15: Conservation Of Biodiversity

Question 1

definition of habitat

Answer 1

A habitat is a natural environment that an animal, a plant, or any other organism occupies.

Question 2

What does the distribution of a particular species depend on?

Answer 2

The distribution of a particular species depends on the availability of suitable habitats.

Question 3

What environments can organisms not survive in?

What environment must organisms live in? What does this become?

Answer 3

Organisms cannot survive in an environment that doesn’t provide their basic needs- food and shelter.
Organisms need to live in an environment that is full of the resources required by them, when they find that environment it becomes their natural habitat

Question 4

definition of ecosystem

Answer 4

an ecosystem is a community of organisms that interact with each other and are affected by the abiotic, biotic, climatic, and edaphic factors surrounding them.

Question 5

List, explain and give examples of the factors affecting ecosystems.

Answer 5

Factor > Meaning > Examples
Abiotic > Non-living > Temperature, pH, wind speed, light intensity.
Biotic > Living > Predation, competition, disease
Climatic > To do with the climate > Rainfall, sunlight, temperature
Edaphic > To do with the soil > Type of soil, moisture content of soil, pH of soil

Question 6

Give examples of how the size of ecosystems can vary

Answer 6

The size of an ecosystem can vary enormously:
The bark of a tree or rainforest
A pond or an ocean
One metre of hedgerow or all the hedgerows in ireland.

Question 7

Population definition

Answer 7

A population of organisms is made up of members of the same species, for example, a population of rabbits

Question 8

Community definition

Answer 8

A community of organisms is made up of a combination of different populations of organisms, for example, a community of grasses, dandelions, rabbits, foxes, badgers and earthworms

Question 9

What must be present in an ecosystem for it to run efficiently?

Answer 9

For an ecosystem to run efficiently there needs to be a source of energy and this energy needs to flow through the organisms of the ecosystem so that life can be sustained.

Question 10

Where does the energy needed for an ecosystem come from?

Answer 10

The energy needed for an ecosystem to function comes mostly from the sun

Question 11

Explain (in detail) energy-flow in an ecosystem

Answer 11

Producers (such as grasses) take in light energy from the sun through photosynthesis and convert it to chemical energy in carbohydrates. This is the 1st trophic level.
The primary consumer (an example is grasshoppers) eats this producer and it takes in only 10 % of the energy. It gains 1000 energy units. This is the 2nd trophic level.
The primary consumer is now eaten by a secondary consumer (e.g. a frog) and it gains 100 energy units. This is the 3rd tropic level.
Secondary consumers are then eaten by tertiary consumers such as snakes and foxes. They will gain 10 energy units. This is the 4th trophic level.

Question 12

Explain what the level of consumers there are in ecosystems

Answer 12

Producers are eaten by primary consumers.
Primary consumers are eaten by secondary consumers.
Secondary consumers are eaten by tertiary consumers.

Question 13

What is the name of a consumer that only eats plants?
What is the name of a consumer that only eats other animals?
What is the name of a consumer that eats plants and animals?

Answer 13

A consumer that only eats plants is known as a herbivore.
A consumer that only eats other animals is known as a carnivore.
A consumer that eats producers/plants and consumers/animals is known as a omnivore.

Question 14

What is the name of a consumer that only eats plants?
What is the name of a consumer that only eats other animals?
What is the name of a consumer that eats plants and animals?

Answer 14

A consumer that only eats plants is known as a herbivore.
A consumer that only eats other animals is known as a carnivore.
A consumer that eats producers/plants and consumers/animals is known as an omnivore.

Question 15

What happens to the energy transferred between trophic levels?

Answer 15

Only about 10% of the energy transferred from one trophic level is actually gained by the next level. The other 90% of energy is used by the organisms for growth, reproduction, movement and some is lost as heat.

Question 16

What do decomposers do? Give examples of decomposers at work and of decomposers.

