BRAINCAKEHuman Influence on Ecosystems
Revision notes for Human Influence on Ecosystems in Edexcel Biology B (9BI0). Every lesson in BrainCake comes with R.E.C.I.P.E. recall steps, a quick check and spaced reviews.
- Human Population ExplosionFor most of history the human population grew slowly, held back by famine, disease and high infant mortality.
- Climate ChangeWeather is the state of the atmosphere at a given place and time: temperature, rainfall, wind and cloud.
- Depletion of Biological ResourcesA biological resource is any living thing, or product of one, that humans use: timber, fish, crops, medicines, fibres, and ecosystem services such…
- Loss of BiodiversityBiodiversity is the variety of life in an area.
- The Burden of ProofThe burden of proof is the responsibility to provide evidence for a claim.
- Evaluating StudiesWhen you read a study, for example one claiming a link between rising temperature and a change in a species, you need to judge how far its…
- Greenhouse EffectThe greenhouse effect is a natural process that keeps the Earth's surface warm enough for life.
- Evidence for the Global Temperature IncreaseSeveral independent types of evidence show that the Earth is warming.
- Analysis of Ice CoresThe ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland have built up from snow over hundreds of thousands of years.
- Data ReliabilityClimate data come from many sources, and each has limitations that affect how reliable it is.
- MethaneMethane (CH4) is the second most important greenhouse gas produced by human activity, after carbon dioxide.
- Correlation or CausationA correlation is a relationship between two variables: as one changes, so does the other.
- Models of Global WarmingA climate model is a computer program that uses mathematical equations to represent the processes controlling climate: energy from the Sun, the…
- Effects of Climate ChangeA rise in mean global temperature does not simply make everywhere a little warmer.
- Risk of FloodingGlobal warming increases the risk of flooding in two ways: rising sea levels and heavier rainfall.
- The Effect on OrganismsTemperature affects living organisms mainly through its effect on enzymes, which control every metabolic reaction.
- Changes in Species DistributionThe distribution of a species is where it lives.
- Farming: Depletion of ResourcesFeeding a growing population requires more food from each hectare and more land for farming.
- Fishing: Depletion of ResourcesFish are a renewable resource, but only if enough adults are left to breed and replace those caught.
- Anthropogenic Changes in the OceanThe oceans are affected by human activity in several ways.
- Problems with ConservationConservation aims to protect species and habitats, but it often faces practical, economic and ethical problems.
- Fish Farming and AquacultureAquaculture is the farming of aquatic organisms such as fish, shellfish and seaweed.
- Endangered SpeciesAn endangered species is one at high risk of becoming extinct in the wild in the near future.
- ExtinctionA species is extinct when the last individual has died.
- Human Causes of ExtinctionMost extinctions today are caused, directly or indirectly, by human activity.
- Conserving BiodiversityConservation methods are divided into two types.
- CITESCITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.
- CITES SuccessesCITES has helped several species recover, especially where controls on trade were combined with protection on the ground.
- Limitations of CITESCITES has had successes, but it has important limitations.
On the specification
- 10.3 Changes in ecosystems
- 10.4 Human effects on ecosystems