Case Studies Flashcards
(19 cards)
The Chornobyl Nuclear Disaster (1986)
A reactor at the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine exploded, causing widespread radioactive contamination.
Revealed the global risks of nuclear energy, especially when safety protocols are ignored → Many countries but esp Germany started their nuclear phase-out
Over 350,000 people were displaced, and large areas remain uninhabitable.
Tipping point examples
Arctic Sea Ice Melting
Increase in CO2 in the air causes higher temps → melting of the permaforst which releases methane and lowering the albedo further → contributing to the temp increase through the absorption of more sunlight
Can also ruin the push of the Ocean Conveyor Belt
Coral Bleaching and Reef Collapse
Rising sea temperatures → Coral bleaching (expulsion of symbiotic algae) → Coral death → Loss of reef structure → Less habitat for fish → Further ecosystem degradation.
E.g. Great Reef Barrier, Australia
Case Study of Succession
Surtsey Island, Iceland - Primary Succession
Volcanic eruption formed a new island in 1963 - Primary Succession
Pioneer Stage (1960s–1970s) → mosses and lichens + seeds via wind and birds.
Intermediate Stage (1980s–1990s) → Soil depth and quality improved due to plant decay and bird droppings
Climax Stage (Ongoing)
Mount St. Helens, USA - Secondary Succession
Volcanic eruption in May 1980 → didn’t destroy soil
Surviving species and new ones colonize (Pioneer Stage, Intermediate, Climax Community)
Four contrasting biomes
Tropical Rainforest Biome - Amazon Basin (South America)
Hot and wet all year: 26–28°C
Most biodiverse terrestrial biome + high NPP since constant sunlight and rain)
Desert Biome - Sahara Desert (North Africa)
Hot and dry
Soil is sandy or rocky, low in organic matter, and often saline
Low biodiversity and very low NPP due to water limitation
Tundra Biome - Arctic Tundra, Alaska (USA)
Very cold and dry + low sunlight hours
The permafrost layer just below the surface prevents deep root growth.
Poor drainage creates wetlands
Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome - Switzerland
Moderate climate with four seasons
Generally fertile and loamy soils (a lot of leaf decomposition)
Conservation case studies of 3 species
Extinct, Critically endangered, Conservation status improved by intervention
Extinct: Dodos (late 1600s) - Mauritius
Reason: Habitat destruction by human settlers, invasive species ate Dodo eggs, overhunting
Lack of conservation awareness at the time and how isolated island species are vulnerable to rapid human impact.
Critically Endangered: Amur Leopard - Russian Far East and NE China
Estimated 120 individuals in the wild
Reason: Habitat fragmentation from roads and logging, poaching, inbreeding due to small numbers
Conservation Efforts: Creation of protected areas (e.g., Land of the Leopard National Park)
Conservation Success: Giant Panda - China
Pevious Threats: Habitat loss due to deforestation and agriculture, low reproductive rate
Conservation Measures: Over 60 panda reserves, reforestation and bamboo restoration, successful captive breeding and release programs
Wild population increased to ~1,800 individuals
WWF had a massive help
Evaluate the success of a protected area and the conservation strategies in place
Yellowstone National Park – USA (North America) 1872
Temperate Forest & Alpine Tundra
Conservation Strategies: Large protected area with surrounding buffer zones, reintroduction of keystone species (e.g. wolves in 1995), public education and sustainable tourism promotion (public engagement)
Challenge: Conflict with ranchers over wolf predation on livestock
Discuss how shared freshwater resources have given rise to international conflict.
The Nile River - Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan
Ethiopia built a dam to generate hydroelectric power for development but Egypt fears reduced water flow for agriculture and national survival
Discuss the controversial harvesting of a named species
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
Why Controversial: Overfishing & Endangerment
Populations dropped by over 85% in the 20th century due to industrial fishing, Lack of enforcement in some regions makes sustainable management difficult
Ecosystem Impacts: Removal of top predators affects marine food webs and ocean balance. Bycatch from longlines and purse seines affects dolphins, turtles, and sharks.
