Ch 6 Humans in the Biosphere

Resources Sustainable development: provides for human needs while preserving the ecosystems that produce natural resources Renewable resources: products that can be replaced by a healthy ecosystem Example: trees Nonrenewable resources: natural processes cannot replenish them in a reasonable amount of time Fossil Fuels: coal, oil, gas These are formed from organic materials over the years

Important Resources Soil Water Promotes agriculture and forestry Soil Erosion: removal of soil by wind or water Desertification  results from removal of soil Deforestation  leads to severe soil erosion Water Needed for drinking water, transportation, energy, etc. Pollutants harm the waters and the organisms using them Biological magnification: pollutants are picked up by the organism and not eliminates Pollutants magnify as you go through the trophic levels

Important Resources (cont.) Air Provides the oxygen we need to stay alive and the greenhouse gases to regulate the Earth’s temperature Air Pollution Smog: brown haze released by industrial processes Acid Rain: cause by fossil fuels releasing nitrogen and sulfur Greenhouse Gases: too much causes global warming and climate change

Biodiversity Biodiversity: all genetically based variation in all organisms in the biosphere Threats to Biodiversity Altered habitats Hunting Invasive Species Pollution Climate Change Conserving Biodiversity Captive breeding programs Preserving habitats and ecosystems