Chapter 24 Conservation

Question 1

What is conservation?

Answer 1

Maintaining biodiversity through human action or management
Can be species, genetic or habitat biodiversity

Question 2

What main actions does conservation use?

Answer 2

Sustainable development- management of ecosystems so natural resources can be used without running out, renewable
Reclamation- Restoring ecosystems that have been damaged/destroyed

Question 3

What is preservation?

Answer 3

Restricting or banning human interference, normally for ecological, archaeological, or palaeontological sensitive areas

Question 4

What are the 3 main reasons showing the importance of conservation?

Answer 4

Economical- Resources we need e.g for medicines, timber, clothes, food
Social- Natural beauty, walks, relax
Ethical- for future generations renewable, to choose who lives?, right to exist for all

Question 5

What are the main aims of sustainability?

Answer 5

Preserve the environment
Renewable resources
Comfort
LEDCs and MEDCs balance out

Question 6

What are the three layers to a forest? What threats do forests face?

Answer 6

Canopy- thickest Shrubs. Leaf litter
Agriculture, Housing, Logging, Pollution, Global warming

Question 7

What is coppicing and rotational coppicing?

Answer 7

Coppicing- when a tree is cut, leaving its base, allows tree to regrow as several shoots. For broadleaved species, can be repeated indefinitely
Rotational- certain areas only, varies each year

Question 8

What is pollarding and why is it done?

Answer 8

Similar to coppicing but cutting the tree higher to prevent animals eating shoots

Question 9

What is clear felling?

Answer 9

Removing the entire tree, nothing remains

Question 10

What are the disadvantages of clear felling?

Answer 10

Destroys habitats- removing trees where animals live
Decreased mineral levels as there is greater nutrient leakage to water
Increased SOIL EROSION- as trees slow down water currents, so reduce erosion if present , roots not presenr
Greater risk of flooding
Provokes landslides

Question 11

Which techniques are used for small and large scale timber production?

Answer 11

Small- Coppicing, Rotational Coppicing, Pollarding
Large- Clear felling

Question 12

How is tree felling on a large scale being adapted to become more sustainable and less damaging?

Answer 12

Replant trees after felled, and plant large enough distances apart to reduce competition

Limit area of felling, Selective felling- only the largest are removed to remove soil erosion

Allow trees to regrow fully before cutting

Question 13

Why do we fish and what problems have been encountered?

Answer 13

Source of protein, healthy
Overfishing
Decline in fish populations as cannot regenerate

Question 14

What are some solutions to combat overfishing?

Answer 14

E.U Common Fishers Policy- Quotas on species
Net mesh size- large holes so only adult fish taken
Fishing at specific times- avoid breeding seasons
Fish Farming- maintain protein supply without loss of species, but needs to monitor disease and reduced gene pool
Monitoring the population of fish- see if rules are being followed, population increasing

Question 15

Outline the ecosystem in the Masai Mara, and what problems/solutions they have to aid sustainability?

Answer 15

Nature reserve in the Savannah, Kenya
Tribes not allowed in so grazing limited to the edges, remove trees for fuel, increased risk of erosion
Before, movement enabled vegetation time to regrow
Ecotourism - positives include money to conservation and lack of reliance for other sources of money, but paying money for tourists so get very close to animals, altering social behaviour, alter hunting, take photos
Monitor hunting, prevent poaching, fenced land

Question 16

Outline the ecosystem in the Terai region, and what problems/solutions they have to aid sustainability?

Answer 16

Nepal, mix of forests, subtropical plants, fertile soil
Cleared trees, increased flooding, avalanches on slopes for firewood

Supportive legislation and community forest groups
Production of veg in mountain regions not only forests
Better irrigation and fertilisers
Multiple types of crops, including nitrogen fixing, and weather resistant variants
Wildlife reserves
Ecotourism
Biogas stoves instead of firewood

Question 17

What is a peat bog and why is peat used/important?

Answer 17

Peat Bog- wet, spongy ground containing decomposing vegetation. When full decay inhibited by acidic and anaerobic conditions

Carbon sink, peat as fuel, peat to make soils more acidic
Flood defence as surrounded by ditches
Habitat

Question 18

What are methods for the conservation of peat bogs?

Answer 18

Remain undisturbed and wet
Prevent ditches for a time to enable bog to stay wet, may remove water from bog into ditches
Remove seedling trees as they take in too much water for transpiration
Controlled grazing so no one plant takes over, and multiple habitats exist. Overgrazing disrupts food chains

Question 19

What are environmentally sensitive ecosystems and what are the general measures in place to raise sustainability?

Answer 19

Ecosystems which are less resistant to change than others

Limiting tourist areas
Controlling movement of livestock
Anti-poaching
Replanting forests/native plants
Limit hunting

Question 20

What is the Antarctic ecosystem? How have humans affected it and how have we made efforts to conserve it?

Answer 20

Coldest, windiest, driest continent
Humans: Global warming, poaching whales, soil contamination, waste in sea

Antarctic Treaty 1961 Manage tourism, conserve, protect environment, scientific cooperation and manage protected areas

Question 21

What is Snowdonia and the Lake district? What measures are used to conserve them?

Answer 21

Snowdonia: Mountains in Wales
Lake District: Park, 16 lakes: conifers dominant, invasive species to be removed, controlled burning of heathland, pay farmers to maintain meadows
Ecotourism, Park Authority aim to conserve, teach, and enhance economy

Soil erosion from tourism, but encourage to stay on paths and maintained
Human waste, rubbish, littering, urine and excretion

Question 22

What is the environment of the galapagos islands?

Answer 22

Archipelago of volcanic islands, never connected to mainland
Endemic species- only exist there
Marine birds, Tortoise, iguana, Salt-tolerant, Drought-tolerant and more plants

Question 23

What problems to the Galapagos face?

Answer 23

Overfishing
Invasive species such as dogs eating turtles, cats hunting lizards and iguana s
Tourism
Population growth

Question 24

What solutions have been put in place for the Galapagos?

Answer 24

Park Rangers Across the island
Limiting human access to some parts of the island
Strict control of foreign species, quarantining so no invasive species
Ecotourism benefits
Using natural predators to control pests e.g use of ladybirds
Culling, killing organism for ecological reason, or prevent disease
Marine reserve- cannot extract resources
Captive breeding of tortoises

Question 25

What is ecotourism, and the pros and cons of it?

Answer 25

Tourism to natural areas which converses the environment whilst helping the local people

Pros: Employment, Wealth- for people, for country, to conserve environment, encourages sustainable development
Cons: Increased demand can lead to outsourcing, competition drives down prices exploited, littering, commercialisation of natural areas

Question 26

Why do peat bogs need conservation rather than preservation?

Answer 26

Peat bogs are already damaged
Preservation allows damage to continue as no human interference. Needs to be managed

Question 27

What are the advantages of coppicing?

Answer 27

New stems grow faster than sapling
Halts succession, meaning more light for smaller plants and varied light
Roots prevent soil erosion, so maintain soils quality
Longer life of trees
Does not need large machinery

Question 28

How have humans caused problems in the Galapagos?

Answer 28

Disturbance of the habitat
Brought foreign invasive species which predate or compete with the local species e.g giant tortoise, birds
Building of roads, deforestation and agriculture, harmed biodiversity and habitats present
More boats arriving, increased pollution and oil spills
Overfishing
Bringing new diseases