Flashcards
CASE STUDIES
Cards in this deck (23)
- 1Describe and evaluate pollution management strategies with respect to EutrophicationLake Erie: Canadian Boarder:
Description
1. Algae bloom started to change water quality, which decreased the biodiversity, so fewer primary producers and consumers were present lead to a bigger decrease in biodiversity
2. Zooplankton increased in growth rate oxygen depletion indigenous fish disappeared and other fish died
3. There was an increase in sedimentation and turbidity in water increase in dead organic matter which enabled bacteria mass to cover beaches
Evaluation
• Lake was divided into two by a plastic divider certain. Carbon, nitrogen and phosphate was added to one side, and carbon and nitrogen was added to the other side.
• It took 4 years to get results
• Phosphorous was creating the algae bloom and was key in the nutrient cycle
• milt-billion dollar phosphate control program was put in place
• legislation put in place to control phosphate in sewages - 2Compare and contrast the environmental values system of 2 names societiesJudaeo-Christians and Buddhist societies
View of Judaeo-Christians
• Humans have responsibility towards earth
• Humans should make the most of this gift as stewards
An example of their beliefs comes from a story in the bible that was told by Jesus: a rich employer sets off on a journey but before he leaves her shares all his money between 3 employers. When he comes back. The 1st employer invested the money and was able to double the amount of money. The 3nd employer also invests and get x5 times as much money back. The 3rd employer was scared he would lose the money so he buried it he made no profit. This angered the rich employer and the 3rd employer was fired.
In contrast: Buddhists believe:
• The approach to the environment as humans should be intrinsic part of nature and shouldn't be stewards
• Buddhists emphasise human interrelationships with other parts of nature
• Balance view of the world and the environment
• Save not waste nature shouldn't be spoiled or wasted
• Vegetarianism shows respect for all life. - 3Kabili Sepilok forest reserve - Borneolocal
- local guides/rangers assisting tourists
- ecotourism resorts near reserves run by locals
gov.
- wildlife agencies provide security and infrastructure
- provide resources and control visitor numbers
research
- forest research centre (FRC) monitors biodiversity and identifies new hazards and goals
education
- orangutang/bear rehab centres attract tourism and educate about conservation necessities
limitations
- area is not large enough to support large mammals
- surrounded by developed areas e.g. oil palm plantations
- tourists visit the centre but do not accommodate locally so locals are not benefited financially
overall
- large amount of tourism, raising international conservation profile for Malaysia - 4Golden Lion Tamarin Monkey (critically endangered)threats
- endemic to a small Brazilian tropical forest
- 90% of original habitat has been cut down
- thought to be disease carriers (malaria, yellow fever) so they are killed
- exotic pet trade
eco role: omnivore
effects
- reduced seed dispersal of fruits eaten by monkey
- increase in lower trophic levels (lizards, insects)
- reduction in higher trophic levels who eat monkeys
- shortened food chains = imbalances
restoration
- ex situ: captive breeding (zoos)
- in situ: preserve native forests near Rio de Janeiro - 5the elephant bird of Madagascar (extinct)threats:
- endemic
- forest habitat was cleared and burned for farming
- eggs were eaten by humans who arrived on the island
- 80% of original vegetation was lost
eco role: herbivore
effects of extinction:
- forest coconut is now critically endangered as it was adapted to pass through gut passage of elephant birds
- increased vegetation as elephant bird was the heaviest bird in existence and fed on vegetation - 6sumatran tiger (critically endangered)threats:
- loss of habitat (tropical rainforest) --> breeding difficulties
- seen as danger so is hunted
- poaching for body parts (high market demand)
- top predator so little energy reaches, small population
- only found in sumatra (endemic)
- large area needed for reproduction (tropical forest if logged)
- small population, low genetic diversity = disease
effects of possible extinction
- increase in trophic level below (imbalance)
- decomposers associated with tiger excretion are lost
- less fit individuals lower down the food chain survive to breed - 7soil conservation of the Great Plains of USAExperienced sever droughts in 1930s, soils suffered wind erosion
Soil conservation techniques included:
- contour ploughing
- strip cultivation
- temporary cover crops e.g. fast-growing millet
- shallow ploughing to eliminate weeds and conserve crop residues on surface
- summer fallow to regenerate soil nitrogen and conserve moisture
- converting some areas to permanent grazing
- grass-break to stabilise soils by accumulation of organic matter - 8Water problems and global farming in Kenya- Lake Naivasha shores: seriously polluted by pesticides, excessive use of water on farms and deforestation caused by migrant workers foraging for fuel
- European-owned flower companies in the area grow many flowers and vegetables for export, which uses a lot of water for production
- flower is 90% water, so exports Kenyan water (virtual water)
