ENVR07034 Natural Heritage Management Exam, IT Sligo - 2019/2020

This document presents a solved exam for the Natural Heritage Management module (ENVR07034) at the Institute of Technology Sligo. The exam covers topics such as habitat surveys, Natura 2000 sites, fen formation, habitat mosaics, planning habitat surveys, EU biodiversity vision, ecosystem services, Special Protected Areas (SPAs), marine habitat classification, and grassland types. The solutions also address the strategic objectives of the Irish National Biodiversity Plan, the services provided by functioning ecosystems, and the benefits of biodiverse ecosystems. The exam includes a mix of short answer questions and essay-style questions designed to assess understanding of key concepts in natural heritage management.

PROGRAMME(S):
SG_SSCIE_X06 Science without Borders Programme SG_SENVI_J07
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management
SG_ESCIE_X06 Science without Borders Programme
YEAR OF STUDY: 2,3
TIME ALLOWED: 1.5 Hours
INSTRUCTIONS: Answer Question 1 and two other questions.
PLEASE DO NOT TURN OVER THIS PAGE UNTIL YOU ARE INSTRUCTED TO DO SO.
The use of programmable or text storing calculators is expressly forbidden.
Please note that where a candidate answers more than the required number of questions, the
examiner will mark all questions attempted and then select the highest scoring ones.
Requirements for this paper:
1. Answer all 10 short questions in Question 1 and two of the three other questions.
2. Question 1 to be completed on the exam paper and attached to the exam book.
3. Exam paper and exam book to be submitted at the end of the exam.

QUESTION 1 [TOTAL MARKS: 30.00]
Q 1(a) [3 Marks]
Habitat surveys are an integral part of many reports, name three types of reports
where you might find a habitat survey.
Ans. The three types such as:
 Provisioning Services.
 Supporting Services.
 Regulating Services.
Q 1(b) [3 Marks]
Within Natura 2000 sites, certain restricted activities can be undertaken with
permission by the relevant authorities. Name two methods of permission and give an
example of a restricted activity?
Ans. The Natura 2000 is generally a network of the core breeding as well as can
resting the sites for rare as well as threatened the species. In this, the main aim
of the network is to ensure its long-term survival of the world's most valuable as
well as threatened species and its habitats which are particularly listed under
both the birds Directives and the Habitats Directives.
Q 1(c) [3 Marks]
In terms of habitat classification, what is a fen and briefly explain how it is formed?
Ans. The fens, are generally the peat forming wetland which will receives the
nutrients from various sources other than the precipitation. The fens are
generally formed when the glaciers retreated. The grasses as well as the sedge
are the common plants in the fen as well as the fens are often look like the
meadows.
Q 1(d) [3 Marks]
Sketching a habitat map in the field has its challenges. Briefly describe how you
would approach a habitat mosaic?
Ans. It is generally an area or the site that is specifically comprised of various multiple
types of habitat. Supplements, in this, a habitat mosaic can be formed through the
disturbance of ecological like a fire.
Q 1(e) [3 Marks]
Habitat survey’s require planning. Name the 5 steps recommended by The Heritage
Council in planning and executing a habitat surveys?
Ans. In this, a habitat survey will generally involves the walking around the
parish to map out the main habitat presented like the farmland, woodland as well
as the hedgrows. In this, the survey can also highlights their key features that

are generally presented in the landscape like the ancient trees, the ponds as
well as various other water bodies.
Q 1(f) [3 Marks]
In terms of dates and overall vision, what is the difference between the EU short
and long-term biodiversity vision?
Ans. The term biodiversity visions such as the ecological life support as
biodiversity can gives the functioning ecosystem which generally supplies the
oxygen, the clear air and the water, the pollutants of the plants, the pest control,
the treatment of waste water and many more.
Q 1(g) [3 Marks]
Define the term ecosystem service and give one example?
Ans. The ecosystem services are any of the positive benefits which wildlife or
the ecosystems can provide towards the people. In this, the benefits can be
indirect or can be direct such as small or can be large. The example which are
included here such as the products like water and food, the regulation of the
floods, soil erosion and many other.
Q 1(h) [3 Marks]
Special Protected Areas (SPA) have specific scientific selection criteria.
What is this criteria?
Ans. The SPA is generally a designation under the European Union Directive on the
Conservation of Wild Birds. In this, under the directives, the member states of the European
Union generally have the duty to safeguard the habitat of the migratory birds as well as various
particularly the threatened birds.
Q 1(i) [3 Marks]
What features do you use to classify marine habitats when using the Irish habitat
classification scheme?
Ans. The availability of the lights, nutrients as well as the food.
Q 1(j) [3 Marks]
What is the difference between improved grassland and semi-natural grassland?
Ans. An improved grassland can involve mainly the Rye-grass with some flowers
like the buttercups, thistles as well as the docks. On the other hand, the semi-
grassland is generally a transition category which is particularly made up of the
grasslands that have been changed by the artificial fertilizers, intensive grazing,
the slurry and many more.

