1. Catastrophic Events Impact on Ecosystems

2. Natural Phenomenon Impact Ecosystems

3. Hurricanes

4. Hurricane Florence Footage

5. Hurricanes Conditions for formation:
Warm water
Light upper-level winds
Pre-existing disturbance of thunderstorms
Hurricanes produce damaging surface winds and storm surges
An intense, rotating oceanic weather system with sustained winds of at least 74 mph and a well-defined eye

6. How Hurricanes Affect the Ecosystem

7. Wind Trees damaged, snapped, or uprooted
Hurricane waves striking sea wall  Image ID: wea00415, NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) Collection  Category: Monsters/Hurricanes/Waves/  • High Resolution Photo Available 

8. Storm Surge Rising of sea levels
The storm surge causes sediment to erode and shift.
Coastal wetlands and barrier islands take the brunt of the storm surge.
Sediment erosion and deposition often affect
Oyster beds
Coral reefs
Sea grass beds
Many barrier islands end up shifted or eroded below sea level.

9. Salt Water Invasion!
Saltwater intrusion in lakes, streams, and wetlands change ecosystems (e.g. causes massive fish kills)
The storm surge kills tree species that are not tolerant of salt water.
The aftermath of Katrina. Image ID: wea02851, NOAA's National Weather Service (NWS) Collection  Location: Louisiana, Southeast coastal parishes Photo Date: 2006 January Credit: Collection of Wayne and Nancy Weikel, FEMA Fisheries Coordinators  Category: Monsters/Hurricane Katrina/  • High Resolution Photo Available 

10. Floods

11. Flooding due to Hurricane Florence
Flooding due to Hurricane Florence

12. Floods Most common of all natural hazards.
Occur during heavy rains, when rivers overflow, when ocean waves come onshore, when snow melts too fast, or when dams or levees break.
It can happen in every U.S. state and territory.

13. Environmental Impact of Floods
Floods are important in maintaining ecosystem habitats and soil fertility
Nutrients carried by floodwaters can benefit ecosystems and crops
Expand habitats for fish, birds
Environmental Impacts Floods are naturally occurring phenomena that are part of the physical and biological processes which have shaped our nation's landscapes. Smith claims "More than any other environmental hazard, floods bring benefits as well as losses." He points especially to the importance of floods in maintaining ecosystem habitats and soil fertility. (Smith, pg 257). Consideration of the negative impacts of floods on the environment more often appraise the detrimental aspects of human attempts to manage flood prone areas which, in turn, disrupt the natural flood cycle. For example, the Federal Interagency Floodplain Management Task Force reports that human activities have deeply affected floodplains and the nature of flooding. Activities such as drainage of wetlands and land clearance for farming; upstream development that replaces natural vegetation with paved asphalt; and construction of channels, levees, reservoirs change the flood cycle and often result in increased runoff, destruction of riparian habitat, and increased water pollution--all of which can be considered destructive to the natural environment (FIFMTF, pp ). However, systematic assessment of the environmental benefits and costs of flooding and the environmental benefits and costs of floodplain management programs has not been done.

14. Effects of Floods Destruction of habitat
Significant erosion can lead to more frequent flooding
Water pollution
Damaged drainage systems release raw sewage
Damaged buildings can be a source of toxic materials (e.g. paint, pesticide, gasoline)
Effects of Floods

15. Animals Flooding forces many wild animals from their natural habitats.
Domestic animals are also left without homes after floods.

16. Tornadoes http://www.photolib.noaa.gov/bigs/nssl0210.jpg

17. Tornadoes
A rotating column of air reaching from a thunderstorm to the ground.
The most violent tornadoes can have winds up to 300 mph.

18. Tornadoes Effect on Ecosystems
Trees damaged, stripped, or uprooted 
Open forest canopies to sunlight
Fallen trees offer shelter for small animals
Potential destruction of waste storage or treatment facilities or chemical plants

19. VOLCANOES Habitats destroyed Animals are killed
Acidity and temperature change of water

20. Humans Also Impact Ecosystems

21. Human-Made Disasters
What are some ways in which humans can disrupt an ecosystem?
What are the causes and effects of oil spills on a water surface?

22. Human-Made Disasters on an Ecosystem
Toxic run-off
Death of multiple organisms
Human illness
Disruption of habitats

23. Human Impacts Oil spills Exxon Valdez BP Oil Spill
Spilled 11 million gallons of crude oil into ocean near Alaska
Struck Bligh Reef
BP Oil Spill
Deepwater Horizon
Flawed plan

24. Impact of Oil Spills
Prolonged exposure causes health problems in humans
Consuming contaminated seafood
Loss of vegetation
Many fish and animals lose homes
Blocks entrance of oxygen in water
Oil-soaked animals may die

25. MAJOR OIL SPILL

26. British Petroleum BP is a global oil and gas company
Fourth largest company in the world
BP operates in over 80 countries producing about 3.8 million barrels of oil per day

27. Gulf Disaster
On April 20, 2010, there was a explosion on BP’s drilling rig “Deepwater Horizon” in the Gulf of Mexico, near Louisiana
The oil spill caused the second largest environment disaster in U.S. history

28. Birds covered in crude oil
Additional Info
The well was officially sealed September 19, 2010 (5 Months Later)
Total of about 4,900,000 barrels peaking 62,000 barrels per day were spilled. Crude oil is at about $100 per barrel
An area of 180,000km squared was covered affecting 50% of the 16,000 species in the Gulf of Mexico
Birds covered in crude oil

29. How do we clean up the mess we made?
You are an engineer and we are going to solve this problem
Your goal is to clean up an oil spill and engineer a life saving product using your knowledge of oil spill cleanup efforts.
You will plan and design this product.
You will create a poster outlining your product.
You will create a sales pitch to BP to prevent this disaster in the future.

30. Oil Spill Clean Up 10 Minutes: Oil spill cleanup planning
30 Minutes: Clean up the oil spill
10 Minutes: Reflection

31. Engineer a Product for BP
Plan your design using your cleanup from the oil spill in your science notebook. (Sketch, labels, thought process)
Design your poster. (Color and label)
Write your sales pitch on notecards to present.