Ecosystems under threat (theme 3)

Question 1

Why is the rain forest important?

Answer 1

-3/4 of all medicine
-building materials and fuel
-Water
-Regulates climate

Question 2

3 reasons why humans create a loss in biodiversity

Answer 2

-Energy
-Minerals
-Water

Question 3

5 ways how humans create a loss in biodiversity

Answer 3

1. Islandisation
2. Pollution
3. Over-harvesting
4. Habitat destruction
5. Introduction of alien species

Question 4

What does the biosphere do?

Answer 4

-regulates compisition of the atmosphere
-Regulates hydrological cycle
-Maintains soil health

Question 5

Why is deforestation happening so quickly?

Answer 5

-Cattle ranching
-Mining
-Logging
-Farming
-Palm oil

Question 6

Economical impacts of deforestation

Answer 6

-Tourisum can be damaged if too much deforestation
-Creates jobs when opening up the mining industry

Question 7

Environmental impacts of deforestation

Answer 7

-Fewer trees mean less carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere by photosynthesis.
Fewer trees mean that soil is bound together less tightly and that soil erosion is more likely to happen. This increases the probability of flooding and makes the soil less nutrient-rich

Question 8

Examples of Global actions to protect the rain forest?

Answer 8

REDD and CITES

Question 9

Advantages of REDD

Answer 9

-Pays countries that reduce their deforestation so gives them an alternate reason for their loss of income
-The scheme increases number of trees therfore biodiversity and forest
-Supported by united nations

Question 10

Disadvantages of REDD

Answer 10

-Countries only payed if emissions have fallen
-REDD does not monitor if the changes are sustainable or not

Question 11

Advantages of CITES

Answer 11

-Protects 5,800 species of animals
-A global treaty so everyone has to abide by it
-Can limit trade of certain plant species between countries

Question 12

Disadvantages of CITES

Answer 12

-Not all nations have signed the agreement
-Only regulates plant trade between countries

Question 13

Deforestation case study: Causes of deforestation in the solomon islands

Answer 13

-Loggers for tropical wood
-60% of economy comes from this
-

Question 14

Deforestation case study: Impacts of tourisum

Answer 14

-Waste from tourists gets into water and damages the coral reef depleting biodiversity and food sources

Question 15

Deforestation case study: What is ecotourisum

Answer 15

Money from tourists from rich countries pay money wich goes into schemes to help environments

Question 16

Deforestation case study: What is Sustainable logging?

Answer 16

Preserved area of forest where you can only cut 1 tree at a time so there is a higher price for lumber

Question 17

Deforestation case study: What is Debt for nature?

Answer 17

LIC goverments protect rainforest in return for HIC paying there dbt

Question 18

Benefits of elephants in the savannah

Answer 18

Elephents eat a lot of food but dont take up much nutrients so dung is nutrient dense

Question 19

Why does poaching occur?

Answer 19

-Ivory to sell ( high demand in china)
-Corrupt goverment paying to piach

Question 20

Ways to stop poaching?

Answer 20

-Camera in horn and GPS
-Enforce legeslation
-Education

Question 21

what is desertification?

Answer 21

Spreading of deserts resulting in land becoming unproductive

Question 22

Physical causes of desertification?

Answer 22

Climate change leads to less rainfall as increase in temp means more evaporation than condensation leading drought and causing vegetation to die

Question 23

Human causes of desertification?

Answer 23

-Increase in animals being kept leads to overgrazing and vegetation being eaten
-Population increases causes greater demand for wood and fuel meaning trees are cut down and vegetation removed

Question 24

What is the great green wall and how it prevents desertification?

Answer 24

A wall of trees across africa to stop the desert spreading
Prevents desertification by stopping desert expansion by creating vegetation aswell as shade so less water is evaporated so other plants can grow