17.1 the human population explosion

Question 1

biodiversity def

Answer 1

the measure of the variety of all the different species of organisms on earth, or within a particular ecosystem

Question 2

what happens if there is a high biodiversity

Answer 2

• ensures the stability of ecosystems
• reduces the dependence of one species on another for food, shelter and the maintenance of the physical environment
• the loss or removal of one species has a limited effect because others take its place

Question 3

what resources do humans use

Answer 3

• fossil fuels: generate electricity, for transport, to make plastic
• minerals from the rocks
• soil: to grow food

Question 4

what does the human population do which drains the resources of the earth

Answer 4

• more and more land is used for building houses, shops, and roads.
• billions of acres used for farming,
• dig up vast areas of land for quarries to obtain rocks and metals ores
• waste produced by humans pollutes environment and processing it takes up land, affecting biodiversity

Question 5

how does more and more land is used for building houses, shops, and roads affect the environment

Answer 5

destroys habitats of other living organisms and reduces biodiversity

Question 6

how does billions of acres used for farming affect the environment

Answer 6

wherever people farm, the natural animal and plant populations are destroyed

Question 7

how does dig up vast areas of land for quarries to obtain rocks and metals ores affect the environment

Answer 7

reduces land available for other organisms

Question 8

what is the problem with humans draining the resources of the earth

Answer 8

people rapidly using the finite reserves of metal ores and non-renewable energy resources such as crude oil and natural gas cannot be replaced

Question 9

what has led to an increase in waste

Answer 9

• rapid growth in human population
• improvements in standards of living
• increase in manufacturing and industry

Question 10

how will water be polluted because of waste

Answer 10

• sewage
• fertilisers from farms
• toxic chemicals from industry

Question 11

how will air be polluted because of waste

Answer 11

may be polluted with smoke and poisonous gases such as sulphur dioxide

Question 12

how will the land be polluted because of waste

Answer 12

• toxic chemicals from farming eg pesticides and herbicides
• contaminated w/ industrial waste eg heavy metals
• chemicals can be washed from land into waterways

Question 13

Give 3 reasons why the human population has grown rapidly

Answer 13

• improved medicine
• increased food production
• lack of natural predators