Populations and Sustainability Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the three stages of a population growth curve?

A
  1. Slow growth phase
  2. Rapid growth (increased no. of breeding individuals)
  3. Stable state
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2
Q

What are the limiting factors for populaton growth?

A
BIOTIC
-predators
-disease
-competition
ABIOTIC
-temperature
-light
-pH
-availability of water/oxygen
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3
Q

What is the carrying capacity?

A

Maximum population size an environment can support

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4
Q

What are density independent factors?

A

Factors that have an effect on the whole population regardless of its size

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5
Q

Examples of density independent factors:

A
  • Earthquakes
  • Forest fires
  • Volcanic eruptions
  • Storms
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6
Q

What is the competitive exclusion principle?

A

When two species are competing for limited resources, the one that uses the resources more effectively (more adapted) will ultimately eliminate the other (outcompete)

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7
Q

What is the effect of intraspecific competition on a population?

A
  • Stage 1: When resource is plentiful, all organisms have enough resource to survive, causing increase in pop. size
  • Stage 2: Due to increased pop. size, more individuals share food or space available. Resources are no able to supply every organism so pop. decreases
  • Stage 3: Less competition due to less organisms means pop. size increases again as resources are plentiful enough
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8
Q

What is predation?

A

Where an organism (predator) kills and eats another organism (prey)

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9
Q

General shape of a predator-prey graph:

A
  1. Increase in prey population provides more food for the predators, so pop. size increases
  2. Increased predator population decreases prey population as more are being eaten
  3. Reduced prey population can no longer support the large predator population, increased intraspecific competition decreases predator population
  4. Reduced predator number means less prey being killed so their population increases
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10
Q

What is conservation?

A

Maintenance of biodiversity through human action or management

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11
Q

What are the features of conservation?

A
  • Involves management of ecosystems so natural resources can be used without running out
  • Also includes reclamation, which is the process of restoring ecosystems that have been damaged or destroyed
  • Is dynamic and needs to adapt to change
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12
Q

What is preservation?

A

Protection of an area by restricting or banning human interference so that the ecosystem is kept in its original state

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13
Q

When is preservation used?

A

To protect ecologically, archaeologically, paleontologically sensitive resources

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14
Q

What is a key feature of preservation?

A

Often involves restricting or completely banning visitation

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15
Q

Economic importance of conservation:

A
  • Protect resources that humans need to survive and to provide an income
  • e.g. rainforest species provide medicinal drugs, clothing and food that can be traded
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16
Q

Social importance of conservation:

A

-People enjoy the natural beauty of wild ecosystems as well as using them for activities which are beneficial to health by providing a means of relaxation and exercise

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17
Q

Ethical importance of conservation:

A
  • All organisms have a right to exist, and most play an important role in their ecosystem
  • Many people believe that we should not have the right to decide which organisms can survive, and which we could live without
  • Have a moral responsibility for future generations to conserve the natural environment for them
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18
Q

What is sustainability?

A

The economic exploitation of a resource in such a way that it will not diminish or run out

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19
Q

Aims of sustainability:

A
  • Preserve the environment
  • Ensure resources available for future generations
  • Allow humans in all societies to live comfortably
  • Enable LEDCS to develop, through exploiting their natural resources in a sustainable way
  • Create more even balance in the consumption of these resources between MEDCS and LEDCS
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20
Q

Coppicing:

A

-Used in small scale timber production
-Tree trunk is cut close to the ground
-New shoots form from cut surface and mature
-Eventually these shoots are cut and in their place more are produced
-These shoots have many uses, including fencing
-

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21
Q

What is rotational coppicing?

A

Woodland is divided into sections and trees are only cut in a particular section until all have been coppiced. Coppicing then begins in a different area, allowing time for the newly coppiced trees to grow

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22
Q

Large scale timber production:

A

Timber companies:

  • Practise selective cutting, which involves removing only the largest trees
  • Replace trees through replanting rather than waiting for natural regeneration
  • Plant trees an optimal distance apart to reduce competition
  • Manage pests and pathogens to maximise yields
  • Ensure that areas of forest remain for indigenous people
23
Q

Fishing quotas:

A
  • International agreements are made about the number of fish that can be caught
  • Common Fisheries Policy in the EU
  • Fishing quotas provide limits on the numbers of certain species of fish that are allowed to be caught in an area
  • Allows fish populations to recover and are not overfished
24
Q

Sustainable fishing technques:

A
  • Use nets with different mesh sizes, allowing immature fish to escape
  • Allowing commercial and recreational fishing only at certain times of the year, protecting fish breeding season
  • Introduction of fish farming to maintain supply of protein food, whilst preventing the loss of wild species
25
Q

What are the 3 principles of ecotourism?

A
  • No exploitation of the reserve or local communities
  • Engagement with local communities about development
  • Infrastructure development benefits both tourism and local communities.
26
Q

Terai Region, Nepal: ECOSYSTEM

A
  • Hot and humid in summer months
  • Fertile alluvial soil
  • Extreme biodiversity
  • Large areas of thick forest
27
Q

Terai Region, Nepal: ANIMALS

A
  • Bengal tiger
  • Sloth bear
  • Indian rhinoceros
28
Q

Terai Region, Nepal: PLANTS

A
  • Pipal

- Bamboo

29
Q

Aim of sustainable forest management in Nepal:

A
  • Provide livelihood for local people
  • Ensure conservation of forests
  • Provide Nepali state with considerable income for general development
30
Q

Method of sustainable forest management in Nepal:

