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AQA Environmental science questions > Conservation of Biodiversity > Flashcards

Conservation of Biodiversity Flashcards

(62 cards)

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1
Q

What is biomimetics?

A

The use of knowledge of the adaptations of other species, to improve the designs of manufactured items

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2
Q

Why do we need to conserve biodiversity? (6 things)

A

Resources
Biomimetics
Medicines
Physiological research
Pest control species
Genetic resources

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3
Q

How does biodiversity give us resources?

A

Wood: manufacture of buildings, tools, furniture
Fibres: cotton, wool, paper
Oils: vegetable and animal oils are used in foods, lubricants, soaps
Fuels: wood, charcoal, alcohol,
Food: plants, animals, algae, fungi

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4
Q

How does biodiversity help us with genetic resources?

A

Crop breeding programmes

Characteristics introduced from CWR (crop wild relative) species
-disease resistance
-salt tolerance
-resistance to drought
-high yield
-improved taste or appearance
-nutrient uptake

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5
Q

Ecosystem services

A

Atmospheric composition
Hydrological cycle
Biogeochemical cycle
Soil maintenance
Inter species relationships
Food
Pollination
Seed dispersal
Habitat provision

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6
Q

What is a valvilov centre (of diversity)

A

A geographical area that contains a large amount of close relatives of important crop species (before domestication and selective breeding)

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7
Q

What is the significance of poppies in the development of new medicines?

A

Poppies produce opioids such as morphine which are used to treat chronic pain

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8
Q

What is the significance of willow bark in the development of new medicines?

A

Willow bark was historically used to produce aspirin which acts as a painkiller

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9
Q

How have squids contributed to physiological research?

A

Squids have been used to increase scientists’ understanding of the human nervous system and allowed the development of treatments for Alzheimer’s due to their long nerve cells

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10
Q

How have armadillos contributed to physiological research?

A

Armadillos have been used to increase scientists’ understanding of leprosy and allowed the development of vaccinations for the disease as they are one of the few animal species that can catch it

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11
Q

What is biological control?

A

The use of living organisms to control the population of agricultural pests

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12
Q

How have parasitic wasps been used for biological control?

A

Parasitic wasps hatch from inside a dead aphid and then lays its eggs inside other aphids (often used in greenhouses)

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13
Q

What is a CWR?

A

Crop Wild Relative - a wild plant closely related to a domesticated plant used for food production

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14
Q

How does domestication and selective breeding affect genetic diversity?

A

Genetic diversity is decreased

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15
Q

What is in-situ conservation?

A

Conservation within a species natural habitat

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16
Q

How can plants be conserved?

A

Seed banks such as The Millennium Seed Bank (MSB) can store 10000 seeds/species to ensure a diverse gene pool.

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17
Q

What is soft release?

A

When an animal is released into a protected environment within its natural habitat as part of a release program with additional support

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18
Q

What is hard release?

A

When an animal is directly released into it’s habitat

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19
Q

What is a keystone species?

A

a species that has a disproportionally large effect on its natural environment relative to its abundance eg beavers

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20
Q

What is a flagship species?

A

a species chosen to raise support for biodiversity conservation

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21
Q

What is an endemic species?

A

Species found in one place and nowhere else eg Giant Panda in China

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22
Q

Give 3 things the Wildlife and Countryside Acts make an offence?

A
  • Intentionally killing, injuring or taking an wild bird egg/nest.
  • Pick, uproot, trade or possess (for the purpose of trade) wild plants.
  • Releasing non-native species which may be detrimental to native wildlife.
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23
Q

What is the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species?

A

The world’s most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species.

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24
Q

When deciding if an animal species goes on the IUCN Red List, what things are considered?

