populations and sustainability Flashcards
What is a sustainable resource
- a renewable resource that is being economically exploited in a way that it won’t run out/ run low
What are aims of sustainability
- preserve the environment
- ensure resources available for future generations
- allows humans in all societies to live comfortably
- enable less economically developed countries to develop
- create a more even balance between more and less economically developed countries
What is conservation
-the maintenance of biodiversity through human action/ management
What does conservation involve
- maintaining diversity between species, genetic biodiversity, habitats
- managing ecosystems so natural resources are used without running out (SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT)
What is reclamation, what does it involve
- type of conservation
- process of restoring ecosystems that have been damaged/ destroyed
- involves techniques like controlled burning of forest, which can halt succession
What is preservation
- the protection of an area by restricting or banning human interference
- keeps ecosystem in original state
Importance of conservation (3 key reasons)
- economic
- social
- ethical
Economic importance of conservation
- provides resources humans need to survive and provide income
- materials can be traded
Social importance of conservation
- people enjoy beauty of ecosystems
- enjoyable activities e.g. walking, relaxing
Ethical importance or conservation
- organisms have a right to exist
- responsibility for future generations to conserve a variety of ecosystems
Why is sustainable timber production done
- allows maintenance of biodiversity
- allows a sustained supply of wood to meet demands
Small scale timber production
- coppicing
- rotational coppicing
- pollarding
What is coppicing
- tree trunk is cut close to the ground
- new shoots form from the cut surface and mature
- these shoots later cut, and in there place more are produced
- shoots used in e.g. fencing
What is rotational coppicing
- woodland is divided into sections
- trees are cut in a section until all are coppiced
- coppicing then occurs in another section
- allows time for newly coppiced trees to grow
- forms a cycle of coppicing with recovery/growth time in between
- no light blocked, so no succession
What is pollarding
- tree trunks are cut higher so animals can’t eat the new shoots
Large scale timber production
- based on the idea of felling
How is sustainable production of timber maintained
- selective cutting- remove largest trees only
- replace trees by replanting- rather than regeneration
- plant trees optimal distance apart- reduces competition for light, rain etc.
- management of pathogens and pests
- ensure forest areas remain for indigenous tribes
Disadvantages of large scale timber production
- habitats are destroyed
- soil minerals reduced
- soil more susceptible to erosion
- occur as trees key for binding soil, removing water, maintaining nutrient levels
Sustainable fishing techniques- commercial and recreational fishing at certain times of the year
- protects the breeding season of some species
- allows population levels to increase to a sustainable level
Sustainable fishing techniques- introduction of fish farming
- maintains supply of protein food
- prevents loss of wild species
Sustainable fishing techniques- nets
- nets with different mesh sizes
- allows smaller, immature fish to escape
- more mature/older fish caught
- allows breeding to continue
Sustainable fishing techniques- international agreements, examples
- agreement for methods to help fish
- limit catching numbers
- e.g. COMMON FISHERIES POLICY= in the EU, limits numbers of species to be caught in a particular area. Aims to maintain a natural population that allows sufficient fish reproduction
Why was sustainable fishing introduced
- increased demand for food
- fish is a valuable source of protein
- overfishing damages populations, decreases species populations
- overfishing doesn’t allows populations to regenerate, damaging future food source
