1. Biological Diversity & Conservation

2. 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

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

4. 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

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

6. 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

8. Loss of Biodiversity
endangered
threatened
extinct

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

12. Non-native species
Pythons in FL
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Snakehead MUTE

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

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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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!

24. 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

25. Google Earth Timelapse (1984-2016)
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26. Learnin’ Bio: CLICK