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Biology GCSE > 7- Ecology > Flashcards

7- Ecology Flashcards

1
Q

Definition of biodiversity

A

Biodiversity is the variety of all the different species of organisms on earth, or within an ecosystem

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2
Q

Why is biodiversity important?

A

-Good biodiversity ensures the stability of ecosystems by reducing the dependence of one species on another for:
- food
- shelter
- maintenance of the physical environment

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2
Q

How have humans affected biodiversity?

A
  • Many human activities are reducing biodiversity
  • only recently have measures been taken to try to stop this reduction.
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3
Q

Why is more waste being produced?

A

-Rapid growth in the human population
- increase in the standard of living
- increasingly more resources are used and more waste is produced
- Unless waste and chemical materials are properly handled, more pollution will be caused

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4
Q

Where can pollution occur?

A
  • In water, from sewage, fertiliser or toxic chemicals
  • In air, from smoke and acidic gases
  • on land, from landfill and from toxic chemicals
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5
Q

Why is pollution bad?

A

Pollution kills plants and animals which can reduce biodiversity

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6
Q

How do humans reduce the amount of land for other animals and plants?

A

Humans reduce the amount of land available for other animals and plants by building, quarrying, farming and dumping waste

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7
Q

Peat bogs

A

The destruction of peat bogs, and other areas of peat to produce garden compost, reduces the area of this habitat and thus the variety of different plant, animal and microorganism species that live there (biodiversity)
The decay or burning of the peat releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere

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8
Q

Why does large-scale deforestation occur in tropical areas?

A
  • to provide land for cattle and rice fields
  • to grow crops for biofuels
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9
Q

Carbon dioxide + methane

A

Levels of carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere are increasing, and contribute to ‘global warming’

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10
Q

How are scientists and concerned citizens trying to reduce the negative effects on ecosystems and biodiversity?

A

Scientists and concerned citizens have put in place programmes to reduce the negative effects of humans on ecosystems and biodiversity
These include:
- breeding programmes for endangered species
- protection and regeneration of rare habitats
- reintroduction of field margins and hedgerows in agricultural areas where farmers grow only one type of crop
- reduction of deforestation and carbon dioxide emissions by some governments
- recycling resources rather than dumping waste in landfill

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11
Q

Definition of biodiversity

A

The range and variety of species and habitats within a particular area

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12
Q

definition of biofuels

A

A fuel derived immediately from living matter

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13
Q

Definition of carbon sink

A

A natural environment that is able to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere

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14
Q

Definition of decomposition

A

The state or process of rotting; decay

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15
Q

Definition of exponential

A

An increase that is becoming more and more rapid

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16
Q

Definition of extinct

A

When a species has no living members; it no longer exists

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17
Q

Definition of greenhouse gas

A

A gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation

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18
Q

Definition of habitat

A

The non-living part of an ecosystem

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19
Q

Definition of peat

A

A brown substance resembling soil
formed by the partial decomposition of plant matter in the wet, acidic conditions of bogs
often cut out and dried for use as fuel and in gardening

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20
Q

Why is human population rising exponentially?

A
  • Modern medicine keeping more people alive and alive for longer
  • Improved farming methods and ability to transport and store food so fewer people die from hunger or deficiency diseases
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21
Q

How is biodiversity reduced by human activity?

A
  • Habitat is lost or changed e.g. deforestation
  • Ecosystems are disrupted by flooding or drought (caused by climate change or humans)
  • Climate change causes extreme weather or changes in migration patterns
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22
Q

Reasons for peat extraction

A
  • Peat can be dug up, dried and burnt as a fuel, which makes it an important energy source in some countries
  • Peat has valuable properties when mixed in with soil making it valuable in agriculture and gardening. Many peat bogs have been drained (water removed) to allow the peat to be extracted to make compost
23
Q

Problems with peat extraction

A
  • Draining peat bogs reduced biodiversity because they are a unique environment and some species can only live there
  • Uses peat for energy releases carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
  • When peat is exposed to the air it starts to decay- microorganisms respire while they do this using the peat and oxygen from the air which releases more CO2
  • Destroying peat bogs increases the risk of flooding as they help absorb water
24
Q

Reasons for deforestation

A
  1. Provides land for farming animals such as cattle (cattle also produce methane, a greenhouse gas)
  2. Clears land to grow crops for food and biofuels
  3. Jungles are cut down to clear space to plant palm trees to sell the oil. The palm oil is used in foods, beauty products and to make biofuels
25
Q

Problems caused by deforestation

A
  • Less carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere by trees through photosynthesis
  • More carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere when trees are burned or left to decay once they are chopped down
  • Reduces biodiversity as forest habitats support a huge number of different species of plants and animals. Rainforests especially are a unique habitat so removing large areas of them can cause species to become extinct
26
Q

Acid rain definition

A

Rainfall made so acidic by atmospheric pollution that it causes environmental harm

27
Q

Algae definition

A

a simple aquatic plant that includes seaweeds and many single-celled forms

28
Q

bioaccumulation definition

A

When a substance becomes concentrated inside the bodies of living things

29
Q

Biodiversity definition

A

The range and variety of species and habitats within a particular area

30
Q

Decomposer definition

A

An organism (usually bacteria or fungi) that decomposes organic material

31
Q

Fertilisers definition

A

a chemical or natural substance added to soil or land to increase its concentration of nutrients

32
Q

Herbicide definition

A

A toxic chemical that kills plants. Sometimes called ‘weed killer’

33
Q

Pesticide definition

A

A toxic chemical that kills animals

34
Q

Pollution definition

A

The introduction into the environment of a substance which has harmful or poisonous effects

35
Q

Sewage definition

A

Waste water and excrement normally transported in sewers

36
Q

Smog definition

A

fog or haze intensified by smoke or other atmospheric pollutants

37
Q

Describe the impact of land pollution by humans: What is land pollution the result of?

