Ecosystem Issues On A Local Scale Flashcards
1
Q
Definition of urbanisation
A
- the movement of people from rural areas to urban areas
- has occurred over the last 200 years
2
Q
What are the types of urban land use
A
- secondary succession/ derelict/ plagioclimax
- industrial sites
- transport routes
- residential gardens and allotments
- parks and open green space
- landfill sites
- lakes and reservoirs
- pockets or urban woodland (pine woods- Harrogate)
3
Q
How are urban ecosystems different
A
- a hybrid of natural and am made elements whose interactions are effected by both natural environments and humans (culture, politics…)
4
Q
Specific differences between rural and urban areas
A
- atmosphere pollution: 10-25 times more (U)
- mean air temperature: 0.5-1.5 higher (U)
- total rainfall: 5-10% more in urban
5
Q
What is a niche
A
- a term for the position of a species within an ecosystem
- describing both the range of conditions necessary for the species to continue and the ecological role in the ecosystem
- part of the ecosystem the plant or animal occupies
6
Q
What is a micro- habitat
A
- within a town or city
- provides a specialist environment within a certain species of plant which can thrive
- moss taking root and growing on high ledges
7
Q
How are cities dynamic areas
A
- constantly evolving
- British cities- de industrialisation is occurring resulting in significant wasteland
- London Docklands
- transformation of the land favours organisms that are more able to rapidly colonise and are better adapted
- results in urbanising ares often having a combination of people and organisms
8
Q
Examples of colonisation of Wasteland
A
- horizontal bare Tarmac
- vertical brick walls
- piles of rubble
- wall tops
9
Q
Why are the species varied when it comes to places such as old industrial sites
A
- different types of surfaces such as Tarmac, concrete
- some sites will be acid or alkaline
10
Q
What happens on a succession of an urban wasteland
A
- human disruption is constantly creating habitats
- plants and animals will re-colonise these areas and create new ecosystems
- colonising species will have an impact on the environment and will change it and develop it
11
Q
What type of succession is it when it occurs on a wasteland
A
- bare habitat: primary
- disturbance not resulting in loss of soil: secondary
- possible for both primary and secondary
12
Q
First stage of succession on an urban wasteland
A
- colonisation
- pioneers colonise the area
- certain hardy species such as lichens and moss
- producers and make own food and when they die create a simple soil to develop succession
- can survive without soil
- example: twisted moss
13
Q
Second stage of succession in an urban wasteland
A
- establishment
- pioneer species begin to have an impact
- food is presented for consumers and decomposers which have now arrived
- soil begins to form from the dead remains
- keeps improving
- example: nettles, rosebay willow herb
14
Q
Third stage of succession in an urban wasteland
A
- competition
- taller plants such as ferns begin to move in making more competition for the existing plants
- everything is still improving: soil and water intake
- example: Japanese knotweed
15
Q
Forth stage of succession in an urban wasteland
A
- stabilisation
- shrubs and trees arrive
- everything still improving
- need more soil so the pioneers from the beginning begin to die out
- example: brambles, birth and sycamore
16
Q
Fifth stage of succession in a urban wasteland
A
- climatic climax
- left for long enough it can develop
- not many of these around the world as humans are cutting them down
- long time to develop
17
Q
Examples of places in the uk where succession has been encourage and managed by people
A
- nature reserve (rossett acre nature reserve, Harrogate)
- London wildlife trust- Gunnersbury triangle
18
Q
What is an route way ecology
A
- includes railways and dual carriage ways where there are few pedestrians
- distinctive habitat as exotic species can be brought by road traffic and trains.