Answer 16

Decomposers make sure that dead matter is broken down and recycled into the feeding chains (e.g. calcium in the bones of animals and in the cells of plants goes back into the soil. This calcium is absorbed by other plants and will enter the food chain again. Decomposers are earthworms, fungi, beetles, millipedes, flies and woodlice.

Question 17

Definition of a trophic level

Answer 17

A trophic level is the position an organism occupies in a food chain.

Question 18

Explain what occupies each trophic level

Answer 18

Green plants occupy the first trophic level.
The animals that eat them occupy the second trophic level.
The animals that eat the animals on the second trophic level are on the third trophic.

Question 19

How do the following get energy: Producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers and tertiary consumers.
What do decomposers make sure are recycled?

Answer 19

Producers get their energy from the sun by photosynthesis.
Primary consumers get their energy from the producers by eating them.
Secondary consumers get their energy from the primary consumers by eating them.
Tertiary consumers get their energy from secondary consumers by eating them.
Decomposers make sure that vital elements such s carbon, nitrogen and calcium are recycled.

Question 20

What is an energy pyramid?

Answer 20

An energy pyramid shows the relationships between producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers.

Question 21

Why is there an enormous amount of plants?

Answer 21

An enormous number of plants are needed to keep the ecosystems alive because the transfer of energy from one trophic level to the next is very inefficient.

Question 22

What do all parts of an ecosystem depend on?

Answer 22

All parts of an ecosystem depend on the other parts.

Question 23

What is the balance of nature?

Answer 23

The balance of nature (also known as ecological balance) is a theory that proposes that ecological systems are usually in a stable equilibrium (balanced)

Question 24

Give examples of matter cycles in ecosystems between living and non-living parts.

Answer 24

Carbon cycle, water cycle, nitrogen cycle

Question 25

What do plants need nitrogen for and how do they get it?

Answer 25

Plants need nitrogen to convert starch, which is made during photosynthesis, to protein.
Plants cant take in nitrogen from the air. The nitrogen has to be in the form of nitrate salts, which they get from the soil.

Question 26

Compare the differences between habitats and ecosystems.

Answer 26

One ecosystem could contain many habitats, but not the other way around.
An ecosystem is always larger than a habitat.
A collection of habitats make an ecosystem eventually.
One habitat contains one or few species, whereas one ecosystem contains a very large number of species.
A habitat contains only few trophic levels, but an ecosystem contains all the trophic levels.

Question 27

List and explain 3 benefits people get from ecosystems.

Answer 27

Food:
Seafood, which is an important part of the diet of many humans, comes from oceanic ecosystems. Many agricultural crops are derived from wild species of plants. The pollination of crops is dependent on wild species of insects.
Water:
Healthy ecosystems ensure clean and fresh water for human consumption. Trees take water from the soil and release this water as vapour from their leaves. Large forests contribute an enormous volume of water to clouds, releasing freshwater into rivers and lakes.
Medicine:
We get most of the active ingredients in medicines from plants, for example, morphine from the poppy and aspirin from the willow. Some medicines are derived from animals. For example, AZT used to treat HIV comes from a marine sponge and we get a very powerful painkiller from the cone snail.

Question 28

How does the ecosystem affect climate?

Answer 28

The full effect of deforestation on climate was not understood until after widespread deforestation actually happened. Forests play a critical role in the water cycle by storing enormous quantities of water that otherwise will contribute to flooding.

Question 29

How does the ecosystem affect air quality?

Answer 29

Most ecosystems contribute greatly to keeping our air quality high. Plants carry out photosynthesis which removes carbon dioxide from the air and replaces it with essential oxygen.
The increase in our carbon emissions has made this service that plants provide even more important.

Question 30

How do ecosystems add to recreation? How do ecosystems add to spiritual and aesthetic effects?

Answer 30

Ecosystems provide wonderful recreational facilities for people e.g. forest walks, woodland walks.
Ecosystems provide humans with deep spiritual enrichment. The wonder and breath-taking properties of healthy ecosystems has spiritual and aesthetic value to us.

