Sustainability

Question 1

How does depletion of resources occur?

Answer 1

• cope with increased human demand with resources
• intensive meth eods created to explot enviornmental resources
• this can result in the destruction of ecosystems, a reduction in biodiversity and depletion of resources

Question 2

WHat is a sustainable resource?

Answer 2

• renewable resource that is being economically exploited in such a way that it will not diminish or run out

Question 3

WHat are the aims of sustainability?

Answer 3

• preserve the environment
• ensure resources are available for future generations
• allow humans in all societies to live comfortably
• enable LEDCs to develop through exploiting their natural resources
• create a more even balance in the consumption of these resources between more economically developed countries and LEDCs

Question 4

What is one direct way to sustainably manae resources?

Answer 4

• using existing resoruces more effieciently
• prevents finite resources being used up so quick;y
  
  • e.g. recycling
• ttechnology
  
  • alternatives may be developed that could ease the strain on current finiste resource
  • these could take years to produce and be more constly and have negative effects on their own

Question 5

How are forests sustainably managed?

Answer 5

• allow maintenance of a forest’s biodiversity
• whilst sustaining our supply of wood to meet demands
• and economically viable of timber production
  
  • both techniques depend on the scale of timber production

Question 6

How is timber produced on a small scale?

Answer 6

• technique known a coppicing
• tree trunk cut close to ground, new shoots form from the cut surface and mature
• eventually theese shots are cut and in their place more are produced
• shoots have many uses including fences

Question 7

What is rotational coppicing?

Answer 7

• happens in most managed woodland
• woodland divided into section and trees are only cut in a aparticular section until all have been coppiced
• coppicing then begins in another area allowing time for the newly coppiced trees to grow
• this process continues until you reach the trees that were firdst coppiced
• these will now have grown to mature-sized trees, and the cycle begins again

Question 8

What is the benefit of rotational coppicing

Answer 8

• maintains biodiversity as the trees never grow enough to block out the light
• hence succession cannot occur and so more species can survive

Question 9

what is the alternative to coppicing?

Answer 9

• pollarding
• similar to coppicing
• trunk cut higher up so deer and other animals cannot eat the shoots as they appear

Question 10

How is timber produced sustainably on a large scale?

Answer 10

• felling large areas of forest
• feled trees are destroyed and will not regrow

Question 11

How do timber companies ensure that large scale production is sustainable?

Answer 11

• practice selective cutting
  
  • removing only argest trees
• replace trees through planting rather than waiting for natural regeneration
  
  • ensure that the biodiversity and mineral and water cycles are maintained
• plant trees at optimal distance apart to reduce competition
  
  • higher yield as more wood is produced per tree
• manage pest and pathogens to maximise yields
• ensure that areas of forest remain for indigenous people

Question 12

Whis is the disadavatage of felling>

Answer 12

• habitats are destroyed
• soil mineral reduced
• bare soil left is susceptible to erosion
• trees are important for binding soil, removing water, maintaining nutrient levels through their role in the carbon and nitrogen cycles

Question 13

Why are fish important?

Answer 13

• growing population - ioncreassed demand for food
• fish are a valuable protein source in human diet

Question 14

What effect does overfishing have?>

Answer 14

• some species of fish decrease in number significantly
• fish popilations are then unable to regenerate
• they will no longer be able to provide a food source in the future

Question 15

How is overfishing being managed to become more sustainbly?

Answer 15

• international agreements about the number of fish caught
  
  • e.g. Common FIsheries Policy in the EU

Question 16

What techniques are used to maintain fish population

Answer 16

• quotas to provide limits on number of certain fish that are allowed to be caught in a particular area
• use nets with different mesh sizes
  
  • allow immature fish excape, allow breeding to continue
• commercial and recreational fishing only at certain times of the year
  
  • protect breeding season and fish level to increase to sustainable level
• fish farming
  
  • maintain supply of food,
  • reduce loss of wild species
  • e.g. tilapia profitable because tolerance in high stocking, diet, and rapid growth

Question 17

What is the aim of the Common FIsheries Policy?

Answer 17

• limit numbers of certain species of fish that are allowed to be caught in a particular areas
• maintain a anatural population of these species that allows the fish to reproduce suffieciently to maintain their population