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VII. Human Impact on the
Biosphere
"When the well's dry, we know the worth of water."
- Benjamin Franklin
Don’t write … just some info
Developed Countries
U.S., Canada, Japan, Australia,
New Zealand, Europe
- highly industrialized
- per capita > $10,000/yr
- 20% world population
- 85% world’s wealth
- Use 88% world resources
- 75% world pollution/waste
- Pop. growth rate = 0.1%
Less-Developed Countries
Africa, Asia, Latin America
- less industrialized
- per capita:
mid income = $1,000 to $10,000/yr
low income < $1,000/yr
- 80% world population
- 15% world’s wealth
- Use 12% world resources
- Pop. growth rate = 1.6%
Don’t write … just some info
Poverty
1. Half the population struggles to survive on $1-3 per day
2. Most (95%) world pop. increase occurs in poor countries
- families have more kids to work & care for parents in old age
3. Poverty relates to quality of environment & of life:
- renewable resources deplete quickly for short-term survival
- live with highest pollution and risk of natural disasters
- spend most of their time gathering water and fuel wood
- take unsafe jobs at low pay
4. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), ten
million premature deaths occur every year (1/2 under age 5)
- malnutrition
- infectious disease
- contaminated water
"There must be a reason why some
people can afford to live well. They
must have worked for it. I only feel
angry when I see waste. When I see
people throwing away things we
could use.”
~Mother Theresa
A. Human Population Growth
1. As the human population grows, the demand for
Earth’s resources increases.
Ex: air, water, land and living things.
2. Overpopulation is at the root of nearly all environmental
problems.
3. Estimated population size as per the U.S. Census Bureau:
a) World: 7 billion
b) United States: 314 million
4. Using our technology we have modified the environment to increase
Earth’s carrying capacity for us.
a) Industrialization
b) Medical advancements
c) Education
d) Green revolution improved agriculture .
B. Our large population puts pressure on natural resources.
1. Environmental resources can be classified into three types:
Resources
Perpetual
Direct Solar
Energy
Nonrenewable
winds, tides,
flowing water
Fossil
Fuels
Metallic
Minerals
Fe, Cu, Al,
Au, etc.
Renewable
Fresh Air
Fresh Water
Fertile Soil
Biodiversity
NonMetallic
Minerals
sand,
clay, etc.
a) Perpetual Resources: continually renewed
b) Renewable Resources: replenished naturally
1) Sustainable Yield - highest rate renewable resources can
be used without being depleted/degraded
2) Environmental Degradation- resources are used faster than
they can be replenished
c) Non-Renewable Resources: replenished after millions or
billions of years
1) For us ...once they’re gone, that’s it.
2) Can’t be reused or recycled
Huh?
Where?
Here!
ugh…
Down this is so
Hey,
embarrassing…
here!Abdale!
Oh.
C. Effective management of Earth’s resources will help meet the
needs of future generations.
D. Environmental Problems: Important Terms
1. Pollutant - Harmful material that can enter the biosphere
through land, air, or water.
a) Water pollution: Pesticides , sewage, heavy metals
b) Soil Pollution: May kill soil decomposers important in the
cycling of materials.
c) Air Pollution:
Combustion of materials such as fossil fuels leads to…
smog, global warming, acid precipitation, etc.
science20.com
2. Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification:
Some chemicals are resistant to breakdown, soluble in fatty tissue and
are slowly excreted.
a) Bioaccumulation – the build-up of chemicals in body tissues.
Decreasing Biomass leads to
increased concentration
b) Biomagnification – the concentration of chemicals in individuals
increases in higher trophic levels.
3. Biodiversity - Ecosystem diversity, species diversity and
genetic diversity
a. Earth’s greatest natural resources.
b. Species of many kinds have provided us with
food, industrial products and medicine.
http://video.wildmadagascar.org/
orchid
Asio madagascariensis ow
Verreaux's sifaka
Tree ferns and bromeliads of
the Masoala rainforest
Leaf-tailed gecko Antahafisaka
Problem
Global
Warming
Urban
Air Pollution
Acid Rain
Causes
The increase of
greenhouse gases
(H2O, CO2, CH4)
due to burning
fossil fuels and
deforestation.
