maintaining biodiversity

Question 1

some threats to biodiversity from human populations;ation growth are

Answer 1

• habitat destruction and the degradation of the environment
• the overexploitation and unsustainable use of resources
• modern agricultural practices, including monoculture, the use of chemical fertilisers and crop protection chemicals
• global climate change

Question 2

what are the factors which are affecting biodiversity

Answer 2

habita destruction 
overexploitation 
hunting 
agriculture (pollution from agriculture) 
climate change

Question 3

what are the reasons for maintain biodiversity

Answer 3

ecological
economic
agricultural
aesthetic

Question 4

what is a monoculture

Answer 4

growing the same crop, such as wheat, maize or soya, over a large area of land, often for several years. The same term applies to intensive livestock rearing and to forests that consist of one type of tree - usually coniferous trees for timber and paper pulp production

Question 5

what are the three main sources of pollution from agriculture

Answer 5

fertilisers
pesticides
waste products from intensive livestock production

Question 6

what is a keystone specie

Answer 6

a species whose presence contributes more to the function of an ecosystem than its size or number suggests. If a keystone species disappears from an ecosystem, species diversity decreases, interactions between species becomes far less complex, and the ecosystem becomes unstable
-some key stone species are apex predators

Question 7

what are the ways of maintaining biodiversity

Answer 7

In situ conservations

ex situ conservations

Question 8

what are the in situ conservations in maintaining biodiversity

Answer 8

• internationally designated areas - some areas have been internationally designated by organisations such as UNESCO, biosphere reserves
• nationally protected areas, there are 3 types in the UK: national parks (15 in United Kingdom), areas of outstanding natural beauty (46 in England, N Ireland & Wales, national scenic areas (40 in Scotland)
• nationally nature reserves
• local nature reserves
• marine conservation zones
• sites of special scientific interest (SSSI)

Question 9

what is an in situ conservation

Answer 9

the protection and maintenance of an area so that species can continue to live in their original habitat

Question 10

what is an ex situ conservation

Answer 10

Removal of a species to a protected place that is not its normal habitat. examples :
Botanic gardens
seed banks
zoos
gene banks and ‘frozen’ zoos are examples of this form of conservation

Question 11

what are the roles of botanic gardens in maintaining biodiversity

Answer 11

• keeping examples of wild land either as living plants or as seeds
• growing plants that are extinct in the wild
• protecting wild populations of plants collected from the wild
• protecting plants that are threatened by habitat loss
• researching methods of reproduction and growth so species cultivated in botanic cards can be grown

Question 12

what is a seed bank

Answer 12

a long-term store of germplasm in the form of seeds. Collections of seeds are dried and then stored at temperatures of -20 degrees

Question 13

what are the roles of zoos

Answer 13

• protecting endangered & vulnerable species
• taking part in breeding programs for those species that will breed in captivity
• researching biology of species to gain a better understanding of breeding habitats, habitat requirements and genetic diversity
• contributing to reintroduction schemes
• educating the pubic about wildlife and conservation