Unit 1 Revision

1. Unit 1 Revision Topic 7: Oceans on the Edge

2. 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)

3. Location of coral reefs Coral reefs  - Shallow water of 25m or less - Tropical water temperature of 21-29°c - Areas of saline (salty) water http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningzone/clips/diversity-of-life-in-a-coral-reef/8977.html

4. 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

5. Tourism Magnet for world’s tourists Countries in the Caribbean get over half their income from reef tourism Exploitation for fishing 4000 species of fish provide food 25% of world’s commercial fish catch comes from coral reefs Shoreline protection Provide protection from storms, tsunami and wave erosion. Can grow with rising sea levels, protect against climate change Education and research Learn about marine life The value of coral reefs A source of lime for cement and building To make decorative objects such as jewellery Aquarium trade Supply tropical fish, sea horses and plants for our fish tanks! Sources of medicine e.g. algae and sponges have “been used for the pharmaceutical industry. Coral have also been used for bone grafts!

6. 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

7. Food chains • Draw an example of an ocean food chain • How do we affect food chains?

8. How do we disrupt nutrient cycles?

9. Eutrophication

10. Using named examples, explain how humans can have both positive and negative impacts on marine ecosystems. (6 marks)

11. Natural threats to ecosystems • Hurricanes • Parrot Fish • Crown of thorn star fish

12. Impacts of climate change • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkCWI7CwR_0

13. 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

14. Named examples Europe: Low lying countries such as Denmark and the Netherlands will be submerged USA: Sea level causes increased coastal erosion and flooding. Risk of storm surges in Florida. Threats to coastal wetlands Bangladesh: Storm surges will increase and grow in strength. Sea level rise of 45cm would displace 5.5m people Asia: Increasing intensity of tropical cyclones could threaten mangroves and coral reefs

15. Exam Question: Explain how climate change is adding stress to marine ecosystems. (6 marks)

16. Answers

18. Mark Scheme

19. Named case study: marine resources under pressure • The Firth of Clyde, Scotland • 60km stretch of water along west coast

20. 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

21. 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

22. 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?

23. 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

24. 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.

25. 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.