[Part 3]- B17- Biodiversity and ecosystems ♻️

Question 1

What are some examples, of how humans use land for buildings ?

Answer 1

• houses
• factories
• shops
• airports
• farms
• quarries
• and dumping waste. For example, in landfills.

Question 2

How are humans reducing biodiversity ?

Answer 2

• land use [a human activity] means there’s less land available for animals and plants.
• which reduces biodiversity because, of the reduction in habitats.

Question 3

What are peat bogs and peat lands ?

Answer 3

• peat bogs and peat lands contain large amounts of dead material, and conditions in the peat mean that decay is very slow.

Question 4

What conditions in the peat, means that decay is very slow ?

Answer 4

• for example, decay could be very slow, since peat bogs have low levels of oxygen in them, as water doesn’t flow in and out of them easily.
• and therefore, low levels of oxygen and cold temperatures make it more difficult for fungi and bacteria to decompose dead plants quickly.
• this is because decay is slow, and peat bogs and peat lands contain a very large amount of trapped carbon; these habitats are being destroyed.

Question 5

What are peat bogs and peat lands being destroyed ?

Answer 5

• this is because, peat is used to produce cheap compost for gardens, and farms. And in some countries, it’s even burned to release energy- [e.g- to generate electricity]
• this destruction of peat bogs and peat lands, is reducing the area of the habitat= reducing the variety of animals, plants and microorganisms that live here.
• [and overall, this reduces biodiversity]

Question 6

What’s another problem with peat ?

Answer 6

• once’s peat’s been extracted and used for compost, it begins to decay.
• This a problem, as it releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.

Question 7

What is the problem with a lot of peat, being burnt ?

Answer 7

• since a lot of peat is burned, this releases carbon dioxide.
• and this released carbon dioxide contributes to climate change because.

Question 8

What are the disadvantages of non-peat compost ?

Answer 8

• many gardeners have stopped buying compost made with peat; the alternatives are more expensive.
• and if farmers had to use peat-free compost, this could then increase the price of food

Question 9

What’s deforestation ?

Answer 9

• Deforestation, is the clearing of forests (or other habitats such as glaciers).

Question 10

What’s another reason for deforestation? And what’s the effect of this ?

Answer 10

• logging- clearing forests to get wood, that can be used for building and construction- [e.g- timber], or it can be used to burn as fuel.

Question 11

What is global warming ?

Answer 11

• Global warming, is the gradual increase in the average surface temperature of the Earth.

Question 12

What can you tell me about natural changes, in the climate ? 🌍

Answer 12

• over the last hundred years, the average temperature of the Earth has been increasing.
• ; the Earth’s temperature has changed many times in the past.
• these were natural changes in the Earth’s climate.

Question 13

What do scientists believe about the current increase in temperature ? 🏭

Answer 13

• scientists believe that the current increase in temperature is caused by human activities.
• This is because for many decades, humans have released huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, due to burning fossils fuels [coal and oil]
• which is a greenhouse gas, and will therefore trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to global warming.

Question 14

How does methane lead to global warming ? 🍚🐄

Answer 14

• ; the levels of methane in the atmosphere have also increased, as methane is produced by bacteria in paddy fields, which are used to grow rice
• though methane is also released by cows when they pass wind.
• and because carbon dioxide and methane are greenhouses gases, they trap heat in the atmosphere and lead to global warming.

Question 15

What is peer-review ?

Answer 15

• peer review, is the process of checking other scientists’ scientific papers, before being published

Question 16

Why is peer-reviewing important ?

Answer 16

• Peer reviewing is important because, scientists findings’ can be published and shared, so their findings can be checked by other scientists.
• this helps to detect false claims, and make sure that researched published in scientific journals, is valid.

Question 17

What can you tell me about peer-reviewing [popular] media ? 📰🗞️

Answer 17

• popular media [such as newspapers] aren’t subject to peer review.
• This means, that reporting on global warming can sometimes be: oversimplified, inaccurate or biased.

Question 18

What are the biological consequences of global warming ? ❄️

Answer 18

• one biological consequences of global warming, is a loss of habitat.
• for example in the artic, there’s a reduction in ice levels.
• which will then cause the population of artic organisms [e.g- polar bears] to fall, due to their habitat being reduced.

Question 19

What are some of the other biological consequences, of global warming ?

Answer 19

• a second biological consequence of global warming, is animals extend their range.
• This is because as global temperatures rise, animals [e.g- birds and insects], may gradually extend their range northwards, towards cooler conditions.
• For example, mosquitoes can’t survive the cold conditions of the UK.
• ; due to global warming, it’s possible that these range of insects could spread to the UK= and diseases such as malaria, may be brought with them.

Question 20

What’s an example, of the biological 🦟consequences of global warming ?

Answer 20

• For example, mosquitoes can’t survive the cold conditions of the UK.
• ; due to global warming, it’s possible that these range of insects could spread to the UK= and diseases such as malaria, may be brought with them.

Question 21

Can you think of another biological consequence, of global warming ? 🕊️

Answer 21

• a third biological consequence of global warming, is species of animals migrating.
• for example, in the winter, swallows migrate from the UK to Africa.
• ; with global warming, these migration patterns of lots of different animals could change.

Question 22

How could changing migration patterns, affect functioning ecosystems ?

Answer 22

• changing migration patterns, could affect functioning ecosystems:
• as the ecosystem might stop functioning. [introduced species]
• this is due to inter-specific competion, since organisms [in an ecosystem] will try to use the same resource and the resource will be in short supply.
• this could then change the species’ survival rate, leading to less successful reproduction- as there will be less food, meaning less organisms can survive and reproduce.

Question 23

What is a biological consequences of global warming, for plants ?

Answer 23

• In the UK, spring plants are flowering earlier, due to warmer conditions.

Question 24

What is another biological consequence of global warming, for plants ? 🍇

Answer 24

• as temperature increases, we may be able to grow crops [such as grapes] in parts of the UK, where we can’t currently grow them.
• ; in other parts of the world, it may be too hot, to grow the crops needed.

Question 25

What is the greenhouse effect ?

Answer 25

• the greenhouse effect, is when energy from the sun, is transferred to the thermal energy store of gases, in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Question 26

What is climate change ?

Answer 26

• climate change, is a long-term change in weather patterns

Question 27

What’s the difference between global warming 🆚 the greenhouse effect 🆚 climate change ?

Answer 27

• global warming, is the gradual increase in the average surface temperature of the Earth.
• and the greenhouse effect, is when energy from the sun, is transferred to the thermal energy store of gases, in the Earth’s atmosphere.
• ; climate change, is a long-term change in weather patterns

Question 28

Describe the confit between using peat to increase food production, and the need to conserve peat bogs.

Answer 28

• there is conflict between using peat to increase food production and the need to conserve peat bogs.
• as although, many gardeners have stopped buying compost made with peat, the alternatives are more expensive.

Question 29

Explain the conflict between using peat to increase food production, and the need to conserve peat bogs.

Answer 29

• there is conflict between using peat to increase food production and the need to conserve peat bogs.
• because, if farmers had to use peat-free compost, this could then increase the price of food
• ; it’s argued that peat bogs need to be conserved as once’s peat’s been extracted and used for compost, it begins to decay.
• This a problem because, it releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.