What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity is the variety of all the different species of organisms on earth, or within an ecosystem.
What does the future of human species rely on us doing?
Maintaining a good level of Biodiversity.
What does a great biodiversity ensure and why?
Ensures the stability of ecosystems by reducing the dependence of one species on another for food, shelter and the maintenance of the physical environment.
What does pollution do?
Kills plants and animals which can reduce biodiversity.
What are three places pollution can occur?
Water
Air
Land
What are the three types of Water pollution?
- Sewage - not treated properly go into drinking water polluted with chemicals and parasites.
- Toxic Chemicals - pesticides and herbicides, effect aquatic food webs.
- Fertiliser - wash into the water causing algae growth, other plants die (no light).
What are the two types of Air pollution?
- Smoke- Particulates increase in number in the air, they reflect sunlight so less light hits the earth. Cause breathing problems of sulfur dioxide.
- Acidic gases- Fossil fuels cause sulfur dioxide which dissolves into rain, it kills vegitation (flowers, fruit, leaves) and animals as it gets into rivers/lakes.
What are the two types of Land pollution?
- Landfill- Household waste goes to landfill whch take up a lot of room and destroy habitacts.
- Toxic Chemicals- Chemcial from landfill can go to soil, and Chernobyl caused contamination miles around. Farmers use pestisides to kill insects (protect crop).
What are the 5 ways of maintaing Biodiversity?
- Breeding programmes for endangered species : panda’s
- Protection and regeneration of rare habitats : corals.
- Reintroduction of field margins and hedgerows in agricultural areas where farmers grow only one type of crop, provides habitats improves soil fertility and stop errosion.
- Reduction of deforestation and carbon dioxide emissions by some governments, as it is not compulsery.
- Recycling resources rather than dumping waste in landfill.
Why has large-scale deforestation in tropical areas occured?
Provide land for cattle and rice fields.
Grow crops for biofuels.
What are some biological consequences of Global Warming?
- Loss of Habitat - areas are flooded by rising sea levels.
- Changes in Distribution - tempreture and rainfall has changed, so animals ranges of living will shrink or extend.
- Changes in migration patterns - climates become colder or hotter, season change so animals migration patterns change.
- Reduced biodiversity - climates change, organisms will not survive, be extinct like polar bears.
What are the three main gases in the atmosphere contributing to global warming?
Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Water Vapour.