Conservation Eforts: Managed by ICCAT –> Quotas, closed seasons, and no-take zones have been introduced. Farmed tuna are increasing
Discuss a case study that demonstrates the impact of aquaculture
Salmon Farming in Chile
Positive Impacts: Economic growth (exports), lots of job opportunities, high-protein food source
Negative:
Eutrophication → Excess feed and fish waste cause nutrient loading leading to algal blooms and oxygen depletion
Disease and Parasites → High density increases outbreaks of sea lice & viruses and can spread to wild salmon and other
Antibiotic Overuse → Leads to antibiotic resistance and pollutes marine ecosystems
Habitat Destruction → farms often located at coastal areas
Compare two contrasting fisheries concerning how they’ve been managed for sustainability.
Newfoundland, Canada
Had the largest cod stocks in the world –> fishing efforts increasing with modern tech
Despite warnings from scientists the gov didn’t do anything about the decrease in fish numbers
By 1992 fish stock was significantly lower so they had to close down all fisheries –> many job and money losses
Stocks are still trying to recover from the collapse
Iceland
After seeing decline in cod fish stock the gov took action allowing people to continue fishing but at a sustainable rate: strict quotas, catching a variety of other fish to relieve pressure off of cod stocks, use of exclusive zones, not allowing foreign fishers to fish
Stocks are stable and fisheries continue since they sustainably managed it
Compare and contrast two named food production systems.
Maasai Pastoralism – Kenya & Tanzania (Traditional, Extensive, Nomadic)
Minimal use of water and feed supplements
Large areas of open grazing land & nomadic movement to prevent overgrazing
Embedded in the Maasai Tribe’s culture
USA Beef Production (Intensive, commercial, industrial)
High greenhouse gas emissions (methane, nitrous oxide)
Pollution from manure lagoons
Deforestation and biodiversity loss from feed production
High density animals
Evaluate soil management strategies in a named farming system and a named subsistence farming system
Organic Vegetable Farming in Kerala, India
Use of compost and green manure, crop rotation and intercropping, use of traditional pest deterrents, community training and government support
Commercial Soya Farming in Mato Grosso, Brazil
Monoculture farming, heavy use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, deforestation of native forest for farmland, tillage-based systems (increases erosion risk)
Discuss inter-governmental situations involving acid deposition.
What causes acid deposition: Emissions from coal-burning power stations, industry, and vehicles.
Case Study: Canada and the United States
1970s–80s, SO₂ emissions from U.S. Midwest power plants were transported to eastern Canada by prevailing winds. Canada blamed the US
1991: Canada–U.S. Air Quality Agreement → Legally binding agreement to reduce SO₂ and NOₓ emissions. Created joint monitoring networks and annual progress reports
Outcome: US cut SO2 emissions by over 60% (1990–2020).
Compare the energy resources and strategies of two contrasting societies
Iceland:
Energy mix: Coal, oil, geothermal, hydro, biofuel,
PROS: 85% energy is from domestic renewable energy sources (geothermal + hdydr), 90% households get heating from geothermal water, Decreased reliance on fossil fuels + decrease GHG emissions
CONS: hydropower → habitat destuctuon + decreased biodiversity (flooded 57km2 of habitat) Changed rainfall patterns and increased demand for for hot water so now it’s produced to it’s limit. SUPER PRICY
Security challenges: lack of investment and regulaktions of mechanisms concerning security supply. Hydro depends on weather + reservoir management
Future opportunities: Expanding geothermal energy (deep drilling) , develop wind and solar power, electrify transport!
Recommendation: keep doing what your doing!!!!
Discuss two mitigation strategies for climate change
Mitigation strategy → OCEAN SEEDING (geoengineering)
How it works: Dumping iron-containing compounds (iron sulphate) to iron poor areas on ocean surface to increase algal growth and phytoplankton production = CO2 in atmosphere
Technincal challenges: Disrupts ecosystem bc of harmful algal blooms/nutrient depletion, uncertain if it will actually work bc not all phytoplankton absorbs carbon in deepwaters, CO2 still goes into the atmosphere
Social challenges: Skeptisims bc it’s geo-engineering (not ethical to manipulate the earth (controversial opinion))
Political challenges: International agreements are limiting this bc it’s too risly + uncertain, there is no system to regulate it in the international water, no government support
Economic challenges: Super pricy to monintor and carry out, uncertain if the benefitis outweigh the costs, mining iron, operating it and transporting it is super expensive, releases emissions.
