Carrying Capacity The maximum number of organisms an ecosystem can hold. Think of an ecosystem as a bucket that can only hold so much.

How many fish can an aquarium hold? What does it depend on?

These things depend on limiting factors. What are limiting factors?

Population Size Population = birth rate - death rate birth rate = how fast a population reproduces death rate = how fast a population dies Population = birth rate - death rate if birth rate > death rate then population grows or increases if birth rate < death rate then population shrinks or declines

Human Population Growth Fun Fact: Demographers estimate that, in the decade of the 1990’s, the Atlanta metro (driving distance) area grew in population faster than any other area in the history of human civilization. Human Population Growth

How does population growth affect our resources?

Human Impacts Urban development (humans building stuff) has caused deforestation, logging, draining wetlands, habitat fragmentation & destruction. Various forms of Pollution like chemical spills Hunting & farming are both unnatural limiting factors. Harvesting, mining, & drilling take away natural resources. Invasive Species Global Warming

Human Impact Examples: Category What humans need What humans do What happens Impact on the environment Energy coal burning coal SO2 released into air creates acid rain Food cheap food concentrated animal farms excessive manure runoff eutrophication Space homes & malls draining wetlands reduces buffer zones increases flooding & pollution Beauty green yards too many water sprinklers excessive water use fresh water shortages

Conventional farming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3P5tmkjHa8

Jane Goodall is a British primatologist (someone who studies primates) and conservationist (someone who works to help preserve habitats and species).

What does it mean to live sustainably? To live in a way that natural resources (food, water, sources of energy, etc.) are not depleted or permanently damaged.

How can we live more sustainably? Can be replenished or replaced in short amount of time. Once used up, they are gone for millions of years.

How can we live more sustainably? Conservation is the preservation, protection, and restoration of the natural environment.

How can we live more sustainably?

How can we live more sustainably? Reduce Reuse Recycle Use, or consume less of a product or material. Find a new purpose for a product or material. Convert a waste product into a usable material. Example: Buy less soda in aluminum cans. Make your own soda or drink tap water. Repurpose an aluminum can to make a planter or a pencil holder. This prevents the need to use more materials. Recycling 1 aluminum can saves enough energy to power a television for 3 hours.

Sustainable farming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cqbOU07ZI2k

What is a carbon footprint? Amount of CO2 emitted (released) due to the consumption of fossil fuels by a particular person or group.

What is an ecological footprint? One human’s total impact on the biosphere. Measured in area of wilderness (land, water, & air) consumed.

How large is your ecological footprint? Go to the following website and use your CMS student email address to access the Ecological Footprint Calculator: www.footprintnetwork.org Once you receive your calculation, make sure to explore the “Solutions” page! After you’ve read the solutions, summarize three of them on your paper.