Ecosystem Issues on a local scale:impact of human activity Flashcards
What is positive about urban land uses for ecosystems
There’s a variety of potential ecological habitats for plants and animals, opportunities for secondary plant succession eg where land is derelict. Other places more permanent plagioclimax may exist
What is a niche
The part of an ecosystem that a plant or animal occupies; a small scale area or micro habitat providing a specialised environment within which a certain species of plant can develop eg mosses on high walls and ledges
Stages of Succession in an urban wasteland
- Pioneer community forms
- changes occur in habitat
- vascular plants (ferns,seed plants) colonise
- shrubs and trees arrive
- a climax community forms
Describe succession in an urban wasteland
- Algae,lichen mosses colonise( producers) can survive with no soil.rainwater through body surface
- pioneer species impact the site, food present for consumer,decomposer,soil forms. Remains of plants broken down -decomposers.water held
- vascular plants eg fern colonise , change habitat further, pioneers disappear.
- shrubs and trees -need more soil
- climax community forms - stable eg tropical rain forest
Examples of places in the uk where succession has been encouraged and managed by people
Areas protected as nature reserves eg London wildlife trust
- Gunnersbury triangle
- the ripple amid industrial landscape of barking reach
What do route ways include
Verges of railways and duel carriageway roads. They provide distinctive habitats species brought in by road traffic and trains
Examples of rout way ecologies
Canals - act Like ponds
Railway lines-
Road traffic
Describe railway line route way ecology
Enable animals to move round city with little interference from traffic. Light demanding species eg primrose dominate .wind borne seeds sucked by trains eg Oxford ragwort. Spiders move in same way. Foxes and badgers exist due to lack of human disturbance - fencing
Road traffic route way ecology
Animals and species spread by wind borne seeds, blowing down track eg spiders. Roads provide food for kestrels and scavenging birds(magpie). Nitrogen rich fumes boost growth of wildflowers and increase animals and plants furthur up food chain
Negative/evaluation of route way ecologies on road traffic
Embankments and cuttings well managed. Planned planting of trees shrubs to act as noise screens. Grass mown regularly so reduce number of flora and fauna
Unplanned introduction of a new species example
Oxford ragwort- native to mountains, rocky or volcanic areas. Introduced from Sicily. Escaped into wild around 1720. It spread via the railway found home in man made natural piles of rock, grew on stone walls around Oxford
Another example of unplanned introduction of a species
Japanese knotweed . Was deliberately introduced in urban areas but migrated into places not wanted so is invasive. Spreads easily by rhizomes and cut stems or crowns
Problems caused by Japanese knotweed
- Damage to paving and Tarmac areas
- Damage to archeological sites
- Reduction of biodiversity by out shading native vegetation
- Restriction of access to river banks
- increased flood risk (damages flood defences)
- increased erosion when bare ground exposed in winter
- reduced visibility and access on roads and paths
- reduction in land values
Example of planned introduction of a species
The London plane tree widely planted in London in 18/19th century in urban development. Provide green cooridoors and used to line roads to create more pleasant living environment for city dwellers. Suited to urban environments and provides shade and is appealing. Resistant to pollution
Problems of London plane tree
- Decidious leaves need to be cleared in Autumn or slip hazard
- Some tress killed by a fungus brought over by USA
- Some evidence that airborne trachiomes from back of leave may be causing respiratory symptoms on some people like hayfever
What is the rural urban fringe
The transition area surrounding towns and cities
What land uses Is the rural urban fringe In demand of
- space for developing new houses, businesses, development parks
- transport including roads and airports
- recreation parks,sports stadia, golf courses
- waste disposal including landfill sites and sewage works
- agricultural land
What does Greenbelt legislation do ( edge of urban area)
Makes it difficult to obtain planning permission to build beyond a certain line
What is urban blight
Where land near to a city starts to deteriorate and is less well farmed can be due to
- vandalism
- pressure of tourists and leisure demands (diversification) paintballing
- tourism and leisure more difficult for farming
- pollution from traffic,housing,litter
What happens to unattended land in rural urban fringe
Becomes overgrown by weeds and brambles as secondary succession occurs which may lead to an increase in biodiversity
Positive influences on the rural urban fringe
Includes some special assets including distinctive landscape eg river valley and areas rich in biodiversity, listed buildings and reservoirs and canals. All of value to community and contribute to the quality of life. Government policy In favour or sustainable development eg by planting woodland. Country parks introduced - unmanaged and harbour natural plant communities. Provide breeding sites for birds eg skylark, lapwing
