Name: _________________________

1.4.9 Human Impact on an Ecosystem 2

Conservation Worksheet

Conservation
Have you seen on of these recently?

It is a Dodo and has been extinct since 1681.

How did it happen?

What happened to the dodo? {Not examinable}

• In 1598 Portuguese and Dutch sailors were the first people to live on the island of Mauritius.

• With them they brought pigs, dogs, rats and even monkeys.

• They killed dodos for food and by 1681 (83 years later) they were extinct.

Conservation
• If you are connected to the internet click on the link below to view a web page on the
Relationship of the Dodo Bird and the Calvaria Tree {Not examinable}
http://geology.wcedu.pima.edu/~enicksin/new.html

What is Conservation?
Conservation is the __________________ and _________________________________ of
_________ ___________________ and the _______________________________.

Benefits of Conservation
• Existing environments
___________________________________________________________

• Endangered species
_____________________________________________________________

• The balance of nature

____________________________________________________________

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• ____________________________________________________________________ are
reduced

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One Conservation practice from one of the following areas

Area Conservation Practice
Mixed farming, Crop rotation
Agriculture Biological controls, Gene banks

Fisheries Fishing Net size, Quotas, Re-stocking

Forestry Re-planting, Broadleaf/conifer mix

There is a _______________________________________________________ of the environment

to ____________________________ and the ________________________ of its natural resources.

Agriculture
One Conservation practice from one of the following areas is required:
Mixed farming Biological controls
Crop rotation Gene banks

Mixed farming
What is mixed farming?
Farming system where both ________ (crops) and ____________ (livestock) farming is carried out.

Conservation and Mixed Farming

• Animals _____________________ and help to maintain __________________________
and _________________________________ of artificial fertilisers used.

• Increases __________________ and soil __________________________________ and

improves ___________________________.

• If rotations of various crops and forage legumes are used, they

___________________________

• Reduce ________________________________.

• Recycling wastes __________________________________________________

Crop rotation
What is crop rotation?

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____________________________________________________ in a given field from one growing

season to the next.

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Conservation and Crop Rotation

• Different crops ______________________________________ from the soil; some crops
________ particular nutrients that others take away.

• Crop rotation can also ______________________________________ and avoid the build

up of _________________ and __________ that often occur when one species is continuously
grown.

Biological controls
What are Biological controls?
Biological control is a method of __________________________ (including __________ ) and
diseases in agriculture that ____________________________, ____________________ or other
___________________________, rather than introduced chemicals.

Conservation and Biological Controls

• Ladybird larva eating woolly apple aphids
Advantages:
• __________________________________________________

• No ____________________________________ left on plants

• ___________________ of chemicals into soil or watercourses

Conservation and Biological Controls

• Diagram illustrating the natural

enemies of cabbage pests

Conservation in action in Agriculture

Conventional agriculture uses _____________________ and _______________________________
This has contributed to _______________________________ through ______________________,
________________________ and _________________________.
These also have negative effects on the soil, water and air qualities. Global climate, wildlife and
biodiversity are also affected.
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Is soil degradation serious?

• Soil degradation due to erosion and compaction processes is probably the
__________________ _____________________________________ caused by conventional
agriculture.

• About ____________________________________ of land are lost per year for agricultural

uses, due to soil degradation processes
Note: 10,000,000 ha = 24,700,000 acres = 95,500 square miles. Ireland = 39,690 square miles

A Dust Storm

Soil being blown away

Can you suggest what should be done?

• Stop ________________________________________

• Reduce the ___________________________________

• Increase the amount of ‘_____________________’ land

Gene Banks
What are gene banks?
Gene banks are _________________________________________________, be it plant or animal.
In plants, this could be _____________________________ from the plant, or the seeds themselves.
In animals, this is the ______________________________________________________________.

Conservation and Gene Banks

This is one way scientists have of ____________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________.
In plants, it is possible to ___________________________________________________, however,
in animals, a living female is required for ___________________________________________.

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Conservation and Gene Banks

Artificial insemination of farm animals is very common in today's agriculture industry.
It provides an ____________________________________ for a livestock grower to breed their
herds with males ____________________________________, e.g. good beef quality, high milk
yield, good wool quality, etc.

Fisheries
One Conservation practice from one of the following areas is required:
Fishing Net size
Quotas
Re-stocking

Fishing Net size

What is net mesh size?
This refers to how _______________________________________________ or spaces enclosed by
the threads of a net are.

Conservation and Fishing Net Size

• The use of small-mesh nets can result in
_____________________________________________

• Using larger meshed nets to

_______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
__

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Different types of nets

Square Mesh Diamond Mesh

Square mesh – does not alter its shape under Diamond mesh netting (left) – closes under
tension – tension (right) and
____________________________________ _____________________________________

Fishing Quotas
What is a fishing quota?
______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
This national quota allocation is ___________________________ into quotas for specific _______,
_____________, _______________ or ______________________, e.g. producers' organisations.

Fishing Quotas
Why have quotas?
Over fishing has _____________________________ at sea
Fish quotas (maximum amount allowed to be caught) have been assigned to different countries to
_____________________________________________________________________________.

Conservation and Fishing Quotas

• Helps to prevent the
_____________________________________________________________

• Gradually _______________________________________ and helps to re-establish

populations
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• Attempts to maintain fishing at

____________________________________________________

Re-stocking
What is the purpose of re-stocking?
To achieve a _________________________________________________________ of that species
_________________ of species into areas where they have not naturally occurred is not encouraged
Can you suggest why not? __________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________

Conservation and Re-stocking

• Re-stocking attempts to
__________________________________________________________

• Increases stocks for

_____________________________________________________________

Forestry

Ground layer in Multi-layered

open Deciduous Forest
Forest

Deciduous Forest Coniferous Forest

Forestry
One Conservation practice from one of the following areas is required:
Re-planting
Broadleaf/conifer mix

Forestry Re-planting
• Ensures __________________________________ of those forests that are periodically
harvested for timber.

• Allows foresters to __________________________________________________ for the

forest.

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• Helps the forest ______________________________________. Replanting is now a

common practice after harvests and wildfire.

• Forests that aren't replanted after a natural disaster, can take

_____________________________.

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Broadleaf/Conifer mix
• Conifers rapidly _________________________________________________ to replace
imports

• Broadleaf trees also provides timber for industry

______________________________________

• Broadleaf planting forms ___________________________ and provides

__________________, ___________________________, adds to the landscape and
_____________________________

Conservation in action in Forestry

• The selection and management of the
_______________________________________________ of the woodland
• _________________________________________ of broadleaved species in plantations

• Leave greater areas of __________________________________________. This will

encourage the growth of an ______________________________________ by increased light
penetration

Conservation in action in Forestry

• Encourage the planting of woodland plots with the greatest woodland edge

• Enhance the _______________________ of wooded areas by leaving some

________________; and increasing the number of
_________________________________________

• Promote _________________________ rather than ________________________ as the

dominant harvesting technique

Need to know
• Define the term: Conservation.

• Outline any one practice of conservation from agriculture, forestry or fisheries.

END

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