the living environment

Question 1

how has mass of the earth created suitable conditions for life on earth.

Answer 1

was great enough prevent gases escaping atmospheric pressure was great enough to prevent water boiling .

Question 2

how does the magnetic field create suitable conditions for life

Answer 2

deflects solar winds and prevents biologically damaging radiation reaching the surface.

Question 3

what are some new analytical techniques to understand past climates

Answer 3

radioisotope composition e.g dating samples such as ratio of carbon 12 to carbon 14.
-ice cores air bubbles. magnesium to calcium ratio-more magnesium=higher temps.

Question 4

what is the importance of conserving biodiversity

Answer 4

resources
-new food species.
-biomimetics
-medecines
-physcological research
-pest control species
-genetic resources
-ecosystem services

Question 5

name an example of a new food species

Answer 5

many species in the spinach family can grow in soils with a high salt content and can be used in crop breeding programmes to increase salt tolerance in crops.

Question 6

name an example of biomimetics

Answer 6

infection control-bacteria do not easily stick to shark skin so a coating used to imitate this is used in hospitals to control bacterial infections.

Question 7

name an example of medicine biomimetics

Answer 7

aspirin extracted from willow tree bark.

Question 8

what are CWR species

Answer 8

crop wild relatives

Question 9

what characteristics were introduces from crop wild relatives

Answer 9

disease resistant e.g cross breeding from wild sugar cane now resistant to mosaic virus.
-salt tolerance.
-drought resistant.
-high yield.
-improved taste or appearance.

Question 10

name examples of ecosystem services

Answer 10

-atmospheric composition.
-hydrological cycle.
-food.
-pollination and seed dispersal.
-habitat provision.

Question 11

name examples of direct exploitation

Answer 11

-food.
-fashion
-pets and entertainment.
furniture.
-medecine.

Question 12

what are some human caused abiotic chnage

Answer 12

water availability
-dissolved oxygen
-temperature
-PH
-water turbidity.
-physical damage.

Question 13

how do humans effcet water availibility

Answer 13

land drainage e. of marshland and hydroelectric power schemes cause dangerous fluctuations of water level.

Question 14

how do humans cause water turbidity

Answer 14

ploughing.
-mining
dredging.

Question 15

name three human caused changes to biotic factors

Answer 15

pollinator depletion.
-seed dispersal depletion species.e.g elephants.
-food chain impacts.

Question 16

how do introduced species have an impact on biodiversity

Answer 16

-introcuced competators e. g grey squirrel.
-introduced predators.
-introduced pathogens e.g squirrel pox virus brought by grey squirrels
-species that hybridise