Chapter 24 Conservation Flashcards
What is conservation?
Maintaining biodiversity through human action or management
Can be species, genetic or habitat biodiversity
What main actions does conservation use?
Sustainable development- management of ecosystems so natural resources can be used without running out, renewable
Reclamation- Restoring ecosystems that have been damaged/destroyed
What is preservation?
Restricting or banning human interference, normally for ecological, archaeological, or palaeontological sensitive areas
What are the 3 main reasons showing the importance of conservation?
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
What are the main aims of sustainability?
Preserve the environment
Renewable resources
Comfort
LEDCs and MEDCs balance out
What are the three layers to a forest? What threats do forests face?
Canopy- thickest Shrubs. Leaf litter
Agriculture, Housing, Logging, Pollution, Global warming
What is coppicing and rotational coppicing?
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
What is pollarding and why is it done?
Similar to coppicing but cutting the tree higher to prevent animals eating shoots
What is clear felling?
Removing the entire tree, nothing remains
What are the disadvantages of clear felling?
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
Which techniques are used for small and large scale timber production?
Small- Coppicing, Rotational Coppicing, Pollarding
Large- Clear felling
How is tree felling on a large scale being adapted to become more sustainable and less damaging?
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
Why do we fish and what problems have been encountered?
Source of protein, healthy
Overfishing
Decline in fish populations as cannot regenerate
What are some solutions to combat overfishing?
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
Outline the ecosystem in the Masai Mara, and what problems/solutions they have to aid sustainability?
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
Outline the ecosystem in the Terai region, and what problems/solutions they have to aid sustainability?
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
What is a peat bog and why is peat used/important?
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
What are methods for the conservation of peat bogs?
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
What are environmentally sensitive ecosystems and what are the general measures in place to raise sustainability?
Ecosystems which are less resistant to change than others
Limiting tourist areas
Controlling movement of livestock
Anti-poaching
Replanting forests/native plants
Limit hunting
What is the Antarctic ecosystem? How have humans affected it and how have we made efforts to conserve it?
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
What is Snowdonia and the Lake district? What measures are used to conserve them?
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
What is the environment of the galapagos islands?
Archipelago of volcanic islands, never connected to mainland
Endemic species- only exist there
Marine birds, Tortoise, iguana, Salt-tolerant, Drought-tolerant and more plants
What problems to the Galapagos face?
Overfishing
Invasive species such as dogs eating turtles, cats hunting lizards and iguana s
Tourism
Population growth
What solutions have been put in place for the Galapagos?
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
What is ecotourism, and the pros and cons of it?
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
Why do peat bogs need conservation rather than preservation?
Peat bogs are already damaged
Preservation allows damage to continue as no human interference. Needs to be managed
What are the advantages of coppicing?
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
How have humans caused problems in the Galapagos?
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
