Download Unit 3 ~ Learning Guide Name

BCLN Science 7 - Rev. Sept/2015
Unit 3 ~ Learning Guide Name: ______________________________
Instructions:
Using a pencil, complete the following notes as you work through the related lessons. Show ALL
work as is explained in the lessons. You are required to have this package completed BEFORE you
write your unit test. Do your best and ask questions if you don’t understand anything!
Population Questions
1.
What is a sustainable ecosystem?
2. What would make an ecosystem unsustainable?
3. Describe some of the roles you play in the ecosystems you impact (have an affect on). What
do you provide to the ecosystems? What do you take from the ecosystems? Include both
positive and negative contributions.
4. What is biodiversity and why is it so important?
Pollution Questions
1. Name three reasons why landfills are destructive for our environment.
2. What has caused air pollution to increase more recently?
BCLN Science 7 - Rev. Sept/2015
3. What is the greenhouse effect? How is it beneficial for humans? How has it become
negative for humans?
4. How will global warming affect different ecosystems and habitats?
5. Describe the main causes of land pollution, air pollution, and water pollution, and their
effects on our environment.
Pollution
Cause
Land Pollution
Air Pollution
Water Pollution
Habitat Loss Questions
1. What is a habitat?
2. Why is our harvest of trees not sustainable?
Affect
BCLN Science 7 - Rev. Sept/2015
3. Think about one way that the land around your house and community is being used. Draw
and label a picture that illustrates how you and your family benefit from this land use. Add
3-5 sentences at the bottom to describe how this affects the habitat of other organisms in
your local area.
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Non-Native
Species Questions
1. What is the difference between a native and non-native species?
2. What can happen when non-native species are introduced to an ecosystem?
BCLN Science 7 - Rev. Sept/2015
3. What are some of the reasons non-native species are introduced? What are 2 examples of
non-native species being introduced, why were they introduced, and what damage was
caused or could have been caused?
Preserve, Conserve, Restore Questions
1. What is stewardship?
2. What does it mean to preserve an ecosystem?
3. What does it mean to conserve an ecosystem?
4. What does it mean to restore an ecosystem?
5. Describe some ways that you or other members of your community preserve, conserve or
restore an ecosystem in your community (or think of some ways you could).
BCLN Science 7 - Rev. Sept/2015
Ecological Footprint Questions
1. What does the term “ecological footprint” mean?
2. List three ways that you could lessen your ecological footprint, without help from anyone
else.
BCLN Science 7 - Rev. Sept/2015
Answer Key
Population Answers:
1. Sustainability is the ability of ecosystems to support the population. In a sustainable
environment, the resources that are being used up are being renewed or replaced at the same
rate.
2. An unsustainable ecosystem cannot support its environment so when roads and buildings are
built there is no longer a habitat for animals to live in. It becomes unsustainable.
3. Answers will vary. Humans often take more from the environment than they give to it.
Humans take land which kills animals and their habitats.
4. Biodiversity is the variety of organisms found in an ecosystem. The more variety the
stronger the ecosystem.
Pollution Answers:
1. There is little oxygen so trash does not break down and the ground water must be monitored
for 30 years after a landfill closes to ensure there is no contamination, and it harms and
destroys wildlife.
2. Air pollution has increased more recently with the introduction of motorized vehicles and
the burning of fossil fuels such as gas and oil produces gases in the atmosphere.
3. The greenhouse effect is when plants put carbon dioxide into the air through photosynthesis,
it allows Earth to stay warm enough for life to survive. If there is too much carbon dioxide
gas it will accumulate and begin to trap heat inside the Earth's atmosphere, similar to how a
greenhouse traps heat inside. It is believed that all of the pollution is creating more of a
greenhouse effect.
4. Global warming creates a warmer temperature which will affect many ecosystems and
impact organisms around the world. Some habitats will be in danger of disappearing.
5.
Pollution
Land Pollution
Air Pollution
Water Pollution
Cause
Landfills, littering,
Motorized vehicles,
explosion of the population,
burning of fossil fuels such
as gas and oil
oil or chemicals we dump
into the drain, factories
pollution water supply
Affect
Damage to the ground
water, losing land to
landfills, destruction of
animals' habitats
Poor air quality, global
warming
Poor water quality for
drinking, destruction of
animal habitats
Habitat Loss Answers:
1. A habitat is an organism's home it where they live, find food, and reproduce.
BCLN Science 7 - Rev. Sept/2015
2. Human's needs cause habitat loss because they destroy the animal's homes to build their
houses, roads, and communities. This is because of our need for natural resources, dams,
wood, mining, destroys animals' habitats.
3. The rate of loss for our forests is 10 times higher than its regrowth.
4. Answers will vary. Some possible answers: illustrations and labels (houses, roads, cars).
Some possible written answers may include how trees needed to be cut down to clear the
properties for roads and houses, houses are built using natural resources (trees metal).
Animals would have lost their homes because of the land use.
Non-Native Species Answers:
1. A species which is native is one which naturally occurs in that environment. Nonnative species are from other ecosystems.
2. When non-native species from other ecosystems are introduced, they can upset that balance
and bring harm to the established (native) plants and animals. They may be harmless and
beneficial in their natural surroundings, but they can totally devastate a different
environment.
3. Some species were introduced accidentally, for economic reasons, for greed. Two examples
of non-native species introduction are rabbits being introduced in Australia for hunting
purposes, the effect was overpopulation of rabbits. Salmon were introduced in farms but if
they escape into the wild they compete for resources with wild salmon.
Preserve, Conserve, Restore Answers:
1. Stewardship is taking responsibility for our impact on the environment.
2. Preservation is trying to keep something in its original state.
3. Conservation is trying to make wise use of a situation.
4. Restoration is trying to rebuild or repair damage done.
5. Answers will vary. Answers should include vocabulary preserve, conserve and restore and
an examples that clearly illustrate one of these ideas being met. Examples from the text:
Example: The citizens of Prince George, BC are working to have a unique area of rain forest
designated as park. Example: The Pacific Salmon Foundation encourages communities to
mark storm drains with a yellow fish, to remind people to keep harmful things out.
Example: The city of Surrey, BC has a Salmon Habitat Restoration Project to improve
habitats for spawning salmon.
Ecological Footprint Answers:
1. The overall impact caused by a particular organism in their ecosystem is called
an ecological footprint.
2. Answers will vary. Should include ideas about how students can reduce their impact on the
environment, examples recycle, carpool, buy second hand materials, donate goods instead
of throwing them away, etc.