Human Impact on the Environment What is Biodiversity

Human Impact on the Environment

What is Biodiversity? A variety of living species in an ecosystem

Threats to Biodiversity 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Population Lack of Resources Global Warming Ozone Depletion Deforestation Acid Rain/Pollution Endangered Species/Extinction due to overhunting and loss of habitat Introducing a foreign species/invasive species Biological Magnification

Population Three factors that affect population: Number of births Number of deaths Number of individuals that enter or leave an area

Carrying Capacity The largest number of individuals that a given environment can support. As resources become less available, the growth of a population slows or stops.

Limiting Factors A factor that causes population growth to decrease. Types of Factors: Competition for resources – Nonrenewable and renewable Predator – Prey Disease Climate Extremes

Natural Resources Natural resources occur naturally within environments that exist relatively undisturbed by humanity, in a natural form

Non/renewable Resources Renewable resources can regenerate and therefore are replaceable (not necessarily unlimited) Trees, fresh water Nonrenewable cannot be replenish by natural processes Coal, oil, natural gas (fossil fuels)

GREENHOUSE EFFECT Carbon dioxide-methane-water vapor and other atmosphere gases trap heat energy and maintain Earth’s temperature range. This natural situation in which heat is retained by this layer of greenhouse gases is called the greenhouse effect.

Greenhouse Effect

Example of the Greenhouse Effect The Sun’s energy passes through the car’s windshield. This energy (heat) is trapped inside the car and cannot pass back through the windshield, causing the inside of the car to warm up.

What is global warming?

Global Warming An increase of the average temperature of the biosphere Caused by human activities by adding Carbon Dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere

Why is global warming happening?

Burning of Fossil Fuels Pollution from coal, natural gas, and oil

How Global Warming Works Carbon Dioxide (CO 2) Fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)

Where do CO 2 emissions come from?

Where do CO 2 emissions come from?

Effects of Global Warming Rising Sea Level Increased Temperature Habitat Damage and Species Affected Changes in Water Supply

What’s the proof that global warming is taking place?

Portage Glacier Alaska 1914 Photos: NOAA Photo Collection and Gary Braasch – World. View. Of. Global. Warming. org 2004

Colorado River Arizona June 2002 Dec 2003

Lake in Argentina

What’s the difference between “global warming” and “climate change”?

Global warming is the term used to describe the current increase in the Earth's average temperature. Climate change refers not only to global changes in temperature but also to changes in wind, precipitation, the length of seasons as well as the strength and frequency of extreme weather events like droughts and floods.

Ozone Depletion

THE OZONE LAYER WHAT IS IT? WHERE IS IT? WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO LIFE ON EARTH? HOW ARE WE AS HUMANS AFFECTING IT?

What is the ozone layer? The ozone layer is a layer of gas consisting of O 3 molecules, called ozone, that forms when free Oxygen molecules bond to O 2 molecules.

Where is the ozone layer? The ozone layer is a protective layer of gas molecules located within the stratosphere.

Why is the Ozone layer important Protects living organisms from Ultraviolet rays UV rays known to cause cancer

Ozone Depletion Caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) CFCs are found in refrigerants, solvent, insulating foam This compound allows UV light to break apart the ozone layer

So what about the hole in the ozone layer? October 1979 October 2007

Causes of Deforestation

Deforestation Effects Loss of trees Leads to soil erosion Erosion can wash away nutrients Grazing and plowing can change composition of soil to prevent regrowth of trees

Acid Rain Burning of fossil fuels release gases, nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide, to combine with water vapor in the air Kill plants and leaves Dissolve and release toxins, like mercury from soil into biosphere

How Acid Rain Affects The Environment Trees 1. The needles and leaves of the trees turn brown and fall off. 2. Trees can also suffer from stunted growth; and have damaged bark and leaves, which makes them vulnerable to weather, disease, and insects.

3. Lakes are also damaged by acid rain. Fish die off, and that removes the main source of food for birds. Acid rain can even kill fish before they are born when the eggs are laid and come into contact with the acid. Fish usually die only when the acid level of a lake is high; when the acid level is lower, they can become sick, suffer stunted growth, or lose their ability to reproduce. Also, birds can die from eating "toxic" fish and insects.

Buildings 4. Acid rain dissolves the stonework and mortar of buildings (especially those made out of sandstone or limestone). It reacts with the minerals in the stone to form a powdery substance that can be washed away by rain.

Endangered Species are a species population size that is declining in a way that places it in danger of extinction

Ways That Species Become Endangered Habitat loss Unregulated or illegal killing or collection Pesticides, pollution Competition with other species Disease Predation

Extinction – occurs when a species disappears from all or part of its range.

Invasive Species – species introduced into a non-native habitat (foreign species) Zebra Mussels Purple Loosestrife

Use of Biological Control to Invasive Species Biological Control is using one species (hopefully native species) to control the population of another invasive unwanted/harmful species Advantages – no need for pesticides (toxic chemicals) Disadvantages – no natural predator so it may overpopulate, disrupting food chain

Biomagnification Bioaccumulation: increase in concentration of a pollutant from the environment to the first organism in a food chain Biomagnification: increase in concentration of a pollutant from one link in a food chain to another

Conserving Biodiversity Conservation is the wise management of our natural resources including the preservation of habitats and wildlife

1. Conservation of forest and wildlife : FOREST AND WILDLIFE CAN BE CONSERVED BY SETTING UP AREAS LIKE BIOSPHERE RESERVES WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES, NATIONAL PARKS, ETC. I) BIOSPHERE RESERVES : - ARE LARGE AREAS OF PROTECTED LAND FOR CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY AND THE TRADITIONAL LIFE OF THE TRIBALS LIVING THERE. II) NATIONAL PARKS : - AREAS RESERVED FOR WILDLIFE WHERE THEY CAN FREELY USE THE HABITATS AND NATURAL RESOURCES. III) WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES : - AREAS WHERE ANIMALS ARE PROTECTED FROM ANY DISTURBANCE TO THEM OR THEIR HABITAT.

Biosphere Reserve : BIOSPHERE RESERVES : - ARE LARGE AREAS OF PROTECTED LAND FOR CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY AND THE TRADITIONAL LIFE OF THE TRIBALS LIVING THERE. THE PACHMARHI BIOSPHERE RESERVE CONSISTS OF A NATIONAL PARK CALLED SATPURA AND TWO WILDLIFE SANCTUARIES CALLED BORI AND PACHMARHI.

2. Recycling of paper : ABOUT SEVENTEEN FULL GROWN TREES ARE REQUIRED TO PRODUCE ONE TON OF PAPER CAN BE RECYCLED ABOUT FIVE TO SEVEN TIMES FOR USE. WE SHOULD SAVE, REUSE AND RECYCLE PAPER TO SAVE NOT ONLY TREES BUT ALSO TO SAVE THE ENERGY, WATER AND CHEMICALS USED TO MAKE PAPER.

3. Reforestation : REFORESTATION : - IS THE RESTOCKING OF DESTROYED FORESTS BY PLANTING NEW TREES. WE SHOULD PLANT AT LEAST AS MANY TREES AS WE CUT. WE HAVE ALREADY CAUSED A LOT OF DAMAGE TO OUR FORESTS. IF WE HAVE TO REGAIN OUR GREEN WEALTH, REFORESTATION IS THE ONLY OPTION.