APES UNIT 2

Explain the advantages of tree plantations

• It relives pressure from forest (less trees in the forest are being cut down)

• It helps to provide jobs to people

• It is profitable (trees are being sold for money)

• It helps prevent forest fires

Explain the disadvantages of tree plantations

• Erosion occurs when trees are cut down all at once

• Trees are more susceptible to disease due to there only being one type of tree

• There is less nutrients present in the soil from the constant growing of trees (every time the tree regrows more nutrients are taken from the soil)

• It decreases biodiversity because there is only one type of tree growing in the plantation

Describe benefits of habitat corridors

• It helps to increase genetic diversity due to animals ha being more available mates, which leads to less mutations in offspring (decreases inbreeding)

• It helps to keep food webs stabilized

• Helps to keep animals healthy by introducing them to other species

• It gives the organisms access to more resources and food sources

What are the concerns of habitat corridors

• They are very expensive to build (they have to be built over roads and highways)

• Fire and disease can spread throughout the region

• More predators and invasive species can enter easily and disrupt food webs and increase competition

• More animals will die from not being able to find the resources they need

Describe the harm of acid mine drainage on plants and animals

• The acidic water kills aquatic organisms and decreases their population because most of the eggs do not survive

• It decreases plant growth

• Bio magnification occurs because chemicals more up the food chain during predation

• AMD blocks sunlight from entering the water which decreases photosynthesis and causes plants to die, less food and oxygen is produced which leads to fish dying

Describe ways to remediate acid mine drainage

• Allow more water into it and give it time to dilute the chemicals

• Cover the discarded gangue (tailing) to reduce it washing it into the water

• Use phytoremediation (using plants to remove the metals from the soil)

• Neutralize it with a base like limestone or calcium carbonate

• Biomediation (using bacteria that consumes sulfur)

Describe the benefits of subsurface mining

• It’s caused less habitat destruction due to the surface not being disturbed

• It requires less land to be made and to be running

• It is safer for miners because they are underground

• They’re very inexpensive to build

Describe the concerns of subsurface mining

• They are very expensive to build because you must dig horizontal tunnels into mountains and once the tunnels are made you need elevators and a ventilation system

• Coal dust explosions can happen due to the coal dust suspended in the air which may spontaneously explode, this can be prevented by sprinkling limestone on the coal dust

• Sub surface mining is very dangerous for miners in various ways. The tunnels can collapse, carbon monoxide released from coal mines can cause suffocation and death, and miners can develop black lung disease from inhaling coal dust which scars the lungs and impares breathing ability

• Methane explosions may happen due to the build up of methane gas (released from coal) that can spark from a machine which ignites clay, this can be prevented by spraying water on the cutting tool

What is the impact of global climate change on the sea level rising, saltwater intrusion and what are the solutions

• Impact: As glaciers (land ice) melt, more water is added to oceans, this increasesd force of salt water pushes into the aquifers

• Solution: remove paved land and plant more trees so that more water goes into the ground, increase the force of the fresh water in aquifers by pumping treated fresh water (sewars) or river water into aquifers, naturally recharging aquifers: ground water is recharged naturally into aquifers from rain and melted snow

• Impact: water is being overused from the aquifers which is causing salt water to intrude into the aquifers

• Solution: place a limit on how much water can be used from the aquifers, increase the water sources to the aquifer

Answer explanation

Impacts of GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE on the sea level rising

Describe how global climate change can impact an animal like a polar bear, walrus, and beluga whales

• Polar bears: the ice is melting and retreating much quicker which leads to much shorter hunting seasons, downing due to swimming further lengths for food, and it’s a lot harder to find mates

• Walrus: pack ice is retreating from feeding areas and with less ice around them they have less room to rest between dives which leads to them swimming further for food, and somtimes cubs can be isolated and become vulnerable to predators

• Arctic fox: competiing with the red fox for food and habitats which is leading to the lemming population to decrease (less food is available), and it brought over competition to the attic fox

• Beluga whale: the ice melting makes it easier for fishermen to get lots of fish which leads to an increase in shipping traffic, decrease amount of food supply (fish), and pollution