Human Impact on the Environment

1. Human Impact on the Environment

2. Why are we studying this?Essential Standards Goal 2.2Understand the impact of humans on the environment?

3. Goal 2.2 • Discussion of human impact on local ecosystems: Acid rain, habitat destruction, • Introduction of non-native species – What is the other name? (We have discussed this many, many times) (refer to Unit II Ecology Sheet – page 2)

4. Goal 2.2 • Climate Change - greenhouse effect (relate to Carbon cycle and human impact on atmospheric CO2 - natural environmental processes (e.g. volcanoes) (refer to Unit II Ecology Sheet – page 2)

5. Goal • Resource Use • - Investigation of the direct and indirect impact of humans on natural resources (e.g. deforestation, pesticide use, bioaccumulation research and eutrophication) • Sustainable practices/ Stewardship Examples of sustainable practices and stewardship (awareness of renewable and nonrenewable resources) (refer to Unit II Ecology Sheet – page 2)

6. Population growth leads to Human Population growth leads to lots of problems. • Industrialization • Burning fossil fuels • Non-renewable resources • Pollution • Increased CO2 levels

7. What do I need to know? Terminology Biodiversity - Overhunting and Poaching Acid Rain Eutrophication and Dead Zones Deforestation Habitat Destruction and Fragmentation Use of Natural Resources -Renewable -Non-renewable Invasive Species Bioaccumulation Herbicides and PesticidesPollutionOzone Depletion Global WarmingTrash - Waste

8. Can your partner tell you…… • What is global warming and what causes it? • What has caused the ozone to disappear, and why should we care? Yes!, My partner is an “environmental expert.” Not quite there yet. Warning!! Ecology confusion up ahead

9. HUMAN ACTIVITIES can change local and global environments! • Biodiversity - Video Clip Biodiversity

10. The sum of the genetically based variety of all the organisms in the biosphere = Biodiversity Biodiversity gives stability to the ecosystems that we are so dependent on, enhances their productivity, and provides an important source of new food, medicine and other products.

11. Threats to Biodiversity • 1. Over Hunting/Poaching • 2. Habitat Loss / Fragmentation/ Deforestation • 3. Invasive Species • 4. Release of CO2 and other greenhouse gases. • 5. Depletion of the ozone • 6. Use of fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and pollution

12. Human ActivitiesOverhunting and Poaching

13. HUNTING AND GATHERING Throughout human history, people have hunted and fished and gathered wild seeds, fruits, and nuts. We are still doing this today in many places. http://www.amonsoquath.net/gallery/pages/chee.html http://www.travelwriter.co.za/let-the-train-strain_p2.html

14. WHEN IT BECOMES A PROBLEM? Overhunting and Poaching http://msnbc.msn.com/id/8302763 http://www.aeffonline.org/images/poachersandelephant.jpg

15. EXAMPLE: North American Buffalo Pile of bison skulls, 1870’s Wild buffalo in America once numbered 30 - 60 million, ranging from Virginia to Alaska and all points in between. By 1884, the buffalo was close to extinction due to overhunting. http://www.diffen.com/difference/Bison_vs_Buffalo - Video at the bottom http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Bison

16. HOW DO WE HELP? Conservation efforts, private ownership, and reintroduction of buffalo have allowed the population to recover slightly. Today, the total buffalo population in North America is estimated at 90,000 and about 85 percent of these animals are privately owned. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Bison

17. EXAMPLE: WHALES During the 19th and the earlier part of 20th centuries, over-hunting led to a severe overkill of whale populations, and to endangerment of many whale species. Minke whale = most hunted species http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/spl/hi/guides/456900/456973/html/nn1page1.stm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whaling#Conservation_status

18. Why hunt whales? • The mammal's oil also motivated whalers. lit lamps, formed candle wax, found a place in margarine ,additives in motor oils, automatic transmission fluids, cosmetics, perfumes, detergents and vitamins An average-size sperm whale could produce approximately 25 to 40 barrels of whale oil [source: Pees].

19. Why hunt whales? • Whale oil fueled the economic growth of many nations, including the United States, Great Britain, Germany and Norway. People in these areas don't depend on whale oil anymore, because petroleum eventually took its place as a fuel mainstay.

20. Why hunt whales? • Still, whaling continues despite a commercial ban imposed by the IWC, the body formed in 1946 to monitor the fate of whales. However, Japan is allowed to hunt whales annually under Article VIII of the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling. The Japanese government says it's studying whale populations. Activist groups accuse the Japanese of hunting whales to sell the meat in their country.

