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ECO-REGIONS AND BIODIVERSITY Environmental Science 3205 Earth as a Space Ship How is this statement true Floats in space Moves around the sun in orbit Surrounded by stars Both contain oxygen Only has so many resources Close to the moon Travels at high speeds Environmental Science is….. Multidisciplinary – it involves: Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Geology Concerns about nature, health, employment, profits, law, politics, ethics, fine arts and economics Conservationists – these are people who focuses on sustainable resource use, allocation and protection Environmentalists – people who deal with protecting the environment from destruction or pollution. Environmentalism: A theory that views environment rather than heredity as the important factor in the development and especially the cultural and intellectual development of an individual or group. Conservation: The protection, preservation, management, or restoration of wildlife and of natural resources such as forests, soil, and water. The theory of environmentalism advocates for the protection, preservation, management, restoration, or improvement of the natural environment. A Few Definitions Ecology – the study of the way organisms interact with each other and with their non-living surroundings Note: all organisms are dependant on other organisms in some way, shape or form. Abiotic – non-living factors (and never was) Biotic – living factors The 4 Spheres Geosphere – rock and soil Atmosphere – gases Hydrosphere – water Biosphere – Living things. It is a complex system of living things that interact with each other (living-living) and extend into geosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere The atmosphere and hydrosphere formed as a result of Volcanic Outgassing Interaction of the Spheres Gannets at Cape St. Mary’s Humans Part of the System Positive impacts Population Management (Moose/Rabbit/Etc.) Helping protect endangered species Negative impacts Deforestation Polluting waterways Global Warming http://www.slideshare.net/sacklax40/human-impact-onthe-environment-presentation Newfoundland and Labrador Transition How did the transition from aboriginal to European Settlers to the present day impact land use? Aboriginal Populations Aboriginal Cultures considered themselves to be one part of the environmental system Aboriginals were one of the first groups to understand the concept of Sustainability Note: Sustainability: using resources so that it meets your needs and will continue to meet the needs of future generations Aboriginal populations respected the environment and they understood the interconnectedness of the environment Their paradigm was: “take only what you need and always give back” European Settlers During the time of the discovery of North America, this land was considered to be “wild” Europeans wanted to “tame” and shape the environment and people They saw the environment as a source of unlimited resources to sustain life Ex: Early logging practices in Western Newfoundland by companies such as Abitibi/Bowater - Clearcutting Land was used as collateral for infrastructure development (railroad) Beginning of individualized land ownership – quite different from Aboriginal views No connection made between the environmental impacts and the costs of extracting resources, which has affected how we manage our resources today Today We are slowly changing our ways of thinking and looking at more sustainable practices Aldeo Leopold, Rachael Carson, and Sir Clifford Sifton are considered to be conservation pioneers. These people viewed us as being connected to the environment rather then being separate Developers are now required to perform an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), which is used to determine the impact of a particular development on the environment Today Cont’d EIA deal with: Energy use Waste management Mineral extraction http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLrVCI4N67M& feature=related (Save for later) CBC Land & Sea: Edge of the Ice Balance in the Ecosystem Energy Transfer and Utilization How do organisms use their energy? ▪ Eating/drinking Moving Breathing Hunting Dancing Sleeping Thinking/learning communicating Working ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ Recreation Moving Thinking Communication (gum flapping) Eating Breathing Hunting Exercising Reproduction Waste Disposal Sleeping Survival Heating your body (regulating your body temperature) Healing How is energy lost by organisms in nature? Same as some of the reasons listed above ▪ ▪ ▪ Heat loss Not all food is consumed Waste (pee and poo) Energy is lost as you move up the food chain because of the reasons listed above. Not all food is consumed by an organism while they are eating and therefore that food that is left behind contains energy that will be wasted. Because Earth is considered a closed system then we must assume that there is a limited supply of energy, however this is not the case as it is recycled throughout the ecosystem Energy Transfer and Utilization Energy is lost as it moves