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1
Q

Zonation

A

change in community along an environmental gradient due to factors: spatial and static

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2
Q

Factors influencing zonation

A

temperature, precipitation, solar insolation, soil type, interactions between species

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3
Q

Estimating Biomass and energy of tropic levels within a community

A

measurement of dry mass, controlled combustion, extrapolation from samples – used to create ecological pyramids

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4
Q

Estimating Abundance of non-motile organisms

A

Quadrats, population density, percentage cover, percentage frequency

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5
Q

Simpson Diversity Index

A

D = N(N-1)/sum of n(n-1) (capital N is total number of organisms and n is number of individual of particular species

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6
Q

Speciation

A

gradual change of a species over a long time

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7
Q

Reasons for speciation

A

Physical barriers, Lang Bridges, Continental Drift

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8
Q

Human threats to biodiversity

A

Habitat destruction, introducing invasive species, pollution, over-harvesting, hunting

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9
Q

Factors for determining conservation status of species (IUCN)

A

Population size, degree of specialisation, distribution, reproduction potential and behaviour, geographic range and degree of fragmentation, quality of habitat, tropic level and probability of extinction

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10
Q

Value of Biodiversity

A

Direct - Food Sources, Natural Products.
Indirect - Environmental services, Educational Value, Biological Control agents, Future Potential, Gene Pools, Human Health, Human rights, Recreational and Ecotourism, Intrinsic Value, Biorights

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11
Q

Conservation Biology

A

Sustainable use and management of natural resources

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12
Q

Preservation Biology

A

attempts to exclude human activities (more difficult than conservation)

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13
Q

Approaches to Conservation

A

Species based
habitat Based
Both

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14
Q

Species based conservation example

A

CITES
- agreement between governments to address species becoming endangered because of international trade
- species are grouped by appendecies based on how threatened they are (I = cannot be traded, II = can be traded but with regulations, III = included at request of country needing coorporation from other countries)

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15
Q

Flagship Species

A

Popular despite not playing large role in ecosystem
Disadvantages:
- takes priorites over more important species
- if they become extinct will send message that we’ve failed

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16
Q

Keystone Species

A

Plays critical role in ecosystem - their loss would be devastating

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17
Q

Single Large Habitat Conservation

A

Contains sufficient numbers of large wide-ranging species, minimises edge effects =, provides more habitats for species

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18
Q

Several Small Habitat Conservation

A

Provides greater range of habitats, more populations of a rare species, danger of man0made disaster wiping out reserve is reduced

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19
Q

Greenhouse Effect

A

caused by gas in atmosphere reducing heat loses by radiating back into space -> trapping heat energy reflected from Earth’s surface

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20
Q

Ozone

A

In stratosphere Good (absorbs UV radiation), in trophosphere bad

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21
Q

Damaging Effects of UV

A

Genetic Mutation and subsequent effects on health, damage to living tissue, cataract formation in eyes, skin cancers, suppression of immune system, damage to photosynthetic organisms, damage to consumers of these organisms

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22
Q

Beneficial Effects of UV

A

stimulates production of vitamin D, can be used to treat skin diseases, used as steriliser to kill bacteria, can be an air and water purifier, industrial uses

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23
Q

Ozone Depleting Substances

A

CFCs - releases chlorine atoms, HCFCs (shorter lifetime in atmosphere), Halons, Methly Bromide, Nitrogen Oxides

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24
Q

Reducing ODS

A

Alter
- replace gas-blown plastics
- replace CFCs with propane or air
- replace aresols

Regulate
- recover and recycle CFCs
- legislate to have fridges returned to manufacturer and coolants removed and stored
- capture CFCs from scrap AC unites

