Ecosystems at Risk Flashcards
What are the ways to classify Ecosystems?
- Climate: desert, alpine, polar
- Vegetation: tropical rain forests, wetlands,
- Physical Landscape: mountains, coral reefs
In what two ways can the productivity of ecosystems be measured by?
Biomass: the mass of new living matter produced over time
Energy Flows: amount of energy in all organisms in an area per unit of time
4 Biophysical spheres
Hydrosphere
Biosphere
Lithosphere
Atmosphere
Name and list features of the 4 abiotic influences on ecosystems:
- Celestial: Sun and Moon (amount of day/night, heat, light, gravitational pulls)
- Earth: (seasonal changes, rainfall, temperatures, ocean currents)
- Chemical: (Sea sprays, nutrient upwelling, fallout from volcanic regions)
- Major Events: (volcanoes, tsunamis, tornadoes, earthquakes) can be gradual or Catastrophic
Name and list features of the 5 biotic influences on ecosystems:
- Life-cycles: influences food chain relationships
- Migration Behavior Patterns: birds/animals, vegetation patterns, seed dispersion
- Population Dynamics: explosions/crashes of populations in species
- Adaptations: influences distribution of species in ecosystems
- Species Interactions: maintenance, health, functioning of ecosystems.
Vulnerability and Resilience of Ecosystems:
Location:
Two main factors:
- Latitude determines to some extent temperature, hours of day/night, rainfall –> Climate
- Proximity to humans: human impacts/damages
Vulnerability and Resilience of Ecosystems:
Extent:
Refers to the boundaries (size) of an ecosystem, ecosystems that are small or have been distributed are more vulnerable.
Vulnerability and Resilience of Ecosystems:
Biodiversity:
Three Forms:
1.Genetic: variety of genetic information within a species. Survival of the Fittest. (Natural Selection)
- Species: variety of species within an ecosystem. Important for food chain and inter species interactions
- Ecosystem Diversity: diversity present within ecosystems in terms of habitat differences, biotic communities and ecological processes
Vulnerability and Resilience of Ecosystems:
Interdependence/Linkage:
Relates to Species Diversity. The greater the interdependence within the ecosystem the greater its ability to adapt to a changing environment.
What are some generalizations on Human Induced Modifications? (Hint there are 4)
- SPEED: hasn’t been faster
- SCALE: hasn’t been larger
- TECHNOLOGY: to implement large scale change is accelerating
- POPULATION: is increasing
6 major ways humans have altered ecosystems:
- Ecosystems are destroyed, degraded and simplified
- Pest populations have become stronger
- Predators are eliminated
- Alien species are introduced
- Potentially renewable resources are over harvested
- Chemical Cycling and Energy Flows are interfered with
Importance of Ecosystem Management and Protection:
Maintenance of Genetic Diversity:
- Ecosystems rich in diversity are more resilient
- Natural selection plays a role. Ecosystem + Stress–> Only the genetically/species resistant will survive.
- SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST!
Importance of Ecosystem Management and Protection:
Utility Value:
Is the usefulness or potential usefulness of something:
- products the ecosystem provides
- services the ecosystem provides
- other: national identity, myths etc.
Importance of Ecosystem Management and Protection:
Intrinsic Value:
Ecosystems have intrinsic value because they exist
- Existence
- Spiritual/Philosophical
- Aesthetics
Importance of Ecosystem Management and Protection:
Heritage Values:
Ecosystems can have natural or human heritage values.
Heritage gives us a sense of place and links to the past.
NESCO–> World Heritage List
Importance of Ecosystem Management and Protection:
Need to Allow Natural Processes To Occur:
Ecosystems are the net result of millions of years of evolution changes in response to environmental changes.
Humans have ethical responsibility to see this process to continue
Name the 4 Philosophies for Eco-management:
Hint: P.U.C.E
- preservation
- utilisation
- conservation
- exploitation
Radical Environmentalism:
(Your Radical Tree Huggers):
Wide range of views including those who advocate the right of all species to survive and those who argue against all forms of human development.
Romanticism:
(Me-Pip):
Values the beauty of nature. Advocates the protection of the wilderness, places unaffected by human interactions.
Stewardship:
(Indigenous):
Humans occupy a privileged position, responsibility to protect and nurture the land for the benefit of future generations.
Custodians of the Land
Utilitarianism:
(Government):
Things only have value if they contribute to the happiness and well being of people
Environmental Imperialism
(1984 nightmare):
Egocentric view holds that everything in nature is subordinated to wants of humans.
Ecosystems–> resources to be exploited for profit.
Contemporary Approaches: List the 3 types
Economic Attitudes: Protecting ecosystems comes at the cost of not extracting the natural resources
Changing Technology: Technology changes ecosystem management (Mapping Techniques, G.I.S, Testing/Measuring Technology)
Changing Environmental Attitudes: changing in favour of the environment. More willing to recycle/reuse for benefit of environment.
