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Biology > Human Impact on Ecosystems > Flashcards

Human Impact on Ecosystems Flashcards

1
Q

What is biodiversity?

A

Variety of all the different species of organisms on Earth or within an ecosystem

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2
Q

Why is a good biodiversity important?

A

Ensures the stability of ecosystems by reducing the dependence of one species on another for food, shelter and the maintenance of the physical environment

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3
Q

What does the future of human life on Earth require?

A

It requires a good biodiversity to be maintained

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4
Q

What is the impact of human activities on the environment?

A

They are reducing biodiversity and only recently has there been measures to try and stop this reduction in biodiversity.

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5
Q

What two factors are causing more resources to be used and more waste to be produced?

A
  • Rapid growth in population
  • Increase in standard of living
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6
Q

How does pollution occur in water?

A
  • Sewage
  • Fertilizer
  • Toxic Chemicals
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7
Q

How does pollution occur in air?

A
  • Smoke
  • Acidic gases
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8
Q

How does pollution occur on land?

A
  • Landfill
  • Toxic chemicals
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9
Q

What are five ways that humans can reduce the negative impact of human activity on biodiversity?

A
  • Breeding programmes for endangered species
  • Protection and regeneration of rare habitats
  • Reintroduction of field margins and hedgerows in agricultural areas
  • Reduction of deforestation and carbon emissions by governments
  • Recycling resources rather than dumping waste in landfill
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10
Q

In what ways are humans reducing land available for animals and plants?

A
  • Building
  • Quarrying
  • Farming
  • Dumping waste
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11
Q

What is the problem with the destruction of peat bogs and other areas of peat for compost?

A
  • Reduces the area of this habitat
  • Reduces the variety of species that live there
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12
Q

What is the problem with the decay and burning of peat?

A

Releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

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13
Q

What has caused large-scale deforestation of tropical areas?

A
  • To provide land for cattle and rice fields
  • To grow crops for biofuels
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14
Q

What is food security?

A

Having enough food to feed a population

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15
Q

What six biological factors are threatening food security?

A
  • Increased birth rate in some countries
  • Changing diets causing scarce food resources to be exported
  • New pests and pathogens that affect farming
  • Environmental changes such as droughts causing widespread famine
  • Cost of agricultural inputs
  • Conflicts that then restrict access to and availability of food and water
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16
Q

How can we improve the efficiency of farming?

A

Restricting energy transferred from the animals to the environment via limiting movement and controlling the temperature of their surroundings

17
Q

What are food animals fed to increase growth?

A

Food that is high in protein

18
Q

What is the problem with declining fish stocks?

A

Numbers of fish are not being maintained at a level where breeding continues and certain species may therefor disappear altogether in some areas

19
Q

What have been implemented to conserve the fish stocks at a sustainable level?

A
  • Controls on net size
  • Fishing Quotas
  • Larger mesh size
20
Q

What is the importance of biotechnology?

A

Modern biotechnology techniques enable large quantities of microorganisms to be cultured for food

21
Q

Which fungus is used to make mycoproteins?

A

Fusarium

22
Q

What is mycoprotein?

A

A protein rich food suitable for vegetarians made by fungi

23
Q

How are mycoproteins made?

A

Grown:
- on glucose syrup
- in aerobic conditions
Biomass is harvested and purified to form a food source

24
Q

What is an important turn in treatment of type 1 diabetes?

A

A genetically modified bacterium that produces human insulin that can be harvested and purified

25
Q

Why are GM crops important?

A

Could provide more food or food with improved nutritional value such as golden rice

Biology (5 decks)

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