BOT1603
ASSIGNMENT 4
SOLUTIONS
ALL ANSWERS AND
MICROSCOPIC
DRAWINGS INCLUDED
, QUESTION 1.1:
1.1.1. Indian Ocean Coastal Belt biome.
Some threats in this biome include: Climate change, habitat losses,
urbanisation/coastal development, Loss of terrestrial and marine biodiversity,
sand mining (removing of sand in the estuaries).
1.1.2. The long-term consequences of these human activities on the
Indian Ocean coastal belt biome include:
Loss of biodiversity, leading to weakened ecosystem resilience
and reduced ecosystem services.
Increased vulnerability of coastal areas to natural disasters due to
the loss of protective ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs.
Decline in fisheries and other marine resources, threatening food
security and livelihoods.
Degradation of water quality and increased occurrence of harmful
algal blooms and dead zones.
Displacement of coastal communities due to sea-level rise and the
loss of habitable land.
1.1.3. Carbon storage in plants:
Seagrass beds, mangroves and coral reefs play a crucial role in sequestering
carbon. They capture CO2 through photosynthesis and stores it in their
biomass and the surrounding soils. They trap carbon in the sediment,
contributing significantly to long-term carbon storage. Coral reefs regulate
marine carbon levels, which is overall necessary for the health of all marine
life.
Temperature regulation in coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves and sea
grasses, help regulate temperatures by shading and cooling the surrounding
areas. They also contribute to the stabilisation of the climate by combating the
effects of extreme weather events like storms and hurricanes.
Should there be any shifts and changes in the biome, it can result negatively on
the biome. A loss of carbon storing plants, through habitat destruction for
example, will result in less carbon being stored by these plants thus accelerating
the effects of climate change and global warming, this also leads to a loss of
habitat and flora and fauna in the biome. This increases the vulnerability of
climate change to these areas
ASSIGNMENT 4
SOLUTIONS
ALL ANSWERS AND
MICROSCOPIC
DRAWINGS INCLUDED
, QUESTION 1.1:
1.1.1. Indian Ocean Coastal Belt biome.
Some threats in this biome include: Climate change, habitat losses,
urbanisation/coastal development, Loss of terrestrial and marine biodiversity,
sand mining (removing of sand in the estuaries).
1.1.2. The long-term consequences of these human activities on the
Indian Ocean coastal belt biome include:
Loss of biodiversity, leading to weakened ecosystem resilience
and reduced ecosystem services.
Increased vulnerability of coastal areas to natural disasters due to
the loss of protective ecosystems like mangroves and coral reefs.
Decline in fisheries and other marine resources, threatening food
security and livelihoods.
Degradation of water quality and increased occurrence of harmful
algal blooms and dead zones.
Displacement of coastal communities due to sea-level rise and the
loss of habitable land.
1.1.3. Carbon storage in plants:
Seagrass beds, mangroves and coral reefs play a crucial role in sequestering
carbon. They capture CO2 through photosynthesis and stores it in their
biomass and the surrounding soils. They trap carbon in the sediment,
contributing significantly to long-term carbon storage. Coral reefs regulate
marine carbon levels, which is overall necessary for the health of all marine
life.
Temperature regulation in coastal ecosystems, such as mangroves and sea
grasses, help regulate temperatures by shading and cooling the surrounding
areas. They also contribute to the stabilisation of the climate by combating the
effects of extreme weather events like storms and hurricanes.
Should there be any shifts and changes in the biome, it can result negatively on
the biome. A loss of carbon storing plants, through habitat destruction for
example, will result in less carbon being stored by these plants thus accelerating
the effects of climate change and global warming, this also leads to a loss of
habitat and flora and fauna in the biome. This increases the vulnerability of
climate change to these areas
