1. What is biodiversity? 2. What is the difference between genetic diversity, species diversity and ecosystem diversity? (Note: You can use the link below called 'Ecosystem diversity' in order to answer the question.) 3. Using the links 'Genetic diversity' and 'Species diversity', answer the following questions for both levels of biodiversity: a) How do human activities affect it? b) What is its significance? c) Why prevent the loss of it? 4. Think about and explain how you would determine if an area has genetic diversity, species diversity and ecological diversity. In other words, how can you test or establish it? (Note: It would be slightly different for all three.) 5. Explain in a TEEL paragraph of at least 8 sentences how biodiversity is connected to human health. In your answer, include the following terms and concepts: Sustainable development, food and water security, climate change and ecosystems. (Note: Use the image on our main page as your evidence.)
1. Explain in your own words what resilience means in the context of biogeographic regions. 2. What are biogeographical regions in comparison to biomes? Use the links below to give you a better understanding. 3. Investigate the different biogeographic regions of our planet, using the link 'Biogeographic region' below, and do the following: a) Start a table with the following headings on one side for flora: Boreal (Holarctic), Paleotropical, Neotropical, South African (Capensic), Australian, and Antarctic; on the other side use the following subheadings: Spatial distribution (where they can be found) and information about plants (e.g. characteristic plant families, adaptation, diversity etc.). b) Use the attached map below to add the Earth’s floral regions. Don't forget your BOLTSS! (Note: See Figure 1 following the 'Biogeographic region' link.) c) Continue with a second table for fauna and the following headings on one side: Holarctic, Paleotropical (Afro-Tethyan), Notogaean (Neotropical) and Neogaean (Australian); on the other side use the following subheadings: Spatial distribution (where they can be found) and information about animals (e.g. characteristic animal families, adaptation, diversity etc.). d) Use the attached map below to add the Zoogeography. Don't forget your BOLTSS! (Note: See Figure 2 following the 'Biogeographic region' link.) 4. Follow the link 'Brigalow Belt' and answer the following questions: a) Where is it found? b) Why is it such a special area in regards to flora and fauna? c) What are the main issues associated with this area? d) What can you do to help?
1. What information does Map 1 (on our main page) provide to you in regards to biogeographical areas and the possible issues affecting biodiversity? 2. What information can you gather from Map 2 (on our main page) in regards to biogeographical areas and the possible issues affecting biodiversity? 3. Read the attached Pdf called 'Climate' and do/ answer the tasks below: a) How is climate influencing biodiversity and therefore biogeographical regions? b) Describe the climate of Lhasa in China. Make sure to be specific in your description. c) Comparing the climate of Lhasa in China and Singapore, what are the different factors flora and fauna would have to adapt to in order to survive? 4. Read the attached Pdf called 'Soils' and do/ answer the tasks below: a) What is soil and what are the three layers of soil? b) Which soil do you think is the most conducive for growing crops? Explain your answer. 5. Using the link 'Biodiversity factors' below, do/ answer the following: a) Explain the difference between a direct and an indirect driver. b) List all possible direct and indirect drivers of the changes in biodiversity. c) What are the difficulties in measuring direct and indirect drivers? Provide at least one example each. d) Which direct drivers are the most critical in our main three ecosystems (terrestrial, marine and freshwater)? e) Explain two of the main specific direct drivers affecting biodiversity in your own words. Try to use examples from Australia in your explanations. f) How is climate change affecting biodiversity? g) How quickly do we have to change our practices in order to avoid destroying our planet?
1. Read the attached Pdf called 'Arctic Circle: Polar bears at risk' and do/ answer the tasks below: a) What are the main direct drivers causing problems for polar bears? b) Are there any indirect drivers causing issues? c) What can humans do to help polar bears and their possible extinction? 2. Using the link 'Biodiversity trends' below, do/ answer the following: a) What are the current main trends and issues affecting biodiversity? b) Which areas have been especially quickly affected by these changes over the past two decades? c) Is the extinction of species a natural part of our planet and if so, why should we be worried? Explain your answer.
Humans have many reasons to alter their surroundings but one of the most crucial one for our survival in the future is agriculture. 1. Therefore, read the attached Pdf called 'Agriculture' and do/ answer the tasks below: a) What percentages of land worldwide are used for crops and for pasture? Is this surprising and/ or alarming? b) Read through the section 'Changing world diet' and explain how our diet has changed. Write a TEEL paragraph of at least 8 sentences, using all 4 sources (graphs and choropleth map) as your evidence. c) Using the map 'World: Agricultural regions', pick one continent and describe the spatial distribution of farming. Be as specific as possible. 2. Read the attached Pdf called 'Agriculture in Australia' and do/ answer the tasks below: a) What determines the type of farming in Australia? b) What is extensive and intensive grazing? c) What are the challenges for our food production in Australia? d) Who is helping farmers to raise productivity and how is it being done? e) How can wheat yields be increased? What are the benefits? f) Looking at the pie graph called 'Australia: Agricultural exports', list all the exports. g) Looking at the map called 'Australia: Agricultural regions', describe where most of our intensive cropping is situated. Is this surprising? Why or why not?
