Human Activities' Impact on Biodiversity & Water: Understanding Species & Ecosystems, Quizzes of Environmental Science

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Biological Diversity

the variety and variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes in which they occur TERM 2

Genetic Diversity

DEFINITION 2 amount of genetic variation within or among populations of a given species TERM 3

Species Diversity

DEFINITION 3 the number of species in a given community TERM 4

Community Level Diversity

DEFINITION 4 variation in special assemblages based on variation in habitat within a ecosystem type TERM 5

- Ecosystem Level Diversity

DEFINITION 5

• variation in ecosystems across landscape or region

What is a species

• groups of interbreeding organisms- 1.4-1.7 million described species - over 1 million are animals - <5% of described are animals- 10-100 million estimated species TERM 7

Classifications are ranked according to...

DEFINITION 7

1. Similarity2. Common ancestry TERM 8

Scientific Classification

DEFINITION 8 Kingdom Phylum Class Order Family Genus Species TERM 9

Kingdoms of Life

DEFINITION 9 Plants, Animals, Fungi, Protists, Bacteria, Archaebacteria Prokaryotes: do NOT have membrane bound nucleus nor other organelles, and are unicellular Eukaryotes: HAVE membrane bound nucleus and other organelles, can be either multicellular or unicellular TERM 10

How much of Earth's biodiversity do Ants

make up?

DEFINITION 10 50%

Rarity

a species that is either very uncommon throughout its range, or its range is very small TERM 12

Endemism

DEFINITION 12 an endemic species occurs nowhere else, most common on islands - Hawaii known for this, mostly with birds TERM 13

Bird Species last about...

DEFINITION 13 1-2 million years- currently 10,00 species exist TERM 14

Causes of Extinction

DEFINITION 14

• Habitat Degradation - 85%- Invasive Species - 49%- Pollution - 24%- Overexploitation - 17%- Disease - 3% TERM 15

Importance of Biodiversity

DEFINITION 15 nature provides compounds of immense importance to science and medicine - nearly half of medicinal drugs are derived from nature (in past 25 years) - nature provides inspiration for a wide variety of scientific disciplines

Aquatic Ecosystems

aquatic biomes occupy the largest part of the biosphere - 67% of Earth - marine algae and photosynthetic bacteria produce large portion of Earth's oxygen and consume a hefty amount of CO2 emissions - Influenced by; light penetration, type of bottom substrate, water temperature, and dissolved materials TERM 17

Human impacts on Marine Ecosystems

DEFINITION 17

• overfishing- aquaculture- coral reefs TERM 18

Pelagic Marine

DEFINITION 18

• open water environment- Euphotic Zone: where photosynthesis occurs- Benthic Marine: bottom of the oceanCoral Reefs: - most diverse biomes - uptake carbon and are a symbiotic relationship with surrounding organisms Mangrove Swamps - important nursery for shrimp, fish (warm, shoreline areas)- Abyssal: Deep, no light depend on organic matter from above TERM 19

Oceanic Fisheries

DEFINITION 19

• 70% of world's marine fisheries are overexploited or in danger of becoming so- many species of fish have become commercial extinct: no longer economically profitable to harvest TERM 20

Sustainable Harvest

DEFINITION 20 Ideal strategy, harvest population to maximize growth rate - determines how quickly fish can be removed, while still remaining in a healthy stock - keep population at half carrying capacity

Tragedy of the Commons

Each group is trying to maximize their own returns at the expense of the common resource - run out too quickly, everyone loses in the end TERM 22

International Commission for the

Conservation of Atlantic Tunas

DEFINITION 22

• Manages tuna and tuna like species- Supposed to manage for maximum sustainable yield- Started in response to the overexploitation of Bluefin Tune TERM 23

Bluefin Tuna

DEFINITION 23 Early 1990s, Sweden wanted to list Bluefin Tuna to CITESLobbying in the US, Canada, and Japan led Sweden to accept compromise for a 50% reduction in catch - Efforts failed due to; - lack of commitment by Commission, quota problem, no support, non-member actions TERM 24

