human impact on environment

Question 1

what are planetary boundaries?

Answer 1

a threshold value for a global process that is affected by human activity

Question 2

what are the 9 planetary boundaries?

Answer 2

climate change
biodiversity
land use
biogeochemical cycles
ozone
ocean acidification
freshwater
aerosol
novel entities

Question 3

what are the causes of climate change?

Answer 3

burning fossil fuels
deforestation
increase in greenhouse gases

Question 4

what are the consequences of climate change?

Answer 4

increase global temos
impacts on wind patterns/rainfall
thermal expansion / melting of ice caps

Question 5

what are the possible remedial measures for climate change?

Answer 5

stop burning fossil fuels
reduce deforestation
alternative fuel sources

Question 6

what are the causes of loss in biodiversity?

Answer 6

habitat destruction

Question 7

what are the consequences of loss in biodiversity?

Answer 7

reduction in species / extinction

Question 8

what are the possible remedial measure for loss in biodiversity?

Answer 8

monitor it
species conservation
education
international trade agreements

Question 9

what are the causes of land use change?

Answer 9

change for food and biofuel production, urbanisation and livestock farming

Question 10

what are the consequences of land use change?

Answer 10

crops grown for export so insufficient crops for local use
reduced biodiversity

Question 11

what are the possible remedial measure for land use change?

Answer 11

reduce meat consumption
more efficient crops

Question 12

what are the causes of biogeochemical cycles reaching boundary?

Answer 12

use of fertilisers containing nitrate and phosphates

Question 13

what are the consequences of biogeochemical cycles reaching boundary?

Answer 13

eutrophication

Question 14

what are the possible remedial measure for biogeochemical cycles?

Answer 14

reduce use of fertilisers

Question 15

what are the causes of ozone reaching boundary?

Answer 15

manufacture and use of CFC’s in aerosols/refrigerators

Question 16

what are the consequences of ozone reaching boundary?

Answer 16

ozone layer destruction
harmful UV rays not absorbed

Question 17

what are the possible remedial measures to restore ozone layer?

Answer 17

montreal protocol
manufacture and use of CFC’s are banned

Question 18

what are the causes of ocean acidification?

Answer 18

greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels
CO2 dissolves in seawater forming H2CO3 which releases H+ ions

Question 19

what are the consequences of ocean acidification?

Answer 19

low pH causes calcium carbonate to leach out of corals/shells/exoskeletons so softer shells so organisms are more vulnerable

Question 20

what are the possible remedial measure for ocean acidification?

Answer 20

reduce fossil fuel use

Question 21

what are the causes of change in freshwater use?

Answer 21

increased water use for irrigation and industry
climate change
pollution of water
change in land use

Question 22

what are the consequences of change in freshwater use?

Answer 22

reduction in freshwater availability

Question 23

what are the possible remedial measure for change in freshwater use?

Answer 23

stop irrigation of non food crops
reclaim waste water from industry
use desalinated water

Question 24

what are the causes of aerosol boundary being crossed?

Answer 24

atmosphere contains minute particles (ash + soot) from combustion and coal power stations

Question 25

what are the consequences of aerosol boundary being crossed?

Answer 25

increased respiratory problems and lung cancer can build up on leaves and reduce photosynthesis

Question 26

what are the causes of novel entities boundary being crossed?

Answer 26

inorganic pollutants synthetic organic pollutants

Question 27

what are the consequences of novel entities boundary being crossed?

Answer 27

bioaccumulation in food chains

Question 28

what are the possible remedial measure for novel entities?

Answer 28

banning

Question 29

what is biodiversity?

Answer 29

number of species and individuals of each species in a given place at a given time

Question 30

what are endangered species?

Answer 30

a species that is at risk of extinction

Question 31

what are extinct species?

Answer 31

a species that has no living members

Question 32

what are reasons for extinction?

Answer 32

natural selection non contiguous populations habitat destruction pollution and oil spills overhunting competition from introduced species

Question 33

how does natural selection cause extinction?

Answer 33

human activities causing habitats to change faster than new mutations allow species to adapt

Question 34

what are non contiguous populations?

Answer 34

groups become isolated from each other so cannot interbreed so less genetic diversity for a healthy population

Question 35

why is conservation important?

Answer 35

for food aesthetic medicine keystone species (ecosystems would fail without them) building materials

Question 36

how can we conserve?

Answer 36

protected areas education legislation to protect habitats and enhance biodiversity trade agreements breeding programs seed/sperm banks reintroduction ecotourism

Question 37

what is agricultural exploitation?

Answer 37

hedgerows removed to make larger fields more fertilisers causes eutrophication

Question 38

what are the problems caused by deforestation?

Answer 38

causes soil erosion causes droughts / lowland flooding habitat destruction contributes to global warming

Question 39

what are forest management plans?

Answer 39

coppicing selective cutting long rotation times

Question 40

what is coppicing?

Answer 40

tree trunk is cut leaves stool shoots can still emerge can be cut on rotation to provide timber of different widths

Question 41

what is selective cutting?

Answer 41

removing some trees rather than all trees at same time so soil is less vulnerable to erosion

Question 42

what are overfishing problems?

Answer 42

small nets catch fish before they are sexually mature large nets catch non target fish trawlers drag nets through water and damage ocean beds causes habitat loss

Question 43

what are ways to reduce overfishing?

Answer 43

larger net size quotas exclusion zones restrict fishing in breeding areas legislation controlling size of fleets consumers can choose to eat sustainable fish or less fished species fish farming

Question 44

what are the disadvantages of fish farming?

Answer 44

parasites and disease spread quickly fish waste and waste food cause eutrophication fish can escape and outcompete native wild fish farmed fish are often fed with other fish

Question 45

why is environmental monitoring important?

Answer 45

avoid losses in biodiversity retain species diverse areas free from development halt any changes that might bring about species loss

Question 46

why should scientists be involved in decisions?

Answer 46

able to analyse and evaluate data they should be independent and not under financial pressure to implement changes

Question 47

what are environmental countermeasures?

Answer 47

re-routing roads to avoid areas of high biodiversity avoiding wind turbines in Hird bird areas tunnels under roads for hedgehogs etc identify future needs erecting rest boxes green bridges linking habitats

Question 48

why are the conflicts between governments, famers and conservationists?

Answer 48

all have different priorities and under different pressures