through the levels of the food chain There is less energy available at the top compared to the bottom This is why you see few numbers of organisms in the upper levels of the food web compared to the bottom Roles in the Environment Producers – make their own food (plants) Consumers – rely on other organisms for their food (humans and most other organisms) Decomposers – breakdown dead and waste material so that the nutrients can be recycled (bacteria & worms) 3 types of consumers Carnivores – meat eaters Omnivores – plant and meat eaters Herbivores – plant eaters Food Webs Make your own Food Web Questions to ponder What happens if one organism is removed? What will happen if one organism has an increase in numbers? What will happen if we introduce a new predator? ??? Sustainability Using our resources so that they meet our needs and will continue to meet the needs of future generations All of us must work together to ensure that our resources are used properly and so that they are around for future generations. As our population continues to grow we must look to more sustainable practices when using Earth’s resources However, this is not always possible Misconceptions of Sustainability Common Misconceptions about Sustainability Environmental damage is permanent Forest fires are bad One person cannot make a difference Science can solve all of our problems Practicing the four R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle, recover) is difficult All human activity in nature is bad The 3 factors that influence Sustainability Ecological – abiotic and biotic factors 1. 2. 3. Carry capacity – how many can live in an area Environmental resistance – how fast it can rebound after a major event Space – how many organisms can actually fit there Water availability Social Culture Values Attitudes Beliefs Economic Local businesses (outfitters) Resource based companies General Population Ecological Footprint This refers to the impact that an individual or a group is having on the environment. It refers to the area of land and water that is required to produce resources that are consumed by humans. It also includes the area needed to dispose of wastes. Ecological Footprint http://www.mec.ca/Main/content_text.jsp;jsessionid =cZMRKBlp6LYhNKDlJpQ8LTvthnK7xyQTP0P9vhTH Xf1vgdTJMZkt!477005822?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198 674065393&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=253437 4302883396&bmUID=1254188446343 Moose Population Case Study (p.31-33) Complete questions: 1-5 on p.33 Project on Sustainability See handout Definitions Ecosystem – includes the food webs, energy and nutrients in a particular area. The Earth is an example of a large ecosystem. Newfoundland is an example of a smaller ecosystem and the Boreal Forest is an example of a local ecosystem Range of Tolerance – the set of physical conditions that an organism can live in. For example temperature, food source, amount of water, shelter. Optimum Range – is the range of physical conditions that certain organisms thrive in Populations – refers to all of the organisms of the same species in the one area Community – refers to all of the different species of organisms in the one area. Carrying Capacity – refers to the amount of communities or populations that an area can support Diversity – the variety of ecosystems in an area Biodiversity – the variety of life on earth or in an ecosystem Newfoundland and Labrador has a lot of Biodiversity We have a lot of woods (forests) that provide a home for many organisms Newfoundland and Labrador has many different eco-regions that support many different organisms Why is biodiversity important? Many of the things we use every day come from the environment, including food, books and paper, buildings, clothing and medicine. The natural resources from which these things come from are critical for our survival and economic well being Healthy ecosystems provide “essential survival services" like oxygen production, nutrient recycling, and climate control, all of which impact food production The environment, and the living things in it, provide enjoyment during leisure activities such as hiking, fishing, camping, or visiting nature reserve parks All organisms have a right and a place on this Earth A reduction in Biodiversity puts a strain on all other parts of the ecosystem Biodiversity is: the variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or for the entire Earth. Biodiversity is often used as a measure of the health of biological systems in that the greater the biodiversity the healthier the biological system will be. Species Diversity, Genetic Diversity and Ecosystems Species Diversity – refers to the number of different organisms (species) living in a particular ecosystem Genetic Diversity – refers to the variation among a particular species Ex: Moose, rabbit, caribou, ptarmigan, coyote, owls, etc. Ex: Peppered moth or humans Ecosystems – different ecosystems can sustain (support) different levels of biodiversity Ex: Tundra – Low biodiversity Rain Forest – High Biodiversity All three of these things contribute to a healthy and