ONE OF THE WORST OPTIONS
Mitigation strategy → DECARBONISING TRANSPORT
How it works: Newforms of transport that produce less GHGs (EVS, phasing out diesel and petrol) + promoting shared transport (busses on renewable energy)
Technical challenges: All methods need to change (already did for cars but is more hard to run planes on renewable energy), need lithium to develop engines
Social challenges: EVS is still new so it’s still expensive = inaccessible. Cultural connection to vehicles that run on Fossil fuels, social reluctance to switch
Political challenges: Development of it puts all geopolitical reliance on China cuz they have 70% of all lithium batteries…
Economic challenges: Developing technology is expensive, vehicles have high manufacturing cost than a fossil fuel car…
CHEAP EASY EFFECTIVE! ONE OF THE BEST OPTIONS
(Sweden, Norway, Denmark)
two adaptation strats for climate change
Adaption strategy → Flood Defenses
How it works: Construcuting dams, embankments + sea walls to control the water flow and decrease the flood risk
Expensive?: Seawalls are $5000-$10 000 per meter, flood walls $1000 per meter
Negative environmental externalities: Habitat loss, changes water flow pattern, decreases biodiversity, affects transport, coastal erosion
How techy: Needs advanced engineering expertise to be able to control thewater flow and withstand extreme forces + for it to be long term
Help for LEDCs: they need money for it and qualified engineers..
MIAMI!!!
Adaption Straegy → Desalniantion Plants
How it works: Sewawater intake sutcuture, pre-treatment systems, reverse osmosis membranes, brine discharge system. Big industrial buildings by coast, storage tanks + energy intensive machinery
Expensive?: $300million - $1billion to build
How techy: Advanced engineering + equipment, maintenance + knowledge
Negative environmental externalities: Brine discharge harms marine ecosystem if released into the ocean, FF is used for energy, the facility damages the coastal area
Help for LEDCs: Financial aid, technical expertise, + good strats to dispose brine..
CALIFORNIA + MIAMI!
Identify the reasons for the dynamic status of at least 2 examples of natural capital.
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna → demand for sushi was really high so fishers started to fish more bluefin tunas = overfishing → extracting more than the fish could reproduce + ignoring regulations and quotas
RESULT: → since 1970 bluefin tuna decreased by 70%, marine ecosystem is impacted
Ogallala Aquifier → (groundwater) being depleted because of over extracted for agricultural purposes (iriigation) in midwest of America, extracting more water than it can be replenished
RESULT: 100feet of water has decreased from the aquifer since 1950, Decreased water quality, increased pumping costs.
Compare the waste production and management in two contrasting societies
India
Relying on the informal sector
Waster pickers collect the trash and sort it
They cant organize or sort their waste properly because they don’t have the proper infrastructure to support it
Didnt reach their goal to eliminate single use plastic by 2022 so pushed it to 2030..
Only 16% is recycled
No awareness on this issue!
Germany
Green-dot system where producers have to pay per volume of the packaging
Return system (Pfand system) where they return plastic bottles back ( there is a financial incentive) and 98% return rate!!!
Color sorting (recyclables, glass, cardboard etc..)
Aiming to have 65% to be recycled
Adapting to EU regulations
Companies need to register and report the materials they use.
Compare and contrast the ecological footprints of two countries
United States (High Footprint Country)
High energy use: fossil fuels for electricity, transport, and industry.
Meat-heavy diet: more land, water, and energy required per calorie.
High levels of waste: including electronic and plastic waste.
Suburban lifestyles: more private transport and housing-related emissions.
Consumer culture: high resource consumption and imports
Bangladesh (Low Footprint Country)
Low energy consumption: limited access to electricity and vehicles in rural areas.
Plant-based diets: low meat intake reduces land and water demands.
Minimal industrialization: fewer emissions per capita.
