Human Impact

How we affect the Lithosphere

Essential Standards• EEn.2.2 Understand how human influences impact the lithosphere.

– EEn.2.2.1 Explain the consequences of human activities on the lithosphere (such as mining, deforestation, agriculture, overgrazing, urbanization, and land use) past and present.

– EEn.2.2.2 Compare the various methods humans use to acquire traditional energy sources (such as peat, coal, oil, natural gas, nuclear fission, and wood).

• EEn.2.8 Evaluate human behaviors in terms of how likely they are to ensure the ability to live sustainably on Earth.– EEn.2.8.1 Evaluate alternative energy technologies for use in North Carolina.– EEn.2.8.2 Critique conventional and sustainable agriculture and aquaculture

practices in terms of their environmental impacts.– EEn.2.8.4 Evaluate the concept of “reduce, reuse, recycle” in terms of

impact on natural resources.

LAND USEHow we use the Earth

Assignment!

• As we talk about land uses, you will keep a journal on various topics

• DO NOT LOSE YOUR JOURNAL ENTRIES• This is a project grade• Due when we finish this• Be thoughtful in constructing your responses• It is okay to make opinion questions personal but keep

your facts reasonably scientific • Refer specifically to content from the article• This should be a great time for you to reflect on how

these topics impact you. Enjoy!

What types of land use are there?

Land Use

Urbanization Agriculture

Mining

HarvestingDrilling

What is Urbanization?

• The physical growth of cities, or taking the characteristics of cities

Why do people build cities?

• Proximity – so people will be closer to the things they desire– Job opportunities– Transportation and

housing– Entertainment and

attractions– Diversity– Marketplace

competition

How do cities affect Earth?• Deforestation – cutting down all

trees in an area– What can removing trees cause?

• Increased flooding – impervious (water can’t move

through it) surfaces cause water to run off into streams instead of being absorbed

• Increased pollution – from transportation and factory

production• Heat islands – pavement absorbs

heat all day and releases it at night making the surrounding area warmer

Causes and Effects of Urbanization

Urbanization

Job opportunities

Entertainment

Transportation and housing

Diversity

Marketplace competition

Increased pollution

Increased flooding

Deforestation

Heat Islands

What can we do?

• Urbanization – “Green” cities

• Add walls that can hold plant life

• Walkable urban areas- mixed use so most things are in walking distance of residents

• Entice people to move back to cities instead of urban sprawl

• Better public transportation• Urban farming• Build structures that use

sustainable energies (solar, wind, hydroelectric, etc…)

Assignment!

• Create a journal entry on the benefits and draw backs of being in a city– Would you like to live in one? Why or why not?

• Read through http://www.actionbioscience.org/environment/voogt.html and explain:– What is a heat island?– How do heat islands form?– How do they impact cities?– How can the impacts be reduced?

Why is land used for agriculture?

• Until humans learned to farm they were nomadic (followed food)

• A stable food source – Vegetables– Meats– Animal feed

• Economic gain• Non – edible resources

– cotton, ethanol

How does agriculture affect the lithosphere?

• Deforestation• Overgrazing• Desertification• Dryland salinity• Decline in fresh water• Pollution

Are there other side effects to deforestation?

• Deforestation means a loss of habitats, which means a loss in biodiversity– All the different life forms in

an area• Increased erosion degrades

soil• Increased evaporation

leading to drought• Higher CO2 in the air– Less photosynthesis

Deforestation

What exactly is overgrazing?

• Plants are exposed to grazing with insufficient recovery period– Roots grow smaller

and eventually plants begin to die off

• Occurs from having more animals on a piece of land than it can support

Assignment!

• Read the article on a national park’s response to overgrazing in Nepal http://www.asianewsnet.net/Nepal%e2%80%99s-national-park-shows-way-in-overgrazing-f-46275.html – Why was grazing becoming a problem in the area?– How did the National Park Service handle the problem?– How do you think this impacted the local peoples?– Was it a fair decision? Why or why not?

• Read the article on deforestation http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestation-overview/ and briefly summarize at least:– 3 reasons deforestation happens– 3 effects of deforestation

What about desertification?

• The process of land becoming a desert, characterized by loss of bodies of water and plant life

• Occurs when overgrazing happens in already dry areas• Can be caused by the weight of cattle pressing on the land

until it becomes too compacted for plants to grow

Assignment!

