Ecological Degradation

Question 1

What is ecological degradation?

Answer 1

When humans negatively impact ecosystems

Question 2

What is eutrophication (process)?

Answer 2

• Farmers use nitrate fertilisers it maximise growth and increase yield
• Excess nitrates run-off into the rivers
• Aquatic plants grow (due to nutrient rich water), die (surface plants and algae block sunlight) and are decomposed by microbes as a result
• Microbes use all the oxygen, causing fish populations to die out

Question 3

What is fish farming (process)?

Answer 3

• Successful way of reducing overfishing to scarce, wild fish populations
• BUT the fish pens encourage the build up of uneaten foods and parasites, which pollute the surrounding water and spread to wild populations

Question 4

What is the introduction of indigenous species? (Use cane toads in Australia as an example)

Answer 4

• Cane toads are introduced from South America to control cane beetles in sugar cane farms
• They were successful but their populations grew too large, resulting in no native predators.
• They also ate other populations