Exam Flashcards
Briefly describe what Biosphere 2 was
Biosphere 2 was an experiment where humans were tested if they could live in a closed system for 2 years without any supplies from the outside world.
What type of system was biosphere 2 conducted in? Did the system change over time?
Biosphere 2 was a closed system at first, however as time went on they ran out of oxygen. Therefore, they needed to pump more oxygen in from the outside. Unfortunately meaning that the system was no longer closed; it had become an open system.
Briefly describe the 3 types of systems
Isolated: nothing can come in or out
Closed : Only energy comes in and out (submarine underwater)
Open: Both energy and mass come in and out (classroom)
Name the four S’s of ecosystem services
Sources, Sinks, Services and Spirituality.
What is a Source (or provisioning service) and provide examples
Sources (also called provisioning services) are those natural products that can be used or converted by humans for our use. For example, mineral deposits such as coal which we turn into fuel, iron ore which we use in manufacturing, timber from natural forests, and food sources – from plant crops to deep sea fish.
What is a Sink (or regulating service) and provide examples
Sinks (also called regulating services) are those processes in the natural environment that absorb our waste. For example, micro-organisms in oceans break down oil spills.
What is a Service (or supporting service) and provide examples
Services (also called supporting services) are things that are done for us by the natural environment that don’t produce consumable resources. For example, wetlands filter water and slow floodwaters. Forests absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen.
What is Spirituality and provide examples
The environment also has a spiritual function for many people. For some, this is a deep connection to the
land formed over many generations. For example, the connection that Indigenous Australians have with
their tribal lands. For others, it is the experience of spending time in the natural environment and the sense of wellbeing that this brings.
What are the two human-centred views and briefly describe them.
Egocentric: I am the most important creature on Earth. Everything and everyone else is important to the extent that they support me and my lifestyle. (Trump/ Jake Paul)
Anthropocentric: Humans are the most important species. We are in charge of the Earth and the natural world. We can use nature to support us and our lifestyle. (Michael Vick)
What are the two earth-centred views and briefly describe them.
Ecocentric: We should do whatever we can to minimise our impact and preserve the Earth’s biodiversity. We are no more important than any other organism.
Biocentric: We have a responsibility to use the Earth’s resources in a sustainable way. Other species may be useful to us but they also have as much right to exist as we do. (weird ass vegans)
How do the different world-views effect sustainability?
Ecocentric worldviews promote sustainability whereas human centric worldview endangers sustainability.
What is an open-access resource?
Anyone can use the resource, e.g cod in sea
What is the tragedy of the common?
This is the loss of something which had become routinely used and the tragedy is that people take too much of a limited resource and it gets ruined. Short term interest against the common good.
How many people are employed in the fishing industry?
540 million people are employed in the fishing industry
What percent of fish species are fully exploited and over exploited?
More than half of the species investigated by the United Nations are described as being ‘fully exploited’ and have no potential for increased production in the future. Another third of fish species are described as being ‘over exploited’. This means that they are currently being fished at an unsustainable level.
What is maximum sustainable yield?
M.SY is the greatest amount of a resource that we can harvest without affecting the ability of that resource to re-stock to a healthy level. For example, continually increasing effort to catch fish beyond the M.S.Y ultimately reduces the ability of species to maintain a population.
What is the carrying capacity?
Carrying Capacity is the total frequency of individuals within a community a habitat can sustain. For example, within a population of foxes, there is enough space and water for 20 individuals.
Define biodiversity and biodiversity loss
Biodiversity is the variety of living organisms on the planet or in a certain habitat. Biodiversity loss is the extinction of species in a habitat or world-wide.
What is causing biodiversity loss?
This loss of biodiversity is due almost entirely to the impact of just one species – humans.
The five main causes of this are:
• habitat change such as deforestation
• over exploitation of resources such as fresh water
• pollution of land, water and air
• the spread of invasive species
• climate change brought about by human activity.
What species are being affected the most from biodiversity loss?
Birds and amphibians (such as frogs)
What are the 4 types of greenhouse gases?
Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxides and fluorinated gases
What are the 4 ways in which plants and animals respond to climate change, at briefly describe the methods.
they change their basic biology – certain animals may
reproduce less often or lay smaller eggs.
they change the timing of certain events such as
flowering – certain plants may flower earlier or later depending on the conditions. This can impact on birds that rely on these plants for food.
they die out – when a species dies out it can have serious impacts on the entire ecosystem.
they move – in general, many plants and animals are moving towards the poles and into higher altitudes, as temperatures in these places are similar to those in their previous habitats. This affects plants and animals already living in these places.
What is water pollution?
Water pollution is the contamination of rivers, lakes, wetlands, estuaries, seas and oceans through the release
of harmful substances.
How is water pollution brought about?
Water pollution can be caused by human activities on or near the water such as shipping and deep-sea oil drilling, as well as various land activities such as creating tips and landfills.
What is Air Pollution?
Air pollution is the contamination of the atmosphere through the release of harmful gases and small particles.
What is Land Pollution?
Land pollution is the contamination of areas of land through the release of harmful substances.
What is Land Degradation?
The loss of productivity and decline in fertility of land as a result of human activities is known as land degradation.
What percentage of world’s total land area is affected by Land Degradation?
Roughly one quarter
What percent of farmed areas on the earth are affected by Land Degradation?
38%
How many people in the world are affected by Land Degradation?
1.5 Million
What is Soil Degradation?
Soil degradation is the loss of fertility in soil, often due to chemical change.