• We will read http://library.thinkquest.org/26026/Science/desertification.html together.

• Write in your journal:– Where is desertification more likely to happen?– How does desertification affect people globally?– How does it affect you personally?– What sustainable solutions can you propose to

help with the problem?

What is dryland salinity?

• Gradual loss of farmland from rising salt– Salt is located underground

but pulled upwards when water tables rise• Domesticated plants have

shallower roots

• Loss of biodiversity • Huge problem in Australia

and other places where underground salt reserves are present

How is freshwater being depleted from agriculture?

• Irrigation in arid areas to water crops is pulled from freshwater sources

• This has been devastating to the ecosystems of some rivers– Colorado River hasn’t reached the sea since 1998

Assignment!

• Read through the story of Zachary Podmore’s trip down the Colorado from beginning to end– http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zachary-podmore/colorado-ri

ver-environment_b_1306665.html• Briefly write your opinion on the Colorado

– How does it enrich the lives of millions of people?– What has happened to the river system?– Include what you think should be done

• Then read http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/salinity/default.htm by Justin Murphy and write about:– How did Australia come to be in this situation?– Was there anyway to predict this would happen?– What should be done now?

How is agriculture polluting?

• Pesticides and herbicides to control insects and weeds runoff with rain into rivers

• These can cause major problems with rivers– Hypoxic – dead zones

where oxygen levels have decreased to where they cannot support life

What are the causes and effects of agriculture?

Agriculture

Vegetables

Meats

Feed for livestock

Non – edible resources

Economic Gain

Deforestation

Overgrazing

Desertification

Freshwater depletion

Pollution and dead zones

Dryland salinity

What can we do?

• Agriculture– Keep the proper amount of animals on acreage – Crop rotation to keep soil fertile• Reduces need for deforestation

– Purchase seasonally and locally– Drip line irrigation– Reduce the amount of chemicals and synthetic

fertilizers

Is agriculture possible underwater?

• Yes, this is called aquaculture• Farming of fish, crustaceans,

aquatic plants, and mollusks – Mariculture – uses sea water

to grow aquatic organisms– Integrated methods – often

combine various trophic levels of the food chain to make conditions more natural and sustainable

How is aquaculture affecting the environment?

• Can increase water consumption and worsen drought conditions

• Some fish are fed pellets, which when not eaten, settle and alter the food chain for benthic organisms

• Increased fertilizer from feces of fish produces algal blooms

• Higher presence of microbial decomposers lowers oxygen levels – What does this cause?

• Can introduce new species when pins break

Is aquaculture all bad?

• No, aquaculture can decrease the problem of overfishing

• Increases the amount of food for consumption

What is mining and why is it done?

• Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other resources from the earth

• Done for– Economic gain– Resources

How is mining done?

• Surface mining• Sub-surface mining• In-situ mining

What is surface mining?

• Strip mining• Mountain top removal• Open pit mining• Soil and overlaying rock are removed to get to

the resource below

What is sub surface mining?

• Digging tunnels or shafts to get to ore deposits

visit the mine

What is in-situ mining?

• Commonly done to obtain uranium for energy

• Uranium is dissolved into water below the surface

• Solution is brought to the surface and the mineral is recovered In situ mining

How does mining affect the environment?

• Acid mine drainage from sub surface mining

• Deforestation • Erosion• Formation of sinkholes• Contamination of soil

and groundwater• Some diseases (black

lung, blue baby syndrome, asthma)Mining and the Environment

Causes and effects of mining

mining

Economic Gain

Minerals

Energy Resources

Deforestation

Acid Mine Drainage

Diseases

Contamination of soil and water

Sinkholes

Loss of biodiversity

What can we do?

• Mining– Alternative energy sources• Write representative to let them know you want more

opportunities for these energies

– Recycle and reuse goods to reduce need to mine– Reduce consumption of unnecessary items

Assignment!• Read the article

http://www.wvrivers.org/issues/acidminedrainage/acidminedrainage.html– Summarize what acid mine drainage is– Pay close attention to the problems associated with mine

drainage and explain how these can negatively impact the people living around mines also use the next article for this

• http://biology.duke.edu/bio217/2005/seanb/humanimpacts.html read about how people are directly impacted from mining.– Is mining worth the risks to the environment and people nearby

the site? (you may look up blue baby syndrome on Wikipedia for more information)

Assignment!

