Waste management & land use

Question 1

What is biodiversity?

Answer 1

The variety of different species of organisms within an ecosystem

Question 2

Humans are increasingly having an impact on biodiversity. Why is human population rising?

Answer 2

Improvements in medicine and farming

Question 3

More humans means an increased demand for resources. What resources do humans use?

Answer 3

Crude oil for fuel, energy or plastics. Coal for power stations.
Land for farming.

Question 4

Why will these raw materials run out?

Answer 4

They are used quicker than are replaced

Question 5

What is land polluted by?

Answer 5

Toxic chemicals for farming such as herbicides and pesticides.
Nuclear waste.
Household waste (landfills)

Question 6

What is the air polluted with?

Answer 6

Sulfur dioxide, methane, carbon dioxide, nitrogen monoxide

Question 7

What is deforestation?

Answer 7

Cutting down of forests

Question 8

Why do humans cut down forests?

Answer 8

Provide timber for building materials.
Clearing land for farming, quarrying, dumping waste.
Producing paper.

Question 9

If more trees are cut down, what gas will there be more of in the atmosphere?

Answer 9

Carbon dioxide

Question 10

Why will there be more carbon dioxide as a result of deforestation?

Answer 10

Less trees taking in CO2 for photosynthesis.
When trees are burnt, CO2 is released.
Microorganisms feeding on dead wood release CO2 during respiration.