Human Impact On The Biosphere`

Human Impact  The human population is increasing at a rapid rate  This can cause other species to go extinct  Other species are disappearing 1000X faster than they ever have  Humans deplete resources

Habitat Loss  1970’s-1980’s Amazonian rain forests were cleared to create farmland.  Land became worthless because rain forest soil has little use  Clearing land erased habitats  Coral Reefs-Disease and changes in water temperature can kill coral

Habitat Degradation  Habitat degradation is damage to a habitat by pollution  Acid Precipitation  Ozone Depletion  Water Pollution  Land Pollution  As human population increases we must destroy ecosystems to build homes, buildings, factories, etc. Damages biodiversity

Hunting  Unregulated hunting can lead to extinction  American Buffalo were nearly hunted to extinction in the 1800’s  Due to newly passed laws they have not been hunted and have now grown to almost 200,000  Poaching-Illegal hunting

Habitat Fragmentation  Separation of wilderness areas from other wilderness areas  Effects:  Increased extinction  Disruption of ecological processes  Biodiversity is decreased

Endangered Species in NC  1 out of every 5 species in North Carolina is either threatened or endangered  Habitat Loss- People begin to build on undeveloped areas which kills habitats

Endangered Species in NC  Reptiles-Loggerhead Sea Turtle  Mammals-North Carolina Flying Squirrel  Insects-Spruce-Fir Moss Spider  Birds-Red-Cockaded Woodpecker

Human Needs  It is important to preserve biodiversity but human needs can’t be ignored  In developed countries protecting biodiversity often comes into conflict with people’s jobs  Delicate balance between economy and the environment