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Biology Year 2 > Planetary boundaries(Human impacts on the environment) > Flashcards

Planetary boundaries(Human impacts on the environment) Flashcards

1
Q

what are the 9 processes that regulate the stability of the land, atmosphere, and sea

A

Atmospheric aerosols
Biodiversity integrity
Fresh water use
climate change
ozone depletion
Biogeochemical flows( nitrate and phosphate)
Novel Entities(inorganic pollution boundary)
Land- System Change
Ocean Acidification

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2
Q

what is the aim of the planetary boundary concept

A

to define environmental limits within which humanity can safely operate

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3
Q

causes of the climate change boundary

A

increase in greenhouse gas levels, particularly carbon dioxide levels

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4
Q

what does an increase in carbon dioxide levels cause

A

Global warming

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5
Q

2 activities that lead to an increase in greenhouse gas levels

A

deforestation
burning of fossil fuels

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6
Q

what is the boundary for climate change

A

atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide should not exceed 300ppm

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7
Q

what are the consequences if the climate change boundary is exceeded

A

*could lead to thermal expansion and melting of ice caps which raise the sea level, leading to flooding of low-lying lands, habitat destruction, and reduction in biodiversity.

  • Increased temperature affects wind
    patterns, ocean currents, and rainfall.
    These affect the survival of plants and
    animal species in certain areas.
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8
Q

measures to prevent us from exceeding the climate change boundary

A
  • Reduce/stop burning fossil
    fuels
  • Reduce deforestation
  • Alternative fuel sources
    including biofuels
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9
Q

Biofuels

A

Biofuel is a fuel that is produced over a short time span from biomass, rather than by the very slow natural processes involved in the formation of fossil fuels, such as oil.

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10
Q

Boundary for biodiversity

A

Maintain 90% of biodiversity

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11
Q

causes of biodiversity loss

A
  • Habitat destruction
    e.g. tundra, coral
    reefs, tropical rain
    forests, marine
  • Hunting
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12
Q

consequences of loss in biodiversity

A

Reduction in species number/ extinction, as the species, cannot evolve quickly enough to adapt to the environmental changes caused by humans

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13
Q

4 ways to protect species

A
  • Monitor biodiversity
  • Species conservation via
    gene banks e.g. seed banks,
    sperm banks
  • Prohibit international trade in endangered species and their products
  • Fishing quotas
    *increase public awareness
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14
Q

what is the land use change boundary

A

maintain 75% of the planet’s original forests

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15
Q

the problem with land use change

A
  • Land use change
    (including
    deforestation) for
    food and biofuel
    production, urban
    development,
    livestock farming,
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16
Q

consequences of exceeding the land use change boundary

A
  • The production of biofuel crops and
    crops grown for export means that
    not enough food may be produced for
    local use.
  • Reduction in biodiversity
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17
Q

how to live within the land use change boundary (remedial measures)

A
  • Farming should be
    concentrated in the most
    productive areas only.
  • Reduce meat consumption.
18
Q

causes of the biogeochemical flow boundary(nitrate and phosphate boundary)

A
  • Use of fertilizers
    containing nitrates
    and phosphates.
  • Agricultural nitrogen fixing
  • combustion of fossil fuels and biomass
19
Q

what is the boundary for biogeochemical flow

A

Worldwide use per year of about
11 teragrams (Tg) of phosphate and 62 Tg of
nitrate

20
Q

consequences of exceeding the biogeochemical flow boundary

A

Eutrophication from nitrate and
phosphate run-off into bodies of
water

21
Q

remedial measures for the biogeochemical boundary

A

Reduce the use of fertilizers

22
Q

the ozone boundary

A

Less than 5% below pre-industrial level of about 290 Dobson Units

23
Q

causes of the ozone boundary

A

CFC use in aerosols,
refrigerator coolants
etc

24
Q

consequences of exceeding the ozone boundary

A
  • Ozone layer destruction
  • Increase in UV light increasing DNA
    mutations, skin cancers, and cataracts
25
Q

remedial measures to solve the problem with the ozone boundary

A

CFCs were banned and the
the ozone layer is re-building.

26
Q

ocean acidification boundary

A

When the oceans become acidified
enough that the minerals that sea creatures
need to make shells begin to dissolve

27
Q

causes of the ocean acidification boundary

A
  • Burning fossil fuels
    and increased carbon
    dioxide levels.
  • Carbon dioxide
    dissolves in seawater
    and forms H2CO3
    which releases H+ ions
    / lowers pH/ increases
    acidity
28
Q

consequences of exceeding the ocean acidification boundary

A
  • Low pH causes calcium carbonate to
    leach out of corals, the shells of
    mollusks and the exoskeletons of
    Arthropods. Even if the organisms
    survive this, they become softer and
    more vulnerable to predators.
  • Could reduce biodiversity
29
Q

remedial measures to deal with problems of ocean acidification problem

A

Reduce carbon dioxide
levels by reducing fossil fuel
combustion and
deforestation.

30
Q

the freshwater boundary

A

We can use up to 4000km2 of freshwater per year

31
Q

causes of the freshwater boundary

A
  • Increased water use in
    Agriculture (irrigation)
    and industry.
  • Climate change
  • Pollution of water
  • Change in land use
    e.g. draining wetlands,
    deforestation
32
Q

consequences of exceeding the freshwater boundary

A

Reduction in freshwater available

33
Q

remedial measures to deal with the problem of the freshwater boundary

A
  • Stop irrigating non-food
    crops e.g. biofuels
  • Reclaim waste water for
    irrigation/industry
  • Use desalinated water
34
Q

the aerosol boundary

A

unknown

35
Q

causes of the aerosol boundary

A

The atmosphere
contains minute
particles such as ash
and soot from burning
and coal power
stations, dust from
quarrying.

36
Q

consequences of using too much aerosol

A
  • Increase in respiratory problems and
    lung cancers. Estimated to cause
    800,000 premature deaths per year
  • It can build up on leaves and reduce
    photosynthesis
37
Q

remedial measures to deal with the problem of the aerosol boundary

A

we are unable to determine safe limits currently(unknown)

38
Q

causes of the inorganic pollution boundary (novel entities)

A
  • synthetic organic
    pollutants e.g. DDT,
    PCBs
  • radioactive materials
  • micro-plastics e.g.
    plastic beads in
    cosmetics
39
Q

consequences of exceeding the novel entities’ boundary

A

Bioaccumulation in food chains and webs

40
Q

remedial measures taken to deal with the problem of the novel entities’ boundary

A
  • Some novel entities are
    already controlled e.g. the
    use of DDT is banned.
  • But of the estimated 100
    000 manufactured
    chemicals and other
    entities, few have been
    properly assessed.
41
Q

endangered species

A

a species whose number and genetic diversity have been reduced to the extent that their long term survival is in doubt

42
Q

planetary boundaries

A

limits between which global systems must operate to prevent abrupt and irreversible environmental change.

Biology Year 2 (21 decks)

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