Ecosystem Issues On A Global Scale

Question 1

What is the ecological footprint

Answer 1

A measure of human demand on earths ecosystems. Compares human demand with earths ecological capacity to regenerate it.
Represents the amount of biologically productive land and sea area needed to regenerate the resources a human population consumes and to absorb and render harmless corresponding waste

Question 2

What is deforestation

Answer 2

Clearing of earths forests on a massive scale often resulting in damage to quality of the land

Question 3

Evidence and impact of deforestation

Answer 3

Rainforests could completely vanish in 100 yrs at current rate of deforestation
Agriculture drives deforestation. Relates to money or families needs to provide for each other.
Deforestation in tropical rainforests adds more carbon dioxide to atmosphere than sum of total cars and trucks on roads

Question 4

Evidence and impact of climate change

Answer 4

Greenhouse gases increasing surface warming which could modify earths climate and biome distributions,raise sea levels and increase occurrence of extreme weather events

Question 5

Evidence scientists use for climate change occurring

Answer 5

-Mass melting of permafrost layers
-Increasing occurrence of lethal storms and flooding
-Increasing coral bleaching
Rapid retreat of many glaciers
-Warming of some oceanic waters
-Greenhouse gas emissions data

Question 6

Impact of climate change

Answer 6

• Increase average temperatures by 2-5c
• Change in global patterns of atmospheric pressure,winds,precipitation and humidity
• Increase sea levels,leading to costal flooding and coastal erosion
• Increase the frequency and severity of extreme weather events
• Create severe water shortages
• Shift climate zones and modify patterns of agricultural land use

Question 7

Evidence of pollution

Answer 7

Inevitable result of industrialised development. Transition from self sufficiency to industrialised society failed to take account of fragility of ecosystems that sustain us. Burning fossil fuels led to acid rain

Question 8

Effects of acid rain

Answer 8

• Dissolving and leaching of nutrients from upper soil horizons
• Destruction of protective waxy coating on confer leaves
• Decline in many species of lichen
• Higher levels of acidity in streams,river,lakes

All reduce biodiversity

Question 9

What organisations are trying to help educate people to protect ecosystems and to support sustainable development?

Answer 9

United Nations

World wide fund for nature (WWF)

Question 10

What aims did the U.K. Biodiversity action plan have?- first to commit to protection of environment

Answer 10

• protecting the best sites for wildlife - site of special scientific Interest
• targeting action on priority species and habitats
• embedding consideration of biodiversity and ecosystem services in all sections of policy and decision making
• encouraging people to change their behaviour in relation to environmental issues
• ensuring that the uk plays a proactive role in the development of multilateral environmental agreements

Question 11

What do multilateral agreements include

Answer 11

Those reached as a result of United Nations climate change conferences. COP21 will become legally binding if joined by atleast 55 countries which represent at least 55% of global greenhouse emissions

Question 12

Measures in COP21 agreement

Answer 12

• to peak greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible
• to keep global temperature increase well below 2oc and peruse efforts to limit it to 1.5c
• review progress every 5 yrs
• $100 billion a year in climate finance for developing countries by 2020 with commitment to further finance in future.

Question 13

Who are known as climate change sceptics

Answer 13

The Lavoisier group they don’t accept science of global warming. Downplays the risk of the effects of global warming. Some members regard climate change as a scam

Question 14

What is sustainable development

Answer 14

Any new development should meet the needs of the present whilst not compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Any demands on limited global resources should be modest and have a long term perspective

Question 15

What is the principle of precaution

Answer 15

Any proposed development involving any risk of environmental damage should not take place. If they are essential then they should be undertaken on a small scale and developers must build in maximum safeguards to protect the environment.

Question 16

What is a fragile environment or ecosystem

Answer 16

One that lacks resilience to a change in conditions

Often cause of which is human activity,introduction of a foreign species and natural events such as flooding or drought

Question 17

What can fragile environments include

Answer 17

Arid or semi arid areas (African Savanna) ,mountain areas, polar locations, freshwater and intertidal wetlands, rainforest (Amazon basin) and coral reefs

Question 18

What is exploitation

Answer 18

The use of natural resources for economic growth but in a way that may lead to environmental degradation

Question 19

What do conservation schemes aim to do

Answer 19

Stop the over exploitation of fragile ecosystems by human activity in order to protect the environment and to maintain biodiversity

Question 20

Case study for management of fragile environments in savanna grasslands

Answer 20

Serengeti national park and ngorongoro conservation area, Tanzania

Question 21

Case study for management of fragile environments in tropical rainforest

Answer 21

Jau national park - Amazonia

Question 22

Location of Serengeti national park and ngorongoro conservation area

Answer 22

North of Tanzania near Kenyan border
Over 2 million hectares in size
West of Rift Valley
In highland savanna region with plains and woodlands

Question 23

Ecosystem features in Serengeti national park (Savanna grassland)

