Ecosystems HUMAN IMPACT
Renewable Resources: are natural resources that can be replaced at the same rate at which they are consumed Examples: Fresh water, solar energy, fish
Nonrenewable Resources: are resources that form at a rate that is much slower than the rate at which they are consumed Examples: Fossil Fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)
Human Impact on Resources – pollution and habitat destruction destroy the resources we need to live, such as the air we breath, the water we drink and the food we eat
1) Water Pollution – can come from fertilizers and pesticides used in agriculture, livestock farms, industrial waste, oil runoff from roads, septic tanks and unlined landfills 2) Soil damage – soil erosion destroys fertile soil that we need in order to produce food
3)Ecosystem Disruption – can result in loss of biodiversity, food supplies, potential cures for diseases, and the balance of ecosystems a)Habitat Destruction b)Loss of Biodiversity C)Invasive Species d)Extinction
Greenhouse Effect – is the warming of the surface and lower atmosphere of Earth that happens when greenhouse gases in the air absorb and reradiate heat (greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide and water vapor) - this is necessary to keep the Earth’s temperatures stable
http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/kids/basics/index.html
Global Warming – is the gradual increase in the average global temperature - earth’s temperature has been rising for many years -many scientists think that this increase in temperature is caused by increased levels of CO2
Possible Causes: When we burn fossil fuels we increase the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere, this increase of atmospheric CO2 may be responsible for an increase in global temperatures
Possible Consequences: 1)Ice sheets over Antarctica and Greenland have already started to melt 2)The melting of the ice sheets can cause the sea levels to rise around the world, destroying costal ecosystems
3) Global weather patterns could be affected Warmer water makes hurricanes and typhoons more common and more intense