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UNIT 4: Sustainability of Ecosystems Chapter 7: Factors that Affect Sustainability Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Vernal pools are a type of wetland. They are usually found in or near forests and do not have permanent streams or water flowing into or out of them. • What kind of organisms might be found in and around vernal pools? TO PREVIOUS SLIDE UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.1 8.1 How Our Understanding of Ecosystems Has Changed • Throughout history, humans have depended on Earth’s systems, including ecosystems, for resources such as water, food, and raw materials for energy, shelter, and clothing. • Many people took the attitude that the supply of resources was endless. • Conservationists and environmental scientists have warned us that humans are overusing, overexploiting, and destroying the resources that humans need to survive. • What are some historical examples of the overuse of resources? TO PREVIOUS SLIDE UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.1 Ecosystem Services • Ecosystem services are the benefits sustainable ecosystems provide that are experienced by living organisms, including humans. • Ecosystem services are the natural result of all the activities that occur in the biosphere. • Without sustainable ecosystems, Earth would lose most of the services that ecosystems provide. TO PREVIOUS SLIDE What services do ecosystems provide? UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.1 Ecosystem Services Provided by Forests • Forests supply trees that are needed for the manufacture of wood and paper products. • Forests influence climate because they take in large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthesis. • Forests reduce erosion in watersheds. • Forests provide habitats for thousands of species. • Why is it important for forests to serve as carbon dioxide sinks? • Why is the prevention of erosion in watersheds important? TO PREVIOUS SLIDE UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.1 Ecosystem Services Provided by Wetlands • Wetlands are areas that are covered by water for part or all of the year. • Wetlands cover about 6 percent of Earth’s surface. • About 24 percent of the world’s wetlands are in Canada. What ecosystem services do wetlands provide? TO PREVIOUS SLIDE UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.1 Ecosystem Services Provided by Insects • Insects, such as beetles and bees, pollinate plants. • In the wild and in agricultural fields, fruit and seed production are much higher when plants are pollinated by insects. • Cross-pollination by insects assists the production of about onethird of our food. • What is the difference between crosspollination and selfpollination? • What is colony collapse disorder? TO PREVIOUS SLIDE UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.1 Beauty and Spirituality in Sustainable Ecosystems • Canada’s indigenous peoples have had a long, rich, and complex spirituality tied closely to the ecosystems they occupy. • Artistic expressions of ecosystems are meaningful and spiritual to some people. What emotions does the painting on the right evoke? TO PREVIOUS SLIDE UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.1 Recreational Opportunities as Ecosystem Services • Ecotourism is a form of tourism that is sensitive to the health of an ecosystem and involves recreational activities provided by sustainable ecosystems. • Ecotourism is a nature-based, sustainable form of tourism that is now a multibillion-dollar industry worldwide. TO PREVIOUS SLIDE What are examples of recreational activities that a sustainable ecosystem provides? UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.1 The Concept of Connectivity • The collection of links and relationships between ecosystems that are separated geographically is called connectivity. • As shown in the graph below, populations of many aerial insectivore birds that breed in Canada have declined since the 1980s. Why might bird populations be declining in Canada? TO PREVIOUS SLIDE UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.1 Disrupting Connectivity Salmon help to keep temperate rainforests of British Columbia healthy. How can this be? Explain what is occurring in the flowchart. TO PREVIOUS SLIDE UNIT 4 Section 8.1 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Biodiversity and Sustainability • New species of organisms are frequently being discovered. • Scientists have identified about 2 million species, and they estimate that there are 5 million to 100 million species on Earth. • Biodiversity includes the number and variety of organisms found in a specific region. What factors are important for biodiversity to remain high? TO PREVIOUS SLIDE Continued… UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.1 Biodiversity and Sustainability • Evidence suggests that ecosystems with greater biodiversity are more likely to provide ecosystem services reliably. • Resilience is the ability of an ecosystem to remain functional and stable in the presence of pressures or disturbances to its parts. What do these graphs show? TO PREVIOUS SLIDE UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.1 Threats to Biodiversity and Sustainability Human activities often threaten biodiversity. • Deforestation is the practice of clearing forests for logging or other human uses and never replanting the trees. • Wetlands are often drained for farming or for building homes and commercial buildings. • Alien species are species that are accidentally or deliberately introduced into a new location. • Overexploitation is the use or extraction of a resource until it is depleted. TO PREVIOUS SLIDE Name some examples of invasive species that have affected Nova Scotia. UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.1 Section 8.1 Review • Ecosystem services are the benefits sustainable ecosystems provide that are experienced by organisms, including humans. • Forests influence climate change and play a vital role in the regulation of watersheds. • Wetlands provide ecosystem services, including habitat for aquatic organisms, water filtration, and erosion control. • Insects provide the critical ecosystem service of pollination. • Visual beauty and spiritual appreciation are two services that ecosystems provide for humans. • Ecosystems with higher biodiversity have higher resilience. • Threats to biodiversity include deforestation, draining wetlands, the introduction of invasive species, and overexploitation. TO PREVIOUS SLIDE UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.2 8.2 The Shift Is On—Attitude, Actions, and Empowerment • A paradigm is a view of the world or a way of thinking about how the world works. • A paradigm shift is a significant change in the way humans view the world. Use the figures on the left to explain the terms paradigm and paradigm shift. TO PREVIOUS SLIDE UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.2 Paradigm Shifts • There are many examples of paradigm shifts throughout history. • There is often resistance to a change in a paradigm. What are some examples of paradigm shifts that have occurred throughout history? What are some examples of paradigm shifts that are occurring now? TO PREVIOUS SLIDE UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.2 Outcomes of the Shift—Public Policy, Legislation, and Sustainability • Worldwide, governments on all levels rely on scientific findings to make decisions about public policy and pass legislation related to sustainability. • What are examples of public policy or legislation regarding sustainability? TO PREVIOUS SLIDE UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.2 Self-education • Educating yourself about how products are made, whether they are environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable, is an important part of individual empowerment. • Fair trade is a trade practice that is based on the concepts of transparency in business and sustainable development. • A product’s life cycle includes all aspects involved in making, distributing, selling, using, and disposing of the product. How are a product’s life cycle and sustainability related? TO PREVIOUS SLIDE UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.2 Our Actions Can Maintain or Rebuild Sustainable Ecosystems Some human activities can help ecosystems. • Provide boxes or places for birds to nest • Use smart growth for urban planning • Provide preserves that maintain natural habitats for organisms What are some examples of human activities that have helped ecosystems in your community? TO PREVIOUS SLIDE UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.2 Section 8.2 Review • A paradigm shift is a significant change in the way humans view the world. There are many examples of paradigm shifts throughout the history of science and technology. • Our society is in the midst of a paradigm shift regarding the way we view the sustainability of ecosystems and the use of resources on Earth. • Evidence of the shift can be seen at the international, national, provincial, and local levels. TO PREVIOUS SLIDE Continued… UNIT 4 Chapter 8: Shifting Perspectives on Ecosystems Section 8.2 Section 8.2 Review • Outcomes of the shift can be seen in public policy and legislation, such as the passing of pesticide by-laws and idling control laws. • Individuals can be empowered to make changes by learning more about the products they purchase, voting, joining advocacy groups, or volunteering to be citizen scientists. TO PREVIOUS SLIDE