Ocr A2 Biology - Conservation Of Ecosystems (Part 2)

Front 1

Conservation of preservation can be balanced with...

Back 1

...human needs.

Front 2

Name three ecosystems that humans depend on.

Back 2

• The Terai Arc
• The Maasai Mara
• UK Peat Bogs

Front 3

[The Terai Arc] What is the Terai arc, Where is it found and name two endangered species that live there?

Back 3

• The terai arc is an area of forest and grasslands on the border between Nepal and India.
• A variety of plants and animals are found there, including endangered species like the Bengal Tiger and Asian elephant.

Front 4

[The Terai Arc] How many people live in the Terai Arc?

Back 4

7 million people

Front 5

[The Terai Arc] Why are areas of the Terai Arc being destroyed and what is this causing? Give two examples of what this is causing.

Back 5

• Areas of the forest are being destroyed to make way for more housing and other development.
• This destruction of habitat brings humans and animals into closer contact and increases conflict between the two.
• For example, elephants can eat and trample crop fields.
• Tigers can kill livestock.
• This increases the likelihood of these animals being shot and killed.

Front 6

[The Terai Arc] How can these problems such as fuel usage and crops/livestock being destroyed be tackled without affecting the ecosystem.

Back 6

• Conservation charities like the WWF have worked with local people to help balance their needs with conserving the forest and its wildlife.
• The charity has provided people with things like solar cookers and biogas generators, so they do not need to use wood from the forest for fuel.
• Farmers are encouraged to plant mint hedges around their crops to keep animals (which don't like the taste of mint) away.

Front 7

[The Maasai Mara] Where is the Maasai Mara located? What does it contain? What is it named after?

Back 7

• Kenya.
• It is a large area of grassland (savannah).
• It is home to wildebeest, zebra, lions and cheetahs.
• It is named after the Maasai people who live there.

Front 8

[The Maasai Mara] How do the Maasai people earn a living and how does this cause conflict with conservationists?

Back 8

• They earn a living by raising livestock, such as cattle.
• This can bring them into conservationists e.g. overgrazing by livestock can destroy grassland for wildlife.

Front 9

[The Maasai Mara] How are we tackling overgrazing in the Maasai Mara?

Back 9

• Conservation trusts are working with the Maasai people to help them make money from their land through conservation and ecotourism projects rather than farming, and to farm in a sustainable way.
• This ensures the economic needs of the Maasai people are met while allowing the area to be conserved.

Front 10

[UK Peat Bogs] What are peat bogs? What do they store? What type of organisms live there? Give an example of the name of the organism.

Back 10

• They are areas of wet peat.
• They store water and carbon dioxide.
• They are home to plants and animals, such as Sphagnum moss - which help the peat bog retain water.

Front 11

[UK Peat Bogs] What do farmers use peat bogs to do? How does this cause conflict with conservationists?

Back 11

• Farmers use peat bogs to graze sheep and deer.
• This can lead to conflict with conservationists because overgrazing causes loss of moss species, soil compaction (which increases water runoff down sheep paths, taking sediment with it) and peat bog erosion.

Front 12

[UK Peat Bogs] How are we tackling the use of peat bogs in an unsustainable way?

Back 12

• Recent government-funded programmes, such as the Environmental Stewardship Scheme, has given farmers money to use the peat bogs in a sustainable way.
• Examples of sustainable usage are carrying out measures to reduce water runoff, the number of livestock that uses peat bogs and to remove livestock over winter.

Front 13

Name three fragile ecosystems affected by human activity.

Back 13

• The Galapagos Islands
• Antartica
• The Lake District and Snowdonia National Parks

Front 14

[The Galapagos Islands] Where are the Galapagos Islands located?

Back 14

The Pacific Ocean.

Front 15

[The Galapagos Islands] State and explain human activities that are affecting the ecosystem in the Galapagos Islands.

Back 15

• Non-native animals have been introduced to the islands, which eat some native species. This has caused a decrease in the populations of native species. Examples of this are non-native dogs, cats and black rats that eat young giant tortoises and Galapagos land iguanas. Goats have also eaten much of the plant life on some of the islands.
• Non-native plants have been introduced to the island. These plants compete with native plant species, causing a decrease in their population. For example, quinine trees are taller than some native plants - they block out light to the native plants, which struggle to survive.

Front 16

[The Galapagos Islands] How are these issues affecting the ecosystem being controlled?

Back 16

• Eradication programmes have removed wild goats from some of the smaller islands and wild dogs from the largest island. Quinine trees are kept in check using chemical herbicides and by uprooting young trees.
• When people visit the Galapagos National Park, they are expected to follow a list of rules, which includes not bringing any live plants or animals onto the island or moving them between the islands.
• People are also only allowed to visit the Galapagos islands in the company of a licensed guide.

Front 17

[Antartica] Antartica is the world's most .......... continent.

Back 17

southernmost

Front 18

[Antartica] State the effects of human activity on the ecosystem in Antartica.

Back 18

• Visitors to Antartica have caused pollution in the past by dumping sewage into the sea and leaving rubbish.
• Shipping spills have lead to oil spills, which severely affect wildlife.
• Hunting, whaling and fishing have all reduced wildlife populations in the area.

Front 19

[Antartica] How are the effects of human activity being controlled in Antartica?

Back 19

• All waste apart from food waste and sewage must be taken away by ship for disposal in other countries. Many research stations treat their sewage before disposing of it, reducing its effects on the environment.
• Ships that use thick oil are now banned from Antartic waters - heavier oils cause more damage and are harder to clean up than light oils.
• There are tourist restrictions - tourists are only allowed in certain locations for a few hours.
• Hunting and whaling have been banned for some time now, but fishing continues.

Front 20

[The Lake District and Snowdonia National Parks] Where are the Lake District and Snowdonia National Parks located?

Back 20

• The Lake District is located in North West England.
• The Snowdonia National Parks are located in Scotland.

Front 21

[The Lake District and Snowdonia National Parks] What are the effects of human activity on the Lake District?

Back 21

• Many visitors to the Lake District go walking on the region's footpaths.
• This leads to the erosion of footpaths and loss of soil from hillsides. Soil that ends up in waterways and lakes can disturb the pH level of the water, causing knock-on effects for wildlife.
• As paths become harder to walk on, people can trample and destroy the sensitive vegetation on either side of the plant.

Front 22

[The Lake District and Snowdonia National Parks] What are the effects of human activity on the Snowdonia National Park?

Back 22

• Rain in the Snowdonia hills leads to erosion of the paths.
• Walkers often trample the surrounding vegetation as they try to walk around the paths.

Front 23

[The Lake District and Snowdonia National Parks] How can human activity be controlled in these parks?

Back 23

• In the Lake District, conservation charities and Lake District National Park Authority attempt to carry out regular repair and maintenance work on paths. They also encourage the regrowth of damaged vegetation. Walkers are also educated about the importance of sticking to the path and not taking shortcuts.
• In Snowdonia, volunteers have dug drains next to the paths to prevent them from flooding.