Human Activities can Alter Ecosystems

Aaron GaeckeCory Hahlbeck

How human activities can

impact chemical cycles

• Chemical cycles keep the amount of chemicals on Earth perfectly in balance.

 oThere are several

major cycles, including the:Oxygen CycleNitrogen CycleCarbon Cycle

Examples of Human Activities that impact Chemical Cycles

•  Human activities that cause Greenhouse-Gases can disturb the cycle by increasing the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere

• Oil spillso Large oil spills can impacto the environment on a large scale

How human activities and pollution can affect

food chains

 Every living being depends on one another for survival whether it be for food, or protection, or something else.

o Humans have upset this balance by: Polluting, taking large amounts of food from the

oceans, and many other reasons.

Examples of Human Activities that affect Food Chains

•  Breaking one link on the chain means all of the organaisms above that link are in threat of extinction (like the domino effect)

• Human involvement in the form of habitat destruction, pollution, and overfishing can affect food webs and food chains.

Ecosystem. (2010). [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.ace.mmu.ac.uk/esd/Images/ecosystem.gif

Utah Education Network , Initials. (1999). Chemical cycles. Retrieved from http://www.uen.org/themepark/cycles/chemical.shtml  Impact of man's activities. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.tutorvista.com/content/science/science-ii/environment/activities-environment.php   Eco-green. (2010). [Web]. Retrieved from http://dryicons.com/files/graphics_previews/eco_green.jpg Lime-green. (2010). [Web]. Retrieved from http://backgrounds.mysitemyway.com/wp-content/Userfiles/Galleries/foliage-swirls/foliage-swirls-000121-lime-green.jpg  Recycle. (2010). [Web]. Retrieved from http://thefreemarketeers.files.wordpress.com/2009/05/recycle.jpg Stream pollution. (2010). [Web]. Retrieved from http://clipart.coolclips.com/150/wjm/tf05152/CoolClips_vc006278.jpg  Fish chain. (2010). [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.cotf.edu/ete/images/modules/k4/biomes/Bhandson3P1 Wetland food map. (2010). [Web]. Retrieved from  http://waterwatchadelaide.net.au/uploads/images/wetlands/food_web_arrow.gif

 United Nations Environment Programme, Initials. (1997). What Human activities contribute to climate change?. Retrieved from http://www.gcrio.org/ipcc/qa/04.html

Sources ~ APA