Biodiversity loss

10 important questions on Biodiversity loss

From top to bottom, which dimensions can be identified in the ecology sector?

Global
Continental
Biome
Region
Landscape
Ecosystem
Stand or field
Plant

What is the keeling curve?

A model on CO2 in the atmosphere. It flickers, but shows an increase, which is caused by:
-Burning of fossil fuels
-Deforestation
-Cement making

Why is the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, as shown in the keeling curve, dependent on the seasons?

Because in autumn and winter a lot of trees lose their leaves, therefore there is a reduced photosynthesis. Also in winter a lot of fuel is burned to keep people warm etc.
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How come human emissions of CO2 are so signifficant when they only make up a few percent of the total CO2 emissions on the earth?

Because the extra emissions are not compensated by additional uptake, by for example oceans and forests. Therefore, all the extra emission builds up in the atmosphere.

What is the direct influence of increase of CO2 in the atmosphere?

Biochemical changes, including:
-Enhanced growth due to CO2 fertilisation
-Changes in vegetable structure and patterns because of enhanced water use efficiency of the plants (enabling the plants to deal with draught better).

What is the direct effect of changing climate (due to increase in CO2in atmosphere)?

-Changes in plant growth
-Changes in decomposition
-Changes in vegetation patterns

What is the indirect effect of climate change (due to increase of CO2 in atmosphere)?

-Changes in plant competition
-Changes in disturbance regimes (eg. more fires in a certain area)

Apart from rising temperatures, what is a mayor effect of climate change that is difficult to deal with.

The amount of waterfall (eg. either too much or too little)

Why is it that in some figures a reduction in CO2 emission is visible, but the concentration in the atmosphere keeps increasing?

Because CO2 builds up if additional emission by human activity is not compensated by an increase of CO2 intake by ecosystems (forests, oceans etc.)

A temperature rise of how much can impact worldwide ecosystems drasticaly?

1,5 to 2 degrees.

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

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