1. Human Impact on Ecosystems

2. Human Impact Earth’s Carrying Capacity is not known
Technology has helped to increase Earth’s carrying capacity

3. Human Impact
The growing population exerts pressure on Earth’s natural resources
Renewable Resources: cannot be used up by humans
Solar Energy
Wind Energy
Nonrenewable Resources: used faster than they form
Coal
Oil

4. Human Impact
Ecological Footprint: the amount of land necessary to produce and maintain enough food, water, shelter, energy and waste.

5. Human Impact Easter Island A.D. 400-700
Human colony quickly grew over 1000 years
Cut down trees faster than they could re-grow
No trees  no boats or shelter

6. Air Quality
Pollution: describes any undesirable factor that is added to the air, water, or soil.
Smog
Particulates
Acid Rain

7. Air Quality
Greenhouse Effect: occurs when carbon dioxide, water, and methane molecules absorb energy reradiated by Earth’s surface and slow the release of this energy from Earth’s atmosphere.

8. Air Quality
Global Warming: the trend of increasing global temperatures

9. Water Quality
Indicator Species: a species that provides a sign or indication of the quality of the ecosystem’s environmental conditions
Ex: Frog

10. Water Quality
Biomagnification: a pollutant moves up the food chain as predators eat prey, accumulating in higher concentrations in the bodies of predators.

11. Threats to Biodiversity
Habitat Fragmentation: occurs when a barrier forms that prevents an organism from accessing its entire home range.
Introduced/Invasive Species: any organism that was brought to an ecosystem as the result of human actions