Human Impact onthe Environment

Term used to refer to a species that has died out

extinct

If a pesticide was passingthrough this food chain,which organism would have the greatest concentration of pesticide?

Bird at the top trophiclevel

A necessity of life (resource) which can NOT be replenished by natural means;

Ex: fossil fuels

Non-renewable resource

Wearing away of the surface soil by water and wind

erosion

Farming strategy in which large fields are planted with a single crop variety year after year

monoculture

a necessity of life (resource) which can regenerate quickly and that is replaceable; Ex: trees, water

Renewable resource

Increasing concentration a harmfulsubstance in organisms at higher trophic levels in a food chain or web

Name the pesticide that

concentrated in fish-eating

birds like eagles and

caused them to lay eggs

with fragile shells

Biological magnification

DDT

Program in which endangered species are allowed to breed in zoos until numbers increase and then are returned to their natural habitats

Captive breeding

Forests that have never been cut that provide unique habitats for wildlife

Old growth forests OR “virgin” forests

Uppermost layer of soil that contains most of the nutrients and is susceptible to erosion

topsoil

Wavelength of sunlight that causes sunburn, skin cancer, and cataracts whichthe ozone layer protects us from

Ultra violet (UV)

The development of highly productive crop strains and the use of modern agriculture techniques to increase yields of food crops

Green revolution

Sustainable development

Way of using natural resources without depleting them and of providing for human needs without causing long term harm to the environment

A process caused by a combination of poor farming practices, overgrazing, and drought that turns productive land in areas with dry climates into deserts

desertification

A mixture of chemicals (smoke + fog) that occurs as a gray-brown haze in the atmosphere

smog

Harmful material that can enter the biosphere through land, water, or air

pollutant

the sum total of the variety of organisms in the biosphere; It is a measure of the health of an ecosystem

biodiversity

term used to refer to a species that is at risk of becoming endangered

threatened

Splitting of ecosystems into small areas

Habitat fragmentation

a species whose population size is rapidly declining and will become extinct if the trend continues without intervention

endangered

increasing concentration a harmful substance in organisms at higher trophic levels in a food chain or web

Biological magnification

Plants or animals that have migrated or been introduced into places where they are not native and for which there are no natural predators or parasites to control their population

Invasive species

The wise management of natural resources, including the preservation of habitats and wildlife

conservation

Areas containing endangered ecosystems that could benefit most from efforts and $ to preserve them Hot spots

Atmospheric layer in which ozone (03) gas is relatively concentrated which protects us from the sun’s ultra-violet radiation

Ozone layer

Rain containing nitric and sulfuric acids caused by burning fossil fuels

Acid rain

Increase in the average temperatures of the Earth

Global warming

Fuels such as oil, coal, or natural gas produced by the decay of dead organic matter that cause many environmental problems such as global warming and acid rain Fossil fuels

Illegal hunting of animals

poaching

Zebra mussels and leafy spurge in South Dakota and rabbits in Australia are examples of what environmental problem

Invasive species

Tell two modern agricultural methodsthat are helping to preserve the environmentSatellite/GPS imaging, no-till, crop rotation, contour plowing, controlled grazing, cover crops, biological pest control

Governmental body whose job it is to monitor and enforce environmental regulations, provide education on environmental issues, conduct environmental research, and provide funding for environmental programs

Environmental Protection Agency(EPA)

Agreement signed by almost 200 countries, including the United States, which agreed to reduce (and eventually stop) the use of ozone depleting chemicals.

Montreal Protocol

The giant aquifer that supplies water for drinking and agricultural irrigation to much of the farming midwest

Ogallala

Act passed to protect endangered species thatprevents importation into the United States of anything that comes from an endangered animal

Convention on International Trade inEndangered Species (CITES) Act

Agreement, aimed at reducing global warming, which has been ratified by 104 nations that asks participants to reduce by 2012 their greenhouse gas emissions to a percentage of their 1990 emission levels. (The President Bush has questioned some of the details of the treaty and the US has not ratified it)

Kyoto Accord

Chemicals containing chlorofluorocarbonsused in aerosol cans and refrigerants thatcause a depletion of the ozone layer

CFC’s

Area in which the addition of an abundance of limiting nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus cause an algal bloom, blocking sunlight, and causing the death of organisms below

Dead zone

Tell where we could see this problem in the United States

Gulf of Mexico where Mississippi River empties

Natural process in which atmospheric gases trap energy from sunlight as heat

Greenhouse effect

the scientific study of interactions among organisms and between organisms and their environment

ecology

All the organisms that live in a place together with their nonliving or physical environment

ecosystem

an immediate increase in the amount of algae and other producers that results from the addition of a large amount of limiting nutrient

Algal bloom

Name an environmental problem caused by burning fossil fuels

Acid rainGlobal warmingAir pollution/smogHabitat destruction

Tell the cause of dead zones

Agricultural runoff

Name an invasive species that is causing problems in South Dakota

Zebra musselsLeafy spurge

Name the author whose book “Silent Spring” described the dangersof DDT and started the environmentalmovement Rachel Carson

Healthy ecosystems have a

________ level of biodiversity. low high

high

Tell something humans do that endangers species and reduces biodiversityOver hunting, poaching, habitat destruction, habitat fragmentation, industrial growth, ag runoff, burning fossil fuels (leads to global warming & acid rain); CFC’s, deforestation, air & water pollution. . . .

During the late 1950’s-early 1960’s people living

near Minamata Bay, Japan became ill with a

crippling neurological disease, later discovered

to be caused by mercury being dumped into the

ecosystem there. The toxin passed along the

food chain and people became ill from eating fish

caught in the bay.

This is an example of which concept you learned

about? Biological magnificationPollutants concentrate in the highest trophic levels (in this case… humans)

Name one of the greenhouse gasesCO2

MethaneCFC’sWater vapor

Name an effect of too much UV lightSunburn/skin cancerPremature agingCataracts/blindnessReduced crop yieldFood chain disruptions

Name the environmental problem addressed by the Kyoto Accord

Global warming(helps acid rain too)

Tell 3 “goods and services” ecosystemsprovide for humansSolar energy, food production, oxygen production, nutrient storage & recycling, climate regulation, habitats for wildlife, waste detoxification, natural pest/disease control, air/water purification, source of new medicines, soil erosion/runoff management

Name the environmental problemaddressed by the Montreal Protocol

Ozone depletion

Tell one effect of acid rain on an ecosystem

Kills fish, reduces biodiversity, damages forests, human illness/death (asthma/bronchitis)

Tell something we can do to help reduce global warming

Reduce use of fossil fuels (anything that uses less electricity or less water would help)

Drive less increase fuel efficiency on carsNational energy policy that emphasizes and encourages use of alternative energyRecycleReduce deforestation there are more. . .

How does deforestation impact global warming?

Trees remove CO2 from atmosphereduring photosynthesis; fewer trees means less CO2 is removed… more global warming

Name 3 “goods and services” provided to humans by the biosphere

Solar energyOxygen productionNutrient storage/cyclingClimate regulationfood productionHuman/industrial waste detoxificationNatural pest/disease controlSource of new medicinesSource of raw materials for building stuffAir/water purificationerosion/runoff management. . . . there are more

What does EPA stand for?

Environmental Protection Agency

Which of the following are caused byburning fossil fuels? acid rain global warming ozone depletion smog

All EXCEPT ozone depletion are caused by burning fossil fuels

Name 2 harmful effects of Ultra-violet light.

Sunburn, skin cancer, cataracts/blindness,Premature aging (wrinkles), decreased crop production, harm food chains

Which atom makes ozone?

Oxygen; O3