1. Chapter 6: Humans in the Biosphere

2. Daily Objectives
Describe human activities that can affect the biosphere.
Describe the relationship between resource use and sustainable development.

3. Effect of Human Activity
We affect environment when we:
Obtain food
Eliminate waste products
Build places to live

4. Effect of Human Activity
Humans impact regional and global environments:
Agriculture
Development
Industry
This impacts natural resources such as soil, water and the atmosphere.

5. Agriculture
Dependable supply of food that can be stored for future use
Monoculture-clearing large areas of land to plant a single highly productive crop annually (Ex. soybean)
Providing food for more than 7 billion people-impacts natural resources
Fertilizer production and Farm machinery-consume large amounts of fossil fuels.

6. Examples of Monoculture
Canola Oil
Soybean

7. Development Dense human communities produce lots of wastes.
If they’re not disposed of correctly they affect air, water and soil.
Consumes farmland
Habitat fragmentation

8. Industrial Growth
Human lifestyles utilize a great deal of energy to produce and power
Energy comes from burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas
In the Past - dumped waste directly into air, water and soil

9. Sustainable Development
Goods - things that can be bought and sold and have value in terms of money.
Services - processes or actions that produce goods.
Ecosystem goods and services are produced by ecosystems and benefit the human economy.

10. What types of goods and services could be found in this ecosystem?

11. Ecosystem Goods and Services
Many natural and free of charge
Breathable air
Drinkable water
Sometimes we have to pay to produce these goods
Ex. Water treatment plants

12. Water Treatment Plant

13. Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Resources
Can be produced or replaced by healthy ecosystem.
Ex. Pine Tree
Nonrenewable
Natural processes cannot replenish these goods within a reasonable amount of time.
Ex. Fossil Fuels (formed from buried organic material over millions of years) ; when depleted they are gone.

15. Sustainable Resource Use
Conscious Way to use resources
Provides for human needs while preserving the ecosystem that produces natural resources
No harm to soil, water or climate

16. Sustainable Farming Practices

17. Review of Daily Objectives
What are some human activities that can affect the biosphere?
How can resources be used so that we can achieve sustainable development.