Chapter 2 - Methods Of Conserving Biodiversity 3 (habitat Conservation)

Question 1

What is in-situ conservation

Answer 1

• the most important method of conserving wildlife, as the wildlife species are still living where the conditions for survival are appropriate and the entire community of species are present together

Question 2

How does land ownership help in conserving biodiversity ?

Answer 2

• many wildlife conservation organisations purchase areas to protect the species that already live there, or will do so once the conditions have been changed so they are suitable, for example, national trust and woodland trust

Question 3

How do designated protected areas help conserve biodiversity ?

Answer 3

• designating a protected area establishes the legal status of protected.
• the owners of the habitat that needs protected may not wish to manage their land for the benefit of wildlife in the same way that the statutory authorities do.
• establishing a legally designated protected area should ensure that the habitat is protected.

Question 4

What do sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) do?

Answer 4

-protect areas with the best examples of the UK’s flora, fauna, geological or physiographical features
- a management plan is agreed with the owner, who must inform the governmental conservation organisation if they wish to carry out ‘OLD’
- these vary between sites but often include: ploughing, drainage, burning, or tree planting/ removal

Question 5

What do Nature Nature Reserves (NNRs) do?

Answer 5

• NNRs are the best examples of SSSI and usually cover the best examples of complete communities of species or habitat types

Question 6

What do special areas of conservation (SACs) do?

Answer 6

-designated under the EU habitats directive
- each member state in the EU must identify the habitats within its country that are of international importance, then protect them
- the habitat types vary widely between different countries
- designation may also restrict activities in surrounding areas, such as drainage

Question 7

What do special protected areas do?

Answer 7

• designated under the EU birds directive
• each member state in the EU must identify the places within its country that are of international importance for birds, then protected them. The bird species involved vary widely between different countries.

Question 8

What are ramsar sites ?

Answer 8

• ramsar convention is an international agreement that protects wetlands. Most counties in the world are signatories
• originally intended to protect important water flow habitats. Now it’s broadened it’s scope to cover all aspects of wetland conservation and wise use
• they recognise wetlands as ecosystems that are extremely important for biodiversity conservation

Question 9

What are voluntary agri-environmental schemes

Answer 9

• they recognise that much of the British landscape was produced by farming and can only be conserved by the continuance of appropriate farming practices.
• they provide financial support to farmers to reward and encourage environmentally beneficial developments
• example of these scheme include: Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA), Countryside stewardship scheme (CSS)

Question 10

Habitat design : habitat area

Answer 10

• area must be large enough to support viable populations
• breeding population mats not drop so low that the reproduction rate is too low to maintain the population and the gene pool must not be so small to cause inbreeding
• species higher up in food chains have lower population densities, so a larger habitat area may be needed to support viable populations
• some species benefit from small habitats such as frogs and toads, which will breed more successfully in limed that are too small, to support the predatory fish that would eat their eggs

Question 11

Habitat design:
Describe biological corridors

Answer 11

• involves linking isolated areas of the same habitat type which allows the dispersal of young animals if their is a local breeding surplus and the mixing if different populations and gene pools which reduces the risk of inbreeding
• they can also be used to allow animals to avoid hazards when moving between habitats

Question 12

Habitat design: habitat shape

Answer 12

• the perimeter of a habitat will have a strip where the conditions are combined of the two neighbouring habitats.
• some species benefit from thee conditions

Question 13

Describe re-wilding in Scotland

Answer 13

-most of Scotland used to covered in mixed forests. These were largely cleared for fuel and replaced with moorland grazed by sheep and deer
- removal of the grazing animals and reafforestation will allow the recovery of populations of species.
- a habitat may develop a much higher biodiversity I’d a variety of species is introduced, such as planting mixed species wood,ands rather than a plantation of a single tree species

Question 14

What is coppicing ?

Answer 14

-trees are cut to ground level every 3-30 years depending on the intended use of the harvested branches
- a coppiced woodland would be a patchwork of areas of woodland of different ages, each being suitable for its own community of wildlife species

Question 15

What is pollarding ?

Answer 15

• this is similar to coppicing but with branches cut above the height at which deer or livestock could eat the re-growing branches

Question 16

Describe population control

Answer 16

• ## population of undesirable species may be controlled to reduce predation or competition. The animals may be culled

Question 17

What are some reasons for culling

Answer 17

1) maintain population size
2) reduce habitat damage
3) reduce competition
4) reduce predation