Humans in the Humans in the BiosphereBiospherePFHS Biology – Chapter 6PFHS Biology – Chapter 6

Things ChangeThings Change

Hunting and gatheringHunting and gathering Hunted, fished, Hunted, fished,

gathered fruits, nuts, gathered fruits, nuts, berries, seeds, etcberries, seeds, etc

NomadicNomadic Few demands upon the Few demands upon the

environment and environment and allowed resupplyallowed resupply

Things ChangeThings Change

AgricultureAgriculture Domesticated plants and Domesticated plants and

animals and grew suppliesanimals and grew supplies Stayed in 1 placeStayed in 1 place Stable/predictable food Stable/predictable food

supplysupply Larger stable settlementsLarger stable settlements Elements of civilizationElements of civilization

Government, lawsGovernment, laws writingwriting

Things ChangeThings Change

Green revolutionGreen revolution Equipment/machineryEquipment/machinery Improved seed and Improved seed and

techniquestechniques Fertilizers and pesticidesFertilizers and pesticides Doubled food production Doubled food production

in 50 yearsin 50 years Less manpower = death Less manpower = death

of rural areasof rural areas

Things ChangeThings Change

Industrial RevolutionIndustrial Revolution Mechanization and Mechanization and

factoriesfactories Urbanization to provide Urbanization to provide

workforceworkforce Reliance on fossil fuelsReliance on fossil fuels Overcrowding/ PollutionOvercrowding/ Pollution Demands on the Demands on the

environmentenvironment Evils of society ?Evils of society ?

ResourcesResources

Renewable – Renewable – regenerated or regenerated or replenished faster replenished faster than usedthan used

Water, wood fiber, Water, wood fiber, cattle, windpowercattle, windpower

ResourcesResources

Non-renewable – Non-renewable – cannot be cannot be replenished by replenished by natural processes or natural processes or is so slow as to is so slow as to eliminate it as usableeliminate it as usable

Fossil fuels, Fossil fuels, minerals, metalsminerals, metals

Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development

Human activities can affect the quality Human activities can affect the quality and supply of renewable resources such and supply of renewable resources such as land, forests, fisheries, air, and fresh as land, forests, fisheries, air, and fresh waterwater

Development must provide for our needs Development must provide for our needs while maintaining ecosystem goods and while maintaining ecosystem goods and services that are renewableservices that are renewable

Land ResourcesLand Resources

Space for communitiesSpace for communities Raw materials for industryRaw materials for industry Soil for agricultureSoil for agriculture DangersDangers

ErosionErosion desertificationdesertification

Forest ResourcesForest Resources

Important products – lumber, paper, Important products – lumber, paper, furniture, fuel, food, etc.furniture, fuel, food, etc.

Oxygen/carbon balanceOxygen/carbon balance Diversity of habitatsDiversity of habitats Moderate climateModerate climate Limit soil erosionLimit soil erosion Protect fresh water suppliesProtect fresh water supplies

Forest ResourcesForest Resources

ManagementManagement Sustainable management practicesSustainable management practices Plant/grow/harvest/grow/harvest/plant cyclesPlant/grow/harvest/grow/harvest/plant cycles

DangersDangers Deforestation – removing forest permanently Deforestation – removing forest permanently

for other uses (or no use at all)for other uses (or no use at all) Fire – destruction of uses, may lead to Fire – destruction of uses, may lead to

deforestationdeforestation See previous pageSee previous page

The most The most forested of the forested of the Rocky Mt. Rocky Mt. statesstates

Fishery ResourcesFishery Resources

Invaluable food sourceInvaluable food source Overfishing/Overfishing/

pollutionhas damaged pollutionhas damaged itit

Commercial use has Commercial use has developed limitsdeveloped limits

Aquaculture is Aquaculture is becoming popular, but becoming popular, but has its own has its own problems/dangersproblems/dangers

Air ResourcesAir Resources

Do we actually have Do we actually have to discuss the to discuss the importance of this importance of this resource?resource?

Air ResourcesAir Resources

DangersDangers Pollutant – a substance where it doesn’t Pollutant – a substance where it doesn’t

belongbelong NaturalNatural Man madeMan made

Smog – smoke+fog, a polluting hazeSmog – smoke+fog, a polluting haze Acid rain – pollutants dissolved into the Acid rain – pollutants dissolved into the

atmospheric water vapor, falls, DAMAGESatmospheric water vapor, falls, DAMAGES The list of pollution types is endlessThe list of pollution types is endless

Freshwater ResourcesFreshwater Resources

Another one that Another one that really needs no really needs no explanationexplanation

Water UsesWater Uses

BiodiversityBiodiversity

Variety in living thingsVariety in living things One of our greatest natural resourcesOne of our greatest natural resources Foods, industrial products, medicines provided Foods, industrial products, medicines provided

by a variety of organismsby a variety of organisms Some future life-saving substances may come Some future life-saving substances may come

from organisms that have not been discovered from organisms that have not been discovered yetyet Watch the video “The Medicine Man” with Elaine Watch the video “The Medicine Man” with Elaine

Bracco and Sean ConneryBracco and Sean Connery

Threats to BiodiversityThreats to Biodiversity Extinction – permanent disappearance of Extinction – permanent disappearance of

a species a species Endangered species – declining in a way Endangered species – declining in a way

that extinction is a definite possibilitythat extinction is a definite possibility Threatened species – suffering a Threatened species – suffering a

dangerous decline in numbersdangerous decline in numbers Human activity is a major threatHuman activity is a major threat

Hunting, fishing, pollution, introduction of Hunting, fishing, pollution, introduction of foreign species, and alteration of habitatforeign species, and alteration of habitat

Introduced speciesIntroduced species

Little known threatLittle known threat Become invasive species that reproduce Become invasive species that reproduce

rapidly because they no longer have their rapidly because they no longer have their “natural controls” from their original “natural controls” from their original environmentenvironment

Successfully outcompete the native Successfully outcompete the native speciesspecies

Conserving BiodiversityConserving Biodiversity

Today, conservation efforts focus on Today, conservation efforts focus on protecting entire ecosystems as well as protecting entire ecosystems as well as single species. That ensuresthat the single species. That ensuresthat the natural habitats and the interactions of natural habitats and the interactions of many different species are preserved at many different species are preserved at the same time.the same time.

The biggest challenge – time and $$$The biggest challenge – time and $$$

Biggest ConcernsBiggest Concerns

Ozone depletion – leading to more UV Ozone depletion – leading to more UV exposure…..which leads to skin cancers, exposure…..which leads to skin cancers, eye damage, plant damage, and reduced eye damage, plant damage, and reduced resistance to diseaseresistance to disease

Can we make the switch to non-CFC Can we make the switch to non-CFC substances?substances?

Will the ozone repair itself?Will the ozone repair itself?

Biggest ConcernsBiggest Concerns

Global Warming – a rise in the Earth’s Global Warming – a rise in the Earth’s average temperatureaverage temperature

It is both natural and manmade:It is both natural and manmade: Natural cycles of sun and earthNatural cycles of sun and earth Enhanced greenhouse effect from man’s Enhanced greenhouse effect from man’s

activitiesactivities

The End……… of this presentation