Aquaculture

DEFINITION 24 breeding and raising of fish and shellfish specifically for food - rapidly increases industry - 1/4 of marine fisheries TERM 25

Problems with Aquaculture

DEFINITION 25

1. Depletes natural fish populations2. Fish wastes3. Genetic Diversity4. Can still be by catch5. Habitat Destruction

Negative Impacts on Freshwater Ecosystem

• overharvesting of resources- habitat modification - channelization, dams, wetlands, changes in terrestrial landscape- invasive species- pollution TERM 27

Estuary

DEFINITION 27 shallow, partly enclosed area where salinity changes with tides - very productive - nutrients from river - light penetration- important nursery areas for crustaceans and fish TERM 28

Freshwater - Lakes

DEFINITION 28 Three Main Habitats;1. Littoral Zone: shallow areas, with rooted submergence and emergent plants2. Pelagic Zone: deeper areas of open water3. Bethic Zone: bottom TERM 29

Channelization

DEFINITION 29 the dredging of stream channelsProblems:1. altered flow regimes, which species are not adapted to2. Loss of Habitat TERM 30

Dams

DEFINITION 30

• 75,000 dams over 2m tall, plus 2.5 million smaller dams in the US aloneBenefits:- water supply, hydropower, flood controlPhysical Effects:- alterations of flow, prevents sediment from moving downstreamBiological Effects:- interrupts fish migrationHuman Health Effects:- schistosomiasis, a parasite

Wetlands

transitional habitat between aquatic and terrestrial environments, where water table is at or near the surface- includes marshes, swamps, bogs, estuaries, ponds, etc... TERM 32

Audubon Society Seafood Ratings

DEFINITION 32 Green - abundant, well managedYellow - some concern over species statusRed - severe overfishing, poorly managed TERM 33

The Concept of Water

DEFINITION 33

• Essential for life, every cell is at least 60% water- Animals can survive weeks without food, but only a few days without water- Universal Solvent - carriessubstances - nutrients and wastes TERM 34

Mahomet Aquifer

DEFINITION 34

• buried 100-200 feet below the surface- consumption from aquifer averages 100 million gallons per day- well levels have dropped 50ft since 1950 TERM 35

Domestic Water Use

DEFINITION 35

• average person in the US uses 80-100 gallons of water per day- 90% of domestic water is supplied by municipal water systems- groundwater and surface water are used

Agricultural Water Use

• 37% comes from groundwater, the rest come from surface water- irrigation for crops and livestock, often far away TERM 37

Industrial Water Use

DEFINITION 37

• accounts for nearly 50% of all water withdrawn in the US- 90% of water used by the industry is used simply for cooling purposes- water used to dissipate and transport waste TERM 38

Water Pollution

DEFINITION 38 Point Sources : definite sources and place where pollution enters water Nonpoint Sources : diffuse pollutants without distinct source- i.e.agriculturalrunoff- makes up majority of pollution- leads to both surface and groundwater pollution- largely unregulated TERM 39

Industrial Water Pollution

DEFINITION 39

• organic matter, petroleum products, metals, acids, toxic compounds, nutrients, particulates- point sources are more regulated than nonpoint sources TERM 40

Agricultural Water Pollution

DEFINITION 40

• nutrients, pesticides, erosionSolutions:1. buffer strips for vegetation2. conservation tillage3. reduced fertilizer and pesticide applications

Marine Oil

Pollution

• more oil is released as a result of small, regular releases- 2/3 of all human-caused marine oil from; - oil discharges, street runoff, improper disposal of lubricants TERM 42

Groundwater Pollution

DEFINITION 42

• due to agricultural products and underground storage tanks- landfills greatly contribute to this issue - 90% in North America do not protect groundwater from leaching material TERM 43

Clean Water Act

DEFINITION 43 Refuse Act (1899) - kept water open for navigation, banned disposal of refuse in navigational waters, and was the first effective legal weapon against pollution- run by EPA- goal: achieve swimable, drinkable, fishable, waters- includes civil and criminal penelties- does not apply to groundwater or nonpoint sources TERM 44

Other Water Legislation in the USA

DEFINITION 44

• Safe Drinking Water Act- Federal Coastal Zone Management Act- Federal Wildlife and Scenic Rivers Act - established system to protect wild and scenic rivers from development TERM 45

Water Diversion

DEFINITION 45 transferring water from one place to another

How much lake volume and surface area have

been lost since 1960s?

