Measuring threat to biodiversity

Question 1

There are various ways of measuring threatened ecosystems:

Answer 1

1) Economic Scorecard shows the ability of ecosystems to produce goods and services
2) The Living Planet Index monitors changes over time in the populations of representative animal
species in various ecosystems
3) Ecological footprint measures the human impact on the planet
4) Red List of endangered species shows species at risk of extinction
5) Millennium Ecosystem Assessment is a multi-scale assessment by the UN

Question 2

Factors threatening biodiversity: global factors

Answer 2

Climate Change – expected that the climate will change so quickly that species will be unable to
adapt.
Deforestation – clearance of forest cover results in loss of biodiversity and resources but also
has knock-on effects on the food web and nutrient cycling
Pollution can cause various issues:
- Ozone depletion due to CFCs
- nitrate pollution of lakes
Human population growth – this is forcing people to spread into more areas and is encroaching
onto areas with high biodiversity

Question 3

Factors threatening biodiversity: local factors

Answer 3

Fire – was used widely in Europe and N. America to clear forests for development. Controlled fire as a management option is useful but large-scale burning for soya bean production causes loss of biodiversity
Habitat change – developing natural habitats for agriculture, minerals or urban growth e.g. overfishing in the North Sea
Recreational use – plants are vulnerable to trampling and animals to disturbance