1. Understanding Ecology
Chapter 1:
Understanding Ecology
Goals/Objectives
Describe ecosystem balance
Explain how human activities have impacted ecosystem balance

2. Environmental Science
__________________________________
Among living organisms
Between organisms and their surroundings
physical features
chemical features

3. Environmentalist Environmentalism Environmentalist
strong concern for environment
____________________________________________________________________
not the same as ecology
Environmentalist
_________________________________________________________Ecologist
Uses the Scientific Method to study the interactions between organisms and their environment

4. Ecosystem Organisms interact not only with each other
__________________________________________________________________________
Ecosystem
a community of _______________________.
all of the ____________________ features of the environment
water, soil, rocks, buildings

5. Shared Resources All organisms share some basic resources
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
All organisms have common needs: nutrition to meet energy needs
Plants need _________________________________________
Plants need ___________________________
Other organisms:_____________________________________

6. Ecosystem Balance
A theoretical state in which living organisms and nonliving resources are maintained at constant levels.
Space, food, shelter, water, nutrient needs are met
No depletion of resources; ________________________________________________________________________________________.

7. Human Impacts Human activities impact shared resources and environment
increased erosion
_________________________
industrial and solid wastes
_____________________

8. Erosion Wind and water naturally transport soil
Human activities have increased rates
___________________________________________
Too much erosion threatens or harms
water supplies
soil

9. Pollution Harmful material makes contact with life-sustaining resource
soil
air
Pollution can take a variety of forms

10. Industrial Waste Each segment of society produces wastes
__________________________________________________
includes a variety of substances

11. Solid Wastes Includes material gathered by trash or garbage collectors
Some sent to ________________________
Some solid wastes are burned
Some solid waste is ___________________

12. Solid Wastes Solid wastes in landfills
take longer than expected to break down
some landfills leak ____________________________
Burned solid wastes threaten air quality

13. Pesticides Large amounts used each year pollute environment
containers often _______________________________

14. Petroleum Oily, flammable liquid
occurs naturally in _____________________________
Used to produce large variety of products
_________________________________________
Toxic when released into environment

15. Exxon Valdez: Alaska, 1989
11 million gallons of oil spread throughout the waters of Prince William Sound
damaged coastal areas
killed _______________________________________

16. Deepwater Horizon: Gulf of Mexico, 2010
______________________ gallons spilled

17. Law of Conservation of Matter
_______________________________________ **That includes waste, pollutants, chemicals… We burn gasoline…converting it to carbon dioxide, methane, particulates, and other wastes that enter the atmosphere Is any ecosystem in the biosphere in balance?

18. Biosphere II Extremely difficult to maintain balance
Oxygen levels deficient over time
Move to Mars???

19. Exit Slip List three types of pollution
Explain how the Law of Conservation of Matter applies to human pollution