Chapter 11: Reading and Study Guide

Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity

Section 11-1:What Are the Major Threats to Aquatic Biodiversity?

  1. Describe how human activities have threatened whale populations. What is the International Whaling Commission and what has it done to protect whales? (p. 252)
  1. How much do we know about the habitats and species that make up the earth's aquatic

biodiversity?

  1. What are three general patterns of marine biodiversity?
  1. Describe the threat to marine biodiversity from bottom trawling.
  1. How have coral reefs been threatened?
  1. What are two causes of disruption of freshwater habitats?
  1. Give two examples of threats to marine aquatic systems from invasive species and two examples of the same for freshwater systems.
  1. Describe the ecological experiment of carp removal in Wisconsin's Lake Wingra.
  1. Summarize the story of how invasive species have disrupted Lake Victoria's ecosystem.
  1. What are two harmful effects on aquatic systems resulting from the increase in the human population in coastal areas?
  1. Give two examples of how pollution is affecting aquatic systems.
  1. What are three ways in which projected climate change could threaten aquatic biodiversity?
  1. Define fishery.
  1. What are three major harmful effects of overfishing?
  1. Describe the collapse of the Atlantic cod fishery and the resulting effects on the fishery's ecosystem.
  1. What is a fishprint?
  1. Describe factors leading to the near extinction of the blue whale.
  1. Describe the effects of trawler fishing, purse-seine fishing, long-lining, and drift-net fishing.
  1. What is bycatch?

Section 11-2: How Can We Protect and Sustain Marine Biodiversity?

  1. How have laws and treaties been used to help sustain aquatic species?
  1. What is the main problem that interferes with enforcing international agreements?
  1. Describe international efforts to protect whales from overhunting and premature extinction.
  1. How can economic incentives help to sustain aquatic biodiversity? Give two examples of where this has happened.
  1. Describe threats to the leatherback turtle and efforts by some people to help protect the species.
  1. Describe the use of marine protected areas and marine reserves to help sustain aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem services.
  1. What percentage of the world's oceans is strictly protected from harmful human activities in marine reserves?
  1. Describe the role of fishing communities and individual consumers in regulating fishing and coastal development.
  1. Give two examples of the restoration of marine systems.
  1. Describe threats from increasing ocean acidity.
  1. What is integrated coastal management?

Section 11-3: How Should We Manage and Sustain Marine Fisheries?

  1. Describe and discuss the limitations of three ways of estimating the sizes of fish populations.
  1. How can the precautionary principle help in managing fisheries and large marine systems?
  1. Describe the efforts of local fishing communities in helping to sustain fisheries.
  1. How can government subsidies encourage overfishing?
  1. Describe how consumer choices can help to sustain fisheries and aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem services.
  1. List five ways to manage global fisheries more sustainably.

Section 11-4: How Should We Protect and Sustain Wetlands

  1. What percentage of the U.S. coastal and inland wetlands have been destroyed since 1900?
  1. What are major ecological services provided by wetlands?
  1. How does the United States attempt to reduce wetland losses?
  1. Describe efforts to restore the Florida Everglades.

Section 11-5: How Should We Protect and Sustain Freshwater Lakes, Rivers, and Fisheries

  1. Describe the major threats to the world's rivers and other freshwater systems.
  1. What major ecological services do rivers provide?
  1. Describe invasions of the U.S. Great Lakes by nonnative species.
  1. Describe ways to help sustain rivers.
  1. What are three ways to protect freshwater habitats and fisheries?

Section 11-6: What Should Be Our Priorities for Sustaining Aquatic Biodiversity?

  1. How can we apply the ecosystem approach to sustaining aquatic biodiversity? List six steps that we can take to do so.
  1. How can we apply the three principles of sustainability to protecting whales (Core Case Study) and other aquatic species and to sustaining aquatic biodiversity and ecosystem services?