You are viewing a free preview of this lesson.
Subscribe to unlock all 10 lessons in this course and every other course on LearningBro.
Having learned about the threats to biodiversity, this lesson focuses on what can be done to protect and restore it. You need to understand the range of strategies used at local, national and international levels to maintain biodiversity and promote sustainability — meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This is an important part of AQA GCSE Biology Topic 7: Ecology.
Sustainability means using resources in a way that meets current needs without depleting them for future generations. In ecology, this means:
Exam Tip: The AQA specification specifically asks you to understand how human activities affect biodiversity and the importance of maintaining it. Be prepared to discuss both the problems and the solutions.
Captive breeding programmes aim to increase the population of endangered species by breeding them in controlled environments (such as zoos and wildlife parks) before releasing them back into the wild.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Aim | Prevent extinction of critically endangered species |
| Method | Carefully select breeding pairs to maximise genetic diversity |
| Examples | Giant panda, Arabian oryx, California condor, Scottish wildcat |
| Advantages | Prevents extinction; maintains genetic diversity; educates the public |
| Disadvantages | Expensive; animals may not adapt well to the wild; small gene pool can lead to inbreeding |
Seed banks are facilities that store seeds from a wide variety of plant species under controlled conditions (low temperature and humidity) to preserve them for the future.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Aim | Preserve genetic diversity of plants; provide seeds for habitat restoration |
| Examples | Millennium Seed Bank at Kew (UK), Svalbard Global Seed Vault (Norway) |
| What is stored | Seeds from wild plants, crop varieties, and endangered species |
| Advantages | Seeds can survive for decades or centuries; relatively inexpensive; large-scale storage |
| Disadvantages | Not all plant species produce seeds suitable for long-term storage; does not protect habitats |
Governments and conservation organisations create protected areas where human activity is restricted to safeguard habitats and species.
| Type of Protected Area | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Nature reserves | Areas managed specifically for wildlife conservation |
| National parks | Large areas protected by law; allow public access but restrict development |
| Marine protected areas (MPAs) | Areas of ocean where fishing and other activities are restricted |
| Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) | UK sites protected due to their wildlife, geological or physiological importance |
| World Heritage Sites | Areas of outstanding universal value protected by UNESCO |
Where habitats have been damaged or destroyed, they can sometimes be restored or new habitats created:
| Strategy | Description |
|---|---|
| Reforestation | Planting trees in areas that have been deforested |
| Hedgerow planting | Replanting hedgerows that were removed for farming |
| Wetland creation | Creating new ponds, marshes or reedbeds to replace lost wetland habitats |
| Rewilding | Allowing degraded land to return to a natural state, sometimes with reintroduction of species |
| Green corridors | Connecting isolated habitats with strips of natural land so animals can move between them |
Exam Tip: If asked to evaluate a conservation strategy, discuss both advantages and disadvantages. For example, breeding programmes prevent extinction but are expensive and may not address the cause of the decline (such as habitat loss).
Governments pass laws to protect biodiversity:
| Legislation/Agreement | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) | Protects UK wildlife species and their habitats; makes it illegal to kill or capture certain species |
| CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) | Regulates international trade in endangered animals and plants |
| Environmental Impact Assessments | Required before major construction projects; assess the potential impact on local wildlife |
| Countryside Stewardship schemes | Pay farmers to manage land in environmentally friendly ways |
| Fishing quotas | Limit the amount of fish that can be caught to prevent overfishing |
Overfishing is a major threat to marine biodiversity. Sustainable fishing practices include:
| Strategy | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Fishing quotas | Governments set limits on how much of each species can be caught per year |
| Minimum net mesh sizes | Larger mesh sizes allow young fish to escape and grow to breeding size |
| Closed seasons | Fishing is banned during breeding seasons so populations can recover |
| Marine protected areas | No-fishing zones allow populations to recover and replenish surrounding areas |
| Fish farming (aquaculture) | Farming fish reduces the pressure on wild fish populations |
Sustainable forestry ensures that forests can continue to provide timber and other resources indefinitely:
| Strategy | How It Works |
|---|---|
| Selective logging | Only some trees are felled, leaving the rest to maintain the ecosystem |
| Replanting | New trees are planted to replace those that are felled |
| Coppicing | Trees are cut near the ground; they regrow from the stump, providing wood without killing the tree |
| Certified timber | Organisations like the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certify that timber comes from sustainably managed forests |
| Reducing waste | Using sawdust and offcuts for chipboard, paper or biomass fuel |
Exam Tip: You may be asked about the benefits and challenges of sustainable resource management. A key challenge is that sustainable methods may be more expensive or produce less in the short term, which can be difficult for people who depend on these resources for their livelihoods.
Reducing pollution is essential for maintaining biodiversity. Strategies include:
| Source of Pollution | Strategy to Reduce It |
|---|---|
| Fertiliser runoff | Use fertilisers more carefully; plant buffer strips of vegetation along waterways |
| Pesticides | Use biological control methods instead of chemical pesticides; use targeted application |
| Air pollution | Use renewable energy sources; improve vehicle emissions standards; use catalytic converters |
| Plastic waste | Reduce, reuse and recycle plastics; ban single-use plastics; develop biodegradable alternatives |
| Sewage | Treat sewage before releasing it into waterways |
Individuals can contribute to biodiversity conservation through everyday actions:
| Action | How It Helps |
|---|---|
| Reducing, reusing and recycling waste | Less waste goes to landfill; reduces need for raw materials |
| Buying sustainably sourced products | Supports sustainable farming, fishing and forestry |
| Reducing energy use | Lower CO2 emissions, reducing climate change impacts |
| Creating wildlife-friendly gardens | Provides habitats for birds, insects and other organisms |
| Supporting conservation charities | Provides funding for habitat protection and species recovery |
| Reducing food waste | Less land needed for food production; fewer resources wasted |
Biodiversity is a global issue that requires international cooperation:
Subscribe to continue reading
Get full access to this lesson and all 10 lessons in this course.