3.3 Conservation & Regeneration (DP IB Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS): HL): Flashcards

Paclitaxel, a cancer-fighting drug, is sourced from Pacific and Himalayan Yew Trees.

True.

Many people believe that humans have a moral obligation to protect biodiversity for the benefit of future generations.

Access to natural spaces improves mental and physical health.

A conservation strategy is a method used to protect and preserve biodiversity.

Species-based conservation focuses on protecting individual species, often using ex situ methods, while habitat-based conservation protects and restores entire habitats, usually with in situ strategies.

Ex situ conservation is the protection of species outside their natural habitat, such as in zoos, seed banks, or botanic gardens.

Captive breeding programmes aim to increase populations of endangered species and allow for their potential reintroduction into the wild.

True.

Seed banks store seeds from many plant species to preserve genetic diversity in case wild populations are lost.

Zoos contribute to conservation by running captive breeding programmes and raising public awareness.

In situ conservation is the protection of species within their natural habitats, such as in national parks and reserves.

The mountain gorilla is a flagship species; protecting it raises awareness and helps conserve the entire ecosystem it inhabits.

A keystone species has a disproportionate effect on its ecosystem, such as the sea otter.

A mixed conservation approach combines species-based and habitat-based strategies to protect biodiversity, often focusing on flagship or keystone species.

The main aim of the Convention on Biological Diversity is to promote sustainable development and conserve biodiversity.

The Nagoya Protocol ensures fair sharing of benefits from genetic resources.

Edge effects are the changes that occur at the boundary between two different habitats or land-use types, often increasing exposure to human disturbances, invasive species and variable microclimates.

Understanding the habitat requirements of a target species is important because it ensures the conservation area provides the necessary food, water, shelter and breeding sites needed for the species to survive and thrive.

Larger conservation areas can support more species and have larger populations.

True.

Corridors allow for the movement of organisms and gene flow between populations, which helps maintain genetic diversity.

Protected areas with a high edge-to-area ratio may experience more edge effects.

A buffer zone is an area surrounding a core protected area where limited and regulated human activities are allowed to help minimize edge effects and provide extra protection for biodiversity.

Protection of wild areas involves leaving land in its natural state with minimal human interference, while active management involves direct human intervention to maintain or restore habitats, such as controlled burning or reforestation.

In the Norfolk Broads, sluices and pumps are used to manage water levels and maintain suitable habitat for wildlife.

True.

Reforestation involves planting trees to restore deforested areas, which is a form of active management to maintain or improve habitat quality.

Pest-exclusion fencing is a barrier designed to keep out invasive animal species from a conservation area, thus protecting native wildlife from predation and competition.

Active management is necessary to maintain or restore habitats that might otherwise degrade, for example, by controlling invasive species or using controlled burning to support specific plant communities.

Zealandia in New Zealand uses pest-exclusion fencing to keep out predators and has reintroduced native species such as the little spotted kiwi.

Rewilding is the process of restoring natural ecosystem processes and reducing human influence to allow ecosystems to self-regulate.

The main aim is to restore ecosystem stability by restoring natural ecosystem processes.

Human activities such as deforestation and overharvesting can harm ecosystems by disrupting, damaging, and destabilising them.

Reintroducing apex predators reduces herbivore populations, restores habitat vegetation, and enhances total biodiversity.

A keystone species is a species that has a disproportionately large effect on the structure and function of an ecosystem.

Wildlife corridors connect fragmented habitats, allowing species to move freely and establishing larger population sizes.

The Knepp Estate in England is an example of rewilding where former farmland now supports wild ponies, pigs, and longhorn cattle.

True.

Beaver dams create large wetland areas that support diverse wildlife, making beavers a keystone species.

Minimal human intervention was used, allowing native communities to be restored by succession, after initial removal of non-native species.

The planetary boundaries model outlines nine critical processes and systems that regulate the stability and resilience of the Earth system during the Holocene epoch.

The purpose is to highlight where action is needed in order to avoid abrupt and irreversible changes to the Earth's critical ecological processes and systems.

The biodiversity planetary boundary refers to the limits within which humanity can safely operate to maintain the Earth's biodiversity.

Protecting biosphere integrity means preventing the loss of species (and therefore genetic diversity) and the loss of ecosystem functioning.

Protecting biosphere integrity is important because biodiversity loss can have significant negative impacts on human life and the planet's health.

False.

Biodiversity loss is occurring at an alarming rate due to human activities such as deforestation, pollution, overfishing, and climate change.

Yes, scientists estimate that we have already crossed the biodiversity planetary boundary, meaning the current rate of species extinction is higher than the safe limit.

Conservation and ecosystem regeneration measures can help reverse the decline in biodiversity.

The aim is to move back towards a safe operating space for humanity within the biodiversity planetary boundary.

National measures to protect biodiversity include establishing national parks and wildlife reserves and enforcing laws against illegal logging, poaching and trade in endangered species.

One international effort is participating in treaties such as the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which helps support global biodiversity.

An environmental value system is a worldview that shapes the way individuals or societies perceive and respond to environmental issues.

Ecocentric perspectives focus on the intrinsic value of biodiversity and prioritise low-intervention in situ strategies.

Ecocentric conservation strategies involve minimal human interference and are carried out within the species’ natural habitats.

Anthropocentric and technocentric perspectives focus on the economic and societal value of biodiversity, encouraging scientific interventions such as zoos, gene banks, and ecotourism, unlike ecocentric perspectives which prioritise minimal intervention.

A conservation breeding programme for European bison at the Highland Wildlife Park is an example of an anthropocentric/technocentric perspective in conservation.

