Week 6: Human Impacts on Ecosystems Flashcards
Ecosystem diversity decreases as
habitats are removed.
Species diversity decreases as
Species diversity decreases as
Genetic diversity decreases as
members of a species are displaced from an ecosystem or die as a result of human activity.
Key threats to ecosystem and species diversity as a result of human activities include:
Habitat fragmentation
Climate change
Introduced species/pathogens
Agriculture
Habitat fragmentation
when natural forests are broken up into smaller, isolated patches due to habitat destruction.
Patches of habitat fragmentation
Cannot adequately sustain communities of organisms and rich biodiversity
Prevent gene flow as the patches are too far from each other to even fascillitate the movement of individuals
Main contributing factor driving many species towards endangerment or extinction:
Habitat destruction
It is vital to maintain natural vegetation to:
provide a range of habitats to help maintain species diversity.
help maintain and protect the soil from erosion
absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen.
help maintain regional rainfall patterns.
prevention of salinity
Higher carbon dioxide concentrations cause
increasing temperatures, altering rainfall, rising sea levels, acidification of oceans impacting habitats, ecosystems and species
What gases presence increases temperature in earth’s atmosphere?
greenhouses gases
How do humans increase number of greenhouse gases?
through burning of fossil fuels + deforestation
How do oceans become more acidified?
when excess CO2 dissolves into the water lowering the PH
an introduced species?
any species that are brought to an area they aren’t usually found in either intentionally or by accident
Why do introduced species population flourish in new ecosystems?
don’t have any natural predators
Introduced species often outcompete native species that occupy the same/similar niches why?
due to a lack of viable competition and predation.