Combustion
• car exhaust
• smoke stacks
• etc.
Sulfer dioxide (SO2)
and nitrogen
dioxide (NO2)
released from fossil
fuels mix with rain
to produce sulfuric
and nitric acid.
Results in…
• Climate changes
• Changes in weather
patterns
• Polar ice melt
• Rise in sea level
How can we fix it
• Conserve energy
(turn off lights, drive
less)
• Alternate energy
sources
(wind, solar, etc.)
• Lung cancer
• Heart disease
• Asthma
• Smoke stack filtration
• Improve fuel efficiency
• Alternate energy
sources
•Acidifies soil
•Acidifies bodies of
water
• Harms plants
• destroys buildings
•Alternate energy
sources
•Improve fuel efficiency
• Improve smoke stack
filtration
Problem
Depletion
of Ozone
Layer
Thermal
Pollution
Deforestation
Causes
Chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs)
released by:
aerosols
air conditioners
refrigerators
Hot water from
factories and
nuclear power
plants is dumped
into rivers and
streams
• Logging
(lumber, paper)
• Development
• create grazing
lands for cattle
Results in…
How can we fix it
Loss of UV protection
increases skin cancer
Other less-damaging
compounds have
replaced CFCs in some
areas.
Damages plants
Disruption of aquatic
ecosystems
Cool water before
dumping it
Decreases dissolved
oxygen
• Increased CO2 levels
• Loss of habitat = loss
of biodiversity
• Manage logging
practices – cut less
• Plant new trees
Problem
Loss of
Biodiversity
Invasive
Species
brought to
new areas
lacking their
nat. predators
Chemical
pollution
Cause
• Pollution
• Deforestation
• Over hunting
• Invasive Species
• Direct Harvesting
• Human travel
• Shipping
• Intentional
introduction
• Industrial waste
• Pesticides
-insecticides
-herbicides
-fungicides
Results in…
• Destabilization of
ecosystems
• Loss of potential
medicines
• Rapid reproduction
• Out-compete
indigenous species
• Habitat disrupted
• Loss of biodiversity
• Bioaccumulation
• Biomagnification
• Health problems in
consumer species
How can we fix it?
Manage human activities
• Shipping & travel
regulations
• Cull invasive species
to limit numbers
• Regulate disposal
• Use biological pest
controls:
* Introduce predators
* Sterilize male pests
* Bioengineer pestresistant plants
Nuclear
Indian Point, NY
Chernobyl, Ukraine
1986
Fukushima, Japan
2011
Wind
Hoover Dam
Tidal Power
Geothermal
Iceland
Alternative Energy Sources for Electricty Production
Alternative
Nuclear Power
Pros
• Efficient
• High-yielding
Solar
(photovoltaic)
• Renewable
• Free energy source
• No pollution
Wind
• Renewable
• Free energy source
• No pollution
Hydroelectric
(Dams)
Geothermal
• Efficient and renewable
• Free energy source
• No pollution
• Renewable
• Free energy source
• No pollution
Cons
• Potential meltdown can
irradiate an area making
it inhospitable (ex. Chernobyl)
• Dangerous nuclear waste
Currently….
• Not very efficient
• Expensive technology
• Large footprint
• Aesthetically displeasing
• Migratory birds may die
• Disrupts river ecosystems
• No longer economical
• Can only use near
thermal “hot spots”
(for high energy yield)
http://climate.nasa.gov/keyIndicators/
Carbon Counter
climate.nasa.gov
1909
2004
Holgate Glacier, Alaska
1909
2004
McCarty Glacier, Alaska
1909
2000
Toboggan Glacier, Alaska
Larsen Ice Shelf
Wilkes Ice Shelf
1975
2003
Santa Cruz, Bolivia
Cleared for agriculture
1992
Mato Grasso,
Brazil
80%
of rainforest cleared
for pastureland for
commercial interests
2006
C. Non-Native
Exotic/alien – migrate or transported by humans
* Some are invasive
* Most are generalists & reproduce rapidly
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