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1.1 > Planetary Boundaries > Flashcards

Planetary Boundaries Flashcards

1
Q

Planetary Boundary definition

A
  • a threshold value for global processes that are affected by human activity
  • crossing these boundaries could generate abrupt or irreversible environmental change
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2
Q

what state is the climate change planetary boundary?

A

Crossed

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3
Q

what are the causes of climate change?

A
  • rising greenhouse gas levels
  • burning of fossil fuels
  • deforestation
  • leading to global warming
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4
Q

what are the consequences of climate change?

A
  • increased global temperatures
  • impacts on wind currents / ocean current / rainfall
  • thermal expansion
  • melting of polar ice caps
  • extreme weather
  • habitat destruction reduction in biodiversity
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5
Q

what are some possible remedial measures for climate change?

A
  • reduce fossil fuels -> alternative fuel
  • reduce biodiversity
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6
Q

what state is the biodiversity planetary boundary?

A

Crossed

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7
Q

what are the causes of loss of biodiversity?

A
  • habitat destruction
  • deforestation
  • coral reef
  • hunting (overhunting)
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8
Q

what are the consequences of loss of biodiversity?

A
  • species interact - cannot evolve quickly enough to adapt
  • reduction in species extinction
  • limits available and potential medicine
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9
Q

what are some possible remedial measures for loss of biodiversity?

A
  • monitor biodiversity
  • species conservation
  • seed/sperm banks
  • education
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10
Q

what is the state of the land use change planetary boundary?

A

-Crossed

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11
Q

what is the causes of land use change?

A
  • land use change
  • for food
  • biofuel
  • urbanisation
  • livestock farming
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12
Q

what are the consequences of land use change?

A
  • exploitation -> biofuel crops take away from food grown to eat
  • reduce biodiversity
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13
Q

what are some possible remedial measures for land use change?

A
  • concentrate farming in most high yield areas
  • reduce meat consumption
  • more efficient crops
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14
Q

what is the state of the nitrate phosphate (biogeochemical flows)

A

crossed

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15
Q

what are the causes of rising nitrate and phosphate levels

A
  • use of fertilisers containing nitrate and phosphate
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16
Q

what are the consequences of rising nitrate and phosphate levels?

A
  • eutrophication (run off into bodies of water)
17
Q

what are some possible remedial levels for rising nitrate and phosphate levels

A
  • use less fertiliser
  • use organic manure
  • rotate crops
18
Q

what is the state of the ozone planetary boundary?

A

Avoided

19
Q

what are the causes of depleting ozone?

A
  • manufacture of CFCs in aerosols refrigerator and coolants etc
20
Q

what are the consequences of depleting ozone?

A
  • ‘hole’ in the ozone layer
  • harmful UV is not absorbed
  • DNA mutations
21
Q

what are remedial measures for depleting ozone levels

A
  • Montreal protocol
22
Q

what is the stage of the ocean acidification planetary boundary

A

Avoidable

23
Q

what are the causes of ocean acidification

A
  • greenhouse gases released from fossil fuels
  • CO2 dissolves in seawater forming H2CO3 carbonic acid
  • releases H+ ions lowering pH
24
Q

what are the consequences of ocean acidification?

A
  • reaction of calcium carbonate damages coral arthropod exoskeleton and mollusc shells
  • more valuable to predators
25
Q

what are some remedial measures for ocean acidification?

A
  • reduced fossil fuel usage
  • reduced deforestation
26
Q

what stage is the freshwater planetary boundary

A

Avoidable

27
Q

what are the causes of loss of freshwater?

A
  • increased in water use
  • irrigation
  • water pollution
  • wetland draining
  • sewage
28
Q

what are the consequences of loss of freshwater?

A
  • reduction in available freshwater
29
Q

what are some remedial measures for loss of freshwater?

A
  • stop irrigation of fresh water for biofuel group
  • water waste irrigation
  • desalinate water
30
Q

what stage is the aerosol planetary boundary

A

unknown

31
Q

what are the causes of aerosols?

A
  • minute ash and soot particles from combustion and coal power stations and quarrying
32
Q

what are the consequences of aerosols?

A
  • increased respiratory problems and lung cancer
  • can build up on leaves and reduce photosynthesis
33
Q

what is the stage of the inorganic pollution planetary boundary?

A

unknown

34
Q

what are the causes of inorganic pollution?

A
  • inorganic pollutants
  • synthetic organic pollutants microplastics and radioactive material
35
Q

what are the consequences of inorganic pollutions?

A
  • bioaccumulation in the food chains
36
Q

what are some possible remedial measure of inorganic pollution?

A
  • banned DDT
  • regulation on microplastics

1.1 (15 decks)

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