Threats to costal ecosystems

Question 1

What are the advantages of costal ecosystems?

Answer 1

Goods - a material resource that can be extracted and used

Services – general benefits and advantages

Question 2

What are the threats to coral reefs?

Answer 2

Coral reefs are easily stressed by human action, if the stress persists, then the death of the reef soon follows

Pollution, overfishing and quarrying of coral for building stone

Industrialisation is responsible for rising sea temperatures and sea-level rise, putting coral reefs under threat

Rising sea temperatures increase levels of coral bleaching

Question 3

What are the threats to mangroves?

Answer 3

Pollution, overfishing and deforestation for aquaculture

Clearance for land development particularly in developing countries

Aquaculture such as farming for shrimp ect

Question 4

What are the threats to sand dunes?

Answer 4

Least threatened at a global level due to value being mainly tourism and leisure

Local level the biggest threat is sand mining

Destabilisation due to grazing animals on them

Question 5

What are the threats to salt marshes?

Answer 5

Industrial pollution

Ideal sites for nuclear power stations

Clearance for development - commercial and private
Development can lead to increased noise and light pollution which may affect wildlife behaviour and nesting

can be polluted by slurry from farming as well as being destroyed and cleared for farming

Question 6

What are the threats due to tourism?

Answer 6

Coral reefs:
Boat anchors from tours damage coral and it will die from human touch

Mangroves:
Clearance of forests to build hotels ect.

Sand dunes:
Trampling by human activity
Driving over with vehicles
Litter pollution
Sand mining for hotel building

Salt marshes:
Roads being built, dog walkers and noise from tourism