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Environmental Studies AS - Conservation abroad (Antarctica (Threats…
Environmental Studies AS - Conservation abroad
Tropical rainforest
Importance
Resources
Biodiversity
Economic value of unexploited resources
Threats
Fuelwood
Timber for construction and furniture
Agriculture
Mineral extraction
Reservoirs
Global climate change
Main ecological features
Do not have large seasonal changes.
Very high biodiversity.
Many different plant and animal species
High light levels.
Conservation
Protected areas
Trade controls
Debt-for-nature swaps
Coral reefs
Conservation
Range of management practises:
Installing fixed mooring buoys.
Educate/train divers, snorkelers and swimmers.
Establishment of No-Take Zones.
Sustainable development of ecotourism and fishing.
Coastal developments controlled.
Land activities controlled.
Environmental protection in other areas.
Threats
Sediments
Climate change
Souvenirs and ornaments
Pollution
Physical damage
Fishing
Disease and predation
Importance
Fisheries
Protection from erosion
Medicinal discoveries
Climate control
Tourism
Main ecological features
Coral nutrition:
Coral polyps feed in three ways.
Sticky hair-like cilia trap planktonic organisms or stinging cells stab and kill them.
Most of their food energy comes from symbiotic algae inside the coral polyps which produce sugar.
This provides 90% of food energy for shallow water corals.
Abiotic conditions required:
Warm, stable temperatures, ideally in the range 25-19°C.
Bright sunlight for algal photosynthesis.
Requires low turbidity.
Constant salinity.
Hard substrate for polyps attachment.
Antarctica
Threats
Overfishing
Future mineral extraction
Tourism
Scientific research
Ozone depletion
Global climate change
Importance
High albedo of ice
Major carbon sink
Regulation of sea level
Conservation
Main provisions of the Antarctic Treaty (1959):
Only used for peaceful purposes. Military personnel only present to support research or other civilian activities.
Scientific research must continue unhindered with free exchange of information and personnel.
Nuclear explosions and radioactive waste disposal banned.
Commercial exploitation of mineral resources banned.
Conservation of living organisms.
Environmental impact of tourism must be monitored.
Main physical features
Antarctica is the only polar land mass.
It's very large, nearly 60 times the size of the UK.
98% covered by ice and snow up to 4½ km thick.
Coldest continent with an average temp of -49°C near the South Pole.
Little precipitation as snow mainly falls near the coast.
Average altitude is 2,300m
Life in Antarctica
Low air temperatures and long Antarctic winter, prevents survival of terrestrial plants or animals can survive.
Sea warmer than land, with temperatures ranging from -1.8 to 3.5°C.
Upwelling of nutrient rich water around the Antarctic Convergence supports a rich food web.
Range of larger animals supported.