• Complete the land use sheet• Turn into the turn in box

What is harvesting and how is it done?

• Gathering of resources from the surface of the Earth– Peat – non –

renewable– Wood –

renewable

Why is wood harvested?

• Renewable energy supply– 9% of the world’s energy

supply• Used particularly in

developing countries• Used for heating and

cooking• What environmental

problem is this linked to?

Assignment!

• Read http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2012/10/121022-wood-for-heating/

• Discuss in your journal:– How are the Fey’s trying to be environmentally

conscious in their decision to use wood?• What are their reasons?

– How do the majority of American’s heat their homes?– Why are people steadily switching to alternative

energy?– What do you expect to see used in American homes in

the future for heating?

What is peat, where is peat, and how is it harvested?

• Peat is an accumulation of partially decayed plant matter– Soils containing mostly peat are histols

• Found in bogs or mires• Fossil fuel due to slow regrowth• Harvested by:– Cutting– Stacking– Drying– Packing and shipping

cutting peat

peat bog at harvest time

Assignment!

• SAS carbon cycle activity – QL 952• With a partner complete the activity on the

carbon cycle• Sections 1-3 answer all questions• Analysis section answer questions for sections

1-3• Honors – entire activity

Assignment!

• Read http://www.peatmoss.com/blog/harvesting-peat

• Discuss in your journal:– How are peat sites found– How is the site prepared and peat harvested?– How is peat used?– Where does most peat produced in Canada go and

how is it used?– What is surprising about Canada’s harvesting peat and

their energy usage of peat?– Where does most peat come from?

Review from Mining

• What is a major fossil fuel that is mined for electricity?

• What is mining?• Let’s look at coal

What exactly is coal and how is it extracted?

• Coal is either mined underground or in an open pit (through mountain top removal)

• Non renewable fossil fuel• Formed in low lying

wetlands– Plant matter was buried– Compressed into

bituminous coal– Further compressed into its

most usable form, anthracite

How coal is formed

How are uranium and plutonium mined?

• Uranium mines are:– Open pit– In situ– Underground

• Plutonium is extracted from uranium deposits• Radioactive elements used in nuclear energy– Occurs in extremely small amounts in most rocks

Assignment!

• Cookie mining lab– If we don’t have time today be prepared

tomorrow! Shoes people!– You will need:• Lab sheet• Cookie• Calculator• Toothpicks and / or paperclips• NO HANDS!

What is drilling and how is it done?

• A cutting process that uses a drill bit to cut or enlarge a hole in the Earth for extraction purposes– Oil– Natural gas

What is oil?

• Formed from the remains of tiny plants

• Non – renewable resource– Obtained by drilling

• Found using seismology and other tools such as magnetometers and gravity meters

oil formation

Assignment!

• Watch the video and answer these journal questions http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/environment/july-dec13/ecuador_08-16.html

• What is under attack and why is it important?• Why is this resource being threatened?• Was the proposal that the Ecuadorian president

made fair on a global scale? Why or why not?• How have oil companies affected local culture

between generations? • Has the culture change been a good thing for the

locals?

What is natural gas?

• Contains mostly methane• Created in bogs deep

underground• Non renewable energy

source• Mostly obtained by drilling– Commonly found in coal

seems, shale formations and sandstone beds

Assignment!

• Use the following links and write in your journal: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSm6zqJRKOM and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LBjSXWQRV8 Read http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/30/fracking-south-natural-gas-drilling-tennessee/2897895/• What process of making the well do the makers of the

first video stress? Who made the video and use this information to explain the tone in the video

• This happens due to methane getting into the groundwater from local fracking operations. What do you think about hydraulic fracturing?

What can we do?

• Alternative energy sources:– Solar– Wind– Hydroelectric– Wave power– Nuclear– Biofuel– Geothermal – Fuel cells

Assignment!• You will be placed in 4 groups – specific guidelines available

online• Each group will choose 2 sustainable energy sources

– How are the sources captured?– How does the device work?– How efficient are our means of capturing the renewable energy?– How much of the energy supply in the US does the source make up?– How much of the worldwide energy supply does your source make

up?– Evaluate their use in NC– Evaluate their use in the country and worldwide– Present – groups will be evaluated on how they present, everyone is

responsible for getting notes on these presentations

America Before Columbus

• Watch the documentary America Before Columbus• Keep a list of animals brought from:

– America to Europe– Europe to America

• Keep a list of plants brought from:– America to Europe– Europe to America

• What was the landscape like in the past in:– America – Europe

• What was agriculture like in the past in:– America– Europe

• How did Europeans change the landscape of America?

