Genetic diversity refers to the variety of genetic information
contained in all the species on earth
It is measured by determining the different DNA available
This ensures animal and plant species do not become extinct
Genetic engineering is means of altering defects in one
species by adding the genes of other species
It is expected that the cure for cancer is locked up in the DNA gene
pool
BIOETHICS?
while extinction is a natural phenomenon, it is usually rare
however in the 20
th
century, it has accelerated to about
1000 species a year.
the world’s gene banks collect seeds from around the world to return
them to their ecosystem in case of disaster
Genetic diversity will allow scientists to come up with ways to
produce : more food
more disease resistant food
better looking food
etc
Is it right or just a better balance of ecosystem
use by humans?
Ecosystems are valuable to humans as they have:
utility value
–
economic value
intrinsic value
–
value
in existing
heritage value
–
worth
preserving
ecosystems are economically valuable to humans
it has been estimated that they provide US$40 trillion of goods each
year from ???
however real value of the ecosystem lies in the alternative use
of the ecosystem
(Economists call it the opportunity cost)
eg
the removal of mangroves to build a $10 million factory ignores the
$60million fish industry which would be destroyed.
clearing the rainforests of Cameroon and the
hunting of mountain gorilla for bush meat has
almost wiped out the gorillas which could have
brought in millions of dollars
of ecotourism
Calculate the value of a whale used for meat with
its value as a tourist attraction for the whole of
its life.
ecosystems have alternative economic value in:
medicines and medical research
scientific research
ecotourism
alternative food sources
–
the world cultivates only 7000
of 30 000 edible food varieties
ecosystems are priceless and precious
the provide pleasure and joy to people which is hard to put
into money terms
for this reason they are often ignored by economists and politicians
ecosystems need to be passed down intact to future
generations
this has become an important issue for humans since the second half of the 20
th
centruy
national parks have been established to preserve areas from
human interference
in 1977 Kosciuszko National Park was declared a World Biosphere Reserve
by UNESCO as it contained unique examples of Alpine ecosystem
many organisations such as the World Wildlife Fund and the
World Conservation Union have worked to improve the
heritage value of ecosystems
Research ONE National Park in Australia. You need to include:
location
when it became a national park
why it has heritage value
any other interesting information relative to this park
All ecosystems and life forms go through evolutionary
processes.
To allow this to continue, humans must:
protect and conserve ecosystems
take into account the interests of local people to ensure they
assist protection, rather than work against it
eg
poaching
manage the areas well
surround the areas with a buffer
zone to minimise impact on
the protected area.
there is no one successful management strategy
success is often judged by ecological sustainability
ie
does the activity detract from the long term survival of the
ecosystem
a management plan is way of achieving specific goals
1.
Preservation
-
protecting the ecosystem in its natural
form
2.
Conservation
-
the planned use of natural resources to
minimise damage to the ecosystem
3.
Utilisation
-
replacing the ecosystem with a human
made activity which is sustainable
eg
commercial farming
4.
Exploitation
-
the ecosystem is used no matter the
ecological consequences
Environmental
Imperialism
Utilitarianism
Stewardship
Romanticism
Radical
Environmentalism
Attitudes
Preservation
Conservation
Utilisation
Exploitation
Management Approach
Management of ecosystems should achieve
sustainable development
–
this means……….
Sustainable development has 4 concepts:
1.
Intragenerational
equity
–
people within the present
generation have the right to benefit equally from the earth’s
resources
2.
Intergenerational equity
–
leaving sufficient resources for
future generations
3.
Precautionary approach
-
always err on the side of caution
when dealing with environmental protection
4.
Biological diversity
Read P. 46 of the text book and BRIEFLY outline 5 strategies.
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