clean up and Restore
- add ozone or remove chlorine from stratosphere

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25
Montreal Protocol
Agreement to phase out production of ODS directed by UNEP
26
Effects of ozone
Damage to plants, damage to humans, damage to materials and products
27
Photochemical Smog
Complex mixture of hundreds of primary and secondary pollutants. Is formed when ozone, nitrogen oxides and gaseous hydrocarbons from vehicle exhaust interact with strong sunlight
28
Dangers of particulates
Respiratory Problems, Carcinogenic (cancer causing), reduces productivity as less sunlight reaches leaf
29
Thermal Inversion
Increases Photochemical Smog. On warm day - an even warmer layer of air on top of polluted air prevents air rising and traps pollution on ground level
30
Direct Effects of Acid Deposition
weakening tree growth in coniferous forests, acid falling on lakes and ponds decreasing pH of water and effecting aquatic organisms
31
Indirect effects of acid deposition
Toxic - increased solubility of metal ions which is toxic to fish and plant roots Leaching of nutrients
32
Reducing Effects of Acid Deposition
Liming lakes to neutralise acidity, reducing emissions, precombustion techniques, end of pipe measures
33
Energy Choices
availability of supply, technological developments, politics, economics, cultural attitudes, sustainability, environmental considerations
34
Enhanced Greenhouse effect
increased GHGs = enhanced greenhouse effect causing global warming and climate change (only a concern because of anthropogenic activities)
35
Water Vapour
Has larges effect in trapping heat energy and is th most potent GHG however is usually not listed because concentration varies constantly
36
Ocean Conveyer Belt
Currents move nutrients if locked in dense water then oceanic food webs suffer. Reversal impacts entire marine food web and market which can also change weather patterns across world (el nino la nina)
37
Maximum Sustainable Yield
increase in natural capital that can be exploited each year without depleting original stock or potential for replenishment. Harvesting at this rate leads to population decline and unsustainable industry therefore should use Optimal sustainable yield instead.
38
Indicator Species
most sensitive to change so they are early warning signs something may have changed in an ecosystem
39
Biotic Index
Indirectly measures health in environment by looking at number of living things - assesses impact on species according to their tolerance, diversity and relative abundance
40
Human activities leading to soil degredation
Overgrazing, deforestation, unsustainable agriculture
41
Soil Erosion Processes
Sheet wash - large areas of surface soil are washed away during heavy storm periods and in mountainous areas as landslides. Gullying - channels develop on hillsides following rainfall - over time these become a lot deeper Wind Erosion
42
Ecocentric Value system
puts ecology and nature as central to humanity.
43
Anthropocentric Value system
humans must sustainably manage the global system
44
Technocentric Value System
technological developments provide solutions to environmental problems
45
Soil Degredation Causes
Erosion - removal of soil (water or wind) Process making soil infertile - chemicals
46
Human Activities leading to soil degredation
Overgrazing, deforestation, unsustainable agriculture
47
Overgrazing
too many animals graze in same area leaving bare patches where roots no longer hold soil together. Causes Erosion
48
Overcropping
depletes soil nutrients (friable) reduces soil fertility - no nutrients returned to soil susceptible to erosion
49
Deforestation
the more vegetation is removed the more soil will become prone to erosion (positive feedback loop) Root systems of forests bind soil together - removal bad
50
Unsustainable agricultural techniques
removal of crops after harvest (erosion) growing crops in rows with uncovered soil between (erosion) plowing in direction of slope excessive use of pesticides (toxic soils) irrigation - water evaporates before reaching crops (causes salinization)
51
Processes of soil erosion
Sheet wash - washed away during storms Gullying - channels on hillsides following rainfall over time becoming deeper Wind Erosion - high winds continually remove surface layer
52
ways to conserve soil
Addition of soil conditions - lime and organic materials Wind reduction - planting trees or bushes between fields Soil conserving cultivation techniques (growing cover crops, terracing, plowing, contour farming) Improved Irrigation Techniques (trickle flow) Stop Plowing marginal lands Crop Rotation
53
Subsistence Farming
Farming for self and community Mixed crops, human labour, low inputs and low outputs, vulnerable to food shortages
54
Cash Cropping
growing crops for market not for self
55
Commercial
large profit-making scale often a monoculture high inputs and high outputs
56
Extensive commercial farming
more land with lower density of stock and plants lower inputs and outputs
57
Intensive commercial farming
land more intensively used - high density high inputs and outputs
58
Pastoral
raising animals on grass and land not suitable for crops
59
Arable
growing crops on good soils to eat directly or feed to animals
60
Mixed farming approach
systems approach - crops and animals work together animal waster fertilise crops and crops fed to animals
61
Differences between commercial and subsistence farming
Agribusiness, Scale, Industrialisation, Mechanization, Fossil Fuel Use, Seed/crop/livestock choices, water use, fertilizer/pest control, antibiotics, legislation, pollinators
62
Malnutrition
lack of nutrients, excessive (obsesity), unbalanced
63
MEDCs food habits
relatively cheap costs purchase food out of choice seasonality mostly gone exotic food available all year around
