B7 Biodiversity and Waste Management (page 91) Flashcards
What is Biodiversity?
it is the variety of different species of organisms on Earth, or within an ecosystem.
High Biodiversity is important, why?
It makes sure that ecosystems (see pg 83), are stable because different species depend on each other for things like shelter and food.
Different species can also help to maintain the right physical environment for each other (e.g. the acidity of the soil).
For the human species to survive, what is important about biodiversity?
it is important that a good level of biodiversity is maintained.
What human actions have reduced biodiversity?
waste production, deforestation (see p.93), as well as global warming (see p.92), are reducing biodiversity.
However, its’s only recently that we’ve started taking measures to stop this from continuing.
The population of the world is currently rising very quickly, (look at the graph on page 91), why is this happening?
This is mostly due to modern medicine and farming methods, which have reduced the number of people dying from disease and hunger.
(there are over seven billion people in the world)….
The population rising, and humans living longer but what do this mean for the environment?
it means w’re having a bigger effect on the environment we live in.
When the Earth’s population was much smaller what was the effects of human activity?
human activity was y small and local.
Nowadays thoug, our actions can have a far more widespread effect.
Why do our increasing population put pressure on the environment?
we take the resources we need to survive.
People around the world are also demanding a higher standard of living (and so demand luxuries to make life more comfortable - cars, computers etc).
Why are peoples higher standards of living having a huge effect on the environment?
We use more raw materials (e.g. oil to make more and more resources from the environment and more and more quickly)
Unfortunately, many raw materials are bing used up quicker than they’re being replaced. So if we carry on like we are, one day we’re going to run out.
As well as increasing demands on the environment, what else are we producing?
more waste.
As we make more and more things we also produce what?
more and more waste, including waste chemicals.
If the waste isn’t properly handled what will happen?
more harmful pollution will be caused.
Pollution affects what?
Water, Land and Air, and kills plants and animals, reducing biodiversity.
Water:
Sewage and toxic chemicals from industry can pollute what?
lakes, rivers and oceans.
What affect will pollution have on lakes, rivers and oceans?
it will affect plants and animals that rely on them for survival (including humans). And the chemicals used on land (e.g. fertilsers, pesticides and herbicides) can be washed into water
