Download 2.7 Objective Summary

2.7 Objective Review Earth Environmental Science
Name:________________________________
The Biosphere and Human Impact
Biosphere is the area on Earth from the bottom of the ocean up into the atmosphere where life can exist. They are
defined as worlds’ major communities. They are classified according to the vegetation and adaptations of organisms
to that environment. It can be divided into smaller subunits:
• Biome–areas with certain abiotic conditions that influence the types of biotic factors that can live there
(example Desert Biome - dry, hot, cactus, scorpion, snake, very little precipitation, etc.)
(example: arctic foxes-very cold with long winters and cool summers, light precipitation)
• Ecosystem – Biotic/Living and Abiotic/Non-living interacting together/influencing each other
• Community - Different populations interacting with each other(humans and butterflies and cats living at
the same
• Population - All organisms of 1type that interbreed/reproduce(example: dogs, humans)
What things determine the type of biome you have in an area?
abiotic - nonliving factors in an area
examples: temperature, humidity, precipitation, altitude, latitude, soil type
biotic- living factors in an area
The Biosphere and Human Impact
Biosphere is the area on Earth from the bottom of the ocean up into the atmosphere where life can exist. They are
defined as worlds’ major communities. They are classified according to the vegetation and adaptations of organisms
to that environment. It can be divided into smaller subunits:
• Biome–areas with certain abiotic conditions that influence the types of biotic factors that can live there
(example Desert Biome - dry, hot, cactus, scorpion, snake, very little precipitation, etc.)
(example: arctic foxes-very cold with long winters and cool summers, light precipitation)
• Ecosystem – Biotic/Living and Abiotic/Non-living interacting together/influencing each other
• Community - Different populations interacting with each other(humans and butterflies and cats living at
the same
• Population - All organisms of 1type that interbreed/reproduce(example: dogs, humans)
What things determine the type of biome you have in an area?
abiotic - nonliving factors in an area
examples: temperature, humidity, precipitation, altitude, latitude, soil type
biotic- living factors in an area
Landforms are natural features of the landscape, natural physical features of the Earth’s surface, such as plateaus,
mountains, plains, hills, loess, valleys, or glaciers. They are abiotic factors. These factors impact the type of soil
that can form in an area. Due to erosion soil tends to be thiner on mountains and thicker and more fertile in valleys.
Areas that are windward of a mountain have greater precipitation and areas leeward of a mountain often experience
rain shadows. These areas are often deserts.
2.7 Objective Review Earth Environmental Science
Name:________________________________
2.7 Objective Review Earth Environmental Science
Name:________________________________
Both abiotic and biotic factors impact each other, the biosphere, the
atmosphere, the hydrosphere, the lithosphere.
What is biodiversity?
Biodiversity is the variety of plants and animals that exist on the planet. There is biodiversity of species. This is
the large number of different species of an area. For example, an area may have butterflies, pecan trees, pine trees
oak trees, humans, roses, daffodils, sparrows, ants, deer, dogs, and cats. If there was just one type of plant and a
plague or disease came through the area, all plant life could die and cause remove the entire food source for the
animals. Genetic variation describes naturally occurring genetic differences among individuals of the same
species. If there is a lot of variation, it helps with survival of the species when conditions change. (Example: During
the Industrial Revolution,dark colored moths in a population out-survived light colored moths,because the soot in
the air from the factories stained the tree bark a dark color. This allowed the dark colored moths to blend in with
their surroundings and avoid predators. If the original population had only light colored moths, it might have been
wiped out (if there were less genetic variation. )
2.7 Objective Review Earth Environmental Science
Name:________________________________
What are the impacts of losing biodiversity?
People depend on biodiversity in ways that are not always apparent. Loss of biodiversity appears to affect
ecosystems as much as climate change, pollution and other major forms of environmental stress. Biodiversity affects
livelihoods, income, and migration. We depend on ecosystem products for good human health (such as availability
of fresh water, food and fuel sources). For instance oysters filter 50 gallons of water per day. They remove dirt and
pollutants and algae. It provides medical and pharmacological discoveries for new drugs, which benefits drug
companies, medical professionals, and patients. Loss in biodiversity may limit these discoveries.
What effects do habitat alteration and overharvesting have on various plant and animal species in NC?
Alterations to habit can threaten the well-being of organisms and species. The challenge lies in describing the
relationship between organisms and their habitat in adequate and accurate enough detail to enable scientists to
predict the effects of changes. The effects on one organism have the potential to affect all levels of the food chain.
Overharvesting means harvesting a renewable resource (like wild medicinal plants, game animals, fish stocks,
forests, etc.) to the point it cannot come back to the previous level (unsustainable). It could lead to the destruction of
the resource at the population or species level. Overharvesting is one of the main activities threatening global
biodiversity.
What effects can invasive nonnative species (plant or animal) have on NC ecosystems? Invasive species are
plants, animals, or other organisms that are introduced to a given area (outside their original range) and cause harm
in their new home. They have no natural enemies to limit their reproduction, and they spread like crazy. Invasive
species are one of the leading threats to biodiversity as well as costs to agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and to human
health. The cost to control invasive species in the U.S. is about $137 billion per year.
What are some ways to mitigate (lessen) human impact on the biosphere? We could live by the principles of
reduce, recycle, re-use to lessen our impact on the biosphere. We could live in a way that conserves resources, using
sustainable development practices (ways of doing things that allow resources to continue in the future). We could
use products, cleaners, and appliances that are environmentally friendly. We could use alternative non-polluting
sources of energy. We could buy products with less packaging, and that are energy efficient. We could buy
clothing, furniture, and products second-hand when possible. We could use less fossil fuel, buy food and other
goods produced locally, and purchase vehicles are more efficient or that use clean energy.