[End of Question1]

QUESTION 2 [TOTAL MARKS: 35.00]
The most important step in carrying out a habitat survey is to determine the study
objective. This will help dictate scope and planning for the survey.
Q 2(a) [20%]
What are the main two types of study objectives?
Q 2(b) [80%]
What are the key elements of each study objective?
Include examples where appropriate.
[End of Question2]
QUESTION 3 [TOTAL MARKS: 35.00]
Q 3(a) [70%]
What are the seven strategic objectives of the current Irish National Biodiversity
Plan?
Ans. The seven strategic objectives of the current Irish National Biodiversity Plan are
as detailed below:
1. the strengthening of the knowledge base that underpins the work on the issues
of biodiversity;
2. the mainstreaming biodiversity across the process of making decisions in the
state;
3. enhancing the awareness about public and its participation;
4. ensuring about the conservation of biodiversity in the marine environment;
5. ensuring the conservation of biodiversity in the broader countryside;
6. developing as well as expanding on the management of the protected areas as
well as the protected species;
7. improving the contribution towards the international biodiversity problems.

Q 3(b) [30%]
Discuss these objectives, paying particular reference to their contribution in halting
the loss of biodiversity and degradation of ecosystem.
Ans. Ans. The biodiversity is the pillar which generally enables the ecosystem to
function as well as the humans to thrive. In this, without the biodiversity in the particular
ecosystem, the humans would not have the many of the plants as well as the animals
that the humans found in today's world, including humans. In this, even though the
biodiversity of the various habitats generally has become threatened there are various
things which the people can effectively do to decrease the danger. Here are the few
steps which can be take to conserve the biodiversity such as, the governmental
legislation's, the nature preserves, decreasing the amount of invasive species,
restoration of the habitats, the captive breeding as well as the seed banks, decrease
the change in climates,purchasing the sustainable products and many more.
[End of Question3]

QUESTION 4 [TOTAL MARKS: 35.00]
Q 4(a) [50%]
What type of services can a functioning ecosystem provide?
Ans. There are four types of services which are generally being provided by the
ecosystem such as provisioning, regulating, cultural as well as the supporting
services.
Provisioning services: In this, when the people are asked to determine
or identify the services that are generally provided by the nature, generally
food. In this, the fruits, vegetables, fish, trees as well as the livestock are
specifically available to the humans as a direct product of the ecosystem.
Regulating services: In this, the particular ecosystem can generally
provide various basic services which can make the life possible for the
humans.
Cultural services: In this, as the humans can interact as well as alter the
nature, the natural world generally has in turn can alter the humans. It usually
has guided the culture, intellectual as well as the social improvements by being
a consent force which generally presents the lives.
Supporting services: In this, the natural world can specifically gives so
many of the services. The ecosystem themselves couldn't be sustained without
the consistency of underlying the natural processes like the nutrient cycling,
photosynthesis, the creation of the soil as well as the water cycle.
Q 4(b) [50%]
What are the benefits of a functioning, biodiverse ecosystem?
Ans. The biodiversity is specifically crucial to the humans for various reasons. It
is also generally considered by various to have the intrinsic values such as each
of the species has a value as well as the right to exist whether or not it is known
to have the values towards the humans. In this, the biodiversity book by the
commonwealth scientific as well as the industrial research organization which
generally illustrates the five basic cores or values which the humans can place
on the biodiversity such as Economic, Ecological life encouragement,
Recreation, Cultural, as well as the scientific.
Support your answers with examples.
Ans. The examples which can involve the biodiversity such as it can provide the
humans with drinking water, an oxygen to breathe, the food to eat, medicines,
the decomposition of waste as well as can aid the planet withstand the natural
disasters.

[End of Question4]
[END OF EXAM]