A
  • Population size
  • Geographic range (degree of population dispersal)
  • evolutionary unique species
  • endemic species
    -keystone species
    -flagship species
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25
Give methods of increasing breeding success and briefly outline them.
Cryopreservation: The freezing of eggs, semen and embryos for future use. They can be transported much easier than parent animals. Embryo Transfer: Some species don't have many females which slows reproduction. This slows reproduction rate as pregnancy can be long. Eggs are obtained and fertilised, then implanted into a female of a more common species. Artificial insemination: involved the collection of semen from a male and it's insertion into a female to produce offspring Cloning
26
examples of biomimicry vehicle design
splayed wingtip feathers of soaring birds reduce wind turbulence and drag- used for aircraft wing designs to increase fuel efficiency
27
examples of biomimicry in medicine
coating material that imitates shark skin used in hospitals to control bacterial infections
28
define gene pool
the total number of different genes present in all individuals in a population of a particular species
29
Threats to biodiversity
1) Direct exploitation eg for food, fashion, medicine and furniture 2) Eradication of predators and competitors eg of humans, livestock, pathogen vectors 3) Changes in biotic factors eg water avaliability and drying out of wetland habitat, temperature, PH, pollution, water turbidity 4) Changes in abiotic factors eg loss of pollinators or seed dispersal species 5) Introduced species
30
What is ex-situ conservation?
Conservation efforts away from where a species would normally live
31
What has to be considered with captive breeding programs?
1) Habitat size 2) Food requirements 3) Species interrelationships 4) Financial constraints
32
Factors that inhibit success of captive breeding programs
1) Conditions for breeding eg precise timing of breeding 2) Population interactions and breeding success eg some species breed more successfully if breeding adults are seperate from the other adults 3) Breeding habitat eg one that includes a suitable site for courtship display 4) Hybridisation-(interbreeding of species that wouldn't normally meet in wild) offspring will be different from wild population and my not be as well adapted for survival
33
key features of successful release programs
1) large enough suitable habitat 2) reliable food supplies 3) low predation risk 4) water
34
problems faced by released individuals?
1) Hunting skills 2) recognising poisonous foods 3) being accepted into social groups 4) recognising and avoiding predators
35
Example of a species that could be domesticated/food resource in future
American Bison- graze grasslands that are too poor for cattle
36
How has biomimicry influenced Architecture?
Mounds that termites construct above the ground have their own natural solar-driven ventilation system- this system has been copied in office blocks to create cooling without the need for AC
37
How has biomimicry influenced Adhesion?
toes of gecko lizards have pads that provide strong adhesion- being copied eg with velcro
38
Examples of physiological research
1) Marsupials develop in their mother's pouch- studying a developing kangaroo in a pouch is easier than studying a human baby of the same age inside it's mothers womb 2) Studying dolphins and bats that use high frequency sound to echo-locate their food has enabled the development of new ultrasound scanners
39
EDGE species
'Evolutionarily Distinct and Globally Endangered'
40
UK protected areas designated mainly for wildlife conservation
-National Nature Reserve (NNR) -Special Area of Conservation (SAC) -Special Protection Area (SPA) -Ramsar sites -Marine Nature Reserve (MNR) -Local Nature Reserve (LNR) -Marine Protected Area (MPA) -Marine Conservation Zone (MCZ)
41
Define the term carrying capacity (1 mark)
maximum population that can be supported sustainably
42
Describe two advantages and two disadvantages of using eDNA instead of the traditional methods as a technique for monitoring aquatic species (4 marks)
Advantages: - DNA provides more accurate identification of species - less time consuming at site meaning less disturbance of site Disadvantages: - Takes longer to obtain results from lab - DNA degrades quickly (in warm conditions).
43
Explain How the use of electronic monitoring technology may provide information that is useful for the conservation of wildlife (9 marks)
1) GPS tracking 2) Camera traps 3) satellites 4) Argo floats 5) eDNA
44
Outline methods that may be used to increase the survival of captive-bred animals that are released into the wild (4 marks)
- food provision for captive-bred animals - Introduction to predatory recognition and hunting skills -vaccination against diseases -drone monitoring and tracking the species - Release into protected areas/ ensuring habitats they are released into have plenty of supplies and are large enough, low predator rates etc
45
Explain why the problems caused by introduced species are often greater in isolated regions (3 marks)
- endemic species unable to migrate and recolonise elsewhere where there is less competition for resources - may bring diseases - numbers of introduced species rise due to no predators
46
Use examples to describe the methods that may be used to reduce problems caused by introduced species (5 marks)
- culling of introduced species eg cane toad - provision of resources such as food for native species - use of biological control -fences/barriers eg rabbits - poisoning/pesticide use eg rats
47
How does CITES (convention on international trade in Endangered species) protect selected species?
Control of international trade. Appendix I: no international trade Appendix II: limited trade permitted from areas where the population is well conserved
48
International Whaling Commission (IWC)
Uses things such as ship strikes to achieve: - total protection of some species - limits on exploitation - designation of whale sanctuaries - protection on breeding females and calves - research on biology, threats and conservation
49
European Union Common Fisheries Policy (EU CFP)
Methods to avoid overexploitation: - Total Allowable catch (TAC) to avoid exceeding the maximum sustainable yield - minimum catchable size- to allow smaller fish to survive and grow, to be caught when they are larger. - Minimum mesh size- to avoid catching small fish
50
International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO)
- conservation of soils, water, carbon stores - support for forest-dependent communities - climate change mitigation and adaption. - community forestry
51
How is rewilding used in habitat restoration
Management change to re-create more natural habitats. Reduced grazing pressure. Reintroduction of locally extinct species eg wolf, beaver etc
52
How much the structural features of habitats affect the success of conservation programmes?
1) Habitat area- area large enough to support viable populations. 2) Habitat shape- areas of 'core' habitat and 'edge' habitat. 3) Age structure 4) Ease of colonization/need for introduction- may be isolated so colonisation may be difficult 5) Biological corridors
53
Taxon definition
Any group of related organisms eg Cats, Rhinos, mammals
54
Biosphere definition
All the living organisms of Earth and the parts of the hydrosphere, atmosphere and lithosphere where they are found.
55
Processes of ecological succession
1) Colonisation and pioneer species= arrival of the first species to either natural or human created uninhabited areas. 2) Seres= a sequence of changing communities from the uninhabited area to the climax community - Hydrosere (Starting on water) - Psammosere (Starting on sand) - Lithosere (Starting on rock) 3) Changing community composition= changing conditions enable new species to colonise as earlier colonisers are outcompeted. 4) Climax community
56
What abiotic conditions change during succession?
Increased vegetation density and height produce: - less extreme temperatures - reduced wind velocity - increased humidity - reduced light levels - increased soil depth - increased OM
57
What biotic conditions change during succession?
- Increase in biodiversity - Increase in biomass - increased reliance on animal pollination - increased reliance on animal seed dispersal
58
What is a climax community in terms of succession?
The final community produced by succession where the species are well adapted and cannot be out-competed. General features= high biodiversity, high biomass, the tallest vegetation, the most interspecies relationships etc
59
What is deflected succession?
Succession where the community development is altered by human activity, producing a different community eg by grazing. If the deflecting activity continues than the long-term community is a plagioclimax
60
What is a plagioclimax?
A plagioclimax is a type of ecosystem that has reached a stable state, but not the ultimate climax community that would occur naturally under undisturbed conditions
61
What is secondary ecological succession?
Ecological succession restarts after ecosystem disturbance or the ceasing of the processes that maintained a plagioclimax. Secondary succession is much faster than primary succession
62
Give examples of how plagioclimax communities can be maintained
1) Grazing 2) Mowing 3) Burning 4) Coppicing 5) Pollarding

AQA Environmental science questions (15 decks)

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