The Biosphere

Sub topic (c)

Control and Management

Name

Teacher

Pollution• Pollution happens

when substances contaminate (harm) the environment.

• Pollution affects air, fresh water, sea and land – our air is no longer pure, our seas are a dumping ground and our land contains lots of man made waste

Sources of pollution• The main sources of

pollution are domestic, agricultural and industrial.

• Domestic – sewage and rubbish e.g. plastic

• Agricultural – fertilisers and pesticides

• Industrial – smoke and gases from factories and power stations

Energy Sources and pollution (C)• Lots of our energy is

generated by• burning fossil fuels such as

coal , oil and gas. These fuels are non renewable and supplies will run out

• Burning releases harmful gases into the air e.g.

• Sulphur dioxide – causes acid rain

• Carbon monoxide – which is poisonous

• Carbon dioxide – leads to global warming

Energy Sources and pollution (C)• Some of our energy is

generated by nuclear power stations.

• This leads to the formation of nuclear waste which is very dangerous -

• It can enter food chains• Can cause cancers• Has to be stored safely for

hundreds of years

Controlling pollution• Pollution can be

controlled by • Reducing the burning

of fossil fuels and using alternative energy sources e.g. wind

• Removing harmful gases from factory chimneys using special equipment before release into the air (SCRUBBING)

Organic waste Pollution• Organic waste e.g.

sewage is a food source for micro organisms.

• If organic waste increases in a river/sea then it means an increase in micro organisms which rapidly use up the oxygen in the water

• leading to less oxygen in the water for other organisms e.g. fish

Testing River Water for Bacteria

Methylene blue is a blue dye that shows us how much oxygen is in a sample of water.

The blue dye loses its colour and becomes colourless as oxygen is used up.

If your water sample is polluted by lots of dangerous bacteria, the oxygen will be used up and the blue colour will disappear

Dye added

Dye added

Loses colour

Still blue

Blue gone

Oxygen low

Pollution high

Blue

Oxygen high

Pollution low

Water sample

Water sample

Now its Your Turn

Ouch!

goggles

samples of polluted and unpolluted water

methylene blue

2 screw top bottles

oil + dropper

Wear goggles for this experiment

Collect;

And gloves

What To Do

1. Label your bottles

2. Add a different sample to each bottle

3. Add methylene blue

4. Mix gently then add a few drops of oil to form a layer on the surface

3. Examine at end of period

4. Examine again next day

polluted

unpolluted polluted

oil

Clean river

More food for micro organisms

Number of micro organisms increases

Micro organisms use up lots of oxygen

Low level of oxygen in water

Number of species present is reduced as most organisms die due to a lack of oxygen

Organic pollution enters water Effect of Pollution (c)

Indicator Species (C)• Some fresh water

invertebrate animals are very sensitive to the level of oxygen in water.

• If oxygen is used up by large numbers of micro organisms feeding on pollution these organisms will die.

• Organisms that can give information on pollution /environment are called indicator species

Stonefly nymphs are only found in unpolluted water

Caddis fly larvae can survive in slightly polluted water

Indicator Species (C)

• Some species can tolerate low levels of oxygen and can indicate polluted water

• if there are no species such as stonefly nymphs or caddis fly larvae present in the water then there is little oxygen and the water is polluted.

Blood worms can be found in polluted water

Rat tailed maggots can survive in heavily polluted water

Lichens as Indicator Species (C)• Shrubby lichens can

only live in unpolluted air• Leafy and crusty lichens

can tolerate some sulphur dioxide in the air

Crusty lichens

Shrubby lichens

Leafy lichens

Management of natural resources

Pollution is an example of bad management, others are;

Natural resource

Poor management

Problem caused

Improvements

fish stocks

overfishingreduced numbers of fish

introducing fish quotas

rainforestdestruction to provide crops

1. soil erosion2. loss of soil fertility3. loss of plant species

increase the productivity of existing farmland

Agricultural Management (C)

_____________ was used in the past

This ; 1. __________________________

2. ____________________________

Crop Rotation

prevents build up of disease

allows nutrient levels to recover

Today farmers produce higher yields by using _________ to control pests and disease, and to return nutrients to the soil before planting e.g.

soil fertility ---- _________ replace phosphates and

nitrates removed by harvesting plants.

chemicals

fertilisers

Different plants have _______ nutrient requirements.

Long rooted plants remove nutrients from _______ soil than short rooted plants, so planting a ________ crop each year for four years allows the same land to be used ____________ before ________.

different

deeperdifferent

several timesdepletion

Year 1

wheat

Year 2 Year 3 Year 4

turnips barley clover

Crop rotation

Clover – a leguminous plant

root nodules

Clover is not harvested. It is a leguminous plant --- it has root nodules containing bacteria which ____atmospheric nitrogen, converting it into_______. When the clover is ploughed into the ground it______________________.

‘fix’nitratereplenishes soil nitrate

Disease / pest control ----- 3 types of pesticide are sprayed onto crops ;

1. ____________________________________

2. ____________________________________

3. ____________________________________

insecticides – to kill insect pests

fungicides – to kill fungus

herbicides – to kill weeds

R.I.P

Agricultural Management (C)

Quick Test 1

1. What is pollution?

2. Name 4 ecosystems affected by pollution.

3. Name the three sources of pollution.

4. Give an example of domestic pollution.

5. Give an example of agricultural pollution.

6. Give an example of industrial pollution.

When substances harm the environment

Air, fresh water, sea, land

Domestic agricultural industrial

Sewage , rubbish

Fertilisers, pesticides

Smoke, gases fromfactories

Quick Test 21. Name two ways of generating electricity?

2. Name two harmful gases released by burning fossil fuels.

3. What are the dangers of nuclear waste?

4. Give two ways of controlling pollution.

5. Give an example of organic pollution.

6. Describe what happens when organic pollution enters a river.

Burning fossil fuels/ nuclear power

Can enter food chains, cause cancers, stored for hundreds of years

Reducing fossil fuels/ alternative energy sources, removing harmful gases

Sewage

Increase in microbes use up lots of oxygen

Low level of oxygen fish die due to lack of oxygen

Sulphur dioxide. Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide

Quick Test 31. What is an indicator species?

2. Name two invertebrates that can only be found in unpolluted water.

3. Name two invertebrates that can be found in polluted water?

4. Why is there a lack of oxygen in polluted water.

5. Why are lichens pollution indicator species?

Organisms that give information on pollution/ environment

Blood worms. Rat tailed maggot

Large numbers of micobes use up the oxygen

Lichens cannot live in polluted air/ high levels of sulphur dioxide

Stonefly nymph, caddis fly larvae

Quick Test 41. Give two examples of bad management of

natural resources?

2. What problem does overfishing cause?

3. How can overfishing be controlled?

4. Why does agricultural land lose minerals / fertility?

5. How does a farmer increase soil minerals.

6. How does a farmer control weeds and animal pests

Over fishing /destruction of rainforest / pollution

Reduced numbers of fish species

Crop removed so no recycling

Introduce fish quotas

Adds fertiliser / manure/ crop rotation

Sprays herbicides (weedkiller) / pesticides