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Human Impact
Climate Change (aka Global Warming)
Global Warming
Climate Change WHAT?
•The rise in average temperature of Earth’s atmosphere and oceans. •Greenhouse gas levels in the air are increasing (CO2 methane, nitrous oxide primarily)•This prevents heat from escaping causing slight world wide temperature increases
Climate Change CAUSE/EFFECT
Causes•The burning of fossil fuels•Deforestation•Fertilizers on crops•Livestock•Decomposition in landfills
Effects•Sea level Rise•Glacial Melting•Increase in Storm Strengths•Changes in seasons and ecosystems
WHAT is ozone?
• Protective layer 9.3 – 18.6 miles above earth that block UV rays
Hole in the Ozone Cause/Effect
CAUSECaused by aerosol chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) that escape into atmosphere and reacts with ozoneEFFECTAllows more UV rays penetrate the atmosphere and cause harm to many organisms (cancer, cataracts, plant damage)
****THIS DOES NOT CAUSE GLOBAL WARMING. THE TWO ARE NOT RELATED !!!
Deforestation
What? Removal of forest/habitat
Cause and Effect
CAUSE Demand for wood products, need for space, farmland, housing, roads
EFFECT–Loss of habitat –habitat fragmentation: habitat is broken into smaller areas and animals and plants are forced into confined areas–Erosion, flooding, change in weather–Increase in CO2 in atmosphere due to less plants using the gas to photosynthesize
Acid RainWhat? Acidic precipitation
CAUSEBurning of fossil fuels (such as coal) releases sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. When they react with water they create sulfuric acid and nitric acid.EFFECTHas harmful effects on plants, animals, aquatic environments as well as infrastructure
Invasive species (EXOTIC SPECIES)WHAT/CAUSEAnimals or plants introduced by people accidentally or intentionallyEFFECTCan cause major ecological disaster if no natural predators are present and they out compete natural residents-asian carp, kudzu, lionfish, snakehead, python, wild boar, Cane toadNC Invasive Species
PollutionWHAT?Fertilizers, animal waste, particulate, and
toxins entering the ecosystem from agriculture, industry and households
Cause/EffectSmog (low level haze of particulates)Algal Blooms (from nutrient overload)Biomaccumulation: build up of toxins in
organisms fatty tissuesAt each trophic level, chemical concentration
increases: Biomagnification Example: DDT concentrations increase from plankton to fish to fish-eating birds.
Fish-Eating BirdsMagnification ofDDT Concentration
10,000,000
100,000
10,000
1,000,000
1
1000
LargeFish
Small Fish
Zooplankton
Producers
Water
Rachel Carson
DDT
Figure 6-16 Biological Magnification of DDT
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