1. Biological Diversity & Conservation

2. Human Activities… …affect the biosphere Hunting and gathering
Have caused extinctions
Agriculture
Provides food supply
Source of pollution
Industry and Urban development
Pollution producer
Loss of farmland
Loss of habitats

3. Resources
Renewable resources - can be replaced within a human’s lifetime
can regenerate (ex. trees, plants) or can be replenished easily (ex. water)
Nonrenewable resources – limited, not usually replaceable within centuries
cannot be replenished easily by natural processes
(ex. fossil fuels – take millions of years to form)

4. “If no one person owns it, everybody does!”

5. Resources
As the population grows, it exerts pressure on Earth’s natural resources
How do we do that? What do we do?
Effective management of Earth’s resources will help meet the needs of the future
What are some ways of managing natural resources?
What will happen when humans reach carrying capacity on Earth?

6. Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the variety of all organisms in the biosphere

7. Biodiversity Biodiversity is important because…
Organisms give us resources – food, medicine, industrial products
Maintains food webs and balance in nature
Living things are interdependent – humans are part of food webs and energy cycles

9. Threats to Biodiversity
Endangerment: a population so small that it’s in danger of extinction
Extinction: when no members of a species are left alive

10. Threats to Biodiversity
endangered
threatened
extinct

12. Threats to Biodiversity
3. Habitat Destruction
Deforestation and development split ecosystems, cutting species off from one another and endangering resources like food --- also called habitat fragmentation

13. Threats to Biodiversity
3. Habitat Destruction
Deforestation causes soil erosion and drought (no rain)

15. Habitat Loss… The biggest reason for the decline in biodiversity
Results in loss of habitat – makes a species more vulnerable to extinction

17. Threats to Biodiversity
4. Bioaccumulation (biomagnification)
Toxic chemicals (from pesticides, herbicides) build up in animal tissue and move up a food chain; hurts highest level consumers

18. Threats to Biodiversity
4. Bioaccumulation (biomagnification)
DDT (a pesticide) accumulated at higher trophic levels, was banned in the U.S. in 1972; Silent Spring” – Rachel Carson

19. Threats to Biodiversity
4. Bioaccumulation (biomagnification)
DDT (a pesticide) accumulated at higher trophic levels, was banned in the U.S. in 1972; Silent Spring” – Rachel Carson

21. Threats to Biodiversity
4. Bioaccumulation (biomagnification)
Alternatives:
Integrated Pest Management : using predatory insects to control pests instead of harmful chemicals
For example, ladybugs eat aphids

22. Threats to Biodiversity
5. Invasive species
Foreign species brought into an ecosystem (by accident or on purpose)
No natural predators
Examples: kudzu, pythons, zebra mussel

23. KUDZU

24. Non-native species
Pythons in FL
Snakeheads

25. Threats to Biodiversity
6. Global Warming & Climate Change
Overall rise in global temperature because of increased greenhouse gases in the atmosphere

26. Threats to Biodiversity
6. Global Warming
Effects of global warming:
Drought (changed weather patterns)
Ice cap melting and sea level rise (loss of habitats)

27. Threats to Biodiversity
7. Ozone Depletion
Ozone layer protects us from UV rays --- UV rays damage living tissues and cause cancer

28. Threats to Biodiversity
7. Ozone Depletion
Use of CFCs (from aerosols resulted in ozone depletion

29. Threats to Biodiversity
8. Pollution
Water Pollution: when excess fertilizers and waste are carried into lakes and streams, it can cause algal blooms – depleting oxygen and endangering other organisms

30. Threats to Biodiversity
8. Pollution
Land Pollution: most trash becomes part of billions of tons of solid waste buried in landfills
Trash burning releases greenhouse gases, landfills poison soils and destroy habitats

37. Threats to Biodiversity
9. Acid Rain
Burning fossil fuels (from industry and cars) releases sulfur and nitrogen compounds into the atmosphere, which combine with water in the air to make acids, which then fall as rain.

38. Threats to Biodiversity
9. Acid Rain
Acidification affects aquatic ecosystems
Damages plants by acidification of soils
Breakdown of building materials, paints, statues, and sculptures that are part of our cultural heritage

39. Poor management of the environment leads to…
Soil Erosion (loss of fertile soil, less agriculture) and desertification (productive landdesert)
Deforestation (loss of forests, habitats)
Overfishing and overgrazing
General loss of resources

40. Conservation…past and future steps
Wise management of natural resources (renewable and non-renewable)
Efforts to preserve habitats and the species within

41. Conservation…past and future steps
More examples:
Stewardship: the activity or job of protecting and being responsible for something

42. Conservation…past and future steps
More examples:
Conservation of water, paper (recycling)
Establishment of natural parks, nature reserves
Protecting endangered species, making efforts to breed/restore populations

43. Conservation…past and future steps
Example: identifying “Hot Spots”
Areas where species are in danger of extinction
1933 – Civilian Conservation Corp.
“Tree Army”
1966 – Endangered Species Preservation Act
1970 – 1st celebration of Earth Day

44. Sustainable Development
Using natural resources without depleting them or causing long-term environmental harm
Examples:
Integrated Pest Management
Recycling of natural resources

45. Captain Planet!