A

Most land pollution is either the result of:
- deliberate pollution from toxic industrial waste
- human sewage
- from farming

38
Q

Describe the impact of water pollution by humans: Bioaccumulation

A
  • Pesticides, herbicides, and poisonous metals can cause a problem due to bioaccumulation
  • This is when the chemicals that are in low levels in the water begin to build up in producers and primary consumers
  • These levels are still to low to kill the organisms, but the consumers above them eat many and the toxins begin to build up as they move up the food chain
  • By the time the top carnivore has fed the amount of chemical is in much higher concentration and kills them.
39
Q

Definition of agriculture

A

The practice of farming, including the growing of crops and the rearing of animals to provide food, wool and other products

40
Q

Definition of biodiversity

A

The range of species and habitats within a particular region

41
Q

Definition of conservation

A

Protect something of environmental importance from harm or destruction

42
Q

Definition of distribution

A

The way in which something is spread over an area

43
Q

Definition of endangered

A

a species seriously at risk of extinction

44
Q

Definition of fossil fuel

A

A natural fuel formed in the geological past from the remains of living organisms

45
Q

Definition of greenhouse gas

A

A gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation

46
Q

Definition of habitat

A

The non-living part of an ecosystem- the area in which an organism normally lives

47
Q

Definition of land-fill

A

The disposal of waste material by burying it, especially as a method of filling in and reclaiming excavated pits

48
Q

Definition of peer-review

A

evaluation of scientific or academic work by others working in the same field

49
Q

Explain how human impact has caused the global temperature to rise

A
  • More CO2 pollution from burning fossil fuels and more deforestation has caused a build-up of CO2 in the atmosphere
  • more farming of cows and growing of crops like rice has released more methane into the atmosphere
  • Carbon dioxide and methane are known as greenhouse gases (along with water vapour) because they trap heat energy from the sun.
  • High concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere allows more UV radiation from the sun to pass into the Earth’s atmosphere
  • more infra-red radiation from Earth is absorbed by the gases increasing global temperatures
50
Q

Explain the impact of climate change on biodiversity

A

Climate change is responsible for a reduction in biodiversity as it is linked to changes in:

  • Habitat- Higher temperatures cause seawater to expand and ice to melt causing sea levels to rise. This will reduce the amount of cold habitats at the poles of the earth and rising sea levels will cause flooding and destroy coastal ecosystems
  • Weather changes- Wind patterns, rainfall and seasonal changes will lead to some species finding it hard to survive in their existing ecosystem. This may change where they can live or their distribution
  • Migration patterns- As climates become hotter and colder migration patterns of birds, insects and mammals could change as they can no longer live in their previous locations

These changes reduce biodiversity as organisms are not able to adapt and may go extinct. This is more likely for species that live in areas which will suffer the greatest change. For example, polar bears are at high risk of extinction because they live on ice in the coldest regions

51
Q

Explain why maintaining biodiversity is important

A

It is important to ensure that human development and activities are sustainable in order to ensure that sufficient resources are available for future generations. It is important to maintain biodiversity because:
- We have a moral responsibility not to destroy the planet
- Animals and plants can be useful for the development of medicines
- Aesthetic reasons (nature is beautiful)
- We need to conserve ecosystems so that the planet functions (e.g. we rely on microorganisms for the breakdown of waste/ recycling of nutrients)

52
Q

What can we do to help maintain biodiversity?

A
  • Have breeding programmes for endangered species
  • Protect and regenerate rare habitats
  • Reintroduce hedgerows in agricultural areas where farmers grow only one type of crop to increase biodiversity
  • Reduce deforestation and carbon dioxide emissions by governments
  • Reduce, reuse and recycle resources rather than dumping waste in landfill
53
Q

Describe the impact of water pollution by humans: What happens to everything humans to do the land?

A

Everything that humans do to the land in time will end up in the water. This is due to rainfall causing water to run off the land into the rivers and streams.

54
Q

Describe the impact of water pollution by humans: What happens if fertilisers build up in a lake?

A
  • If fertilisers build up in a lake, they can cause algae to grow incredibly quickly
  • They cover the surface of the pond blocking out the light to the plants at the bottom
  • These underwater plants die and are fed on by decomposers which use up all the oxygen in the water
  • The lack of oxygen kills the fish and other aquatic animal life
  • This process is called eutrophication.
55
Q

Describe the impact of land pollution by humans: waste

A

Humans don’t just affect the environment by what we remove
We also release a huge amount of waste as :
- sewage
- litter
- as waste from industrial processes.

  • These can have a massive effect on ecosystems and biodiversity
  • We risk damaging the water and air supply, affecting both the lives of the humans and the native species that reside in a particular habitat
56
Q

Describe the impact of land pollution by humans: What can this pollution do to the environment?

A

Sewage, radioactive waste, fertilisers, pesticides (chemicals that kill insects) and herbicides (chemicals that kill plants) can poison soils and make habitats not safe to live in

Biology GCSE (10 decks)

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