Opportunities and challenges in the rural urban fringe
- Huge demand for recreation in the rural urban fringe
- 267 country parks absorb 73 million visits per year
- Agriculture has to face problems eg crime, fly tipping,land fragmentation
- High levels of urban deprivation found on urban edge. Involving these communities in the management of the area around them offers community renewal, social inclusion and health benefits
What are wildlife cooridoors
Main way of linking wildlife habitats, allowing species to move between otherwise isolated areas, corridor provides shelter, protection, food and breeding sites
Examples of where there is a green coordioor
Milton Keynes built around a grid system of roads alongside grid of green corridors along rivers through parks and linked by roadside verges
Example of a created green cooridoor in a city
Green belt around Newcastle upon Tyne taken out so development could occur, areas around development had to be landscaped these areas linked by streams which ran Into Ouseburn forms a green corridor
Garden creation in the rural urban fringe involves
- Paved areas - ecosystem destroyed, rapid run off - flooding
- Lawns- monocultures chemicals limit number of plants and animal species there
- Gardens - large number of exotic plant species- these can escape into surround off environment
- Wildlife gardens planting patterns designed to encourage species of insects, butterfly,birds,small mammals. Chemical use minimum to encourage widest variety of species
How do ecological conservation areas differ from abandoned land
Succession had been Influenced deliberately by humans
Why are ecological conservation areas developed ?
- altruistic motives - give dull urban area colour
- Improving the visual outlook will hide eyesores
- schools may produce a diverse environment for study purposes
- groups eg birdwatchers diverse environment to attract new species
- act as noise and pollution inhibitors or reduce soil erosion
- encouraging wildlife back into cities
- cheap use of derelict areas
- reducing maintenance costs in an area
Management techniques of conservation areas include
- reduction in acidity of old industrial and coal spill sites by addition of lime
- the deliberate clearing of areas to create a variety of habitats
- mowing only once a year after meadow wildflowers have flowered
What forms of informal and formal work is done in conservation areas
Planting of trees or native species
Dredging of ponds
Soil improvements
What groups and organisations are behind the work done in conservation areas
Local authorities National government Joint nature conservation Committee Conservation volunteers The national trust Potential users of the site and local inhabitants
What is the case study for local area ecological conservation area
It’s SMALL SCALE doesn’t need to be near harrogate
Greenwich peninsula ecology park
It’s (local) and small scale
Location of Greenwich peninsula ecology park
In south east London the Greenwich peninsula
1km downstream south east of of o2 arena on south bank of river Thames
Human characteristics of Greenwich peninsula ecology park
- created on a brownfield site on old steelworks site by English partnerships
- 4 1/2 acre urban wildlife park completed early 2000 opened to public by trust for urban ecology in Feb 2002
- lottery grant in 2008 - improving site - disabled and pushchair access, improving community involvement - family activity days, world with local schools
- bird hides , bat houses built to view wildlife
- wide range of volunteers work to maintain park - cut reeds, clearing blocked streams
Physical characteristics of Greenwich peninsula ecology Park
- wetland environment with reed beds and inner ( only accessible at certain times) and outer lake
- mosaic of different habitats including shingle beach , wildflower meadow, marsh, willow woodland, alder woodland and small ponds and streams
Ecological characteristics of Greenwich peninsula ecology park
Wide range of habitats encourages biodiversity
Species present include
- garden frogs, toads , com,on newts - specially created spawning pond
- kingfishers - there’s a nesting tunnel (encourage breeding)
- water birds eg coots and swans
- reed bed birds eg reed warblers
- dragonflies ,butterflies
- plant species eg buttercups, water lillies, water reeds
Successes of Greenwich peninsula ecology park
- become a real haven for nature in south east London - positive social and economic impacts
- high biodiversity
- phytoremediation - roots of willow and other trees which are tolerant of pollutants take up the pollutants and bioaccumulate them ( stored in plants removed from soil)
- local people involved in care and maintenance of park
Failures of Greenwich peninsula ecology park
- could probably do more to attract a wider cross section of society to make use of it although it does work with local schools. It would ensure future generations use and protect the local wildlife
- only very small area in a very large city so impact will always be small scale
- future funding ? Where from?
