Biological Diversity & Conservation

Human Activities… …affect the biosphere Hunting and gathering Have caused extinctions Agriculture Provides dependable food supply Pollution source Industry and Urban development Big pollution producer Loss of farmland Loss of habitats

Poor management leads to… -Soil Erosion (loss of fertile soil) -Desertification (productive landdesert) -Deforestation (loss of forests) -Overfishing -Overgrazing -General loss of resources

Resources Renewable resources - can regenerate if alive (trees, plants) or can be replenished by biochemical cycles if abiotic (water) Nonrenewable resources - cannot be replenished by natural processes (fossil fuels) Sustainable development - using natural resources without depleting them

“If no one person owns it, everybody does!”

Biodiversity Biodiversity refers to the genetically based variety of all organisms in the biosphere Importance: Stability Because living things are interdependent Humans are part of food webs & energy cycles

Loss of Biodiversity endangered threatened extinct

Threats to Biodiversity Invasive species – no predators Habitat loss & fragmentation degradation acid precipitation global warming water pollution land pollution

Non-native species Pythons in FL CLICK ME Snakehead MUTE

Habitat Loss Biggest reason for decline in biodiversity Results in loss of habitat – makes a species more vulnerable to extinction

Acid Precipitation sulfur dioxide – from coal-burning nitrogen oxides – from automobile exhaust damages plants and plant growth

Ozone Problems UV radiation damages living tissues CFC’s (from aerosols) are a big problem Results in ozone depletion Greenhouse effect – adding to ozone – traps heat

Water Pollution excess nitrogen-based fertilizers and animal waste are carried by rain into lakes and streams excess nutrients cause algal blooms – depletes oxygen from other organisms

Land Pollution DDT accumulated at higher trophic levels! Most trash becomes part of billions of tons of solid waste buried in land fills Pesticides degrade habitat DDT was a major threat spreads throughout the food chain “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson banned in U.S. in 1972 DDT accumulated at higher trophic levels!

Conservation…past and future steps Efforts to preserve habitats and the species within “Hot Spots” are identified Areas where species are in danger of extinction 1933 – Civilian Conservation Corp. “Tree Army” 1966 – Endangered Species Preservation Act 1970 – 1st celebration of Earth Day

Google Earth Timelapse (1984-2016) Click ME!

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