L1 - Introduction/UK Marine Conservation Flashcards
Give 3 reasons why we should bother with marine conservation
- To give attention to less known species - to reduce the effect of the fluffy theory of conservation
- Because there is a recreational value of the marine environment
- To support the global economy
In which year was the UK’s Marine Biodiversity Action Plan published by the government?
1994
How many marine mammal species are found in UK waters and how many of which are regularly recorded?
28 and 10 regularly recorded
What are the two most common cetaceans species found in UK waters?
The Harbour Porpoise and The Common Dolphin
What are the main conservation issues for cetaceans?
- Bycatch
- Food Supply
- Marine Pollution
Which 3 species of whale are highly threatened?
Northern Right Whale
Blue Whale
Humpback Whale
What are the main conservation issues for whales?
- Unknown recoveries from whaling
- Scientific whaling is still legal
- Marine Pollution
- Cetacean Decompression Sickness
- Redistribution of plankton with climate change = deceased food supply for filter feeders
What is CDS?
Cetacean Decompression Sickness
Complete the Sentence:
If you have more than ___% of the global population you are internationally obliged to conserve and protect decline
10%
What are the 2 main species of seals found in UK waters?
The Grey Seal and the Common Seal
What are the main conservation issues for seals?
- Phocine Distemper Virus
- Bycatch in near-shore gill nets
- Marine Pollution
- Disturbance due to Tourism
Why is it hard to conserve and collect data on reptiles like the Leatherback Turtle?
They are oceanic wanderers
What % of demersal fish are below safe biological limits?
60%
What is the only species of stable and protected sharks?
Basking Shark
What are the main conservation issues for fish?
- Overfishing
- Loss of spawning grounds
- Global warming
- Marine Pollution
- Insufficient Data
What is a Teleosts?
Boney Fish
What is an Elasmobranch?
Fish with no Bones
How many species seabirds are there in the UK?
25
Why are populations of Roseate Turn in decline?
They are emigrating to Ireland where there is less disturbance
What is botulism?
When a bird feeds of landfill and gets a bacterial infection
What are the main conversation issues to seabirds?
- Habitat Loss
- Food Supply
- Marine Pollution
- Bycatch
What are the main conservation issues to shorebirds?
- Habitat Loss
- Reversed effects of eutrophication
- Disturbance
Name 3 particularly rare invertebrates/marcoalgae?
- Pink Seafan
- Tall Sea Pen
- Native Oyster
How much habitat is lost each time an area of the North Sea is dredged?
98%
Name 3 habitat forming organisms and what they form
- Sabellaria alveolata – intertidal and subtotal biogenic reefs
- Modiolus modiolus – subtidal beds
- Lophelia pertusa – deep water cold corals
What is maerl?
Calcified Red Algae that forms subtidal beds
Which Chalk Reef has a problem with invasive pacific oysters?
Norfolk Chalk Reef
What are the 12 main threats to the marine environment as a result of human activity?
- Offshore Oil & Gas
- Shipping
- Renewable Energy
- Fisheries
- Mariculture
- Dredging
- Recreation
- Marine Aggregates
- Engineering
- Waste Dumping
- Military Activity
- Land Run-Off
What was the difference between the 1979 and 1998 reviews of conservation in the UK?
In 1998 there was more of an ecosystem approach compared to the traditional species approach in 1979
What are the 5 sections of the marine bill (in order of importance and declining scale)
- Wider Seas
- Regional Seas
- Marine Landscapes
- Important Marine Areas
- Priority Marine Features
What is the name of the area in focus for the Wider Seas approach? and what does the Wider Seas approach aim to do?
NE Atlantic Biogeographic Region
Aims to harmonise international obligations
What does a Regional Seas approach do?
Assess marine biological resources and the physical and chemical processes on which they depend on
What are Marine Landscapes?
Regions/Areas with limited biological data but with a requirement to strategically manage human activities
What is included in a Marine Area and what are the 6 criteria for consideration?
All species and habitats including geological and geomorphological features
- Typicalness
- Naturalness
- Size
- Biological Diversity
- Critical Area?
- Are there any priority marine features?
What are the 4 criteria that must be considered for Priority Marine Features?
- Importance at Global and Regional Scales
- Rarity
- Rates of Current Decline
- Threat of Decline
