Ecosystems at Risk; SDP: the Importance of Ecosystem Management and Protection

Question 1

The importance of ecosystem management and protection
(HUMIN)

Answer 1

• heritage values
• utility values
• maintenance of genetic diversity
• intrinsic values
• need to allow natural change to proceed

Question 2

why must ecosystems be managed and protected

Answer 2

1. genetic diversity fosters biodiversity
2. biodiversity provides provides direct, indirect, and aesthetic & ethical value.
3. . Direct services provide medicine, food, and shelter. Indirect services are the mangroves, and muddy areas that filter water. 4. Indirect services are ecosystems that support ecosystems that are direct services.
4. These can include muddy wetlands that filter water, or mangroves that protect shorelines against erosions, as well as providing a habitat for species to live and breed in.
5. Aesthetic and ethical value not only benefits the ecosystems currently, but also future generations.

Question 3

what does biodiversity provide

Answer 3

maximum amount of material for continued natural selection and evolution

Question 4

role of evolution

Answer 4

provides a pool of dynamic living diversity

Question 5

what has a loss of genetic biodiversity lead to

Answer 5

a small number of food varieties being grown at the expense of locally adapted strains

eg. . Over 5 000 varieties have been documented in Peru, home of the potato. Only a handful is cultivated in commercial quantities around the world. The loss of genetic diversity has led to a drop in disease resistance in current stock, with an increase in diseases such as late blight(disease) and bacterial wilt.

Question 6

define utility value

Answer 6

the economic value the ecosystem can provide. Utility values rely on the natural resources within an ecosystem that have accountable value.

Question 7

it is important to protect/manage ecosystems that provide utility values such as

Answer 7

 Provisioning services; providing food and shelter/wood
 Regulating services; cleaning pollution from the air
 Cultural services; recreation
 Tourism

Question 8

why is it important to protect and manage ecosystems that provide utility values

Answer 8

they provide essentials such as oil and wood, water filtration etc.

Question 9

define heritage values

Answer 9

what makes a historic place significant to a community of people. It is comprised of the many meanings and values that people attach to a place.

Question 10

do heritage places provide habitats for unique species, and does protecting these places ensure survival of these species

Answer 10

yes

Question 11

what shows how important heritage values have become

Answer 11

UNESCO world heritage sites
national parks
state parks

Question 12

Heritage values are extremely important to manage and protect ecosystems which have…

Answer 12

 Existing examples of unique flora, fauna, and physical processes eg. pygmy possum
 Existing examples of cultural significance
 Examples of evolutionary processes

Question 13

Outline the importance of heritage value.

Answer 13

Heritage value is important because it protects the future use of ecosystems and supports the other values (utility, diversity, intrinsic, change).

Question 14

define intrinsic values

Answer 14

Intrinsic values are those things that have no tangible benefit. The peaceful feelings that can be gained from strolling though an ecosystem or snorkelling with whale sharks are examples of intrinsic values. Intrinsic values also include the inherent right of an ecosystem to exist.

Question 15

why should ecosystems be protected due to their inherent intrinsic value

Answer 15

• they have a right to exist even though they dont provide an economic/utility value
• social aspect: recreation, cultural and spiritual/emotional services

Question 16

spiritual/intrinsic use of mount Kosciuszko (aboriginal peoples)

Answer 16

Spiritual use: Aboriginal people used Mount Kosciuszko spiritually for events such as ceremony, trades, marriages, social events, to settle differences, for burial locations and to create art. They also use the mountainous terrain for the movement of their people, “the stars, clouds, sun and the moon guided people to and from places of importance”.

Question 17

aboriginal peoples other use/utility of Mount Kosciuszko

Answer 17

such as stone scatters- the result of tool making, they were scarred trees which were a result of providing bark for the roofing of huts, making canoes or carrying utensils, shields, cutting toeholds for climbing trees, cut holes into trees for extraction of animals or honey.

Question 18

ecotourism

Answer 18

People visit places of unique beauty and significant flora and fauna to see them, not take form them.
They are not concerned with their utility value.

Question 19

need to allow for natural change is extremely important, as it ensures that…

Answer 19

 Natural evolution and other ecological processes can occur
 Examples of ecosystems and the species in them are present in the future and have adapted to this future.

Question 20

define need to allow for natural change

Answer 20

unimpeded (without interference) natural change refers to the development of ecosystems as they would naturally occur.

Question 21

why is it important to allow for natural change

Answer 21

so that natural evolution of plants and animals may continue,
ecological processes may continue,
and so that evolution can contribute to greater diversity