Biodiversity - ecology

What is biodiversity And why is it important

The variiert of different species on the earth or within an ecosystem

• if there is a high biodiversity means many different species are present so ecosystems are more stable as can depend on many different species to survive and less dependent on one species.

• If there’s a low biodiversity it means ecosystem are less stale because if one change happens in ecosystem it my affect whole ecosystem

What can affect biodiversity

Seasonal changes or georgrphic changes (caused by humans)

How is deforestation effecting biodiversity

As animals that live in the habitat (Forrest’s) contain a large number of different species so when they are destroyed there is less land for them to survive which can lead to extinction of species as more will die

What is deforestation being used for by humans

• for resources: wood, paper

• Land

• Farmers use the space for rice fields and to grow crops for food and use for biofuels for energy to generate electricity

• Grazing cattle for food

What are the affects of deforestation on an environment

• increases carbon dioxide in atmosphere as trees take in carbon dioxide for photosynthesis so photosythesis will be reduced

• Trees can be burnt to clear land which releases green house gases

• Micro-organisms will eat the dead wood and release carbon dioxide as the waste product of respiration

Consequences of global warming on animals

• Higher temperatures cause ice caps to melt, causing sea levels to rise which can result in flooding

• extreme weather changes- less rainfall which can result in desertification of habitats causing species to die

• changes in migration: birds / mosquitos may migrate to northern areas as northern areas are getting warmer

• biodiversity could be reduced as species may be unable to survive with the changing climate conditions

• tropical diseases becoming more common (malaria)

What things are reducing biodiversity

• temperatures rising due to global warming which lead to ice caps melting and animal extinction

• Extreme weather changes like less rainfall which can lead to less water available for organisms and desertification (trees and plants die from water shortage)

• Air pollution can cause acid rain which can kill trees and fish

Why are humans demands on resources increasing And what is the effect

• demand for luxuries such as cars, computers increasing due to population increasing and standard of living in which use raw materials to make (oil) in which need more energy to make them

• humans are producing more waste (pollution) which kills species leading to a reduces biodiversity

Where does pollution occur

• land

• Water

• Air

State 3 examples of water pollutants

• SEWAGE: humans produce it which is contamined with urine and faces which can be released to waterways then released to rivers/lakes which can be harmful to species that live there or drink the water

• FERTILISERS: if lakes get polluted with fertilisers can cause dissolved oxygen levels to fall which can kill aquatic organisms

• TOXIC CHEMICALS: factories can produce toxic chemicals which can be released into lakes and rivers

How does eutrophication occur

• It is the process in which fertilisers and untreated sewage gets washed into lakes and river either by rain or humans

• fertilisers from farms pollute water which can cause excessive algae growth (as will get large amount of nitrates and phosphate ions from fertilisers)

• Blocks light to plants underneath algae so plants will die

• Which their dead remains will get broken down by bacterial

• Bacteria numbers increase so oxygen levels decrease in water as will absorb oxygen

• Causing animals in water to die due to decreased oxygen as can’t respire.

State examples of ar pollutants

• acidic gases: burning coal and factories releases acidic gases like sulfur dioxide which causes acid rain which can damage habitats

• Smoke is produced from burning acidic gases which can pollute air which kills plants and animal

State examples of land pollutants

• landfill sites: millions of rotting waste dumped in sites which releases methane and carbon dioxide

• Toxic chemicals can leach out landfill sites and pollute soil

• Waste dumped onto land (litter)

Which activities are humans doing that reduce land available for animals and plants

• building

• Farming

• Quarrying

• Landfill sites

How are peat bogs formed

• bogs are waterlogged (stops air getting into soil) and acidic so plants live in them

• Plants don’t fully decay when die as microorganisms lack of oxygen in the bogs so can’t perform aerobic respiration to break down remains if plants

• Partially rotted plants build up to form peat which will store the carbon from plants instead of released to atmosphere

What happens when lest bogs are drained

• this means they aren’t water logged so oxygen can enter soil

• So microorganisms can decompose dead plants

• Releases carbon dioxide into atmosphere

Why are peat bogs being destroyed

• for land

• To produce cheaper compost to increase food production

• Peat extracted and being burnt to release energy to generate electricity

What is causing global warming

The increase levels of green houses gases causing temperatures on earth to increase

Describe the steps taken to maintain biodiversity

• breeding programmes for species endangered of extinction (in captivity)

• Protection and rebuilding habitats : protecting peat bogs, Forrest’s, wetland so cant be drained

• Replanting field margins and hedgerows

• Reduce deforestation

• Reduce carbon dioxide emissions

• Recycling

What can the government do to maintain biodiversity

• enforce to reduce deforestation

• Reduce carbon dioxide emissions

• Use renewable energy rather than fossil fuels

How can ordinary people maintain biodiversity

• recycle to reduce amount of waste that gets dumped in landfill

How is human activity affecting global warming

Human activity is causing to be an increase in green house gases in atmosphere by:

• burning fossil fuels (coal and oil)

• Farming (cow farts release methane and methane produced by bacteria on paddy fields)

• Rotting waste - landfill sites

• Deforestation

What is the purpose of replanting field margins and hedgerows

Farmers tend to grow fields with only one type of crop which there is only few species in them (low biodiversity)

• so plant fieldmarins AROUND fields for a place where wild animals and plants can live INCREASING BIODIVERSITY

• Plant hedgerows in BETWEEN fields so species can live in them

consequences of global warming on plants

• able to grow tropical crops (grapes) in places where could not be able to due to cooler temperature

• in warmer countries temperature may become to high and not able to grow certain crops - droughts