pollution and land use. Flashcards
how has the increasing population reduce space?
building, quarrying, farming, dumping waste.
how can water be polluted?
chemicals, waste, sewage, fertilisers, increased carbon dioxide levels.
how can the air be polluted?
burning fossil fuels to release carbon dioxide, methane, sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxide.
how can land become polluted?
dumping waste in landfill and giving off toxic chemicals.
what is a peat?
partially decayed plant matter.
what does peat contain?
stored carbon.
how much carbon can a peat hold?
20 times its own weight in water.
how does a peat decompose?
slowly.
what is a peat bog?
type of wetland which contains a large amount of peat.
what are the conditions in a peat bog?
very acidic and contains low levels of nutrients.
how long does it take for a peak bog to form?
over thousands of years.
what is peat made from?
dead plants that haven’t decayed.
how can peat be burnt as and what are the issues associated with it?
burnt as a fuel. releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
how does peat in composts work and what should be encouraged?
put onto gardens as composts decay and released microbes will release carbon dioxide in respiration.
peat free compost should be encouraged.
