Environment - Plants and Animals

1. Hundreds of thousands of miles of hedgerow has disappeared from the landscape.

2. Much of this was due to a change in farming methods after the war, when larger fields were needed.

3. Building, quarrying and the building of roads and reservoirs have also contributed to hedgerow loss.

4. Loss of hedgerows has caused the decline of many plant and animal species.

5. Originally hedgerows were seen as a cost-effective way to create field boundaries and enclosures.

6. Now they serve many different purposes, such as keeping animals in and providing shade and protection from the wind.

7. Hedgerows also prevent soil erosion and provide valuable wildlife habitats.

8. Hedgerows provide a source of food for birds and animals.

9. Global warming has caused a rise in the Earth’s water temperature.

10. It is caused by the burning of fossil fuels that release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

11. These gases trap the heat of the sun.

12. Tropical rainforests are home to over half the world’s plant and animal species.

13. Each year a huge area of rainforest is destroyed due to logging, planting cash crops, mining and tourism.

14. Logging, where the trees are cut and sold, is one of the most common ways to clear forests.

15. Logging companies also destroy more trees to build sawmills and roads.

16. Some people move into the forest to farm and then burn the trees to clear land for grazing.

17. The Amazon rainforest has been called the ‘lungs of the world’.

18. The trees in the rainforest breathe in harmful carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen.

19. Millions of acres of tropical rainforest is destroyed each year.

20. If the number of trees is reduced, the amount of carbon dioxide increases, causing global warming.

21. Trees are an important part of the Earth’s water resources.

22. They draw water up through their trunks and release it back into the atmosphere through their foliage.

23. Tree roots help to stop surface run-off, thus preventing soil erosion and landslides.

24. Leaf litter from trees allows soil to hold more water and so helps to prevent floods.

25. Over-fishing is when so many fish are caught that not enough are left to breed.

26. The fish get fewer and fewer until, finally, there are none to catch.

27. Over-fishing of a certain type of fish can impact on the food chain, as they are no longer available for other fish to eat.

28. Over-fishing can be resolved by setting numbers of fish allowed to be caught.

29. Making sure the mesh on nets is not too small, thus allowing young fish to survive and breed is also helpful.

30. To help prevent water pollution, less water can be used so not so much needs treating.

31. Human activity is causing many plants and animals to become extinct - animal species, forests and marine life are all in danger.

32. Many coral reefs are being destroyed or dying.

33. They are useful because they protect the shores from the impact of the waves and attract tourists.

34. The main threat to coral reefs is climate change, as warmer seas causes the coral to bleach and die.