Three factors that influence conservation success are community support, adequate funding, and education and awareness.

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in the UK provides legal protection to endangered species and habitats.

Education and awareness raise public understanding of conservation issues, which can motivate people to support and participate in conservation actions, increasing the success of these strategies.

True.

Environmental justice aims to ensure that all social groups share fairly in the benefits and burdens of conservation efforts.

Marine Conservation Zones (MCZs) in the UK are designed to protect marine habitats while considering the livelihoods of local communities.

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) conducts scientific research on bird populations to inform UK conservation decisions.

An environmental intergovernmental organisation (IGO) is an international body made up of member states that works to promote environmental protection and conservation efforts on a global scale within the framework of international law.

An environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO) is a non-profit group that is independent of government and focuses on promoting environmental protection and conservation through advocacy, practical projects, and raising awareness.

The UNEP is a leading global environmental authority that provides leadership and encourages partnerships in caring for the environment.

The IPCC is a scientific body under the United Nations that assesses the science related to climate change, its impacts, and potential future risks.

The World Conservation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) provides information services on the conservation and sustainable use of species and ecosystems.

Greenpeace is an international environmental organisation that campaigns on issues such as climate change, deforestation, overfishing, and nuclear power.

The mission of the WWF is to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on Earth.

The Nature Conservancy (TNC) works to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people.

True.

Environmental IGOs are established by states, made up of member states, and function within international law to promote environmental protection.

Environmental NGOs are independent of any government and focus on promoting environmental protection and conservation efforts.

Environmental NGOs often use social and digital media to promote their causes and respond quickly to emerging issues.

False.

Environmental NGOs do not have the authority to enforce laws or agreements but can advocate for their implementation and monitor compliance.

IGOs may be slower to respond to environmental issues due to bureaucratic processes and decision-making.

Rewilding is a conservation method that involves allowing habitats to return to their natural state, reintroducing lost species, and promoting natural processes with minimal human management.

Habitat restoration is the process of repairing and regenerating damaged ecosystems through human intervention, aiming to restore biodiversity and ecosystem functions.

Rewilding focuses on minimal human management and letting natural processes self-regulate, while habitat restoration involves active human intervention to repair and regenerate ecosystems.

Rewilding aims to allow ecosystems to self-regulate themselves, promoting natural processes such as predation and grazing.

False.

While reintroducing predators is common in rewilding, it is not always required; rewilding may also focus on plants, herbivores, or ecosystem processes without predators.

A positive feedback loop is a process where the results of an action amplify that action over time, leading to enhanced recovery or changes in ecosystems.

Rewilding can trigger positive feedback loops by enhancing biodiversity: for example, reintroducing predators controls herbivores, allowing vegetation to recover, which then supports more species and further ecosystem recovery.

A restored habitat can increase the survival rates of species, leading to more reproduction and stabilising food webs.

Rewilding restores biodiversity and improves ecosystem services such as carbon sequestration and water purification.

A key limitation of rewilding is land-use conflict, which can make it difficult to balance agriculture and conservation.

Reintroduced species may cause unforeseen effects, such as predators posing risks to livestock or altering local ecosystems in unexpected ways.

The Knepp Estate in West Sussex converted from intensive farming to rewilding, resulting in increased biodiversity and the return of rare species.

The Affric Highlands project in Scotland focuses on reviving native forests and peatlands, which are important carbon sinks.

True.

Oostvaardersplassen introduced large grazers to shape the landscape, relying on natural processes rather than ongoing human intervention.

Gorongosa National Park faced human-wildlife conflict and depended on sustained funding for long-term success following the reintroduction of key species.

Conservation success means that conservation or regeneration efforts effectively protect biodiversity and achieve their intended goals.

Conservation measures must be regularly evaluated to determine their impact on the environment and local communities.

Success of conservation efforts can be measured at different levels, including how well the project achieves its goals, its acceptance by local communities, and whether it was the most effective method for conserving nature.

The three key levels are: whether the project achieved its goals, its acceptance by local communities, and if it was the most effective way to conserve nature.

False.

Conservation projects must also consider their impact on local communities, not just biodiversity.

Some conservation projects may have positive environmental impacts but could harm local communities by limiting their access to natural resources.

It is important to critically assess claims of conservation success to ensure that projects truly protect biodiversity and do not negatively impact local communities.

Community participation involves actively engaging local people in decision-making and implementation of conservation projects.

The primary goal was to combat deforestation, restore degraded landscapes, and promote sustainable development in Kenya.

The Green Belt Movement has helped to plant millions of trees, reduce soil erosion, and improve water availability in Kenya.

It empowered women by providing training, income, and a sense of ownership over their environment.

Because its community-driven approach engaged local people in tree planting and environmental education, leading to long-term conservation success.

Ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment, sustains the well-being of local communities, and involves education.

Ecotourism aims to conserve the environment and support the well-being of local communities.

Ecotourism focuses on minimising environmental impact while supporting conservation efforts.

False.

Ecotourism often falls short of its goals, with profits sometimes being prioritised over genuine environmental stewardship.

Greenwashing is when companies falsely claim to be environmentally friendly without fully committing to sustainable practices.

Ecotourism can provide increased income for local communities and funding for conservation.

A negative impact of ecotourism is environmental degradation, which can lead to soil erosion, habitat destruction, and pollution from litter.

Ecotourism generates funding for conservation that can help protect endangered species and restore habitats.

Ecotourism can promote cultural preservation by encouraging the continuation of traditional practices, but it can also lead to the commodification of cultures.

In the Maasai Mara, tourism revenue helps fund anti-poaching patrols and the protection of endangered species like the black rhino.