21. HOW DO WE HELP? International Whaling Commission has placed a moratorium on whaling. Only works if nations voluntarily comply http://www.cdnn.info/eco/whaling_250146.jpg

22. Today many major whales species are endangered

23. Miss Waldron’s Red Colobus monkey Extinct 2000 OVERHUNTING can put animal populations at risk of extinction Extinct Alagoas Curassow: extinct in wild 1980’s Extinct in the Wild Extinct Extinct Dodo: extinct 1681 Moa: extinct 1500’s http://www.petermaas.nl/extinct/speciesinfo/misswaldronredcolobus.htm http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/species/index.html?action=SpcHTMDetails.asp&sid=100&m=0 http://lawyerkm.files.wordpress.com/2008/09/dodo_11.jpg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moa

24. http://www.southeastutah.org/photos/dino.jpg VOCAB extinct Species that has died out = ______________ Species whose population size is rapidly declining and will become extinct if the trend continues = _____________ Species that is at risk of becoming endangered in the near future = ____________ endangered http://www.blackfootedferret.org/ threatened http://www.fresnochaffeezoo.com/images/bald-eagle.gif

25. Image from: http://members.graphicsfactory.com/clip-art/image_files/tn_image/2/1313572-tn_TombStone001_92007.jpg According to the 19th century World Conservation Union (IUCN), 784 extinctions have been recorded since Some scientists estimate at the rate we are going 24 percent of plants and animals will be committed to extinction by 2050 We're talking about 1.25 million species! Mortality http://www.igreens.org.uk/extinctions_predicted_from_globa.htm

26. Human ActivitiesAcid Rain

27. Acid Rain - Cause • Burning of fossil fuels releases sulphates and nitrates into air • Sulphates and nitrates mix with water vapor in air and form sulphuric (HNO3) acid and nitric acid (HNO2)

28. Volcanic – Eruption and Acid Rain • The principal natural phenomena that contribute acid-producing gases to the atmosphere are emissions from volcanoes and those from biological processes that occur on the land, in wetlands, and in the oceans. The major biological source of sulfur containing compounds is dimethyl sulfide.

29. Acidification of lakes • Lakes and ponds can become so acidified that no life can live in them!

30. ACID RAIN EFFECTS • damages buildings and statues • damages forests • kills fish • reduces biodiversity • causes illness & premature death from heart & lung disorders like asthma and bronchitis

31. http://www.robl.w1.com/Pix/C900991.jpg http://www.geocities.com/kamil_pollutionpage/AcidRain.htm http://www.abc.net.au/quantum/scripts99/9905/img/asthma.jpg http://www.scienceacross.org/media/samplingforacidrainNOAAedSAW.jpg

32. ACID RAIN Develop a National energy policy that emphasizes use of alternative renewable energy sources HOW DO WE HELP? Cut down on activities that use fossil fuels conserve electricity drive less Drive automobiles with increased fuel efficiency OR run on alternative fuels Recycle (uses less energy than starting from scratch)

33. Human ActivitiesEutrophication and Dead Zones

34. Eutrophication • Eutrophication is when an ecosystem has an overflow of nutrients that is ultimately harmful. (Usually Nitrogen and Phosphorus.)

35. DEAD ZONES REMEMBER ! The new creatures use up all the oxygen in the water, leaving it inhabitable to other organisms. When an ecosystem receives a LARGE input of limiting nutrient (ie., fertilizer runoff) the population increases dramatically = Algal bloom

36. Fertilizers • Contribute to algal blooms • the three primary macronutrients: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). • NPK ratios

37. Healthy Ecosystem High Moderate High

38. Eutrophication High Low Hypoxia

39. Dead Zone Very High Very Low

40. Eutrophication • In the Gulf of Mexico, at the mouth of the Mississippi, there is a huge amount of Nitrogen coming into the ocean which forms a hypoxic zone in the northern gulf. -

41. Dead Zone caused by Eutrophication The Gulf of Mexico is a major source area for the seafood industry. The Gulf supplies 72% of U.S. harvested shrimp, 66% of harvested oysters, and 16% of commercial fish (Potash and Phosphate Institutes of the U.S. and Canada, 1999). Consequently, if the hypoxic zone continues or worsens, fishermen and coastal state economies will be greatly impacted.

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