Biodiversity

Question 1

What is biodiversity?

Answer 1

Biodiversity is a measure of the variety of all the different species of organisms on Earth, or within a particular ecosystem.

Question 2

Why is biodiversity important

Answer 2

In general a high biodiversity ensures the stability of ecosystems. It reduces the dependence of one species on another for food, shelter and the maintenance of the physical environment.

Question 3

What are the three types of pollution that are a threat to biodiversity

Answer 3

Water pollution
Air pollution
Land pollution

Question 4

Water pollution is a threat because…

Answer 4

• open sewers can lead into water courses, such as streams and rivers which can cause serious illness in humans that may drink the contaminated water.
• Also some farmers use too many fertilisers which can run off fields during heavy rain. This can pollute nearby streams and rivers.
• some water pollution even comes from toxic chemicals released illegally by factories

Question 5

Air pollution is a threat because…

Answer 5

• combustion of fossil fuels and other fuels releases carbon dioxide. This contributes to the greenhouse effect and leads to global warming. It also releases Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides which can cause acid rain.
• air pollution can also be caused by tiny particulates from smoke which can cause smog

Question 6

Land pollution is a threat because…

Answer 6

• combustion of fossil fuels and other fuels releases carbon dioxide. This contributes to the greenhouse effect and leads to global warming. It also releases Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides which can cause acid rain.
• air pollution can also be caused by tiny particulates from smoke which can cause smog

Question 7

Why is deforestation a threat?

Answer 7

destroys habitats of organisms - killing the species - reducing biodiversity

Question 8

Why is the destruction of peat bogs a threat?

Answer 8

The decay or burning of peat releases Co2 into the atmosphere increasing global warming

Question 9

Why is global warming a threat

Answer 9

• melting of the polar ice caps
• the rise in sea level may one day threaten many cities such as london, new york and Amsterdam
• weather patterns will change with more unusual weather
• animals will migrate towards the poles to find habitats with suitable temperatures
• tropical diseases may become more common in other regions such as Europe
• many species will become extinct

Question 10

How do u maintain biodiversity

Answer 10

• breeding programs to help preserve endangered species, like the panda
• protection and development of new endangered habitats, often by making National Parks
• replanting hedgerows because there is higher biodiversity in them than the fields they surround
• reducing deforestation and the release of greenhouse gases
• recycling rather than dumping waste in landfill sites