Zane 1-4 Flashcards
What is the primary goal of marine conservation?
- Protecting species, habitats, and ecosystems.
- Ensuring the sustainability of ecosystem services for humans.
- Addressing human pressures on marine environments.
Why is biodiversity important in marine ecosystems?
- Biodiversity supports ecosystem resilience and functionality.
- Provides ecosystem services like food, medicine, and climate regulation.
- Enhances the ability of ecosystems to recover from disturbances.
What are the main drivers of biodiversity loss in marine environments?
- Habitat loss and fragmentation.
Overfishing and illegal fishing. - Pollution, including plastics and chemicals.
- Climate change and ocean acidification.
- Invasive species.
How does habitat fragmentation affect marine species?
- Reduces genetic diversity by isolating populations.
- Disrupts species’ ability to find food, mates, and shelter.
- Increases vulnerability to environmental changes.
What is the concept of an ecological niche?
- The role and position a species has in its environment.
- Includes the range of conditions necessary for survival.
- Defines interactions with other species and the ecosystem.
Why is marine conservation considered a global priority?
- Marine ecosystems are interconnected and impact global biodiversity.
- Oceans regulate climate and support global food security.
- Marine resources are critical for economic and social well-being.
What are Marine Protected Areas (MPAs)?
- Designated regions where human activities are regulated to protect marine ecosystems.
- Aim to preserve biodiversity and restore fish populations.
- Vary in size, restrictions, and management practices.
What role does the European Union play in marine conservation?
- Implements policies like the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.
- Aims to protect 30% of marine areas by 2030.
- Supports international agreements and promotes sustainable fisheries.
What is the significance of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) for marine conservation?
- Provides legal protection for endangered and threatened species.
- Helps in the recovery of species like sea turtles and marine mammals.
- Imposes regulations to reduce threats like bycatch and habitat destruction.
What are the key principles of marine ecosystem management?
- Maintaining ecosystem integrity and function.
- Applying precautionary approaches to manage uncertainties.
- Integrating stakeholder engagement and traditional knowledge.
What are the effects of overfishing on marine ecosystems?
- Depletes fish stocks and disrupts food webs.
- Leads to the decline of predator species and trophic cascades.
- Reduces genetic diversity and resilience of fish populations.
How does climate change impact marine ecosystems?
- Causes ocean acidification, affecting calcifying organisms like corals.
- Leads to rising sea temperatures and shifting species distributions.
- Intensifies storms and sea level rise, affecting coastal habitats.
What are the consequences of pollution on marine life?
- Toxic substances can accumulate in the food chain, harming wildlife.
- Plastics and debris cause physical injuries and ingestion risks.
- Nutrient pollution leads to algal blooms and dead zones.
Why are invasive species a threat to marine biodiversity?
- Compete with native species for resources and habitat.
- Can introduce diseases and alter ecosystem dynamics.
- Often lack natural predators, leading to population explosions.
What is the concept of trophic cascades?
- Indirect effects that predators have on lower trophic levels.
- Example: removal of apex predators leads to an increase in herbivores, which can overgraze vegetation.
- Can drastically alter ecosystem structure and function.
How do human activities contribute to habitat loss in marine environments?
- Coastal development and land reclamation destroy habitats like mangroves and wetlands.
- Dredging and bottom trawling damage seafloor habitats.
- Pollution from agriculture and industry degrades water quality.
What is the impact of illegal fishing on marine conservation efforts?
- Undermines regulations designed to ensure sustainable fisheries.
- Leads to overexploitation of marine species.
- Hinders recovery efforts of endangered species.
What role does quantitative modeling play in marine conservation?
- Helps predict the impacts of human activities on marine ecosystems.
- Supports the design and assessment of conservation strategies.
- Informs decision-making by simulating different management scenarios.
How does stakeholder engagement support marine conservation?
- Involves communities in conservation efforts, enhancing compliance and support.
- Integrates traditional and local knowledge with scientific data.
- Helps address conflicts and balance conservation with economic interests.
What are the challenges of balancing conservation with economic activities like fishing?
- Ensuring sustainable harvest levels while protecting biodiversity.
- Mitigating the socio-economic impacts of conservation measures on communities.
- Addressing illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.
- Sicherstellung nachhaltiger Erntemengen bei gleichzeitigem Schutz der biologischen Vielfalt.
- Abmilderung der sozioökonomischen Auswirkungen von Erhaltungsmaßnahmen auf die Gemeinden.
- Bekämpfung der illegalen, nicht gemeldeten und unregulierten Fischerei (IUU).
What is the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030?
- A plan to protect biodiversity in Europe by expanding protected areas and restoring ecosystems.
- Aims to protect 30% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030.
- Promotes sustainable use of marine resources and enhances ecosystem resilience.
What is the concept of the Minimum Viable Population (MVP)?
- The smallest population size needed to ensure species survival in the long term.
- Accounts for environmental variability and genetic factors.
- Critical for species conservation planning and recovery.
What are ecologically functional populations (EFPs)?
- Populations that are large enough to maintain their ecological roles within ecosystems.
- Ensure the continued provision of ecosystem services.
- Important for maintaining ecosystem integrity and function.
How does the precautionary principle apply to marine conservation?
- Involves taking proactive measures to prevent harm to the environment when scientific certainty is lacking.
- Emphasizes caution in the face of uncertainty, particularly with high-risk activities like deep-sea mining.
- Guides the development of regulations and management practices.
What is the role of Marine Protected Areas in climate change mitigation?
- Protect carbon-rich ecosystems like mangroves and seagrasses, which act as carbon sinks.
- Preserve habitats that are crucial for species adaptation to climate change.
- Serve as refuges for species affected by changing ocean conditions.
How do case studies support marine conservation education?
- Provide real-world examples of conservation challenges and successes.
- Illustrate the application of theoretical concepts in practical scenarios.
- Enhance critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
What are the benefits of using field visits in marine conservation courses?
- Allow students to observe conservation practices and ecosystems firsthand.
- Facilitate the understanding of complex ecological interactions.
- Provide opportunities for hands-on learning and data collection.
What is the significance of the IUCN Red List for marine conservation?
- A comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of species.
- Helps identify species at risk of extinction and prioritize conservation efforts.
- Provides data on species population trends and threats.
What is the extinction vortex?
- A self-reinforcing cycle where small populations decline further due to genetic, demographic, and environmental factors.
- Increases the likelihood of extinction as populations become smaller and more isolated.
- Highlights the urgency of intervention for endangered species.
What are the advantages of using genetic markers in marine conservation?
- Allow for the assessment of genetic diversity and population structure.
- Help track gene flow and connectivity between populations.
- Support the identification of distinct populations for conservation management.
How can inbreeding depression affect population survival?
- Reduces individual fitness, leading to lower survival and reproduction rates.
- Increases the likelihood of genetic disorders, making populations more vulnerable to environmental stressors.
What is environmental stochasticity?
- Random environmental variations, such as changes in weather patterns, food availability, or natural disasters, that can impact populations.
- Affects all populations but is particularly dangerous for small populations with limited resilience.
