1. Human Impact on the Environment
Key Words:
acid rain, habitat destruction, non-native species, global warming, bioaccumulation, deforestation, sustainable practices, stewardship,
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2. Acid Rain (pg 118) Precipitation with a pH below 5.6
May also be in the form of snow, sleet, or fog
Causes the deterioration of forests, lakes, statues, and buildings
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3. Habitat Destruction (pg 118)
Damage to a habitat by air, water, and land pollution
Aka habitat degradation
Deforestation is also an example
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4. Non-native species (pg 120)
May take over niches of native species in an area and eventually replace them
Aka invasive or exotic species
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5. Global warming (pg 128)
An increased amount of the greenhouse gas CO2 has prevented a large portion of heat from escaping through the Earth’s atmosphere
Effects: more frequent and severe heat waves, floods and droughts, glacial melting, rise of ocean levels, and intense storms
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6. Bioaccumulation
Gradual build-up over time of a chemical in a living organism
Similar to biomagnification, but within a single organism instead of over an entire food chain
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7. Deforestation
Clearing Earth's forests on a massive scale, often resulting in damage to the quality of the land
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8. Sustainable practices (pg 123)
Promotion of using natural resources in ways that will not, or will limit, damage the ecosystem over time
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9. Stewardship
“The responsible use (including conservation) of natural resources in a way that takes full and balanced account of the interests of society, future generations, and other species, as well as of private needs, and accepts significant answerability to society”
Related to sustainable practices
Simply put: being a good citizen to the environment!
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10. Other Resources
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