Issues Threatening Biodiversity - W4

Question 1

Define: Biodiversity

Answer 1

Refers to the variety and abundance of life that inhabits Earth

Question 2

What can Biodiversity be used to describe?

Answer 2

Number of different species
Population size
Genetic differences

Question 3

What is Limited plant biodiversity?

Answer 3

Plants are all the same specie, potentially genetically identical too (monoculture)

Question 4

What is High plant biodiversity?

Answer 4

Many different species live in the same habitat and individuals are genetically different from others

Question 5

What 7 ways can humans benefit from biodiversity?

Answer 5

Resources
Biomimetics
Medicines
Physiological research
Pest control
Genetic resources
Ecosystem services

Question 6

How does Deforestation affect Biodiversity?

Answer 6

When animal species that live in the trees cannot relocate and therefore become extinct

Question 7

How does Ploughing of Grassland affect Biodiversity?

Answer 7

Reduces the ability of soils to absorb water and also causes water to run off much quicker

Question 8

How does Urban Expansionaffect Biodiversity?

Answer 8

Leads to natural habitats becoming fragmented (broken up)

Question 9

What resources of materials is collected from Plants and Animals?

Answer 9

Wood
Fibres
Oils
Fuels
Food

Question 10

Define: Biomimetics

Answer 10

Involves the use of knowledge of the adaptions of other species, to improve the designs of manufactured items

Question 11

Name one example of how biomimetics has been used

Answer 11

The splayed wingtip feathers of soaring birds reduces wind turbulence and drag. The copy of their feather structures has improved aircraft wing designs to help increase fuel efficiency

Question 12

Define: Conservation

Answer 12

A discipline that focuses on protecting and restoring the Earth’s biodiversity

Question 13

Why conserve? Medicines: two examples

Answer 13

Poppies and cultivated to produce the painkillers morphine and codeine

The Mexican yam in Central American rainforests was the source of diosgenin that has been used to make steroid medicines including the contraceptive pill and cortisone to reduce inflammation and allergic reactions

Question 14

Why conserve? Physiological research: two examples

Answer 14

Studying dolphins and bats that use high frequency sound to echo-locate their food has enabled the development of new ultrasound scanners that give better 3D images for medical diagnosis

Armadillos are among the few animals that can catch the bacterial disease leprosy. They are used in the study of the disease and in vaccine products ion

Question 15

Pest control: two examples

Answer 15

The populations of natural predators such as ladybirds and ground beetles can be increased by providing suitable habitats such as hedgerows and beetle banks

Encarsia formosa is a parasitic was that is released in greenhouses to control whitefly pests on crops such as tomatoes

Question 16

Threats to biodiversity: Genetic Resources: Give one example

Answer 16

The higher a population’s genetic diversity, the more likely the population can survive environmental change

Question 17

Name 6 characteristics introduced from Crop Wild Relative species (CWR)

Answer 17

Disease resistance
Salt-tolerance
Resistance to drought
High yield
Improved taste of appearance
Nutrient uptake

Question 18

What are 8 examples of ecosystem services?

Answer 18

Pollination and seed dispersal
Atmospheric composition
Soil maintenance
Habitat provision
Food
Interspecies relationships
The hydrological cycle
Biogeochemical cycles

Question 19

What are four examples of direct exploitation of animals?

Answer 19

Fashion
Entertainment
Medicines
Furniture

Question 20

What are 5 examples of changes in ABIOTIC factors?

Answer 20

Water availability
Temperature
pH
Physical damage
Water turbidity

Question 21

Water availability: Example

Answer 21

Over-exploitation of groundwater resources can lower the water table in the ground which may cause surface wetland habitats to dry out, making it impossible for wetland species to survive

Question 22

Temperature: one example

Answer 22

In climate change, the temperature changes will cause changes to the distribution of species as they colonise areas which become suitable, or die out in areas where they can no longer survive

Question 23

pH: one example

Answer 23

Mine drainage water and pollutant gases from burning fossil fuels, or smelting metals, can produce acidic conditions. These can denature the cell
proteins of exposed tissues

Question 24

Water turbidity: one example

Answer 24

Activities such as ploughing and mining may increase water turbidity. This can reduce light penetration and prevent submerged aquatic plants from photosynthesising

Question 25

Physical damage: one example

Answer 25

A wide range of human actions can cause physical damage such as discarding litter or old fishing gear

Question 26

What are three examples of changes in BIOTIC factors?

Answer 26

Pollinators
Seed dispersal species
Food chain impacts

Question 27

What are some examples of Habitat destruction?

Answer 27

Deforestation
Ploughing of grassland
Reservoir creation
Mineral extraction
Urban expansion