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    3.3 Threats To Biodiversity: IB Environmental Systems and Societies

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    3.3 Threats To Biodiversity: IB Environmental Systems and Societies

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    Mark
    189 views10 pages

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    3.3

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    189 views10 pages

    3.3 Threats To Biodiversity: IB Environmental Systems and Societies

    Uploaded by

    Mark

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 10

    Name:

    Date:
    Class:

    IB Environmental Systems and


    Societies

    3.3 Threats to
    Biodiversity
    Significant ideas:
    While global biodiversity is difficult to quantify, it is decreasing rapidly due to human activity.
    Classification of species conservation status can provide a useful tool in conservation
    of biodiversity.

    © A. Nixon
    2017 1
    ScienceSauceOnline.com
    Species Number and species loss

    1. State the number of species known to science (species that have been found and named).

    2. One estimate for the total species number alive on Earth today is about 7 million. Explain why
    this number is much larger than your answer to question 1.

    3. Evaluate the current estimates of total species number on Earth today.


    Help: when you evaluate, you should give a balanced argument, weighing up the positives and negatives. One way to
    approach this particular questions is to give reasons for why current estimates of species number might be quite
    reliable, and reasons why the estimate may not be so reliable.

    4. Discuss how current extinction rates compare with those through geological history.

    © A. Nixon 2017
    2
    ScienceSauceOnline.com
    5. Use the headings below to describe the ways in which humans are causing species loss
    Habitat destruction and fragmentation

    Introduction of invasive species

    Pollution

    Agricultural practices

    Overharvesting (e.g. of fish)

    Hunting/poaching

    © A. Nixon
    2017 3
    ScienceSauceOnline.com
    The Impact of Humans on Tropical Biomes

    1.
    a) What proportion of the Earth is covered by tropical rainforests?

    b) What proportion of all species on Earth live in tropical rainforests?

    2. With reference to biodiversity hotspots, describe the levels of species and habitat diversity in
    tropical rainforests.

    3. Using the headings to guide you, describe the ecological services that tropical rainforests
    provide
    Oxygen production

    Nutrient cycling and soil formation

    Sequestration of carbon dioxide

    © A. Nixon 2017
    4
    ScienceSauceOnline.com
    4. Complete the scatter diagram to list the income of goods that rainforests can provide

    RAINFORES
    TS:
    Income of goods

    5. Outline the changes in percentage cover of rainforests over the Earth over the past 60
    years. Use facts and statistics to support your answer if possible.

    6. Give reasons for the changes outlined in question five.

    © A. Nixon
    2017 5
    ScienceSauceOnline.com
    7.
    a) In tropical biomes (as with many) there is a conflict between exploitation,
    sustainable development and conservation. Outline this conflict.

    b) Most tropical biomes cover Less Economically Developed Countries. Why might
    the conflict mentioned in part a) be more of a problem than it would in an MEDC?
    8. Using the table, evaluate the impact of human activity on biodiversity in tropical biomes.
    Use bullet points
    Help: Consider the ways in which exploitation of tropical biomes is useful to us (consider the
    income of goods we get when we exploit rainforests, or clear the land for something else) and also
    discuss the negative impacts.

    Advantages Disadvantages
    Threatened species and the IUCN Red List
    1. In the table below, outline the factors that influence how prone a species is to extinction.

    Factor Details

    Geographical
    range

    Genetic diversity

    Population density

    Number of
    populations

    Body size

    Reproductive
    potential
    Migration

    Dispersers

    Ability to
    move/disperse

    Specialized niche
    requirements

    Usefulness to
    humans

    Island organisms

    2. What does the acronym “I.U.C.N.” stand for?

    3. What is the IUCN red list?

    © A. Nixon
    2017 9
    ScienceSauceOnline.com
    4. List the IUCN red list categories in the table below.

    Category Shorth

    Increasing
    extinction risk

    5. How do the IUCN describe their mission?

    6. The IUCN is an international agency involving a large number of nations, and involves
    many government and non-government organisations.
    Why is this level of cooperation necessary when creating and updating the red list?

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