T7 biodiversity and the effect of human interaction on ecosystems Flashcards
what is biodiversity
variety of the different species on earth or within an ecosystem
what is the importance of biodiversity
maintain the stability of an ecosystem
how does biodiversity ensure the stability of an ecosystem
reduces the dependence on particular species for resources so that even if one species is removed other species can still survive
why have human consumption of resources and waste production increased
rapid rise in human population
increase in standard of living
state an example of water pollutants
sewage
fertiliser
chemicals
how does eutrophication occur
fertiliser from farms pollute the water, causing excessive algae growth, depleting the oxygen in the water, causing other plants and animals to die
dead plants are decomposed by bacteria and the oxygen level decreases further
examples of air pollutants
smoke
acidic gases
examples of land pollutants
landfill waste
chemicals
what human activities reduce the land available for animals and plants
building
farming
quarrying
disposing of waste
why have peat bogs been destroyed
produce compost to increase food production
why does the destruction of peat bogs greatly contribute to the greenhouse effect
peat bogs are stores of carbon and burning them releases a large volume of CO2 into the atmosphere
why have large-scale deforestation activities occured
provide land for cattle or rice fields
grow crops to produce biofuels
what is the greenhouse effect
greenhouse gases trap energy from the sun as heat in the atmosphere, keeping the temperature on earth suitable for life
what is causing global warming
increase in levels of greenhouse gases causing the temperature on earth to increase
harmful effects of deforestation
destruction of many animals habitats
releases large amounts of greenhouse gases
