Human effect on the environment

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What is the current world population?
7 billion
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What effects is the population explosion having on our environment?
More deforestation for farming to feed more people. Use of more non-renewable materials being used up. More goods produced therefore more industrial waste. More gas and pollution goes with this.
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Where and how do humans pollute?
Waterways with sewage, fertiliser and toxic chemicals. Air with smoke/sulfur dioxide -- acid rain. Land with toxic chemicals like pesticides and herbicides -- can be washed into water.
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Why does building houses for humans affect animals and plants?
Land has to be cleared and this destroys habitats.
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How do humans affect ecology?
Humans reduce the amount of land available for animals and plants by building, quarrying, farming and dumping waste.
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Why would a pollution problem in Dover affect somewhere like Canterbury?
Although it is miles away, pollution like sulfur dioxide can be blown to another area like Canterbury before dissolving in rain.
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How can acid rain affect the environment?
Acid rain kills organisms like trees, this means food and habitat is lost for animals. Acid rain can change soil pH which damages roots and may release toxic minerals eg/ aluminium ions, extreme pH in soil may also denature enzymes.
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Why is deforestation happening?
So crops can be grown to produce ethanol-based biofuels, so we can increase number of cattle and rice fields, wood can be used for timber/furniture/building materials.
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What is a peat bog?
Accumulation of partially decayed vegetation
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What effects does deforestation have?
More C02 in the atmosphere because of burning of trees and decay of the wood by micro-organisms. Reduced rate of photosynthesis so less C02 is absorbed. Reduced biodiversity due to loss of food and habitats. More methane due to increase in cattle
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How does peat destruction cause a higher concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
The destruction of peat bogs release carbon dioxide by respiration because the peat is removed from the bogs and used in compost for gardens. The compost is decayed by microoganisms.
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How is carbon dioxide sequestered?
Carbon dioxide is removed from the air by plants in photosynthesis, and by dissolving in oceans, rivers and lakes.
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What would an increase in the Earth's temperature by a few celcius cause?
Changes in Earth's climate, rise in sea-levels due to melting of ice caps and glaciers, reduce biodiversity, cause changes in migration patterns, result in changes of distribution of species
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What are the two main types of biofuel?
Ethanol-based fuels and biogas.
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How can ethanol-based fuels be produced?
By fermentation - micro-organisms like yeast respire anaerobically to produce ethanol using glucose from maize starch - glucose and sugar cane juices can be fermented by yeast to produce ethanol.
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How do we produce ethanol from starch?
Digestion of starch to sugar by carbohydrase, fermentation (anaerobic respiration) by yeast.
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How is ethanol extracted?
By distillation
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Explain why ethanol is carbon neutral.
Ethanol is carbon neutral because only the carbon dioxide used for photosynthesis by the crops is returned to the atmosphere when the ethanol is burned.
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How do biogas generators provide ideal conditions for bacteria to reproduce and ferment?
Generators have suitable temperatures in oxygen-free conditions ideal for anaerobic respiration. Some generators mix the contents.
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How is biogas produced?
Biogas, mainly methane, can be produced during anaerobic fermentation by bacteria . Carbohydrate material like cattle dung is broken down and biogas is released.
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What can biogas be used for?
Provides energy for heating etc. the more methane in the mixture the better the quality of biogas.
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How can we make food production efficient?
Shorten food chain so less energy is wasted. Farmers can prevent movement of animals to preserve heat energy for growth - ethical issues -- keeping animals in a warm environment so less energy is wasted on keeping warm.
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Why is it more efficient to eat plants rather than animals?
It is a shorter food chain so less energy is wasted.
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Why is sustainable development important?
So that materials can be preserved for future generations.
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What restrictions are put on fishing to stop overfishing?
Controlling net hole size so only big fish are caught and little fish aren't caught and wasted. Bans on fishing during breeding season.
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What is a mycoprotein?
A fungus - Fusarium. It is a protein rich food suitable for vegetarians.
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How is mycoprotein produced?
Fusarium is grown aerobically on cheap sugar syrup made from waste starch and the mycoprotein is harvested. This happens in a fermemnter.
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What do industrial fermenters have to maximise growth of fusarium?
An air supply providing oxygen for respiration. A stirrer used to evenly spread micro-organisms and temperature.A water cooled jacket which uses excess energy from respiring fungi to heat contents. Sensors to monitor pH ad temperature.
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What human activities affect global environment?
Deforestation - increase levels of C02 in atmosphere. Rice growing and cattle rearing increase methane concentration. Building dams, to store water, cause loss of habitats, drying out of rivers and reduction in fertile land to grow crops.
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Why do some scientists disagree on global warming?
Some scientists think that temperature increase is due to an increase in greenhouse gases. Others say the increase in temperature is part of a natural cycle. Explanations can sometimes be biased and depend on individual opinion of scientists.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What effects is the population explosion having on our environment?

Back

More deforestation for farming to feed more people. Use of more non-renewable materials being used up. More goods produced therefore more industrial waste. More gas and pollution goes with this.

Card 3

Front

Where and how do humans pollute?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Why does building houses for humans affect animals and plants?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

How do humans affect ecology?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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