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Pollution & Evolution. How human pollution impacts the survival of species on earth. Benefits of Active Transportation. Exercise, clean air, no traffic, and fun!. Charles Darwin Natural Selection Evolution & Extinction. Natural Selection, Evolution, Extinction.
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Pollution & Evolution How human pollution impacts the survival of species on earth.
Benefits of Active Transportation Exercise, clean air, no traffic, and fun!
Natural Selection, Evolution, Extinction • Species best adapted to environment survives. • When environment changes species evolve or go extinct.
Today, you are a bird. • And there is nothing birds like better than fat, juicy moths. • You will catch them with your “Beak” • There are two colors of moths.
2 Peppered Moths • Both taste good. • Both have equal nutritional value. • Your job? Eat as many moths as you can in 60 seconds.
THE RULES • One ‘Beak’ (tweezers) • 60 seconds. • Catch as many moths as you can and put them in the cup. • At the end, tally up all your moths by color, and fill out the tally sheet provided.
Moth Tally Sheet ON PEPPER # Black Moths caught # Pepper caught Total caught = % Black (Black/Total) %Peppered (Peppered/Total) ON BLACK # Black Moths caught # Pepper caught Total caught = % Black (Black/Total) %Peppered (Peppered/Total)
What did you notice? • Which color moth did you get more of on the peppered background? • What about on the black background? • Why do you think that is? • Which moth color would survive better?
The Real Peppered Moth • Hard to see? • The peppered moth uses CAMOUFLAGE, the same color and pattern as the bark of the trees.
“Black” Peppered Moth • Which is easier to see? • The fact that it probably gets eaten more is NATURAL SELECTION. • Black moths were rare! Only 1 black moth had ever been documented.
Manchester, England- Air Pollution • In the early 1800’s, the INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION began. • Factories were powered by burning coal (a oil based fossil fuel). • Burning of coal created heavy soot pollution. It “snowed” black ashes.
Soot Covered EVERYTHING.Black moths became 98% of the population.
Pollution changes our environment. • Smog (smoke fog) is a problem. Look at LA! • Air pollution has dangers you can’t see: Carbon Dioxide
CO2 - Invisible Pollution • Carbon Dioxide , CO2 is a clear gas that occurs when anything is burnt. • Too much CO2 makes the planet warmer, faster than species can adapt. • If the environment warms a few degrees, many species will go extinct.
Severe CO2 causing “shortness of breath” • Ask the cyclists of the first “Tour of Beijing.” • The CO2 was at least 5x the legal limit inEurope. • Riders complained that there was not enough oxygen to breath.
Carbon Dioxide Demonstration • Can we see an invisible gas? • CO2 that is HEAVIER than most gases in the atmosphere. • CO2 will “sink” creating a bottom layer of gas.
What does CO2 do to other species? • CO2 adds to Global Climate Change • Changing the environment means many species will go extinct. • Unlike natural selection, we are causing the extinction.
Can humans go extinct??? • What do humans need to survive? • No one knows how the climate will react to the greenhouse gases.
The best way to reduce air pollution & CO2? Transportation • Walk, bike, carpool, and take public transport. Avoid unnecessary trips! • 61% of Carbon Dioxide emissions in Marin County are from vehicles. • Electric engines also help reduce CO2.
Conclusion Pollution can greatly impact life Peppered Moths Natural Selection Extinction Evolution Charles Darwin
