Battle for the biosphere

Ecosystem
1. A community of plants and animals that interacts with each other and the physical environment
Biome
1. Is a very large ecosystem with a dominant climate that is inhabited by certain animals and plants
Factors affecting biome distribution
1. Global factors
  1. Pressure belts
    1. Low pressure = More rain as air rises more evapouration
    2. High pressure = Less rain as air falls no evapouration
  2. Latitude
    1. The higher the latitude the colder it is as the concentration of the sun is spread over a larger surface area due to the curvature of the earth
2. Local factors
  1. Rain fall
  2. Soils
  3. Drainage
  4. Altitude
    1. Every 100m up the temperature drops 1 degree
Case study: Amazon rainforest
1. Goods
  1. Timber
  2. Drinking water
  3. Humus for soil
  4. Fruits, nuts + rubber
  5. Medicines
2. Services
  1. Climate regulation
    1. Interlocking roots prevent mudslides
    2. Trees soak up rain and absorb water and releases it in transpiration
    3. Maintains humidity
  2. Maintaining bio-diversity
  3. Recreation (Tourism)
  4. Providing a habitat
  5. Carbon sink
    1. Stores vast amounts of carbon
    2. Convert CO2 to oxygen
    3. Stores more carbon than other vegitaion
  6. Atmosphere gas balance
  7. Flood control
    1. Protect watersheds
    2. Provide protection from storms
    3. Intercept rainfall
3. Causes of deforestation of amazon
  1. Mining
    1. Miners carry out small explosion to find oil kills flora + fauna
  2. Logging
    1. Trees used for building
    2. Leaves bare ground making it difficult to regenerate
    3. Mahogany and teak very expensive on global market
  3. Cattle ranching
    1. 57,000 million tonnes of beef a year and there is a growing demand
    2. 80% of deforestation is due to cattle ranching
    3. Global demand for beef has rapidly increased
  4. Brazil largest exporter of beef + soya
  5. Amazon 20% of the worlds oxygen
  6. Further deforestation for roads to transport cattle and logs
Conservation on a local scale
1. SSSI
  1. Site of Specific Scientific Intrest
  2. Areas protected by law
  3. Limited access
  4. Only for scientific research
  5. Impact on local is that people can't enjoy the nature
  6. Impact on the environment is more species can live there
2. National parks
  1. 15 in the UK
  2. Allows people to enjoy environment without it being damaged
  3. Strict laws on development
Conservation on a global scale
1. CITES
  1. Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species
  2. Since 1973 adopted by 166 countries
  3. Aim to stop trade of endangered species (e.g ivory)
2. Ramsar
  1. The conservation of wetlands
  2. Identify important wetlands
  3. Use wetlands for fishing and tourism
Sustainable management of the biosphere
1. A middle ground between total protection with no access and total explotation where there is no protection
2. Social
  1. Local facilities are improved that benefit the whole community
3. Economic
  1. Reduce poverty
  2. Help people make a living
4. Environmental
  1. Protect the environment form degradation
Case study: Kilam-ljim, Cameroon
1. Strength
  1. Educating communities about replanting trees
    1. Safe levels of hunting
    2. Safe amount of logging
    3. 8% of forest has grown back
  2. Develop rules for the sustainable uses of forest
  3. Marked forest for reserve
2. Weaknesses
  1. Forest could degrade due to climate change
  2. Money and support from international donor could end
  3. Roads and industry could encroach on the forest

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Battle for the biosphere

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