- impact: affects nomadic pastoralists in semi-arid areas as the flower farms have taken over their land, there is now less water - 9Shifting cultivation in MexicoPopoluca Indians of Santa Rosa
intensive, subsistence, largely arable and semi-nomadic
manual labour (men: cutting, burning, hunting. women: farming)
small plots cleared for farming by cutting down/burning trees (enriches soil with nutrients)
most trees and shrubs are not burned but harvested for fruits and seeds
produces over 250 different types of crop (polyculture)
cultivation: coffee, oregano, squash, yams
input: maize (corn) seed is bought, the rest is from natural forest that seeds itself
men hunt for game, fish, turtles, collection of fruit and insects
natural fertiliser (animal manure), burns trees to enrich soil
no irrigation water or pesticides used, thus no fossil fuels required
environmental impacts: cutting down and burning of vegetation has long-term effects on soil quality - 10Intensive commercial pig production in Denmarkcommercial, pastoral, intensive, sedentary, monoculture
selective breeding, rearing and selling of stall-fed pigs
heavily mechanised: extensive use of food concentrates, machinery for feeding, transport services
work structure: farm manager and hired labour
many of the farms produce cereals and keep a dairy herd (pig food: skimmed milk and whey)
over 9 million pigs are produced annually, up to 75% of Danish bacon is exported, accounts for 43% of Danish agricultural export
high environmental impact:
large use of fossil fuel in international distribution of pig products, in running machines, and in production of feed concentrates
large amount of manure is produced, smell can impact local human population, produces methane as it decomposes
fertilisers, pesticides, irrigation water are used to improve crop yields - 11Vulnerability of Tropical Rainforest- cover 5.9% of the Earth's land surface
- contains approx. 50% of all species
- high rainfall and temperatures = high productivity = complex ecosystem/food chain = high biodiversity
Threatened by deforestation
- destroys habitats
- demands for timber, land for cattle to provide beef, biofuels, urbanisation
- shifting cultivation - 12EIA London 2012- assessed impacts of London olympics prior to construction of Olympic park
- predicted that construction traffic would damage air quality
Mitigation:
- controlling construction times
- limitations on amount of waste transported
- using local waterways to move material to and from
Overall:
- predicted effects were neutral or better
- major benefits for walking and cycling, sport, leisure, culture - 13Pacific wild salmon (Brief history and threats)Brief History:
The Pacific Northwest has always been known for its large salmon populations. However, since the late 19th century, the number of fish in the region has declined drastically.
These changes are due in large part to human overfishing, as well as environmental degradation, climate change, and habitat loss in the last century.
Threats:
In 1999, salmon in Washington, California, Oregon, and Idaho were already extinct in as much as 40% of their former spawning areas.
Salmon populations suffered from more than overfishing.
Threats to wild Pacific salmon include illegal harvest (poaching), habitat destruction from development and mining activities, dams and other blockages in rivers, unregulated overharvesting, and a rapidly changing climate.
River meanders - 14Pacific wild salmon What is made?WWF advocates for oil spill prevention, spill response, and shipping safety measures as a precondition for offshore oil development. WWF promotes the concept of sustainable seafood to fisheries, retailers, and consumers and rewards sustainable fishing practices. They combat illegal fishing, promote well-managed fisheries, and argue for more effective control of farmed salmon. They are working to protect key spawning areas by stopping the creation of Pebble Mine, the largest open-pit mine in North America.
In 2003, Wild Salmon Center and Ecotrust established State of the Salmon to evaluate Pacific salmon stocks across their entire range and promote best management and conservation practices among Pacific Rim nations. The program created international forums where salmon managers, scientists, and conservationists from around the Pacific could learn from each other’s successes and failures and accelerate the adoption of science-based conservation. - 15Pacific wild salmon why it is important?Salmon play an important role in the social and economic fabric of North America’s Pacific coast. Along with a cultural and historical value intricately woven into the society, the economic value of the salmon has a tremendous impact on the quality of life.
Tribal groups depend upon the Pacific
Each year the commercial and recreational salmon fisheries are worth millions of dollars to the economies of both the United States and Canada.
The impact of the Pacific salmon fisheries can be seen in the thousands of jobs and scores of industries they support. A partial list of fishing-dependent businesses would include marina operations, fish processing industries, transportation, fuel sales, boat building and repair, retail fish sales, tackle manufacturers and distributors, hotels, restaurants and resorts. - 16Pacific Salmon TreatyIn March, 1985 the United States and Canada agreed to cooperate in the management, research and enhancement of Pacific salmon stocks of mutual concern by ratifying the Pacific Salmon Treaty.
