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8.1 How Our Understanding of Ecosystems Has Changed

UNIT 4. Section 8.1. Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems. 8.1 How Our Understanding of Ecosystems Has Changed. Throughout history, humans have depended on Earth ’ s systems, including ecosystems, for resources such as water, food, and raw materials for energy, shelter, and clothing.

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8.1 How Our Understanding of Ecosystems Has Changed

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  1. UNIT 4 Section 8.1 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems 8.1 How Our Understanding of Ecosystems Has Changed • Throughout history, humans have depended on Earth’s systems, including ecosystems, for resources such as water, food, and raw materials for energy, shelter, and clothing. • Many people took the attitude that the supply of resources was endless. • Conservationists and environmental scientists have warned us that humans are overusing, overexploiting, and destroying the resources that humans need to survive. • What are some historical examples of the overuse of resources?

  2. UNIT 4 Section 8.1 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Ecosystem Services • Ecosystem services are the benefits sustainable ecosystems provide that are experienced by living organisms, including humans.

  3. Find the definitions of Ch. 8’s key terms Ecosystem services: Watershed: Ecotourism: Connectivity: Biodiversity: Resilience: Alien species: Invasive species: Overexploitation: Read pg. 314-317 & answer questions 1-4 on pg. 318.

  4. 1. Ecosystem services are the benefits sustainable ecosystems provide that are experienced by living organisms, including humans. 2. Forests take in large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere as part of photosynthesis. In recent years, scientists have looked at the importance of forests as carbon sinks for the increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere due to the burning of fossil fuels. Answers to P.g. 318

  5. 3. Any two of the following: Forests act as sinks for carbon dioxide, cutting down forests would reduce this sink and possibly increase the effects of climate change as more carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere. Forests reduce erosion in watersheds, so cutting them down can lead to an increase in erosion and an increase in the amount of nutrients in run-off reaching aquatic ecosystems. Forests provide a habitat for thousands of species; cutting them down could reduce biodiversity. 4. The amount of nitrogen in run-off from a cleared watershed was 60 percent higher than the amount of nitrogen in run-off from an uncut watershed. This means that excess nutrients could reach aquatic ecosystems and cause algal blooms, which can eventually lead to the death of fish and other aquatic organisms.

  6. 1.) Get together with your group and scan pages 316 -323. 2.) Discuss Ecosystem services offered by different ecosystems 3.) Come up with a list of ecosystem services (both from your text and ones you can think of) Which group come make the longest list? What services do ecosystems provide?

  7. Work with your group to complete the handout on ecosystem services.

  8. 1.)Groups will read an assigned section in the textbook. 2.) Groups will list the ecosystem services of what they read about. 3.) Groups will then share their list with the rest of the class.

  9. Groups 1 & 2 P.g. 317 Ecosystem services provided by forest Groups 3 & 4 P.g. 318 Ecosystem services provided by Wetlands Groups 5 & 6 P.g. 320 Ecosystem services provided by Insects

  10. UNIT 4 Section 8.1 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Ecosystem Services Provided by Forests • Forests supply trees that are needed for the manufacture of wood and paper products. • Forests influence climate because they take in large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthesis. • Forests reduce erosion in watersheds. • Forests provide habitats for thousands of species. • Why is it important for forests to serve as carbondioxide sinks? • Why is the prevention of erosion in watershedsimportant?

  11. UNIT 4 Section 8.1 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Ecosystem Services Provided by Wetlands • Wetlands are areas that are covered by water for part or all of the year. • Wetlands store water, which reduces the risk of floods • Provide habitat for commercially important species of fish and shellfish. • For juvenile animals, wetlands are a protected environment in which they can grow and develop. • the plants that grow in them filter sediment and pollution from water.

  12. UNIT 4 Section 8.1 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Ecosystem Services Provided by Insects • Insects, such as beetles and bees, pollinate plants. • In the wild and in agricultural fields, fruit and seed production are much higher when plants are pollinated by insects. • Cross-pollination by insects assists the production of about one-third of our food. • What is the differencebetween cross-pollination and self-pollination? • What is colony collapse disorder?

