UK Ecology

Question 1

UK biodiversity

Answer 1

depleted, one of most depleted in world, 41% of native species are declining

Question 2

how to learn about past ecology

Answer 2

maps/historical records, paleoecology, tree morphology

Question 3

when did british isles form

Answer 3

used to be joined to europe, connection lessened 6000 years ago due to sea level rise, ireland split off first then GB 16000 years ago

Question 4

ice age

Answer 4

from 115,000 BP-11,700 BP, ireland/northern UK were glaciated, non glaciated areas have mammals/bison

Question 5

when did humans arrive

Answer 5

900,000 years ago (hominoids), 40,000 years ago (homo sapiens), humans settled in 12,000 BP, farming started 6000 BP

Question 6

after ice age

Answer 6

wildwood formed, evidence due to deer

Question 7

what humans did

Answer 7

cleared land for farming which changed from wildwood to open land in 9000 BP, 50% of wildwood had reduced by 2500 BP

Question 8

Elk extinction

Answer 8

700 BP, maintained open land but too many can prevent trees growing

Question 9

beaver extinction

Answer 9

600 BP, killed by humans, landscape engineers, build dams, trying to introduce beavers in UK

Question 10

wolf extinction

Answer 10

300 BP, killed by hunting, extinction changed trophic cascade which affected herbivores and vegetation

Question 11

ways humans have used law to decrease biodiversity

Answer 11

enclosure acts/highland clearance

Question 12

enclosure acts

Answer 12

acts of parliament, stop public access onto certain land which made land valuable, resulted in removal of hedgerows and biodiversity loss

Question 13

highland clearance

Answer 13

in scottish highlands people were replaced with sheep allowing no vegetation replenishment

Question 14

future

Answer 14

UK gov set to increase tree cover from 14.5% to 16.5% by 2050 adding 250,000 hectares of trees