Unit 5 Notes Flashcards
How much of the global GDP is dependent on Biodiversity?
Half of the global GDP.
How is Biodiversity important?
It purifies air, maintains soil, recycles nutrients, and provides resources and raw materials.
What % of Earth’s land surface is degraded?
Over 75%, undermining the wellbeing of 3.2 Billion people.
What are the different strategies to conserve Biodiversity?
Extractive reserve, Scientific reserve, Wildlife reserves, economic development integrated into conservation.
What is a Scientific Reserve?
An area designed to protect nature and maintain natural processes in an undisturbed state to have ecologically representative examples of the natural environment available for scientific study.
What is a Wildlife reserve?
A protected area of importance for flora, fauna, or features of geological or special interest. Reserved and managed for purposes of conservation, can fall into different categories of conservation.
What is Economic development integrated into conservation?
A conservation strategy which aims to simultaneously conserve area whilst still extracting natural resources from them in a sustainable way.
What is an Extractive Reserve?
A type of sustainable land use, specifically in Brazil. Land is publicly owned, people who live there have the right to traditional extractive practices.
What does the IUCN do?
Monitors populations, species and evaluates needs. Manage water resources, restores forests. 160 countries, 1000 staff, 11,000 scientists.
What is category 1a of the IUCN classification?
Strict nature reserve.
What is category 1b of the IUCN classification?
Wilderness area.
What is category 2 of the IUCN classification?
National Park - US.
What is category 4 of the IUCN classification?
National Nature reserve.
What is category 5 of the IUCN classification?
National Park - UK.
What is an example of Category 1a?
Surtsey, Iceland, which is part of a long term study on primary succession of a lithosere, and provides a scientific record of colonisation of plants.
How much does the Icelandic government spend each year on research for Surtsey?
£7500.
How is Surtsey successful for conservation?
It’s very effective in conserving land, as only scientists are able to go on the land, is very easy to conserve natural wildlife.
How has Surtsey been unsuccessful?
No tourism means the country’s economic needs aren’t met by this development. Governments have to find money to make the project successful.
What is an example of category 2?
Yellowstone National park - USA.
What happened to Yellowstone in 1995?
It was added to the ‘world heritage in danger’ list, because of concerns over ecosystem degradation, caused by increased visitor pressure.
What has the increase in visitor numbers been over time?
1950 - 1 million people per year. 2000 - 3 million people per year. 2021 - 4.4 Million.
How does conservation of Yellowstone threaten natural species?
Temperatures are rising in national parks by 2x more than the national average. The net effect becomes negative if tourism is overpopulated.
What are the threats to Yellowstone’s Biodiversity?
Increased visitor numbers, loss of wolves as an apex predator.
Which species decreased as a result of the loss of wolves?
Beavers - almost disappeared. Antelope. red fox. Bear, raven, eagle. The rodent population decreased.
What is the overall effect on biodiversity?
Dams disintegrate with no beavers, with ponds turned into streams, causing erosion. Rodents increase when wolves are reintroduced. Elks increased also as a result.
What happened to Yellowstone’s Biodiversity in 1995?
Wolves were reintroduced, attempting to return an important carnivore.
How much did the restoration of wolves cost, compared to economic tourism?
Cost was $30 Million, Ecotourism brings in $35 Million per year.
What was the impact of the reintroduction of wolves?
The number of songbirds increased, beavers increased, providing habitats for otters, which had been absent for 70 years. Deer had reduced most vegetation, so some deer were killed. Valleys and gorges had regenerated.
How is Yellowstone successful in conserving biodiversity?
Reintroduces wolves, wolf ecotourism helps to rewild certain animals. and restore plants.
How is Yellowstone unsuccessful in conserving biodiversity?
Since 2008, annual visitation has increased by nearly 40%. Causes overflowing car parks, more traffic jams, soil erosion, vegetation trampling.
How many nature reserves are there in the UK?
224.
How are Natural Nature reserves funded?
By government, through natural England.
How many species have returned since 1991?
166 species of wetland birds, such as curlew, teal, and Shoveller ducks.
Which species have been brought back from extinction?
Large heath butterflies, white faced dragonflies, raft spiders.
What Biodiversity issue could develop from species populations being isolated?
Reduced genetic diversity, leading to increased extinction risk, disrupting ecosystems. Creates genetic bottlenecks.
How can Genetic Bottlenecks be addressed?
Rewilding areas, creating protected areas. Wildlife corridors - enable species to migrate.
When were National parks in the UK first established?
1949 - When the government passed an act of parliament to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the landscape, providing recreational opportunities.
What were the first National Parks to be established?
The Peak district, and Snowdonia.
What is the main use of national parks?
Explore more, use national parks to discover landscapes, and yourself.
What issues are national parks facing in the UK?
Litter, parking, C02 emissions, camping in national parks, fires.
How much did it cost to pick up litter in 2021?
£70,000.
Why are these problems being created?
Influx of visitors due to COVID. Leave quieter areas of the park to serious walkers.
How does this affect the conservation of Biodiversity?
It makes it harder to conserve, increased soil erosion. Park has to spend more money on repair, upkeep, rather than conserving. Burning can ruin habitants.
How are UK national parks successful?
They allow people to experience nature for free.
How are UK national parks unsuccessful?
75% of SSSI’s are unfavourable, as there are increased visitor numbers, which has caused all large carnivores to disappear.
What does regenerative farming rely on?
Private landowners, but can be encouraged by government subsidies for agriculture.
What is the case study for regenerative farming?
The Knepp estate, Sussex.
What was the Knepp estate before it was regenerative farming?
1400 hectares of land, a commercial intensive intensive arable and dairy farm.
What was this replaced by in 2001?
Rewilding the landscape, reducing the overhead costs of machinery, agrochemicals and seeds.
How does the Knepp estate make money?
Eco-tourism from a ‘safari campsite,’ converting unprofitable commercial farming into a profitable business, selling wild meat.
What has happened to ecosystem services since Rewilding?
Food produced is the same, more raw materials than before, more energy, fresh water, more food protection. More recreation, same aesthetic.
What has the impact of rewilding been on the Knepp estate?
Rare species such as Turtle doves and nightingales have recovered. Intensive agriculture removed allowed wetland restoration, woodland regeneration. Higher number of pollinators.
How is Regenerative farming successful?
Can mean less food is grown, a country would have to rely more on imports, which could be hard politically. It’s good for water resources, and reduces chemical use.
What is the Biodiversity issue in the Scottish highlands?
Deforestation and overgrazing in pine forests. Moorland is degraded, higher deer numbers.
Which species could be re-introduced as a result of these problems?
Wolves, Lynx - Natural predators. Native species, whose populations are low. Grey squirrels - invasive.
What are the arguments for rewilding on a larger scale?
Restore biodiversity, controlling overgrazing, increases carbon storage, reduced flood risk, prevent soil erosion, nature based tourism.
What are the arguments against rewilding on a larger scale?
Hunting estates provide jobs and income, reduction of farmland and hunting grounds, loss of grazing land, politically difficult.
What are the advantages of protecting entire ecosystems rather than individual species?
Species confined to a small area could be wiped out by a single natural disaster. Some species require a large area to find the correct food, to reproduce. Helps maintain correct ecological balance.
