Understanding Human Impact on Ecosystems and organisms

1. Understanding Human Impact on Ecosystems and organisms You will understand the delicate nature of ecosystems and how humans actions can disrupt them.

2. Limiting Factors • All ecosystems are limited in the number of organisms they can contain! • These numbers are limited by the 3 LIMITING FACTORS • Food= amount of energy available to the Community • Space = amount of space needed by Populations of organisms • Season/Weather Influence = affects the first two factors for the community

3. Ecosystems Basic Design • 1. Specie = each individual living component of an ecosystem • 2. Population = number of organisms for each specie within an ecosystem • 3. Community= Interaction of Populations of Species with an Ecosystem • 4. Biome= specific habitat in which the community lives. Defined by temperature and vegetation (land based)

4. How do you determine where things go wrong? • Ecologists analyze health of ecosystems through population studies of organisms • These studies can tell you primarily how a population of organisms is doing, thus providing clues to the ecosystems health • ********************OR****************** • To study the overall health of ecosystems however, ecologists look at abiotic and biotic factors. These help give ecologists a better overall picture of an ecosystem’s health

5. Biotic Factors • Biotic Factors – living parts of an ecosystem which impact the community • Producers – (Autotrophs) • Consumers – (Heterotrophs) • Decomposers – (Recyclers of Nutrients)

6. Abiotic Factors • Abiotic Factors- non living parts of an ecosystem which impact the organisms or “SWATS” • Sunlight • Water • Air • Temperature • Soil

7. What Cycles are most necessary for an Ecosystem’s survival? • Nitrogen • Carbon • Water

8. Nitrogen Cycle

9. Carbon Cycle

10. Water Cycle

11. Human Impact on Ecosystems • Humans have long had a negative impact on Natural Ecosystems’ health • Most of the actions were unintentional as human populations grew and demand for resources grew • However, there have been many times in which humans purposely made a negative impact on a population of organisms or an ecosystem for their own benefit

12. Whaling: The Disaster of Humans for centuries • Whale oil was originally used as an illuminant for lamps • Later as Industrial Revolution began need for Whale Oil grew as a lubricant for machinery. (Sewing machines specifically) • In WW1 Whale Oil was used as a preventative for trench foot and used as an ingredient for explosives (1914-1917 175,000 whale killed in South Atlantic) • Was also used in margarine, the original Rust-Oleum, and was used in Auto-transmition fluid in cars up until 1972.

13. Whaling: The largest example of humans negative role or impact in an ecosystem • Commercial Whaling is the slaughter of Whales for their blubber as a source of oil for various human products • Whaling has its roots back since the 1300’s but took off with the invention of the explosive tipped harpoon in the late 1800’s • All the great baleen whales are now endangered as a result of commercial whaling

14. How Bad was the slaughter?

15. Slaughter Outcomes • International treaty (International Whaling Commission 1986)- Outlawed Commercial Fishing of Whales by most Industrialized Nations • Japan, Russia, Iceland, Finland and Norway were only countries that did not support or sign the treaty

16. To this day, Whaling Continues

17. Impact of Whaling on Society • Allowed for longer work days during Industrial Revolution due to its use in lighting • Was first Oil type of either mineral or animal to make Commercial Viability. North East US was major Whaling Boom site as a result. • Literature of time was impacted with best examples being Moby Dick and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea • NHL Team in Conn named Hartford Whalers

18. Impact of Whaling on Society

19. To this day Whaling Continues with no end in sight