Sustainable management and conservation

Success criteriaAssess how the management of an

ecosystem can provide resources in a sustainable way

Sustainable Management of ResourcesTimber production in a temperate country

Sustainable: similar quantities of timber can be harvested year on year

Trees not planted too close togetherPrevent young trees from being grazedPlant fast growing plantClear felling not done as causes soil erosionSelective fellingStrip fellingCoppicing/pollarding

Sustainable ManagementManaging natural resources Maintaining biodiversityFinancial secure supply of wood

Using timber production in a temperate country as an example, explain how ecosystems can be managed in a sustainable way.In your answer, you should make clear how the management is sustainable.

[7]

Managing small scale timber productionCoppicing

Harvesting wood but keeping the tree alive

Cut trunk of deciduous tree close to the ground

New stems grow from cut surfaceUsed for e.g. firewood, fencing,

furnitureDone on rotational basis, some trees

left (standards) to supply larger pieces of timber. Good for biodiversity

PollardingLike coppicing but trunk cut higher up

Managing large scale timber production

Modern forestry is based on the following principles:Replanting after

harvestingMaintain biodiversityLocal people benefit

Balancing wood production and conservation:Control pests and

pathogensParticular plant

speciesPosition trees

optimum distance apart

Clear felling is not rarely practiced in UK as it can result in reduced mineral levels, soil erosion and subsequent pollution of rivers.

Markscheme 1 economic definition of sustainable; e.g. similar quantities of timber can be harvested year on year

2 grants for planting forests / management schemes;3 planting to ensure sustainable harvest rate;

max 3 marks for planting strategy:4 trees not planted too closely together;5 support young trees to prevent damage e.g. from grazing animals;6 species planted that are suitable for prevailing conditions / native spp;7 softwood sp. / conifers / named conifer / fast growing sp. planted;8 deciduous broadleaved species around edges for aesthetic reasons;9 creates different habitats / named habitat / protected habitats/ some fallen trees left to rot;

max 3 marks for felling/cropping strategy:10 ref. to clear felling having negative effects e.g. soil erosion;11 only mature trees removed / selective felling / individual trees;12 some clearings / rides / glades in woodland / strip felling;13 control of, pests / diseases / fire prevention;14 ref to coppicing / pollarding;15 (deciduous trees) regrow from base/ idea of rotation/ cycle;16 standards / large trees not coppiced, as encourages biodiversity; 7

Success criteriaDistinguish between the terms conservation

and preservationExplain that conservation is a dynamic

process involving management and reclamation

Discuss economic, social and ethical reasons for conservation of biological resources

Key TermsConservation

Maintenance of biodiversity, including diversity between species, genetic diversity within species, and maintenance of a variety of habitats and ecosystems

PreservationProtecting ‘untouched’ areas of land eg

Antarctica

Why is conservation importantIn the UK very few habitats truly naturalMost conservation is focussed on maintaining biodiversity

(number of species, genetic diversity within species and maintenance of a range of habitats and ecosystems)

Our ever increasing human population can threaten biodiversity by:

Over-exploitation for food eg north seas cod and commerce eg pearls from oysters

Habitat disruption and fragmentation from more intensive agricultural practices, increased pollution and building

Introduced species (deliberate or accidental)

Discuss economic, social and ethical reasons for conservation of biological resourcesSocial Ethical Economic

Social Ethical Economic

• Ecosystem services (forests absorb CO2)•Enrichment (nice to look at)• Culturally valuable•Indicator species provide warning of ecosystem breakdown

• Moral & ethical responsibility for 1.5 million named organisms (estimate of total put it at 10-50 million in total)•Every species is valuable in it’s own right

• Sustainable use• Treasure trove (potential food, drugs, genes)•Traded on a local and global scale•If resources are lost there will be less trade in the future• Governments subsidise & encourage over exploitation

What does conservation involve?Consideration of social and economic costs to

the local communityEffective education and liaison with the

communityEstablishing protected areas eg National

parks, green belt and SSSILegal protection, ex-situ conservation

Management strategiesStrategies adopted depends upon the specific

characteristics of the ecosystem and the species involved. But could include

Raising carrying capacity by providing extra food

Developing dispersal corridorsRestrict dispersal eg fencingControl predators and poachersVaccinate against diseasePrevent pollution, restrict succession

Galapagos IslandsEffects of human activities on the animal

and plant populationsHabitat disturbance, fragmentationUse of resourcesIncreased pollutionOver exploitation

Giant tortoises taken for food Over fishing for exotic species

Introduced species e.g. goats, cats, insects Out compete native species e.g. goats outcompete

tortoises Eat native species Bring diseases

Homework questionOutline, with examples, the effects of human

activities on the animal and plant populations in the Galapagos Islands [8]

AnswersHabitat Disturbance

Demands on utilities due to increased human population Oil spill in 2001 affected marine and coastal environments Increased pollution and waste Fragmentation of forests

Over-exploitation of resources Species harvested faster than they were being replaced e.g.

whales, giant tortoises, sea cucumbers Introduced Species

Deliberate introductions of non-native species e.g. goats, cats Accidental introductions e.g. rats, insects Outcompete native species Bring disease E.g. red quinine tree is aggressively invasive species E.g. goat eats unique native purslane species, outcompetes

tortoises