64
LEDCs food habits
struggle to produce enough food for population political and economic agendas environmental limitations on food production
65
Factors determining choice of food
Climate, cultural and religious, political, socio-economic
66
Politics of food supply
NPP adapts but we demand more meat (reaching limits) those in poverty also increasing
67
History of Agriculture
Animal Domestication --> livestock --> growing crops--> fertilisers --> harvesting --> crop rotation
68
Efficiency of farming system
measured by energy it takes to produce crop vs Energy contained within crop of harvested product
69
Terrestrial food production systems
usually harvested at first of second trophic levels (efficient use of solar energy) higher losses - skeletol waste
70
Aquatic Food production systems
food comes from higher trophic levels therefore lower energy efficiency (entropy)
71
Factors contributing to decrease in agricultural land
soil erosion salinization desertification urbanisation
72
Strategies to improve agricultural sustainability
Maximise yield of food production systems (improved technology, alter what we grow and how, new green revolution) Reduce food waster - improving storage and distribution Monitoring and Control (governments, national, individuals) Change attitudes (no meat) Reduce food processing, packaging and transport
73
Human impact on water cycle
withdrawals (domestic use, irrigation) discharges (additions of pollutants to water) changing speed of water flow and where (channeling, canalising dams) diverting rivers or sections of rivers
74
Freshwater availability problems
disrupted rainfall patterns low water levels underground aquifiers being exhausted contamination irrigation fertilisers and pesticides
75
Freshwater availability solutions
reservoirs, redistribution, desalination, rainwater harvesting, artificially recharging aquifiers, reduced domestic waste, grey water recycling
76
Marine Organisms classification
Bethnic - living on sea bed Pelagic - living surrounded by water (above seabed or surface)
77
Sustainable ways to fish farm
fishmeal uses more trimmings and scraps (have been wasted in past) livestock and poultry waster replaced for fishmeal 8 species of caniverous fish can eat alternative sources without eating other fish
78
Impacts of fish farms
loss of habitats, pollution, spread of diseases, escaped species may survive to interbreed with wild fish or outcompete native species cauisng population crash
79
Overfishing
commercial fishing, fishing fleets, fishing vessels, indiscriminate fishing gear, huge nets
80
Aquatic pollution
floating debris, organic material, inorganic plant nutrients, toxic metals, synthetic compounds, suspended solids, hot water, oil, radioactive pollution, pathogens, light, noise, biological pollutants
81
Biochemical Oxygen Demand
measure of amount of dissolved oxygen is required to break down organic material in given volume of water (biotic index)
82
Eutrophication
results in excess growth of plants and phytoplankton, happens when excess nutrients are added to an aquatic ecosystem
83
Impacts of Eutrophication
bad looks foul smells anaerobic water loss of biodiversity death of higher plants increased turbidity of water lead to dead zones
84
Ingredients of soil
Mineral particles from underlying rock organic remains that have come from the plants and animals humus water within spaces between soil grains air with soil grains
85
Soil Horizons
O - start to decompose dead material A - where humus builds up B - organic matter deposited from layer above C - weathered rock - soil forms R - parent material (bedrock or other medium)
86
tools for quanitfying human population
CBR (PS/no.B * 1000) - birth CDR (PS/no.D * 1000) - death NIR (CBR-CDR/10) - increase rate DT - 70/NIR (doubling time Total Fertility Rate
87
Biomagnification
increase in concentration of persistent or non-biodegradable pollutants along a food chain
88
Bioaccumulation
build up of pollutants within organisms or trophic level because they can't break down
89
Ecological Pyramids
allow easy examination of energy transfer and losses give idea of organisms that exist at different trophic levels demonstrate ecosystem that are in balance
90
Pyramid of numbers
no. of individual organisms at each trophic level
91
Pyramids of biomass
displays weight of biological material at each trophic level
92
Pyramid of productivity
shows rate of flow of energy through each trophic level (most accurate)
93
NPP
GPP- respiration result from fact all organisms have to respire they are deductions as some energy is used in staying alive
94
Nitrogen Fixation
nitrogen in air combines with other elements
95
Ammonification
when nitrogen transformed into ammonia
96
Assimilation
when plants and animal take ammonia and nitrates as food for energy
97
Denitrification
when the nitrate is converted into nitrogen gas and put back into atmosphere
98
Replace - pollution management strategies
replace fossil fuel use with alternatives (renewables) reduce overall demand for electricity - education use public transport use low sulphur fuels
99
Regulate - pollution management strateges
clean up technologies at points of emission catalytic converters to convert nitrous oxides to nirtogen gas
100
restore - pollution management strategies
recolonise damaged areas international agreements liming forestry plantations
101
Mitigation strategies for climate change
Stablise or reduce GHG emissions Remove carbon dioxide from atmospshere Geo-engineering
102
Adaptation strategies for climate change
change land use through planning legislation build to resist flooding change agricultural production manage weather migrate to other areas manage water supplies

ESS (10 decks)

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