sustainable environment Genetic Diversity This is crucial to the survival of a species If every member of a species were the same, think about what would happen if: The climate changed Habitat was lost Disease was introduced Major Threats to Biodiversity Population growth (Human or species) Pollution Over-exploitation (over-hunting/extinction) Climate change (global warming) Habitat loss (building of subdivisions) Invasive species ( cane toad – Australia) Species At Risk The reasons why species become At Risk (endangered) are very similar to the threats to biodiversity: Habitat Loss Introduced Species Overexploitation Pollution Climate Change 1. Habitat Loss and Degradation Either losing your home or your home is getting beat up This can happen in any number of ways, such as: Clear cutting of land for the building of homes Habitat loss can occur on land or in the water On Land: Urban and Agricultural Sprawl – subdivisions and farming For example, parts of the Amazon Rainforest are being slashed (cut) and burned to make way for farms, roads and housing This is a problem because the rain forests help to recycle much of the Earth’s air Logging and Other Forest Activities We use our forests for firewood, pulp and paper, lumber, Christmas trees, recreation (woods trails), clear cut for development This is a problem because these areas are the homes of many species of organisms, both plants and animals Habitat Loss and Degradation Cont’d In the Water Silting – erosion of soil into rivers. The silt “chokes” the rivers making it difficult for plants and insects to grow. The silt can also clog the gills of fish making it hard for them to breath Sewage and Industrial Waste Runoff Dams – change the path of rivers and land is flooded Destructive fishing practices – over fishing, bottom trawling, tangled in fishing gear and lost fishing gear Leatherback Turtle Threats to the Leatherback Turtle Fishing gear Raking of beaches to get rid of sea weed Dirt bikes, ATV’s, dunes buggies Breading grounds and eggs destroyed on beaches 2. Introduced Species These are species that are introduced to an area. This can be done either on purpose or by accident, ex: On purpose – Moose to Newfoundland By Accident – Zebra Mussel in the Great Lakes These species are commonly called Alien Species Alien species can be either plants, animals, insects, or micro-organisms Introduced Species cont’d The problem with alien species is that they can take over the habitat of native organisms, forcing them out They can take over a food source They can hunt and kill an organism to extinction They can introduce new diseases and viruses that can kill off others 3. Over Exploitation Over-harvesting (Northern Cod) Excessive hunting (Labrador Duck, Great Auk and Passenger Pigeon) Excessive collecting (usually big game/prize animals) 4. Pollution This refer to any substance that, when introduced to the environment, negatively affects the resource or the health of humans, wildlife or ecosystems Toxic chemicals such as pesticides, industrial wastes and metals can put species at risk Also, some pollutants can be airborne, that is, they travel through the air. These can build up in the soil or in the clouds and fall as acid rain. These may include sulphur and nitrogen oxides Through bioaccumulation, these pollutants can and will eventually make it into the tissues of humans http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uLrVCI4N67M Bioaccumulation 5. Climate Change Global temperatures are increasing The results of this include: Drought Disease Floods Rapidly changing ecosystems The Arctic is especially sensitive to any climate changes Temperatures in the Arctic has increased at a rate that is twice as fast as it would normally Polar ice caps have decreased as much as 20% In 2000, the Ward Hunt Ice Shelf splintered and broke up, this caused the freshwater lake that was contained in it to drain into the ocean. As a result, wildlife and plants were destroyed and traditional hunting grounds of the Inuit have been lost in that area. Questions P.95 Questions: 1, 2, 4, 5 Protecting Spaces 4.5% of the land in Newfoundland and Labrador is considered to be protected (7.4% of the Island and 3.3% of Labrador) Protected Spaces include: Parks (Terra Nova, Gros Morne) Ecological Reserves (Mistaken Point) Bird Sanctuaries (Cape St. Mary’s) Marine Conservation Areas (Gilbert Bay, Lab.) Wilderness Areas (Avalon Wilderness Area) http://www.gilbertbay.com/intro.htm Who’s Responsible? What governmental groups are responsible for establishing and managing protected areas: Federal: Parks Canada Environment Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans Provincial: Department of Environment and Conservation Why Do We Protect Area? Biodiversity Protection (Gilbert Lake – Golden Cod) Enjoyment - do we need to pave and built everything? Education – park interpretive programs, build awareness, understanding and support for conservation Economic Benefits – tourism and job creation Natural Experiences – being one with nature, personal and spiritual growth Scientific Research – study plants, animals, ecosystems, interactions