What is the main soil degradation problem in australia?
the build-up of salt in the topsoil known as salinity.
What is Soil Erosion?
Soil erosion is where the soil is gradually worn away by natural things such as lakes, rivers, rain, waves and glaciers.
What is the cause of Ecosystem Decline?
The loss of vegetation, invasion of unknown plants, animals’ pests or a decline in the quality of water streams.
Name 2 management responses for salinity (soil degradation)
One approach is to improve farming systems so that farmers use less water. Another approach is the use of salt interception schemes.
What 2 economic realities continue to drive deforestation
Understand General Concepts
- Trees grow slowly and other crops such as soya beans grow quickly. As populations continue to grow and expand, and people tend to their current needs rather than the needs of future generations, forests continue to be cleared and replaced by farms to provide people with income and food.
- Many ecosystem services provided by forests, such as absorbing and storing carbon and filtering water, do not have a monetary value and cannot be bought and sold. Produce from farms and timber from forests are easily bought and sold so are seen as more valuable to local populations than intact forests.
Of the 60 million square kilometres of forest that once covered the Earth, how much remains?
two thirds
List 6 ways to slow and reverse deforestation.
Conserving national forests such as national parks
Pricing forest ecosystem services such as carbon storage
Selective logging – only cut down needed trees rather than a whole forest
Replanting trees to increase forest areas
Using timber grown in plantations rather than in forests
New and improved farming practises to reduce the need for land to be cleared.
What are invasive species?
Invasive species are a group of organisms found in an area they are not native to.
How do invasive species lead to biodiversity loss?
Invasive species can impact biological diversity and disrupt ecosystem balance as native species are threatened by the invasive species, as they often compete with native species for food, land or water
Describe ‘Caring for Country’ and the important aspects within it
Indigenous Australians have a special connection with the land, they feel responsible for looking after the stories, resources and culture of an area. This is referred to as caring for out country. Important aspects of this include connecting with ancestors and maintaining the natural resources. By doing this they seek to live sustainably. The concept of caring for our country applies to all landscapes.
What is the DPSIR framework used for?
The DPSIR framework is used to assess and manage environmental problems
What is TBL used for?
TBL allows us to evaluate the sustainability of management responses used to manage environmental issues. TBL only applies to RESPONSE. The sustainability is evaluated using three criteria: social, economic and environmental outcomes of the management response.
What is social (“people”) when referring to TBL?
People (social) relates to fair and equal outcomes for all people and communities in the region affected by the management strategy. There can be no losers from the strategy. e.g provides jobs
What is environmental (“planet”) when referring to TBL?
Planet (environmental) refers to sustainable environment practises. A TBL response endeavours to benefit the natural order as much as possible and not harm the environment.
What is economical (“profit”) when referring to TBL?
Profit (economic) is the economic value created by the response great enough to justify its implementation. Does anyone lose out economically as a result of the response.
What are Drivers when referring to DPSIR?
(Human Needs) Drivers are often defined as socio-economic sectors that fulfil human needs for • Food • Water • Shelter • Health • Security - Culture
What are Pressures when referring to DPSIR?
These are the human activities undertaken to fulfill the human needs, which may intentionally or unintendedly exert pressures on the environment.
“Human activities” that exert pressure include
• Land use change
• Resource consumption
• Release of substances
• Physical damage through direct contact uses
What is State when referring to DPSIR?
This refers to the state of the environment. An example of a state process is the nitrate level in the surface water.
Physical variables – the quality and quantity of physical phenomena such as temperature or light
Chemical variables – the quantity and quality of chemicals such as atmospheric CO2 concentrations or nitrogen levels
Biological variables – the condition at the ecosystem, habitat, species, community, or genetic levels such as fish stocks or biodiversity.
What is Impact when referring to DPSIR?
The impacts are the changes in welfare or wellbeing of humans, which are caused by the state changes. In this particular case, it is the harmful algal blooms and their impact on society.
Provisioning of food, timber, water
Regulation of the air quality, water quality or disease
Cultural benefits including aesthetic or recreational value
Indirect supporting processes that maintain the ecosystem
What are responses when referring to DPSIR?
These are the actions undertaken by groups or individuals in our society or by the government to prevent, compensate, or adapt to changes in the state of the environment.
Responses may do one or more of the following:
Alternate, modify, substitute or remove the driver
Eliminate, reduce or prevent the pressures
Restore or influence the state
Compensate or mitigate the impact
Define Wellbeing
Wellbeing is the ability of people to access the things they need in order to live happy, healthy and contented lives.
Describe Health in reference to wellbeing
Health is affected by clean air, clean water and a secure supply of nutrious food. Some other important factors include the ability to treat and control spread of diseases, access to health services. In general, for wellbeing to be good the level of health in the community has to be high.
Describe Wealth in reference to wellbeing
The access to needs and wants is determined by our wealth and our ability to earn a living. Wealth is generated by producing and selling things, earning wages from work, making investments and owning assets. If we have wealth, we have access to goods and services but if we don’t have wealth we don’t.
Describe Education in reference to wellbeing
Access to formal education is seen by many as a key factor in improving one wellbeing. By having essentials to life such as reading give one greater access to more services. In many countries’ education is hard to get leading to a low level of well-being. However, literacy rates around the world are improving. Meaning education is improving leading to wellbeing increasing.
What are the common indicators of wellbeing?
GDP (Wealth), Literacy Rates (Education), Qualitative Data (surveys, interviews, etc…) and Human Development Index which combines all 3 wellbeing factors into a single measurement.