Question 31

What is biodiversity?

Answer 31

Biodiversity is all the different species of living organisms on earth

Question 32

What does a healthy ecosystem have and less likely to be what?

Answer 32

A healthy ecosystem has lots of species diversity and is less likely to be seriously damaged by human activities, natural disaster, and climate changes.

Question 33

Definition of ecological biodiversity

Answer 33

Ecological biodiversity is to do with all the different types of ecosystems on earth

Question 34

What are the two types of ecosystems?

Answer 34

Terrestrial and aquatic

Question 35

Where are terrestrial ecosystems based? Where are aquatic ecosystems based? Give examples of both.

Answer 35

Terrestrial ecosystems are based on land, for example, forests, grasslands, mountains and deserts.
Aquatic ecosystems are based on water, for example, oceans, rivers, lakes, wetlands and polar regions.

Question 36

List the different types of terrestrial ecosystems and some information about them.

Answer 36

Forest ecosystems:
There is a very high density of living organisms in a typical forest ecosystem.
Forests are further divided into different types depending on their climate, all of them teeming with life.
Grassland ecosystems:
There are two types of grasslands: Savannah and prairie.
Grassland will mainly be inhabited by grazing animals, lots of insects and therefore insectivorous animals.

Question 37

List the different types of aquatic ecosystems and some information about them.

Answer 37

Aquatic ecosystems can be marine (saltwater) and freshwater.
Aquatic ecosystems include the following:
Marine ecosystems:
Freshwater ecosystems:

Question 38

List the different types of aquatic ecosystems and some information about them.

Answer 38

Aquatic ecosystems can be marine (saltwater) and freshwater.
Aquatic ecosystems include the following:
Marine ecosystems:
They cover 71 % of the earth’s surface and 97% of the earth’s water.
There are large amounts of many different minerals dissolved in the earth’s oceans. These ecosystems are home to fish, dolphins, whales, and an abundance of shellfish (Prawns, lobsters, crabs, etc).
Freshwater ecosystems:
They cover about 0.8% of the earth’s surface and contain about 0.009% of the earth’s water.
They are home to reptiles, amphibians, and around 41% of all fish species.

Question 39

What are some types of freshwater ecosystems?

Answer 39

Types of freshwater ecosystems:
Slow-moving pools, lakes and ponds.
Fast-moving streams and rivers

Question 40

Conservation definition

Answer 40

Conservation is the wise management of a natural resource to prevent exploitation, destruction or neglect

Question 41

What are some examples of human-induced habitat changes?

Answer 41

Drainage schemes, reservoir and dam construction, urban, industrial and agricultural development, and deforestation are examples of human-induced habitat changes.

Question 42

What was the distribution of organisms determined by?

Answer 42

The distribution of organisms was largely determined by evolution, climate, geography and other organisms.

Question 43

List 7 conservation methods to improve the sustainability of our planet.

Answer 43

Forest management/replanting
Mine rehabilitation
Local plans to prevent pollution
Regional plans to prevent over-harvesting of fish
Regional plans to prevent inappropriate hunting of wild game.
Global initiatives to stop emissions that cause dangerous climate change.
Reducing consumption of resources and problems associated with waste management by reducing, reusing, recycling

Question 44

How many tons of food is wasted each year?

Answer 44

About 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted each year.

Question 45

What is sustainable development?

Answer 45

Sustainable development is a balanced approach to achieving a better quality of life for more people - while at the same time avoiding as much as possible any negative impact on the natural world.

Question 46

List some areas of food production that need improvement and what we need to do.

Answer 46

Growing:
Fertilise land without leaching minerals into waterways.
Breed good quality seed.
Reuse land.
Employ cooperative measures where growers help each other.
Transport:
Rely less on food from far away.
Consume foods that are in season.
Rely more on local growers.
Consumption:
Lessen our food portions.
Eat healthier food
Stop wasting food - it is estimated that one-third of food produced globally is wasted.