Loss of Biodiversity

Question 1

What factors contributes to loss of biodiversity?

Answer 1

1. Habitat destruction
   - Farming methods
   - Golf estates
   - Mining
   - deforestation
   - urbanisation
   - loss of wetlands/grasslands
2. Poaching
   - Rhino

Question 2

which farming methods contribute to loss of biodiversity?

Answer 2

Overgrazing:

• changes in species composition
• Easy invasion by alien plants
• extensive degradation
• changes in soil ammonia

Monoculture- clearing natural vegetation for planting of single crops

Large amounts of pesticides and fertilisers used

Question 3

How do golf estates contribute to loss of biodiversity?

Answer 3

Built in natural areas of grasslands and wetlands, important habitats for many endangered species.

Question 4

How are indigenous vegetation destroyed on golf estates?

Answer 4

Nutrients in fertilers

exotic plant being planted

Question 5

How does mining cause loss of habitats?

Answer 5

Clearing of vegetation for construction of industrial infrastructure
Industrial waste and pollution released.

Question 6

How does urbanisation lead to loss of biodiversity?

Answer 6

Fragmentation, isolation and degradation of natural habitats

Question 7

How have aquatic plant and animal species dissapeared?

Answer 7

disruption of water systems such as canalising streams and rivers and the destruction of wetlands.

Question 8

How does deforestation lead to loss of biodiversity?

Answer 8

Humans cut down 35 acres of tropical forests every minute

Question 9

How have the destruction of wetlands lead to loss of biodiversity?

Answer 9

Natural grasslands have been destroyed for crop production for human consumption.

Question 10

why are rhino horns poached?

Answer 10

status symbol
used for carving ornaments
alternative medicine
falsely believed to cure cancer

Question 11

How are the horns poached?

Answer 11

organised gangs of poachers
use of tranquillisers
silenced weapons

Question 12

Why are elephants poached?

Answer 12

For their ivory tusks

Question 13

Why was game hunted in the past?

Answer 13

Part of villagers diet.

Question 14

what is game hunted for now?

Answer 14

commercial, illegal and unsustainable hunting for meat of wild animals.

Question 15

Why has there been an increase in animal poaching?

Answer 15

prices of meat have increased.

Question 16

what damage does alien plants cause?

Answer 16

They outcompete indigenous species. Many animals can’t survive on alien plants, so they die from lack of food. May become extinct

Question 17

What methods can be used to control alien plants?

Answer 17

Mechanical control
Chemical control
Biological control

Question 18

How can Mechanical control helpful in controlling alien plants?

Answer 18

Using machinery or human effort can remove invaders such as pulling, weed eaters, mowing, burning invaders

Question 19

How can the use of chemical control alien plants?

Answer 19

using environmentally safe chemical herbicides to kill invaders. e.g spraying or injecting chemicals into trees.

Question 20

what are the possible dangers of using chemical control?

Answer 20

• pollution of land and water
• killing of non- selected plant and animal
• accumulation of chemicals that will persist in the environment

Question 21

How can the use of biological control control alien plants?

Answer 21

uses a natural enemy as a biocontrol agent to destroy the aliens or make them less competitive with indigenous plants

Question 22

What are some factors regarding biological agents?

Answer 22

• mainly insects,mites and pathogens
• introduced from country of origin of inavder
• target specific parts of the plant
• do not completely exterminate populations of host plants
• safe, cost effective, environmentally friendly.

Question 23

What are some examples of biological agents?

Answer 23

• wasaps control long leaf and golden acacias, by laying eggs in ovary, larvae feed on seeds
• seed-feeding weevils, reduce seed production by 95%
• Gall-forming rust fungus reduces seed production and vegetative growth

Question 24

What is a disadvantage of biological control?

Answer 24

som agents might attack non-target species, becoming noxious invaders

Question 25

What is integrated control?

Answer 25

Integration of two or more approches, including mechanical clearing , the application of herbicides, burning and biological control.

Question 26

What are the consequences of waste disposal?

Answer 26

increased nutrient and organic load as well as microbial contamination.

Question 27

Why is it good to improve waste management?

Answer 27

reduces the threat of water and land pollution

Question 28

Why are open dumps a bad way of managing dumpsites?

Answer 28

• unsightly and smelly
• susceptible to fires
• cause ground water pollution
• provide breeding ground for pests and scavengers.

Question 29

What are landfill sites?

Answer 29

a place where rubbish is dumped ,flattened, covered with sand and left to decompose by activity of miro-organisms in biodegradation.

Question 30

How did loss of biodiversity come about?

Answer 30

Human activity alters and destroys natural habitats causing loss of bidiversity, which can lead to extinction.