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CONSERVATION ECOLOGY Objectives: • I will be able to discuss how human activity is changing the Earth. • I will be able to discuss the value of biodiversity. • Human activities threaten Earth’s biodiversity • Biodiversity has three main levels: – Genetic diversity, – Species diversity, – Ecosystem diversity. • Major threats to biodiversity: – Habitat loss, – Invasive species, – Overharvesting, – Global change (acid precipitation, climate change, air pollution, etc.). Loss of biodiversity: • Minimizes the chance of survival when faced with large environmental changes. • Decreases stability of the ecosystem (in nature “everything is connected”). • Poses ethical concerns. • Earth is changing rapidly as a result of human action. Common environmental problems: Eutrophication • Refers to an excessive amount of nutrients in a body of water caused by runoff of nutrients from the land. • Causes overgrowth of algae. • Penetration of light is diminished which leads to decreased photosynthesis and decreased oxygen. • When algae die, algal decomposers consume oxygen, further decreasing amount of oxygen available for animals. Deforestation = conversion of forest to non-forest. • Especially high in tropical rainforest. • Due to logging, agriculture, urbanization, mining, oil exploitation, etc. Ozone Depletion • Ozone layer (in stratosphere) absorbs most of sun’s harmful UV radiation. • Caused by chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). Pollution • Present in water (fresh, ocean, ground water), land, air. • Caused by pollutants from industry/automobiles and by nonbiodegradable wastes which cannot be broken down by natural processes. Biological Magnification • Toxins become more concentrated in successive trophic levels. • The toxins cannot be broken down by normal chemical means, so they magnify in concentration as they move through the food chain. Acid Precipitation • Due to air pollutants (sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide) which increase the acidity of the rain. • Damages plant tissues, leaches minerals from soil, causes death of trees, ruins stone buildings, kills zooplankton . Global Climate Change • Due to the greenhouse effect = heat retention by atmospheric gases such as CO2 and methane. • Global temperatures and sea levels are rising. • Weather patterns are affected. • Species are threatened. What positive effects do we have on the environment? Math Connection Energy Flow in a Hardwood Forest (kJ/m2) Reflected 4.3 X 105 Energy Lost 1.4 X 106 Absorbed 1.5 X 106 Solar Radiation 2.5 X 106 Transmitted 6.4 X 105 Energy Accumulated As Biomass 1.9 X 104 Tree Layer 1.3 X 104 Shrub Layer ? Herb Layer 1.1 X 103 What percent of the biomass in the forest community represented above is tied up in the shrub layer? Give your answer to the nearest whole number.