extreme environmental change and human health

Question 1

what is environmental change and what are the two ways it can happen

Answer 1

any change or disturbance to the environment can be anthropogenic impact or natural ecological processes

Question 2

examples of factors that can trigger environmental change

Answer 2

human interferences, natural disasters, animal interactions

Question 3

name consequences of disasters

Answer 3

dehydration, exacerbation of respiratory and other diseases, E.Coli, tetanus, lack of food, destroyed healthcare systems, decreased potable water

Question 4

what is the scorched earth policy

Answer 4

military stratgy that aims to destroy anything that can be useful to the enemy

Question 5

what is bioaccumulation and describe the process of how it affects the animal at the top of the food chain

Answer 5

occurs when toxins accumulate along a food chain

1. Small amounts of toxic substances e.g. chemical waste are absorbed by plants
2. These plants are eaten by primary consumers in lower concentrations
3. If the toxin cannot be excreted, when the primary consumers are eaten by secondary consumers all the toxin is ingested and absorbed by secondary consumers
4. This repeats as secondary consumers are eaten by higher level consumers
5. At each trophic level of the food chain, the toxins remain in the tissues of the animals - so the concentration of toxin becomes most concentrated in the body tissues of the animals at the top of the food chain.

Question 6

how is Minamata disease caused and why is the disease still present

Answer 6

Minamata disease is caused by long-term mercury exposure. The disease is still present because of political indecision to regulate pollution or ban seafood consumption