Read the attached Pdf called 'Land degradation and food production' and do/ answer the tasks below: 1. What are the negative consequences of agriculture and its changes to our natural landscapes? 2. Explain in detail what happens when we talk about soil erosion, desertification and salinity. 3. Is there a continent which is more or less affected by deforestation? Is this surprising? Why or why not? 4. Are there continents which are affected more or less by desertification? Is this surprising? Why or why not? 5. Using the map 'Australia: Land degradation', Explain in a TEEL paragraph of at least 8 sentences the spatial distribution of land degradation in Australia. 6. From what you have learned so far, do you think we should be worried about our future ability to use the land in Australia for agriculture in order to ensure food security?
1. Sustaining biodiversity is very important but what challenges or other issues might governments have to deal with, which might make this task difficult? In other words, what other challenges might a country have, which would make sustaining biodiversity of lesser importance? List all ideas/ issues you can think about. 2. Start by looking up the following sustainable management strategies for our biodiversity and write down what they are and what they are trying to achieve: Conservation practices, tree corridors, nature strips, organic farming, agroforestry and permaculture. a) State if they are being done on a global, national, regional and/ or local level. b) Do some research of what is being done in and around Cairns. 3. Read through the article below called 'Biodiversity Conservation' and answer the following questions: a) Why did approaches to biodiversity conservation have to change? How did they change? b) List (and add while reading the article) what challenges of conserving biodiversity the article refers to. 4. Read through the article below called 'Prioritizing threat management' and answer the following questions: a) What has been done in the Kimberley area? b) Where all the efforts successful? Why or why not? c) What challenges did they encounter and/ or what did they have to prioritize and why? d) What do the author suggest to do in the future?
1. Watch the clip below and then read through the article below called 'Natura 2000 Biogeographical Process' and answer the following questions: a) What is Natura 2000 Biogeographical Process trying to achieve? b) How do they fund their projects? c) In your own opinion, could these efforts be successful? Explain your answer. 2. Use the link 'Biodiversity actions' in order to answer the following questions: a) How do humans benefit from sustaining biodiversity? b) How can we promote the necessity to sustain biodiversity on different levels/ scales? c) What do we have to do in the future in order to protect our environment more efficiently? List all the different actions in your own words. d) Do you think we do enough to sustain biodiversity? Explain your answer.
1. Read the attached Pdf called 'Sustainability' and do/ answer the tasks below: a) What four dimensions (sometimes it is only three) are important for sustainability. Provide an example using the four criteria. b) What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources? Which one should we use in the long run? c) Look at the big image and explain how renewable power resources could/ should improve biodiversity. 2. Read the attached Pdf called 'Indigenous environmental management' and do/ answer the tasks below: a) Why do we look more and more into indigenous environmental management techniques? What are the benefits? b) What do both mentioned programs try to teach rangers? c) Do you think we should employ more traditional ways of managing our environment? Explain your answer.
1. Click on the link called 'Wetland info' and answer the following questions in your own words: a) What is a wetland? b) What are the three main wetland attributes (and its sub-categories) in order to classify wetlands? c) What kind of maps and what scales are being used to map wetlands? d) Why are scientists using a diverse range of mapping tools? e) Why are wetlands so important? f) What are the 7 steps in order to assess wetlands? g) What are GDEs and what are its different classifications? 2. Click on the link called 'Catchment stories' and answer the following questions for one of the catchments: a) How does the water flow in your chosen catchment area? b) What is the relative location of your catchment area? b) What are the environmental, social, economic and/ or cultural values of your catchment? (Note: You can use dot points here.) c) What is the landuse of your catchment area? (Note: You can use the text but also look at the maps.) d) What are the issues and problems associated with different parts of your catchment?
Your task is to research one project (which can be e.g. done by a private organisation on a local scale or by the government on a regional or national scale) and try to answer the following questions in an extended TEEL paragraph of at least 8 sentences: a) What is the relative location of your chosen area? b) What are the issues? c) What is the social, environmental, political, economic and/ or cultural value of your area? d) What has been or is being done to sustain biodiversity in this area? e) From what you have learned, is the approach working? f) Is there something what could be done to enhance biodiversity in this area?