America Before Columbus

Resources• http://cnreviews.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/beijing.jpg• http://www.magmire.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Public-Transportation.jpg• http://themmmguide.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/yankee-stadium.jpg• http://www.weatherquestions.com/urban_heat_island.jpg• http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=agriculture&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=711729D7069239BA316B571575D940BA05F51702&selectedIndex=0• http://www.photo-paysage.com/albums/userpics/10001/boeuf.jpg• http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=corn+farm&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=3FEDF63691DF71D7A34F8CFE5DFCDE88737286A8&selectedIndex=3• http://www.abc.net.au/science/slab/salinity/default.htm• http://postconflict.unep.ch/sudanreport/sudan_website/doccatcher/data/Photographs%20Figures%20and%20Captions%20by%20Chapter/Ch3/Chapter%20photos/3.

3d%20The%20existence%20DSC_0211.JPG• http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=agriculture+overgrazing&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=02EE087CC331F138346F7DB0FB9E1BD9CE6B230F&selectedIndex=

0• http://images.wildmadagascar.org/pictures/tana-maroantsetra/lavaka_0091.jpg• http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=desertification+from+agriculture&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=A0283C0D8D3B9951C9B954D315766067B02032DA&sele

ctedIndex=50• http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3244/2985437389_be8793e845.jpg• http://www.humanandnatural.com/data/media/2/colorado_river_in_grand_canyon.jpg• http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zachary-podmore/colorado-river-environment_b_1306665.html• http://cdn.coastalcare.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/schema-1.jpg• http://www.actionbioscience.org/environment/voogt.html • http://www.asianewsnet.net/Nepal%e2%80%99s-national-park-shows-way-in-overgrazing-f-46275.html• http://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/global-warming/deforestation-overview/• http://www.smartmines.com• http://www.ohs.org/research/library/photograph-gallery/mining.cfm• http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201004030245• http://www.cadtracknav.com/cadtracker_subsurface_mines.html• http://www.cameco.com/mining/highland_smith/extraction_process/• http://www.businessinsider.com/canadian-oil-sands-flyover-2012-5?op=1• http://www.wvu.edu/~agexten/landrec/remining.htm• http://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2009/ee/b819315k/unauth

Resources• http://bigdogsinlittlehouses.blogspot.com/2010/10/blog-post_2810.html• http://www2.illinoisbiz.biz/coal/virtualtour/index.html• http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/Nuclear-Fuel-Cycle/Mining-of-Uranium/In-Situ-Leach-Mining-of-Uranium/#.UhK9zxaRPzI• http://www.cameco.com/mining/highland_smith/extraction_process/• http://www.hydratelife.org/?p=189• http://thechelseascrolls.com/tag/black-lung/• http://urbantick.blogspot.com/2010/03/book-manifesto-for-sustainable-cities.html• http://impressivemagazine.com/2013/07/01/green-walls/• http://organizeanything.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/wood_pile.png• http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1096/558178251_2ff622799f_z.jpg• http://www.wfpa.org/workspace/section-header-images/slideshow_harvesting.jpg• http://www.michellehenry.fr/backyard.jpg• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfzH_WTLulM• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbOcwRUwLIk• http://www.barvasandbrue.com/images/peat5.jpg• http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2012/10/121022-wood-for-heating/• http://library.thinkquest.org/06aug/00051/images/coal.jpg• http://www.stovesonline.co.uk/stove/img/coal-formation.jpg• http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=coal+mines&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=9F3335275E1F3F69838052521B9344B2DAF45B40&selectedIndex=1• http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b3/Strip_coal_mining.jpg• http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_q7Rxg4wqDyc/S7raQKwcRHI/AAAAAAAAA50/6Eex5HZl5uk/s400/West-Virginia-Coal-Mine-Explosion.jpg• http://www.kancoll.org/khq/images/71_4_osage-county_coal_mining.jpg• http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6e/Ranger_Uranium_Mine.jpg• http://redidrill.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Drilling-Rig.jpg• http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Oil_well.jpg• http://www.cflhd.gov/resources/agm/images/fig209.jpg

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