Climate Change Biodiversity & Ecosystem Protection 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which biome stores the most carbon per unit area and is severely threatened by climate change-linked drought and fire?
- Tropical rainforest (Correct answer)
- Temperate grassland
- Arctic tundra
- Temperate deciduous forest
Correct answer: Tropical rainforest
Tropical rainforests hold the largest above-ground carbon stocks and are increasingly threatened by droughts and fires amplified by climate change.
Question 2: How does permafrost thaw threaten biodiversity beyond directly killing cold-adapted species?
- It releases stored carbon, accelerating warming that further disrupts ecosystems (Correct answer)
- It causes saltwater intrusion into freshwater wetlands
- It increases heavy metal runoff into rivers
- It triggers volcanic activity in Arctic regions
Correct answer: It releases stored carbon, accelerating warming that further disrupts ecosystems
Thawing permafrost releases massive amounts of CO₂ and methane, creating a feedback loop that accelerates global warming and intensifies ecosystem disruption worldwide.
Question 3: What is the '30x30' conservation goal adopted at COP15 in 2022?
- Protecting 30% of Earth's land and oceans by 2030 (Correct answer)
- Reducing deforestation by 30% within 30 years
- Restoring 30 million hectares of wetlands by 2030
- Cutting biodiversity loss by 30% in 30 years
Correct answer: Protecting 30% of Earth's land and oceans by 2030
The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework's 30x30 target commits nations to protecting at least 30% of land and marine areas by 2030.
Question 4: Which type of ecosystem is considered a 'blue carbon' sink, capturing carbon while also buffering coasts from storm surge?
- Mangrove forests (Correct answer)
- Kelp beds
- Coral reefs
- Seagrass meadows
Correct answer: Mangrove forests
Mangroves sequester carbon at rates far exceeding most terrestrial forests and provide critical coastal protection, but are rapidly lost to development and rising seas.
Question 5: What term describes species whose loss would cause disproportionate collapse of an ecosystem?
- Keystone species (Correct answer)
- Pioneer species
- Endemic species
- Indicator species
Correct answer: Keystone species
Keystone species, like sea otters or wolves, have outsized roles in maintaining ecosystem structure, and their climate-driven decline can trigger trophic cascades.
Question 6: How does climate change affect freshwater biodiversity through altered precipitation?
- More intense droughts and floods disrupt river flow regimes and aquatic habitats (Correct answer)
- Increased rainfall consistently raises river levels, expanding fish habitat
- Warmer rain improves dissolved oxygen in rivers
- Precipitation changes mainly affect marine, not freshwater, species
Correct answer: More intense droughts and floods disrupt river flow regimes and aquatic habitats
Erratic precipitation leads to extreme droughts that shrink rivers and lakes, and floods that scour streambeds, both devastating freshwater species diversity.
Question 7: What conservation strategy involves moving species to new locations ahead of climate change to prevent extinction?
- Assisted migration (managed relocation) (Correct answer)
- Ex-situ conservation
- Rewilding
- Corridor restoration
Correct answer: Assisted migration (managed relocation)
Assisted migration deliberately relocates species to areas predicted to become climatically suitable, helping them track shifting habitats faster than natural dispersal allows.
Climate Change Biodiversity & Ecosystem Protection 3
Which biome stores the most carbon per unit area and is severely threatened by climate change-linked drought and fire?