Sustainability Flashcards
Define conservation
The maintenance of biodiversity
Define preservation
Protection of an area by restricting or banning human use- so that the ecosystem is kept exactly as it is
Explain the difference between conservation and preservation
Conservation maintains biodiversity whereas preservation leaves ecosystems undisturbed
Give 3 examples of conservation
- burning of moorland to prevent it becoming woodland
- wildlife reserves
- botanic gardens
- seed banks
Give 3 examples of preservation
- international agreement preventing large scale human activity in Antarctica
- only scientists are allowed on the island of Surtsey in Iceland
- preventing or limiting access to some Galapagos islands
- gating pristine caves
Give 3 aesthetic reasons for maintaining biodiversity
- provides inspiration for people e.g. musicians
- enriches our lives
- patients recover more quickly from stress or injury when exposed to the natural world
Give 4 economic reasons for maintaining biodiversity
- soil erosion and desertification reduce crop yields
- biodiversity attracts tourism so brings money into an area
- prevents extinction of species with, as yet undiscovered, economic value
- important to conserve all organisms that we use to make things
Give 2 ecological reasons for maintaining biodiversity
- all organisms are interdependent on others for their survival
- some species play a key role in maintaining the structure of an ecological community
Define sustainability
Avoidance of the depletion of natural resources in order to maintain an ecological balance
Define sustainable resource
A renewable resource which is being economically exploited in such a way it will not diminish or run out
What are the 5 aims of sustainability?
- 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 MEDCs and LEDCs
Describe 3 things that can be done to reduce demand for a resource
- using resources more efficiently
- reuse products
- technological improvements
Give two methods of small scale timber production
Coppicing
Pollarding
Describe coppicing
- in winter trees are cut down, close to the base
- trees cut on 7-20 year rotation to allow time for regrowth
Describe pollarding
- deer and other animals cannot eat regrowth
- all growth removed above 2-3 metres
What is rotational coppicing?
- woodland is divided into different sections
- these different sections are cut down at different times of
- gives chance for regrowth
Give an advantage to the ecosystem of coppicing
Biodiversity of the forest is maintained or improved as succession cannot occur
Give an advantage to the ecosystem of pollarding
Allows more light to reach the ground so encourages plant growth
Give an advantage of pollarding over coppicing
- new growth is protected from grazers e.g. deer
- tree trunks provide a habitat that is absent in coppiced trees.
How can large scale timber production be made more sustainable?
- selective cutting so only the largest/most valuble trees are cut down
- replace trees by replanting
- ensure areas of forest remain for indigenous people
- ensuring each tree supplies more wood, by positioning trees at optimal distance and controlling disease/pests
What are the disadvantages of large scale timber production?
- reduced mineral levels in soil
- soil susceptible to erosion
- habitats are destroyed
What are the differences between large and small scale timber production?
- in large scale larger areas of trees are felled
- in large scale felled trees are destroyed and will not regrow
Give an example of a policy which aims to ensure sustainable fishing and explain what it does
Common Fisheries Policy in the EU
-puts fishing quotas in place and limits no. certain species of fish that are allowed to be caught in a certian area
Give 3 methods to make fishing more sustainable
- Fish farming
- Better designed nets
- Timing catches
