Unit IMs. Forman

Understanding our EnvironmentEnvironment- what does that word mean to you?

What is included in the environment?

Environment:•All the things around us with which we

interact:•Living things

• Animals, plants, forests, fungi, etc.•Nonliving things

• Continents, oceans, clouds, soil, rocks•Our built environment

• Buildings, human-created living centers•Social relationships and institutions

Environmental ScienceThe study of the impact of humans on the

environment.Humans:Humans:

Change the environmentChange the environmentDepend on the environmentDepend on the environment

Goals of Enviro Sci:Goals of Enviro Sci:Understand environmental problemsUnderstand environmental problemsWork to solve environmental problemsWork to solve environmental problems

Understanding & Solving Environmental Problems

Scientists study 2 types of Scientists study 2 types of interactions:interactions:1: how people use natural 1: how people use natural

resources (water, plants)resources (water, plants)2: people’s actions on the enviro 2: people’s actions on the enviro

(must gather and analyze data)(must gather and analyze data)

Interacting Fields of StudyEcology: study of living things & their interactions with each other and the environment.

Ecologist: Study the relationship b/t bees and plants they pollinate.

Enviro Scientist: Investigate how the nesting behavior of bees is influenced by human activities.

Interacting Fields of StudyChemistry: understand nature of pollutantsGeology: model how pollutants travel underground

Botany, Zoology: Info to preserve speciesPaleontology: study of fossils help understand climates of the past.

Science is a process!

Time & The EnvironmentHumans have changed the environment since the beginning of human history.

Hunter-gatherersOverhunting & natural climate change-extinction of animals

Overgrazing- setting fires to prevent tree growth

Agri RevolutionAgriculture: practice of growing, breeding and

caring for plants and animals for specific purposes.

Began approx. 10,000 years agoAllowed human growth to skyrocket

Area can support 500x the amount of people compared to hunting/gathering

Artificial Selectionseeds, traits/qualities

Changed ecosystems: forests-> fields

Industrial RevolutionEverything changed- mid 1700sShift from animals-> fossil fuelsGreatly increased efficiency of agriculture, industry, transportation

Price of large-scale goods decreasedFewer people grew own food, cities grew.

Fossil fuels, motorized vehicles allowed for “cheap” transportation of food.

Industrial RevolutionIncrease in human quality of life

Light bulb, telephoneSanitationNutritionMedical care

Industrial RevolutionNew Case of Environmental ProblemsArtificial substancesPlasticsBurning of Fossil Fuels= CO2 Emissions

Earth: A Closed SystemEnvironmental Problems: local, regional, global

Population Growth: world population has increased dramatically.

Carrying Capacity on Earth?

Human PopulationThere will soon be seven billion people on the planet.

By 2045 global population is projected to reach nine billion.

Can the planet take the strain?

National Geographic“The Coming Storm”

Read, Reaction

Main Environmental Problems

What do you think?

Main Environmental Problems Three catagories:

1. Resource Depletion2. Pollution3. Loss of Biodiversity

Resource DepletionWhat is a natural resource?

Any natural material used by humans.

Two types: NonrenewableRenewableWhat’s the difference?

Resource Depletion:Renewable ResourceResource that can be replaced relatively

quickly (less than 100 yrs) by natural processes.

Ex: Fresh water, air, soil, trees, crops.

Resource Depletion:Nonrenewable ResourceResource that forms at a much slower rate

than it is consumed.Ex: Minerals, Fossil fuels.

Most take millions of years to form

Resource Depletion: What is Depletion?Depletion: when large fraction of resource

has been used up. Ex: deforestation, overharvesting,

overfishing, mining.

PollutionIndustrial revolution-> major pollutionWastes are produced faster than disposal/breakdown.

Pollution: undesired change in air, water, or soil that adversely affects the health, survival, or activities of humans or other organisms.

Human Activity= pollution

PollutionTwo Types: Biodegradable, DegradableBiodegradable Pollutants: can be broken down by natural processes (human wastes, food wastes)

Problem when accumulate faster than they can be broken down.

PollutionNondegradable Pollutants:

Cannot be broken down by natural process.

Ex: mercury, lead, plastics.Don’t go away->can build up to dangerous levels.

National Geographic“Pollution Within”

Loss of BiodiversityBiodiversity: number and variety of species that live in an area.

Earth: hundreds of millions of discovered species.

Only a fraction are alive today- others are extinct.

Extinction is a natural process.Mass extinctions have occurred throughout history.

(Discovery Channels Mass Exctinction activity)

http://dsc.discovery.com/earth/wide-angle/mass-extinctions-timeline.html

Loss of BiodiversityOther organisms= natural resources

We depend on other organisms for survival.

Extinct Species-> nonrenewable resource

Why should we conserve?

Planet EarthSaving Species