  13. UNIT 4 Section 8.1 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Beauty and Spirituality in Sustainable Ecosystems • Artistic expressions of ecosystems are meaningful and spiritual to some people. What emotions does the painting on the right evoke?

  14. UNIT 4 Section 8.1 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Recreational Opportunities as Ecosystem Services • Ecotourism is a form of tourism that is sensitive to the health of an ecosystem and involves recreational activities provided by sustainable ecosystems. • Ecotourism is a nature-based, sustainable form of tourism that is now a multibillion-dollar industry worldwide.

  15. What are examples of recreational activities that a sustainable ecosystem provides?

  16. Video on ecotourism 14:00 – 20:00, 48:00 – 58:00 Activity 323 on p.g. 323 Read article and answer the questions: Student’s pamphlets may include information about 1.) The region 2.) About the butterflies’ migration and life cycle 3.) About tourist practices that support the fragile ecosystem. 4.) How to protect ecosystems. 5.) Pictures & a nice design - 10 marks (Approximately 2 marks for each listed above)

  17. Bring laptops next class!

  18. UNIT 4 Section 8.1 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems The Concept of Connectivity • The collection of links and relationships between ecosystems that are separated geographically is called connectivity. Why might bird populations be declining in Canada?

  19. Group work • Read Page P.g. 322 – 323 “The Concept of Connectivity” and explain in your notebook why bird populations might be declining in Canada. • Read P.g 324 “Disrupting Connectivity” and explain how Salmon are connected the temperate rainforest ecosystem. What would happen if the salmon disappeared? What are other example of connectivity between ecosystems you can think of? Chinese examples?

  20. UNIT 4 Section 8.1 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Disrupting Connectivity

  21. UNIT 4 Section 8.1 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Biodiversity and Sustainability • New species of organisms are frequently being discovered. • Scientists have identified about 2 million species, and they estimate that there are 5 million to 100 million species on Earth. • Biodiversity includes the number and variety of organisms found in a specific region. What factors are important for biodiversity to remain high? Continued…

  22. UNIT 4 Section 8.1 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Biodiversity and Sustainability • Evidence suggests that ecosystems with greater biodiversity are more likely to provide ecosystem services reliably. • Resilience is the ability of an ecosystem to remain functional and stable in the presence of pressures or disturbances to its parts. What do these graphs show?

  23. Threats to sustainability & Biodiversity • 1.) Population growth and resource consumption • 2.) Over-exploitation of natural resources • 3.) Habitat conversion and urbanization • 4.) Climate change and global warming • 5.) Environmental degradation • 6.) Invasive alien species

  24. Discuss: • Why is biodiversity important?

  25. Read P.g. 328-329 • Invasive species • P.g. 328, activity 8-1B • Can choose instead of “Nova Scotia” Canada or China. • Complete the questions in your notebook. • “What did you find out” #1 and #3 should be completed on a separate piece of paper and handed in. You may complete these with one or two partners if you choose to. • The table, question #1, is worth 20 marks (5 species), poster 10 marks Total ___ / 30 marks

  26. UNIT 4 Section 8.1 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Threats to Biodiversity and Sustainability • Human activities often threaten biodiversity. • Deforestation is the practice of clearing forests for logging or other human uses and never replanting the trees. • Wetlands are often drained for farming or for building homes and commercial buildings. • Alien species are species that are accidentally or deliberately introduced into a new location. • Overexploitation is the use or extraction of a resource until it is depleted. Name some examples of invasive species that have affected Nova Scotia.

  27. UNIT 4 Section 8.1 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.1 Review • Ecosystem services are the benefits sustainable ecosystems provide that are experienced by organisms, including humans. • Forests influence climate change and play a vital role in the regulation of watersheds. • Wetlands provide ecosystem services, including habitat for aquatic organisms, water filtration, and erosion control. • Insects provide the critical ecosystem service of pollination. • Visual beauty and spiritual appreciation are two services that ecosystems provide for humans. • Ecosystems with higher biodiversity have higher resilience. • Threats to biodiversity include deforestation, draining wetlands, the introduction of invasive species, and overexploitation.

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