1. Environmental Issues
The earth’s biodiversity (number of different species that live in an area) is facing a new crisis due to a dominant new animal – MAN!!

2. 3 Main Threats to Biodiversity
Habitat Loss – biggest threat!!
Habitat Degradation – damage by pollution, acid precipitation, pesticide use, ozone depletion, etc.
Habitat Fragmentation – separation of wilderness areas

3. What is the big deal about biodiversity?
Life depends on life (food chains, webs)
Many medicines yet to be discovered (improving health)
Importance to humans (diet, drugs)
Losing biodiversity means organisms may become threatened, endangered, or even worse….EXTINCT!

4. Acid Precipitation
Cause – air pollution from the burning of fossil fuels releasing sulfur & nitrous oxides into atmosphere
Effect- deterioration/degradation of forests and lakes- change soil chemistry-release toxic elements
Solution – alternate sources of energy

5. LAND POLLUTION Cause – dumping refuse/solid waste on land
Effect – habitat degradation (damage to habitat by pollution)
Solution – Refuse, Replace, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

6. Thinning of Ozone
Cause – Chloroflourocarbons (CFC’s) – chemicals that break down the ozone layer (in refrigerants, aerosols)
Effect – increased ultraviolet radiation, skin cancer, damage to crops, etc.
Solution – quit using CFC’s!

7. GLOBAL WARMING
Cause – cutting down trees and burning fossil fuels & releasing CO2 into the atmosphere
Effect – Greenhouse effect – increased CO2 acts like a blanket, trapping heat, increase in global temp. – melting polar ice caps, flooding, increased droughts, etc.

8. WATER POLLUTION
Cause – runoff from agriculture (fertilizer), oils spills, industrial waste (sewage), heat (thermal) , pathogens, etc.
Effect – habitat degradation (due to pollution), disease transmission

9. OVERPOPULATION
Cause – High birth rate, low death rate, improved technology, etc.
Effect – Root cause of all of the other environmental issues!
Solution – lower fertility rates, education of women, etc.

10. PESTICIDE USE
Cause – spraying/applying pesticides on fields, in yard, etc.
Effect – habitat degradation, affects the entire food web also…biological magnification!!!
Solution – biological control!!! Ex. Use lady-bugs to control aphids

11. Conservation biology is a new field that studies methods and implements plans to protect biodiversity!
Habitat preservation (nature preserves)
Reintroduction programs/captivity (zoos)
Legal protection of
species (U.S.
Endangered Species
Act of 1973)