MAINTAINING BIODIVERSITY

• PROBLEMS:

  • EXPENSIVE- governments may OVERLOOK the BENEFITS of maintaining BIODIVERSITY (spend MONEY elsewhere)
  • Humans- need to MAINTAIN some of these PRACTICES- to support the high STANDARD of LIVING
• BIODIVERSITY:

  • VARIETY of different SPECIES of organisms (PLANTS & ANIMALS) on Earth
  • RICH biodiversity- ecosystems are more STABLE
• BREEDING PROGRAMMES FOR ENDANGERED SPECIES:

  • LENDING animals to other ZOOS in a hope that they will BREED
  • ZOOS may do this in an attempt to increase NUMBERS, so that the endangered SPECIES can go back into the WILD to either FORM a new species or JOIN an existing species
  • LOWER chance of EXTINCTION
• EXTINCTION:

  • Where there a no LONGER any more of a certain SPECIES- they have DIED out
• PROTECTION AND REGENERATION OF RARE HABITATS:

  • Examples: WETLANDS (cannot be DRAINED), MANGROVES, coral REEFS (safe)
  • Protecting these spaces mean that SPECIES have places to LIVE
• REINTRODUCTION OF FIELD MARGINS AND HEDGEROWS IN AGRICULTURAL AREAS WHERE FARMERS GROW ONLY ONE TYPE OF CROP:

  • LITTLE biodiversity in places where 1 crop is grown
  • FIELD margins & HEDGEROWS act as BORDERS, allowing many PLANTS & ANIMALS to live there
  • This PRESERVES biodiversity
• REDUCTION OF DEFORESTATION AND CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS BY SOME GOVERNMENTS:

  • Governments can also reduce CO2 emissions by using RENEWABLE sources of energy
  • Set LAWS prohibiting or requiring certain things
  • Pay businesses for carrying out certain PRACTICES (like planting HEDGEROWS)
  • Setting QUOTAS or LIMITS on harmful practices (such as quotes for DEFORESTATION)
• RECYCLING:

  • Waste- fills up / increases LANDFILLS which destroy HABITATS
  • How to reduce the amount of waste: BUY what you need, recycle and REUSE
  • POSITIVE IMPACTS: More UNDAMAGED land, fewer TOXIC chemicals, fewer HABITATS destroyed