Humans And Biodiversity Flashcards
What is biodiversity?
Variety of all the different species of organisms that live on Earth, or within a specific ecosystem
Why is high biodiversity important?
Reduces dependence of one species on another for food or habitat maintenance
What is interdependence?
Within a community, species interact and depend on each other
How can we maintain biodiversity?
Breeding programmes
Protection and regeneration of rare habitats
Reintroduction of hedgerows
Government policies
Recycling
Where can pollution occur?
In water form sewage, fertiliser or toxic chemicals
In air, from smoke and acidic gases
On land, from landfill and toxic chemicals
Why are humans producing more waste?
Growth of population and improved standard of living
What has rapid population growth led to in terms of land use?
More land used for quarrying, building, farming and dumping waste
What is the destruction of peat bogs?
Decay or burning of peat for compost damages the biodiversity of the habitat and releases carbon dioxide
Why is deforestation taking place?
Provide land for cattle, rice fields and grow crops as biofuels
What does deforestation lead to?
Carbon dioxide released
Extinctions and reductions in biodiversity
Climate change
What is food security?
Having energy h food to feed a population
What is threatening food security?
Rapid population growth and increasing birth rate
Changing diet
New pests and pathogens
Environmental changes
Increasing cost of fertilisers
Conflict
What are sustainable fisheries?
Fish stocks must be maintained to ensure breeding continues
Net sizes and fishing quotas are controlled
What is the role of biotechnology?
Enables increased food production
Large quantities of microorganisms can be cultured for food
GM crops have increased yield and improve nutritional value or resistance to environmental changes
Bacteria can be genetically modified to provide human insulin
What is intensive farming?
Makes food production more efficient by restricting energy transfer from food animals to the environment
Limit movement of animals
Control temp