A
  • National legislation
  • Development of local community forestry groups
  • Cooperative networks e.g. FSC
  • Local groups develop own operation plans, set harvesting rules, set rates and prices for products and determine how surplus income is distributed or spent
31
Q

Success of sustainable forest management in Nepal:

A
  • Significant improvement in the conservation of the forested regions, in terms of increased area and density
  • Improved soil and water management across the region
  • Increase in retail price of forest products, so greater economic input
  • Employment generation through forest protection
  • Sustainable wood fuel sources
  • Securing biodiversity of forested areas
32
Q

Promoting sustainable agriculture in Terai Region, Nepal:

A
  • Promoting the production of fruits and vegetables in the hills and mountain regions
  • Improving irrigation
  • Multiple cropping
  • Growth of nitrogen fixing crops
  • Growing crop varieties resistant to many soil types
  • Improve fertilisation techniques
33
Q

Peat bogs: ECOSYSTEM

A

Region of wet spongy ground that contains decomposing vegetation. Vegetation never fully decomposes due to acidic pH and low oxgen availability.

34
Q

Peat bogs: PLANTS

A
  • Sphagnum mosses
  • Bog cotton
  • Cottonsedge
  • Heathers
35
Q

Peat bogs: ANIMALS

A
  • Butterflies
  • Moths
  • Dragonflies
  • Damselflies
  • Ideal place for birds to nest their chicks (lack of predators)
36
Q

Threats to Peat Bogs:

A
  • Afforestation
  • Agricultural intensification (land drainage)
  • Peat extraction for gardeners and nursey growers
37
Q

Importance of Peat Bogs:

A
  • Large carbon sink

- Flood management and erosional control

38
Q

Conservation of Peat Bogs:

A
  • Removal of seedlings from area, prevents water from being removed from the peatland by trees
  • Controlled grazing to maintain biodiversity of peatland, ensures diverse wetland surface in terms of structure and species composition
  • Ensuring that peat and vegetation of the bog surface is as undisturbed and wet as possible, can surround bogs with ditches to allow water to run off, preventing flooding.
39
Q

Masai Mara: ECOSYSTEM

A
  • Primarily savannah
  • Divided by Mara river
  • Combination of grassland and woodlands near river
  • Open plains and scattered shrubs/trees further from river
40
Q

Masai Mara: ANIMALS

A
  • Zebra
  • Wildebeest
  • Buffalo
  • Elephant
  • Leopard
  • Lion
  • Black rhino
41
Q

Masai Mara: Plants

A
  • In past, region was dominated by acacia bush
  • These have been removed due tsetse fly, which carried sleeping sickness
  • Scattered shrubs and trees
  • Rich grassland and woodland
42
Q

Masai Mara: THREATS

A
  • Level of cultivation has increased in recent years
  • As grassland is converted into cropland, natural vegetation is removed and nutrients in the soil are used up
  • This leads to a reliance on fertilisers for effective crop growth
  • Increase cattle grazing
  • Increased demand due to rapidly growing population
  • Ecotourism can have negative impacts, such as soil erosion and other habitat changes, due to mechanised transport and trampling
43
Q

Masai Mara: CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH

A
  • Employment of reserve rangers, communication equipment, vehicles and other necessary equipment and infrastructure
  • This has deterred poachers from entering the park and poaching endangered species, such as the black rhino
  • Ecotourism has supported conservation efforts, ensuring there are less negative impacts of tourism
  • Monitoring populations of cheetahs and lions within the reserve
44
Q

What are the three main principles of ecotourism?

A
  1. Ensure tourism does not exploit natural environment or local communities
  2. Consult and engage with local communities on planned developments
  3. Ensure that infrastructure improvements benefit local people as well as visitors
45
Q

What management techniques are used in environmentally sensitive areas?

A
  • Limiting areas tourists can visit
  • Controlling movement of livestock
  • Introducing anti-poaching measures
  • Replanting of forests and native plants
  • Limiting hunting through quotas and seasonal bans
46
Q

Galapagos Islands: Control of Human Acitivty

A
  • Introduction of park rangers
  • Limiting human access to particular islands
  • Controlling migrations to and from the islands
  • Strict control over movement of introduced animals, e.g. pigs
47
Q

Galapagos Islands: Flora/Fauna

A
  • Galapagos giant tortoise
  • Flightless cormorant
  • Marine iguana
  • Mangroves, salt bush
  • Cacti, carob tree
  • Mosses
48
Q

Antarctica: Control of Human Activity

A
  • Antarctic treaty
  • Management of tourism
  • Conservation of plants and animals
  • Scientific cooperation between nations
  • Designation and management of protected areas
49
Q

Antarctica: Flora/Fauna

A
  • Emperor penguin
  • Seals
  • Whales
  • Lichen
  • Algae
50
Q

Snowdonia: Control of Human Activity

A
  • National Park Authority purposes:
    1. Promote opportunities for understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the park
    2. Conserve and enhance natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area
    3. Enhance economic and social well-being of communities within the park
  • Designated paths
51
Q

Snowdonia: Flora/Fauna

A
  • Coast and estuary birds
  • Forest birds
  • Moorland and mountain birds
  • Arctic alpine plants (evolved to cope with conditions)
  • Oak, alder, wych elm woodlands
52
Q

Lake District: Control of Human Acitivity

A

Lake District National Park Authority conserve region while enabling access for millions of visitors each year, e.g. replanting of native tree species and designated footpaths

53
Q

Lake District: Flora/Fauna

A
  • Bats
  • Red deer
  • Golden eagle
  • Osprey
  • Toads