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Humans in the Biosphere
Ch. 6
Human Interaction
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There are four main activities by which humans
affect the biosphere:
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Hunting and Gathering
Agriculture
Industry
Urban Development
What are some of the effects we
see/experience as a result of these activities?
Renewable and Nonrenewable
Resources
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Renewable Resources – resources that can be
replenished or regenerate in a relatively short
amount of time
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Ex: trees, water, nutrients, etc.
Although they are renewable, some of the are
limited resources (not always readily available)
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Ex: Water can become a limited resource when there is a
drought
Renewable and Nonrenewable
Resources
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Human activity can affect the quality and
supply of renewable resources such as
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Land
Forests
Fisheries
Air
Fresh Water
Renewable and Nonrenewable
Resources
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Nonrenewable Resources – resources that
cannot be replenished by natural processes
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If they can be replenished, it takes millions and
millions of years to replace it
Ex: fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)
Biodiversity
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Biodiversity – the variety of organisms that are
found on Earth
Types of biodiversity
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Ecosystem diversity
Species diversity
Genetic diversity
Human activity can threaten and alter
biodiversity
Threats to Biodiversity
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Habitat alteration
Demand for wildlife products
Pollution
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Biological magnification – concentrations of harmful
substances increase in organisms higher in the food chain
Introduced species
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Invasive species – non-native species that rapidly reproduce
and “choke out” native species
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Ex: kudzu
Conserving Biodiversity
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Conservation efforts usually focus on
protecting various:
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Species/Populations
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bald eagle, koala, etc.
Ecosystems
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National Parks
Wilderness Areas
Nature/Wildlife Preserves