Explain why none of the three environments named in Table 5.1 can be described as an ecosystem.
The rise in the area covered by forest in Italy has happened because farmers have cultivated less of their land or have abandoned their farms completely. Describe how this land-use change may influence biodiversity. In your answer, you should consider the three different levels of biodiversity.
Some facts linked to the survival of these large mammals in Italy are given below. In 1971: • there were fewer than 100 wolves in Italy • lynx were extinct in Italy • wolves received protected status in Italy • lynx were successfully re-introduced to Switzerland, which borders Italy. In 1973: • lynx were successfully re-introduced to Slovenia, which also borders Italy. In 2014: • the number of wolves in Italy was estimated at 800 • the number of lynx in Italy was estimated at around 25. Suggest what actions may have been needed at local, national and global levels to help achieve the successful conservation of biodiversity in Italy's large mammals.