Human Activities Flashcards
What stress has the increasing human population caused?
More stress on trying to feed everyone on earth
What is putting a stress on feeding everyone on earth?
The rapid increase in human population
What has reduced biodiversity in farming?
Monocultures - used to grow crops in high volumes and very efficiently
What can natural ecosystems develop to?
Complex communities with a high diversity index
What are agricultural ecosystems controlled by?
Humans
Why do agricultural ecosystems have a lower amount of alleles in the gene pool?
Species are selected with specific qualities
What is the limit for economic benefit between farming capacity?
To be economically viable the numbers have to be large but fields can only support a certain amount of biomass
Why can other (not specifically selected) species survive in an agricultural ecosystem?
Competition
What chemicals reduce species diversity in an agricultural ecosystem?
Pesticides and herbicides
What are 4 ways of directly removing habitats?
1) removing hedgerows and grubbing out woodland
2) creating monoculture
3) filling in ponds and draining marsh/wetland
4) overgrazing of land by animals which prevents regeneration of woodland
What 3 things indirectly effect habitats?
1) pesticides and inorganic fertilisers
2) escape of effluent from silage stores and slurry tanks into water courses
3) absence of crop rotation and lack of intercropping or under sowing
What 4 ways has food production in the UK doubled?
1) use of improved genetic varieties of plant and animals
2) greater use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides
3) more biotechnology usage
4) changes in farm practices - larger farms
What can be used instead of erecting fences as field boundaries?
Plant hedges
What is good to be done with ponds to increase biodiversity?
Maintain existing ponds and create new ones
What can be done with wet corners of fields to increase biodiversity?
Leave them - don’t drain
What can be done to areas with low species diversity to increase it?
Plant native trees
What can we use instead to reduce the use of pesticides for a higher biodiversity?
Use biological control or genetically modified plants that are resistant to pests
What type of fertilisers should be used to maintain a high diversity index?
Organic
What can be used in crop rotation to improve soil fertility?
Nitrogen fixing crops
What can be used in place of herbicides?
Intercropping
What can be used instead of grass for silage?
Hay in natural meadows
What change can be made to cutting verges and fields to increase biodiversity?
Leave it until after flowering to conserve seed dispersal
What are conservation headlands?
Areas at the edges of fields where pesticides are used restrictively so wild flowers and insects can breed
What is Ex-situ conservation?
Process of protecting an endangered species, variety or breed of plant or animal outside its natural habitat