- can provide wildlife corridors
19
Q
Describe the railway line rout way ecology
A
- enable animals to move around the city with little or no interference from traffic
- during the days: trains which burn off any taller species allowing light demanding species to get as much light as they need
- example: primroses and foxgloves
- wind borne seeds are sucked along by the trains and scattered along the edges
- example: Oxford ragwort
- lack of human disturbance allows foxes and badgers to exist and make a home
20
Q
Describe road traffic acts in a route ah ecology
A
- acts in the same way in regards for animals and insects
- roads provide food for kestrels: roadkill
- nitrogen-rich fumes boost growth of some wild flowers
- embankments are well managed
- planned planting of trees and shrubs to act as noise screens
- grass is mown regularly- reduce number of fauna and flora
21
Q
How does the soil come about on a Motorway
A
- excavated from the bed and pulled up at the sides forming banks
- sound deflectors
- barrier for any vehicle that leaves the motorway
22
Q
The geology of a motorway ecology
A
- geology affects the size, shape and gradient of the boarding verges
- influenced by hardiness of rock structure
- chalk/limestone/granite are hardy so can form stable and hardy gradients
23
Q
What happened to the motorway verges during the construction
A
- soil verges were prepared to make a good seedbed prior to seeding
- herbaceous plants and trees/shrubs were planted
- DEFRA chose suitable laces for these plants to be planted
- most common tress were maple, sycamore and silver birch
24
Q
What happened after initial planting at the rout way verges
A
- community started to be penetrated by other plants species
- rate and extent of the invasion depended on nature and terrain
- grassland sites and woods beside a country’s major road now harbour 60 sites of species
- examples: green winged orchid and the yellow rattle
25
Two examples of plants which were an unplanned introduction to the uk
- Japanese knotweed
| - Oxford ragwort
26
Description of Oxford ragwort
- yellow flowered herbaceous plant
- native to mountains
- was bought to the Oxford botanical gardens
- escaped into the wild-
- grew in Oxford colleges and stonewalls
- gone all the way to railway lines where it now stays
27
Description of Japanese knotweed also the problems it has
```
- invasive
A spreads very easily
- plant that is not to be planted or otherwise introduced in the wild
- damage to pavements and Tarmac areas
- reduction of biodiversity
- restriction of access to river banks
- unsightly
- cost of treatment- nationally would be £1.5 billion
```
28
Example and description of planned introduction
- London plane tree
- provide green corridors and used to line roads
- more present environment
- resilient and cope Well
- resistent to pollution
- large growing
29
Problems of the London plane tree
- the leaves need to be cleared up u
In Autumn as they create a slip hazard
- some have been killed by a fungus brought over by USA
- some evidence that the leaves can create respiration problems
30
What is the rural urban fringe
- the transition area immediate surrounding towns or cities
| - in demand for a variety of land uses
31
What are the variety of land uses in the rural urban fringe
- potential space for new housing
- transport
- parks
- waste disposal
32
What are the different small ecological niches in urban and rural,areas
Rural:
- small woods
- nature reserves
- housing with gardens
Urban:
- new gardens
- allotments
- roadside and railway verges
33
How are urban areas defined by planning laws
- green belt legislation
- difficult to obtain planning permission beyond a certain line
-
34
Negative influences of the rural/urban fringe
- risk from urban blight (land near the city starts to deteriorate)
- vandalism
- diversification away from farming- pain balling for tourism
- pressure from walkers
- pollution from traffic, housing and litter
- farmers not investing in improving their land- leading to farmland decline
35
Positives influences of the rural/urban fringe
- include distinctive landscapes such as river valleys and areas rich in biodiversity
- all of value to the community and contribute to quality of life
- governments policies are in favour of sustainable development
- planting woodland to improve local landscape
- introduction of country parks - unmanaged and harbour many natural plant communities
36
Opportunities from the rural urban fringe
- huge demand for recreation
- 300 country parks absorb 70 million visits per year
- can be improved so they contribute to the wider rural urban fringe
- people on the edges of urban areas can contribute and fell part of a community once again
37
Challenges of the rural urban fringe with the opportunities
- agriculture has to deal with all the problems facing agriculture including crime and fly-tipping
- high levels of urban deprivation can be found on the urban edge
38
What are wildlife corridors
- many ways of linking wildlife habitats allowing them to move between other isolated areas
- help to replenish isolated populations
- provide shelter, protection and food
British isle: many are surrounded by greet belt land which is protected by law from development
39
Garden creation on the rural urban fringe
Paved areas and lawns
- paved areas: ecosystem is deliberate destroyed, potential flooding problems because of the rapid runoff
- lawns: well kept, free from weeds and treated with chemicals- limiting development of plants and animals
40
Wildlife gardens what are they
- gardens with a large number of exotic plant species
- planting patterns are to encourage species and insects such as butterflies
- ponds managed to attract further variations of species: frogs
- areas are designed for hedgehogs to hibernate
- birds to nest and feed
- chemical use is kept to a minimum
41
What is a ecological conservation area
- differ from abandoned land as succession has been deliberately influenced by Hamas
42
Why are ecological areas developed
- giving a dull Iran landscape more colour
- school may produce it in the name of education
- birdwatchers may wish for a diverse environment to attract different birds
- act as noise inhibitors
43
What are the management areas of the conservation areas
- reduction in acidity
- deliberate clearing of areas to create a variety of habitats
- mowing only once a year after meadow flowers have developed
44
What is the formal and informal work done in such areas (cmservarion)
- planting of trees
- soil improvements
- groups involved could be local authorities, national government
