Unit 1 Revision Topic 7: Oceans on the Edge
Dec 18, 2015
Main points you need to know
• Location of coral reefs
• How humans use and threaten oceans
• How climate change can threaten oceans
• What food webs are
• How oceans can be sustainably managed
• Case Study: Firth of Clyde, Scotland
• Case Study: Global Management (e.g. CITES)
Location of coral reefs
Coral reefs - Shallow water of 25m or less- Tropical water temperature of 24-26°c- Areas of saline (salty) water
http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/diversity-of-life-in-a-coral-reef/8977.html
What is the value of coral reefs?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ58QQrDs4c&feature=player_embedded..\Teachers TV Downloads\Biologists_create_new_Red_Sea_reefs_-
_24_Aug_07_1.wmv
Exploitation for fishing4000 species of fish provide food
25% of world’s commercial fish catch comes from coral reefs
Shoreline protectionProvide protection
from storms, tsunami and wave erosion.
Can grow with rising sea levels, protect
against climate change
Aquarium tradeSupply tropical fish, sea
horses and plants for our fish tanks!
TourismMagnet for world’s tourists
Countries in the Caribbean get over half their income from reef tourism
Education and researchLearn about marine life
Sources of medicine e.g. algae and sponges have “been used for the pharmaceutical
industry. Coral have also been used for bone grafts!
To make decorative objects such as jewellery
A source of lime for cement and building
Threats to marine ecosystems
• http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/the-impact-of-fishing-in-the-philippines/4692.html
• Population growth• Land development• Pollution from cars and industry• Coral mining for sand and lime• Methods of fishing• Overfishing• Tourism• Global warming
Using named examples, explain how humans can have both positive and negative impacts on marine ecosystems. (6 marks)
Impacts of climate change
• Increases in temperature coral ecosystems become vulnerable to bleaching
• Extreme weather events such as storms and flooding
• Increases in temperatures glaciers melt increase in freshwater into the oceans
• Higher sea levels mangrove swamps/ salt marshes could be submerged
• Coral reef islands such as Maldives would be completely submerged
• Thermal expansion
Named examplesUSA: Sea level causes increased coastal erosion and flooding. Risk of storm surges in Florida. Threats to coastal wetlands
Asia: Increasing intensity of tropical cyclones could threaten mangroves and coral reefs
Europe: Low lying countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands will be submerged
Bangladesh: Storm surges will increase and grow in strength. Sea level rise of 45cm would displace 5.5m people
Mark SchemeLevel Mark Descriptor
Level 1 1-2 Answer identifies at least one cause of additional stress which has resulted from global warming. Limited subject vocabulary used.
Level 2 3-4 An attempt has been made to explain at least one threat. Some elaborated / extended statements. A range of subject specific terms have been used.
Level 3 5-6 Detailed / well developed answer. At least one threat has been clearly explained. Answer includes clear linkage. Effective use of subject specific terms.
Named case study: marine resources under pressure
• The Firth of Clyde,
Scotland
• 60km stretch of water
along west coast
Threats facing the Firth of Clyde• http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/why-have-fish-
stocks-decreased-in-the-north-sea-pt-1-2/4687.html • Fishing - Overfishing of species like cod have caused
the numbers to crash• Tourism – Tourism has developed. Now the 2nd largest
yachting centre which disturbs wildlife• Sewage disposal - In the past on-land sewage
treatments were limited so waste from toilets flowed straight into the sea. Now less of a problem
• Military Testing - Perfect testing ground for the Royal Navy’s nuclear submarines. A serious accident would have terrible effects on the ecosystem
Management
• Local divers formed COAST which campaigned for a no-take zone to be established in Lamlash Bay.
• In 2008 the Scottish Government made part of Lamlash Bay a no-take zone, the rest of the bay is a management area where scallops can be fished but only in less destructive ways
• Will soon be designated a Coastal and Marine Park (CMP) to ensure that coastal and marine-based activities are managed in a sustainable way to bring long term economic benefits to people, whilst protecting the environment
• Scottish Marine Bill – new set of laws to help manage future conflicts in Scottish waters
Sustainable Management
• Sustainable Management is a balancing act between ecosystem conservation and helping local people to make a living without overharvesting resources
• What might it involve?
Named case study – Regional Scale
• North Sea fishing - Problem?
• Solutions?• Ensuring mesh of the nets allows young undersized fish
to escape• Limiting the hours and days fishing boats can operate• Quota management – limit placed on the number of
tonnes of fish from each species that can be caught• Setting up marine reserves which protect all species• Further research into how fishing affects the whole
ecosystem
Named case study – Global Solutions
• CITES (Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora)
• This gives global protection to all of the great whales as many species of whales were hunted almost to extinction during the 20th century.
• CITES also helped protect other species such as sturgeon fish whose eggs were used to make caviar.
Named case study – Global Solutions
• Law of the Sea• This was developed to prevent certain
nations from taking an unfair share of the ocean’s wealth.
• The treaty was established in 1994 and 40% of the ocean was placed under the law of adjacent coastal states.
Key word Facebook• Write down the definition of your key word
• In your book draw a quick table:
• Walk round the room putting in ‘friend requests’ with each other
• If your key words have something in common, you can ‘accept’ and write each others key words in accept column. If not, reject.
• You need to be able to explain connections!
Accept Reject