Download Chapter 22-2 and 22-3

Chapter 22-2
and 22-3
Environmental
Issues &
Environmental
Solutions
22-2 Environmental Issues
Pollution

Pollution causes SMOG
 Water vapor mixed with
chemicals from human
activities (burning fuels,
using chemicals, etc.)
 Can contain nitrogen oxides, sulfur oxides, organic
chemicals, small particles & ozone
Air Pollution
 Ozone
Thinning
 Ozone (O3) in stratosphere
 Protects from UV radiation (UV light)
 Chemicals, such as Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s),
cause reactions that break down ozone
 Thinning of the ozone layer in the polar regions
 Most countries no longer produce CFC’s
Global Warming


Relationship
between average
CO2 levels &
average global
temperatures
Cause-and-effect
relationship: A
change in one
variable causes a
change in another
variable
 Acid



Precipitation
Precipitation that is acidic
because air pollutants combine
with water in the atmosphere
Changes pH of soil & water
Can cause disease or death in
plants & animals
Land & Water Pollution
 Human
activity
produces chemicals
that pollute the land
and the water.
 Biological
Magnification

Process where
chemicals become
more concentrated in
an organism higher on
the food chain that the
organism is in.
Ecosystem Disruption
 Ecosystem
 The
Disruption
destruction or substantial
change in the functioning of
natural ecosystems
 Can disrupt species or entire
communities
Ecosystem
Disruption
 Extinction



Endangered- number of
organisms is so low the
organism is in danger of
becoming extinct
Extinction- every organism in
a species has died
Causes
 Habitat
destruction, hunting,
harvesting, invasive species
Ecosystem Disruption
 Ecosystem


Imbalances
Keystone Species- A
species that impacts
the other species in
the community
Causes- Overuse of
resources, human
impact
Human Resource Use
 Primary
Production- the total energy stored through
photosynthesis
 Humans use 10-55% of the Earth’s primary
productivity
Human
Resource
Use
 Ecological
Footprintthe analysis of human
impact on the
ecosystems

Includes use of food &
natural resources,
production of wastes &
pollution
 Biosphere
has limited
capacity to renew or
repair
Human Resource Use
 Sustainability-
the ability to meet human needs so
that the population can survive indefinitely
 Humans need to close the gap between the Earth’s
renewable resources & capacities, our own needs
and the needs of other living species
 Possible Solutions:
New technologies
 Slow or reverse population
growth
 Reduction of consumption
of resources

22-3 Environmental Solutions
Conservation & Restoration Biology
 Conservation
Biologyscientists identify, protect
& manage natural areas
to retain biodiversity
 Restoration
Biologyscientists address
extreme cases of
ecosystem balance and
develop a plan to restore
the ecosystem to its
original state
Conservation & Restoration Biology

Species &
Habitats- are
interconnected

Bioindicator- a
species that is
especially
sensitive to
ecological
change

Whooping Cranean example of the
interconnectedne
ss between
species & their
environment.
Protecting Ecosystems
 Many
considerations to balance ecosystem
preservation & human rights.
 Protection focuses on regions with the most
biodiversity
 Biodiversity
HotspotsEcological
regions that are
the richest in
unique species
and in most
need of
protection
Governments & Laws
 Laws
& policies exist to
address environmental issues
 International laws & policies
also exist
 Debt-for-nature swap- richer
countries or private
organizations fund some debt
of a developing country in
exchange for preservation &
conservation efforts
Private Efforts &
Cooperation
Your Role in the
Environment
 Ecotourism-
tourism that supports the conservation
of ecologically unique areas and also support the
economy
 Urban Ecology- Study of biodiversity in areas
densely populated by humans