1. Human Impact Unit
Chapter 6
Ms. Pelullo
2012
Viewed from space, the lights of human settlement are obvious. The brightest areas are the most developed but not necessarily the most populated. Development is one way in which humans, who today number over 6.5 billion, have affected the biosphere

2. 6.1 – A Changing Landscape Agriculture Development Industrial Growth
Monoculture: practice of planting a single productive crop, year after year
Most important! Dependable food supply
Development
Growth of cities and suburbs is tied to the high standard of living.
PRODUCE A LOT OF WASTE!!!
Industrial Growth
Requires a lot of energy to produce and power
Burn Fossil Fuels (coal, oil, natural gas)
Waste discarded into air/water/soil

3. Nonrenewable Resources
Sustainable Development Sustainable development provides for human needs while preserving the ecosystems that produce natural resources.
Renewable Resources
Nonrenewable Resources
Can be produced or replaced by a healthy ecosystem
Examples:
Wind
Pine Tree
Freshwater
Marsh Grass
Clean Air
Natural processes cannot replenish them within a reasonable amount of time
Examples:
Fossil Fuels
Coal
Oil
Natural Gas
Minerals

4. 6.2 Using Resources Wisely
Soil Resources
Healthy soil supports both agriculture and forestry
Topsoil
The mineral-and nutrient-rich portion of soil
Can be renewable if it is managed properly
Soil Erosion (Negative Effects on Soil Quality)
Desertification: in the parts of the world with dry climates, a combo of farming, overgrazing, seasonal drought, and climate change can turn farmland into desert.
Deforestation: a loss of forests

5. Freshwater Resources Water Pollution
Pollutant: harmful material that can enter a biosphere.
Can enter water supplies from:
Single source – factory/oil spill  AKA  Point Source
Smaller sources – grease/oil washed off from streets  AKA  Nonpoint Sources
Biological Magnification: occurs if a pollutant (DDT) is picked up by an organism and is not broken down/eliminated from its body. Instead it collects body tissues

6. DDT (Biological Magnification)

7. Atmospheric Resources
Air Pollution
Smog: a gray-brown haze formed by chemical reactions among pollutants released into the air by industrial processes and automobile exhaust
Acid Rain: rain containing nitrogen and sulfur compounds that have been released from factories burning fossil fuels
Greenhouse Gases: burning fossil fuels & forests releases a stored carbon into the atmosphere as CO2 . (ex: methane)
Particulates: microscopic particles of ash/dust released by certain industrial processes and certain kinds of diesel engines. Can cause serious health issues.

8. Ever been to Los Angeles, California???
Wake up to SMOG every day!!! 
Particulates
Greenhouse Gases

9. 6.3 – Biodiversity The total of all the genetically based variation in all organisms in the biosphere
Types of Biodiversity
Ecosystem Diversity: variety of habitats, communities, and ecological processes in the biosphere
Species Diversity: the number of different species in the biosphere in a particular area
Genetic Diversity: the sum total of all the different forms of genetic information carried by a particular species.

10. Threats to Biodiversity  we are to blame! 
Altered Habitats
Elimination for agriculture/urban development
Habitat Fragmentation: development which splits ecosystems into pieces.
Hunting/Demand for Wildlife Products
Pushing species to extinction
CITES – the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species  ban international trade

11. Threats to Biodiversity  we are to blame! 
Introduced Species
Organisms that are introduced to new habitats can become invasive & threaten biodiversity.
Pollution
DDT
Acid Rain (stress on land/water organisms)
Increased CO2 in the atmosphere is dissolving in Oceans, making them more acidic
Climate Change
Organisms are adapted to their environment – specific tolerance ranges to temperature… If conditions change, then the organism must relocate or face extinction

12. Conserving Biodiversity
To conserve biodiversity, we must:
Protect Individual Species
Various associates designed to help oversee the survival of species
Preserve Habitats and Ecosystems
Governments and Conservation Groups have set aside land as parks & reserves.
Marine Sanctuaries
National Parks, Forests, and other protected areas
Consider Local Interests
Individuals change habitat/way of living
Offer of rewards or incentives
Tax Credits (for solar panels/hybrid cars)

13. 6.4 – Meeting Ecological Challenges
Ecological Footprint
Describes the total area of functioning land and water ecosystems needed both to provide the resources an individual/population uses and to absorb & make harmless the wastes that individual/population generates

14. Human Population Growth
LET’S CHECK IT OUT!