Ecosystems at Risk

Question 1

What factors affect the relationship between biomes and latitude?

Answer 1

• Atmospheric circulation cells
• Temperature and albedo
• Ocean circulation

Question 2

How can stress events be categorised?

Answer 2

As natural or anthropogenic, as gradual or catastrophic

Question 3

What factors affect vulnerability?

Answer 3

BELL (Biodiversity, Extent, Location and Linkages)

Question 4

What key terms are related to the resilience of an ecosystem?

Answer 4

Elasticity, malleability, amplitude and resilience phase

Ensure that you can define these terms

Question 5

What are the reasions for ecosystem management and protection?

Answer 5

HUGIN (Heritage value, Utility value, Genetic diversity value, Intrinsic value and Natural change proceeding)

Question 6

What are some human impacts to the TRHS?

Answer 6

• Logging (legal and Illegal)
• Plantation (palm oil mostly) farming
• Peat draining and increased fire activity
• Urban development
• Tourism (source of protection, minimal impact)
• Poaching
• Land clearing
• Climate change

Question 7

What are some traditional management strategies being used in the TRHS?

Answer 7

• Nomadic lifestyles (Orang Rimba)
• Customary common land use rules
• Totems
• Cultural ecological knowledge

Question 8

What are examples of comtemporary management strategies

Answer 8

SLEEPT (Social, legal, ecological, economic, political, technological)

Not necessary to memorise but helpful

Question 9

What are some human impacts to the GBR?

Answer 9

• Global warming
• Tourism
• Mining
• Farming
• Fishing
• Urban development
• Pollution

Question 10

What are some traditional management strategies being used in the GBR?

Answer 10

• Nomadic lifestyles
• Mosaic burning
• Closed seasons
• Totems
• Hunting seasons
• Intense cultural ecological knowledge

Question 11

What are some key biophysical interactions in the TRHS?

Answer 11

• Subduction zone: rich volcanic soilds, Bukit Barisan range creates orographic rainfall, rivers from the mountain range creats peatland marshes, temperature difference up the mountain causes diveristy in plant species
• Linkages between species
• Succession process: emergent tree falls, decomposers (following natural disasters), layers of the rainforest e.g. canopy

Question 12

What are some key biophysical interactions in the GBR?

Answer 12

• Symbiotic relationship (mutualism) of the zooxanthellae and coral polyp
• Coral exoskeleton forms ocean substrate and sand, biogenic matter
• Tropical storms cause mechanical damage, freshwater pooling (reduced salinity), increased turbidity, etc. Replenished by coral spawning events
• EAC effects on water temperature
• Biogeographic processes