Answer 23

• Relatively low seasonal rainfall
• Serengeti one of oldest ecosystems on earth
• Vast herds of migrating grazing animals eg wildebeest, plains zebra
• Predators include lions, cheetahs, leopards
• Birds - 500 species - vultures and flamingos
• Endangered species - rhinoceros, African elephant, hippopotamus

Question 24

Indigenous people of Serengeti national park and ngorongoro conservation area

Answer 24

• Masai mara - nomadic nerdsmen
• Lived in harmony with environment for thousands of yrs
• Extensive system of land management is sustainable but requires large areas for grazing
• The masais cultural code forbids the eating of wild animals protecting biodiversity

Question 25

Early development of the Serengeti national park

Answer 25

Early 20th century- British colonial rule
Hunting of wild game for fur and Ivory
1921 - first game reserve to preserve lions
1951- Serengeti national park
Masai lost right to live and graze cattle in park
1953 - ngorongoro conservation area
Masai welcomed with wildlife p, must live in traditional seasonally built homes called bombs - no permanent settlement allowed

Question 26

Development of Serengeti national park since Independence

Answer 26

• Managed by Tanzanian government
• Recession I’m 1960/70s led to underinvestment not conservation and protection of wildlife
• Elephant and rhino population decline - poaching
• 1980s- improved economic situation , boom in tourism start
• Greater income - rebuilding of infrastructure, re establishment of Anti poaching units
• Tourism key source of income -90,000 a year tourists
• Poaching remains a problem - 200 000 killed each year - giraffes and buffalo

Question 27

Opportunities for sustainable development Serengeti national park

Answer 27

• UNESCO Biosphere Reserve
• Locals now included more in decision making and in management of park
• Buffer zones - locals have rights,encouraged to make decisions regarding management of wildlife
• People on edge of park- controlled license game hunting - curb illegal poaching stops overgrazing
• Acknowledged locals will support tourism and recognise importance of wildlife conservation if they benefit economically
• Locals offered jobs in wildlife management,policing park
• Some Masai benefited from money paid by tourists for locally produced goods

Question 28

Threats to sustainable management in Serengeti national park

Answer 28

• Population pressure and poverty putting pressure on resources
• TNCs offered incentives to villagers to grow crops for biofuel
• nomadic pastoralists still living on fringes of protected areas under threats - grazing land scarce
• sedentary farming threatens traditional migration routes of wildlife and nomadic pastoralists.
• non native species also a threat eg Mexican prickly poppy - quickly takes over on overgrazed land

Question 29

The future of Serengeti national park

Answer 29

• Need for balance between grazing land, for wild and domestic animals and use of land for growing crops
• Authorities need to keep balance between needs of animals and needs of people to grow food

Question 30

Location of jau national park

Answer 30

Amazonia
200km nw of Manaus in Brazil
Largest national park in Amazon basin
No road access to park, only reached by river

Question 31

Ecosystem features of jau national park,Amazonia
Climate
Vegetation
Biodiversity - species no and threatened ones

Answer 31

• Tropical rainforest
• Humid tropical climate, 2 rainy seasons
• Ave temp 26c
• Range of vegetation types - dense tropical forest, seasonally flooded forest, shrub woodland in upland
• Great biodiversity - 120 species of mammals,470 birds ,320 fish
• Threatened species - long haired spider monkey , giant anteater , giant otter and jaguar

Question 32

Indigenous people in jau national park, Amazonia

Answer 32

None live within park
Small number of families that live in the area - descendent of Portuguese settlers

Live in traditional style by manioc cultivation, hunting,fishing, gathering turtles,collecting timber,rubber and nuts

Question 33

Development of jau national park in Amazonia

Answer 33

Isolated location there’s few outside pressures for development
No major projects eg hep dams,gas pipelines or mining affect area
Little tourism
Carabiniani falls in park provide main focus for tourists

Question 34

• Who owns 98.3% of jau national park

- Who manages it?

Answer 34

• Brazil’s federal government

- Brazilian institute of environment and national resources manages park (IBAMA)

Question 35

Opportunities for sustainable management of jau national park, Amazonia

Answer 35

-Visitors - prior authorisation from IBAMA in Manaus
-It’s a UNESCO world heritage site and WWF priority region for conservation
-Has complete management plan unlink others in Brazilian Amazon
( done by IBAMA ,local government research institutes, mining and tourism industries )
-Local residents involved in planning decisions
- education is provided
- ongoing research into protection of biodiversity - Vitoria Amazonica foundation
- GIS used to monitor and model changes

Question 36

Threats to sustainable management in jau national park,Amazonia

Answer 36

• Degradation and destruction of Brazil’s tropical rainforest
• Only 3.5% of total area of Brazilian Amazon is officially a protected area.
• All national parks have people living in them this law is unenforceable
• Jau - 250 families fish river quite intensively
• Been invaded by people from surrounding areas- better greater infrastructure needed
• Only 3 park rangers so outsiders can easily evade and remove fish and turtles which can affect future stocks

Question 37

The future of jau national park , Amazonia

Answer 37

Park authorities attempting to balance conservation with development
Threatened by those who wish to exploit its resources for short term gain and who could easily destroy the delicate structure of the ecosystem.