Session 2 Flashcards
What is Ecology?
The study of an organism’s home and the inter-relationship between the organism and the environment
What is Biodiversity?
It is the variety of living organism and complex ecosystems
It related back to unmanaged and man made systems
What is an ecosystem?
A dynamic and complex unit of living organism interacting with non-living organism
Describe ecosystem services
Essential services that benefit humans
What are the ecosystem services?
Provisioning of resources
Regulation of resources, climate, waste and quality
Cultural Services that gives recreation and aesthetic enjoyment
Supporting which are soil fixation, photosynthesis, and nutrient cycling
Describe Specific examples of ecosystem services
cycling and filtration services: Air and water purification
Stabilization processes: control potential pest and disease causing negative effect n the environment
Life-fulfilling function: recreation and aesthetic
What is direct and indirect for humans?
Both are the classification of the changes humans experience from the ecosystem
Explain Direct change
Obvious and immediate changes that can be identified.
Ex. A creation of a damn increases mosquito breeding and malaria transmissions
Explain Indirect change
A change that went through complex webs that takes decades to have an impact
Ex. Increase salinity of soil reduces crop yields that may affect human nutrition of child and growth developments
What are the constituents of well being?
Security Access to basic material Health Social Relations Freedom and Choice
Security
Personal Safety
Secure resource access
security from disasters
Access to Basic Material
Adequate livelihoods
sufficient nutritious ffods
shelter
access to goods
Health
Strength
feeling well
access to clean air and water
Good social relations
Social cohesion
mutual respect
ability to help others
What is the current status of Biodiversity ?
Terrestrial biodiversity are found in small concentrated tropical areas
Majority of species are currently declining caused by HABITAT LOSS and DEGRADATION AND OVER EXPLORATION
Climate change is the main driver for Habitat change
What does Ecological foot print measures?
Demand and supply of nature
Explain the demand side
Measure the ecological assets that a given population requires to produce the natural resources it consumes and the waste it need to absorb
Explain the supply side
a population’s bio capacity the represents the productivity of its ecological assets
How long does it takes for the Earth to provide resources and process our wastes?
1.7 years
If everyone from Earth lives like a Canadian, how many earths are needed?
- 74 hectares each
4. 75 Earths
What causes global ecological crisis?
Rapid technological development
Rapid population growth and industrial development
Environment degradation
How does …
Rapid technological development
Rapid population growth and industrial development
Environment degradation
causes problems?
- introduction of new hazards
- acceleration of existing environmental degradation
- aggravation of property due to inadequate infrastructure
limited economic base that is dependent on commodity prices
What is Global environmental Degradation?
imbalance in global systems
local environmental problems are becoming widespread and global
Global markets have more power over governments for regulations to be effective
What are the impacts of climate change that may effect human health?
Increase malnutrition and disorders of child growth and development
Increase fo death, disease and injuries from natural and man caused disasters
increase of cardio-respiratory disease due to ozone
What is sustainable development?
No compromise of future generations
conserving and enchancing local resources
Quality of life is maintained and will improve for future generations
Development and people are flexible, wise enough not to undermine physical and social support
What are the sustainable development dimensions?
Explain each one
Economic growth : through optimal and efficient use of resources we maximize social well being and eradicate poverty
Social Equity: Distribution of benefits uplifts welfare, improve health and education service, fulfill minimum standards of security and respect of human rights
Protection of the environment: Enhancement off the physical and biological resource base and ecosystems
What are the action needed to support sustainability?
- Recognise the primacy of ecological considerations
- Adopt a cautious approach to assessing risks
- Ensure social equity within and between generations
- Cultivate a long term global orientation
- Optimise the efficiency of using resources and energy
Encourage public participation in decision making
