Resources Pollution Earths Resources v NATURAL RESOURCES Any

Resources & Pollution

Earth’s Resources v. NATURAL RESOURCES ØAny part of the natural environment used by humans for their benefit v. RENEWABLE RESOURCES ØNatural resource that is replaced or recycled by natural processes v. NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES ØResources that are available in limited amounts and are not replaced or recycled by natural processes §Ex. Fossil fuels - substances made from the remain of organisms buried underground for millions of years.

Extinction v. The disappearance of a species when the last of its members dies. **Most extinction occurs because of the destruction of the natural habitat of a species v. Threatened species – occurs when the population of a species declines rapidly v. Endangered species – occurs when the numbers in the species becomes so low that extinction is possible

Causes and Effects of Pollution on the Biosphere v. Air pollution v. Acid precipitation v. Ozone depletion v. The greenhouse effect v. Water pollution

Air Pollution ► Causes: cars, factories, forest fires, volcanos ► Effects: § acid rain; § respiratory diseases (asthma, bronchitis, etc. ) § Adding to greenhouse effect

Acid Rain ► Causes: § Pollution from factories and automobiles release sulfur gasses. § Sulfur gasses mix with water in the atmosphere and produce sulfuric acid § Sulfuric acid mixes with rain and falls back to the ground ► Effects: § Kills plants; kills fish; slowly destroys buildings

Ozone Depletion ► The ozone layer protects us by blocking harmful ultraviolet rays (UV rays) from the sun. ► Cause: § The ozone layer is damaged when aerosols mix with the ozone and break it down. ► Effect: § Increases in skin cancer due to exposure to increased UV rays.

Greenhouse Effect ► There are gasses in our atmosphere that are good at trapping heat and warming the earth: § § § Water vapor CO 2 CH 4 (methane) ► These gasses allow life to exist on earth because they keep the earth at a constant temperature.

Greenhouse Effect ► Issue: If we increase the amounts of the greenhouse gasses (via pollution), they will trap more heat. ► Effect: The temperature of the earth will rise. ► Potential Problems: § Some animals/plants will become extinct because they cannot handle the warmer temperatures. § Glaciers will melt, causing ocean levels to rise § Flooding § Loss of habitat leading to more extinction.

Water pollution ► Problem: § Chemicals (pesticides, fertilizers, oils, greases) get washed into creeks and streams. ► Cause: § Farming, industry, accidents

Water Pollution ► Effects: § When the nitrogen in fertilizer is washed into creeks/streams/lakes, it causes algae to grow too rapidly, which can cause disruptions in food chains. § When pesticides enter the water, they enter the food chain, which causes predators to die. § Oil spills destroy ecosystems, killing all life.