wetland species can’t survive
how does dissolved oxygen affect animals?
dissolved oxygen levels can decrease when hot water discharges from power stations, this can suffocate aerobic animals like fish and fly larvae
how can temperature affect wildlife
higher temperatures may mean that some areas that were once habitable are now not
what parts of fish are susceptible to acidic water
fish eggs and gills
what activities can increase water turbidity?
ploughing, mining, dredging
if insects die out, what happens to plants?
can’t reproduce
what was introduced to the uk from north america?
grey squirrel - better adapted to the food available, bigger than red squirrels
what are nesting birds on oceanic islands threatened by?
introduced cats, dogs, rats and pigs
