What does an expose to more UV rays do to the ocean?
- an increase in UV rays might kill plankton in the sea
- this could have a massive effect on the sea ecosystem because plankton are on the bottom of the food chain
- scientist predict fish levels will drop.
What are indicator species?
- species can be used to show pollution in areas
- some species can only survive in unpolluted conditions
What indicator species show low pollution?
- lichens are used to monitor air quality (they’re damaged by pollution). The cleaner the air, the greater diversity of lichens that survive
- mayfly larvae are used to monitor air quality (they can’t survive in polluted water). The cleaner the water, the more mayfly larvae survive
What indicator species show high pollution?
- water lice, rat-tailed maggots and sludgeworms all indicate polluted water.
- rat-tailed maggot and sludgeworms indicate a very high level of pollution
How can pollution levels be measured with indicator species?
- a survey to see if a species is present or absent from the area. It is a quick way to tell if the area is polluted or not, but not how polluted
- count the number of times an indicator species occurs in an area will give you a numerical value, letting measurements from different areas to be compared so you can see how polluted an area is
What are the advantages and disadvantages of indicator species?
- measuring pollution directly
- sensitive instruments measure the concentration of chemical pollutants in samples of air and water
- satellite data can also be used to indicate pollutant levels, e.g. satellites show where the ozone layer is thin or absent
What are the disadvantages and advantages of measuring pollution with instruments?
- advantage: living methods are quick, cheap and easy way of saying whether an area is polluted or not. No expensive equipment or highly trained workers needed
- disadvantages: factors other than pollution can influence the survival of indicator species so living methods aren’t always reliable
How can pollution levels be measured with machinery?
-advantages: directly measuring the pollutants give reliable, numerical data that’s easy to compare between different sites
,the exact pollutant is detected
-disadvantages: non-living methods require more expensive equipment and trained workers than methods that use indicator species