The Treaty embodies the commitment made by Canada and the United States to carry out their salmon fisheries and enhancement programs so as to:
prevent over-fishing and provide for optimum production, and
ensure that both countries receive benefits equal to the production of salmon originating in their waters. - 17Toshka ProjectFOR: 1. New jobs
2. Develop agriculture production → creating a second Nile Valley
3. Irrigating Western Desert of Egypt
4. Help Egypt to deal with growing urban population
5. Tourism investment
AGAINST:
1. Temperatures ranging from 0°C to 50°C are routinely experienced in the area → difficult to construct
2. Great damage to the many ancient sites found in Kharga Oasis.
3. Costly
4. the Western Desert’s high saline levels and the presence of underground aquifers in the area act as a
major hindrance to any irrigation project. As the land is irrigated, the salt would mix with the aquifers and would reduce access to potable water.
5. Water evaporates because of the canal (climate conditions) - 18Pollution of the Baikal lakeIn order to reduce pollution of the lake Baikal people limit extent of impact from the causes by decreasing the number of tourist coming each year(non-sustainable tourism is one of the main problems because the masses of tourists leaving great amount of waste). Besides that, the plant that produces wastes that went directly to the lake was closed. It’s worth to mention that the system of waste collection that export trash to the recycling places leaves an ecological footprint as well because it does not exist. All litter goes to other districts of the Irkutsk Region, including the lake. Volunteers and activists try to limit extent of impact by collecting waste and cleaning the shore.
- 19The Ogallala aquifer1. Shallow water table aquifer surrounded by sand, silt, clay, and gravel
2. The Ogallala is an unconfined aquifer, and virtually all recharge comes from rainwater and snowmelt.
3. Located in the USA
FOR
*the single most important source of water in the High Plains region
* provides nearly all the water for residential, agricultural, industrial use
* 94% of use - farming
AGAINST
* the aquifer recharges far slower than water is withdrawn
* the use affects freshwater ecosystems
* the aquifer would be seventy percent depleted by 2060
* If drained, it would take more than 6,000 years to refill naturally --> climate crisis - 20Italy’s water crisisFlorence, Italy, 2017 - 2019 summer
The drought 2017 -2019. Summer 2017 saw agriculture suffer as fields dried up. Satellite data showed that although Tuscany regularly experiences drier than normal conditions, the situation in 2017 was particularly intense and persistent.
In order to save the water, city fountains with freshwater were switched off. It is more eco-friendly to use dishwasher as dishwashers filter and recycle water, using on average 2.6 gallons (12 liters per load) compared to nearly 27 gallons (122 liters) for handwashing in the sink. - 21National parks are being overrun by invasive speciesHawaii Volcanoes National Park, June 2020
Causing more habitat damage than natural disasters, these creatures put native wildlife at risk. The animals are transforming the landscape, angering homeowners, and damaging the ecosystem.
Because the spread of invasive species often extends beyond park borders, the only way to beat them will be if the parks join forces with other agencies and communities—as well as more than 320 million annual park visitors. Experts say one of the keys to protecting the parks from invasive species will be recruiting the public to help. The people are the owners, and parks should be thinking about how to engage them to be part of the solution. Some parks enlist volunteers to weed invasive plants or work with experienced local community groups, like the coquistodores. Others hold BioBlitz events where any visitor can become a citizen scientist for a day, helping document species to create a snapshot of biodiversity. A few parks even pay authorized hunters to locate and remove invaders. - 22DDT and malarial mosquitos- 1970 WHO banned the use of DDT
- Used in some countries to kill malarial mosquitos
- Malaria kills 2.7 million ppl a year
- The effect of DDT on birds of prey in thinning their eggshells and reducing their population numbers (some say that the effect is small)
- Cheap and persistent and good at the job
- Toxic
- DDT was fist recognized as useful in killing mosquitos (and lice, vector for typhus) during WWII. - 23Minamata bay- Minamata is a small factory town in Japan.
- Between 1932 and 1968 Chisso (factory) released an estimate 24 tonnes of mercury into Minamata Bay
- Minamata disease is neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning.
- Bacterias can change elemental mercury to the modified form called methylmercury
- a lot of bacteria absorb small amounts
- a lot of shrimp eat a lot of bacteria which builds up the mercury concentration
- a lot of fish eat a lot of shrimp which builds up the mercury concentration
- small numbers of humans eat lots of fish and absorb high levels of methylmercury
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- ESS (CASE STUDIES) Flashcards on CASE STUDIES, created by Katya Veber on 17/07/2020.
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