New
New
Year 11
AQA
Foundation

Examples of human interactions with ecosystems, including use of peat

I can describe examples of human interactions with ecosystems, including the use of peat, eutrophication, and the introduction of non-indigenous species.

New
New
Year 11
AQA
Foundation

Examples of human interactions with ecosystems, including use of peat

I can describe examples of human interactions with ecosystems, including the use of peat, eutrophication, and the introduction of non-indigenous species.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Growing food helps feed the increasing human population, but can have negative impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity.
  2. The use of peat and destruction of peat bogs as an example of a negative impact.
  3. Eutrophication as an example of a negative impact.
  4. The introduction of non-indigenous species as an example of a negative impact.
  5. Ways of mitigating some of these negative impacts.

Common misconception

A common misconception is that the excessive growth of the plants in eutrophication is the cause of a reduction in biodiversity as a result of the plants using up the oxygen in the water.

Steps in eutrophication are outlined. Increased minerals cause the growth of plants at the surface resulting in the death and decomposition of the plants. Decomposition results in microbes using oxygen, resulting in biodiversity loss.

Keywords

  • Biodiversity - Biodiversity is the range of different living organisms that live in a place.

  • Fertiliser - Fertiliser are minerals that are added to the soil to help plants to grow.

  • Eutrophication - Eutrophication is the process in which a body of water is overly enriched with plant nutrients. This leads to excessive growth of simple plants such as algae.

  • Indigenous species - Indigenous species are the species that occurs naturally in an ecosystem. They are sometimes referred to as native species.

Pupils can research a number of invasive species and present how the species has impacted an ecosystem. As an extension, pupils could additionally research how some organisms have also been introduced to support both successful and unsuccessful attempts to control invasive species numbers.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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6 Questions

Q1.
What does an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide cause?
Increased pollution
Urbanisation
Deforestation
Correct answer: Global warming
Q2.
Which of the following reduces the land available for other organisms and therefore reduces biodiversity?
Correct answer: Urbanisation
Replanting of forests
Correct answer: Quarrying
Creating nature reserves
Correct answer: Farming
Q3.
Why does deforestation increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
Trees filter oxygen out of the air
Less trees give out large amounts of carbon dioxide
Correct answer: Less trees take in less carbon dioxide to photosynthesise
Crops grown on deforested land take in more carbon dioxide
Q4.
Some species migrate. What impact does global warming have on these species?
Correct answer: Migration patterns are being disrupted as the seasons change.
Animals are migrating in the same way as they always have.
Almost all species now have to migrate as the climate changes.
Q5.
Methane is one of the greenhouse gases. What human activities are leading to a rise in atmospheric methane levels?
Deforestation
Production of building materials
Mining of fossil fuels
Correct answer: Burying waste in landfill.
Q6.
A long term shift in weather patterns is known as...
Correct Answer: climate change

6 Questions

Q1.
Peat bogs trap and store an important element. This is released when peat is burned. What is this element that is stored in a peat bog?
hydrogen
nitrogen
Correct answer: carbon
oxygen
Q2.
Why do the populations of invasive species often grow so quickly?
They are native to the area
Correct answer: They have no natural predators in the area
They are eaten by many animals in the area
They have no food to eat
Q3.
Peat bog habitats have been destroyed by humans. The peat is used for what human activities?
Making house bricks
Correct answer: Gardening to improve nutrients in the soil
Correct answer: As a fuel to heat homes
Feeding to livestock
Q4.
What happens when eutrophication in a pond takes place?
Algae and other plants use up all the carbon dioxide.
Fish grow quickly due to all the plant food available.
Correct answer: Algae grows on the surface and blocks out all of the light.
The water becomes less polluted as it is cleaned by the plants.
Q5.
When taken to a new habitat, non-native plants often threaten native plants of the new habitat. Why do they do this?
Non-native plants are able to adapt quickly
Non-native plants are eaten more by native animals.
Correct answer: Non-native plants compete with native plants for resources
Non-native plants cause native animals to move to other habitats
Q6.
How do humans cause eutrophication of aquatic habitats?
They use too much pesticide in farming
Correct answer: Fertiliser from farming is washed into rivers and ponds
Pollution from chemical spills
Introduction of new species from other parts of the world