Intro/Terminology Flashcards
(25 cards)
What is planetary health
a field analysing and addressing the impacts humans have on the earths systems
Overall it is the health of the planet as a system
What is your health
the absence of illness/ assessing your wellbeing
What is public health
health of the community
What is global health
using socio-economic factors as determinates of health
What is One health
health of humans, animals and ecosystems
What are the 4 overarching themes of the services/benefits that the ecosystem provides which makes human life possible?
- provisioning services
- regulatory services
- cultural services
- supporting services/habitat services
What are some examples of provisioning services that the ecosystem provides for humans?
- food
- fresh water
- wood/fibres
- fuel
- medicines
- chemical compounds
What are some examples of the regulatory services that the ecosystem provides for humans?
- climate regulation
- flood regulation
- disease regulation
- water regulation
- pollination services
- erosion
- air quality regulation
What are some examples of the cultural services that the ecosystem provides for humans?
- aesthetic (looks pretty)
- cultural
- recreational (going on walks, swims, rock climbing)
What are some examples of the supporting/habitat services that the ecosystem provides for humans?
- habitat maintenance
- genetic diversity
- soil formation
- photosynthesis and productivity
What is the paradox of human health improving?
human health relies heavily on the ecosystem which causes the ecosystem to decline
What inequities are forthcoming if human keep ignoring the health of the ecosystem?
wealthy nations/populations will meet their demands regardless at the expense of poorer nations/populations when particular ecosystems are in demand (e.g. if we have a fish shortage)
What is the Anthropocene
‘the age of humans’
def:
The unofficial unit of geological time used to define the period when human activities began to have substantial global effect on the earths systems (est. to start about 1950)
i.e the impact of humanity
What are planetary boundaries?
a framework to describe the limit of human activities on the earths system
What is biodiversity?
refers to the variability among living organisms from all sources
this includes variability within a species and between species and of ecosystems
What are the 9 planetary boundaries included in the framework?
- biosphere integrity
- land system change
- freshwater use
- biogeochemical flows
- ocean acidification
- atmospheric aerosol loading
- stratospheric ozone depletion
- novel entities
- climate change
What does biodiversity give to humans?
clean air
food
production of medicines
sequestering of carbon
water purification
wood, fibres and fuels
Why is biodiversity declining?
- changing of land and sea use
- exploitation of organisms
- climate change
- pollution
- introduced species
Describe the destinction vortex?
if there is a small population (either due to death or aberrant reproduction) interbreeding and random genetic occur resulting in a loss of genetic variability among a species.
The loss of genetic variability leads to a reduction in individual fitness and population adaptability leading to lower reproduction and higher mortality causing an even smaller population.
This cycle continues to occur until inevitable species decline
Why do species need to reproduce?
for survival of the species and maintenance of biodiversity
How does changes in land and sea use drive a population decline through survival and reproductive lens?
threat to survival:
- deconstruction of safe habitat
- land clearing
threat to reproduction:
- disruption of suitable breeding/ nesting grounds
How does the exploitation of organisms drive population decline through a survival and reproductive lens?
threat to survival:
- unsuitable hunting/fishing
threat to reproduction:
- lowers mating pool
How does pollution drive population decline through a survival and reproductive lens?
threat to survival:
- toxicity
threat to reproduction:
- endocrine disrupters
- changes in behaviour
How does the introduction of new species drive population decline through a survival and reproductive lens?
threat to survival:
- predation by competition
threat to reproduction:
- confusion about who to mate with