75% of volume50% of surface area TERM 47

Invasive Species

DEFINITION 47 Introduced : species can be introduced deliberately or accidentally from somewhere else Domestic : can spread disease and compete with native species Human Commensal/Subsidized: native species that benefit from out land use Invasive : species that spread subsequently to establish territory, usually at the cost of another species TERM 48

Transport of Invasive Species

DEFINITION 48 Deliberate: naturalization societies, Shakespeare fans, game animals, domestic animals, plants for agricultureAccidental: ballasts of ships,unprocessedwood, fruit shipments, bypass natural barriers, escapees TERM 49

Biological Control

DEFINITION 49 the use of one species to control another TERM 50

Results of Pesticide Use

DEFINITION 50

• kills native competitors- species may adapt and develop resistance- health risks for people

Agriculture

farming, TERM 52

Nutrition and Food Supplies

DEFINITION 52 Malthus (1798) predicted that we would outstrip our food supplies - proven wrong, food supplies have MORE than kept up TERM 53

Impacts of Chemical Fertilizers

DEFINITION 53

• 25% of crops yield because of fertilizers- price tied to that of oil- replaces nutrients in soil used by plantsProblems:- do not replace organic matter- runoff- we are making cropsinedibleto other species that also rely on them for nourishment TERM 54

Macronutrients

DEFINITION 54 nutrients plants need MOST TERM 55

Micronutrients

DEFINITION 55 nutrients plants only need in TRACE amounts

Pesticide

any chemical used to kill or control unwanted organisms TERM 57

Insecticides

DEFINITION 57 control insects TERM 58

Herbicides

DEFINITION 58 control plants - 60% of pesticides used in the US today TERM 59

Fungicides

DEFINITION 59 control fungal pests TERM 60

Rodenticides

DEFINITION 60 controls mice and rats

Target Organism

the organisms that one is trying to kill with a pesticide TERM 62

Non-Target Organism

DEFINITION 62 anything else that is effected by the pesticide that is intended for use on another organism TERM 63

Persistent Pesticides

DEFINITION 63 stable compounds that remain active for long periods of time TERM 64

Nonpersistent Pesticides

DEFINITION 64 break down evenly TERM 65

Pesticide Resistance

DEFINITION 65 insecticides only kill susceptible individualssome species have adapted to pesticides and have developed an immunity to them

Problems with Pesticide Use

Bioaccumulation and Biomagnification TERM 67

Bioaccumulation

DEFINITION 67 accumulating material within an organisms body TERM 68

Biomagnification

DEFINITION 68 acquiring increasing levels of a substance in bodies of higher trophic-level organisms TERM 69

DDT

DEFINITION 69

• banned in the US in 1972- several health risks associated with the use of this chemical- helpful in preventing malaria- riddenmosquitoesfrom infecting people TERM 70

Silent Spring

DEFINITION 70 written by Rachel Carson in response to chemical use, in particular DDT

GMO

Genetically Modified Organism- contain DNA possessing genes borrowed from unrelated species- pest-resistance- make up 70% of all processed foods- 75% of soybeans, 33% of corn, 71% of cotton in the US TERM 72

BT

DEFINITION 72 bacterium that makes toxins that are lethal to beetles TERM 73

Golden Rice

DEFINITION 73 genetically modified rice thatincreasedVitamin A intake of children to prevent blindness TERM 74

Support for GMOs

DEFINITION 74

• improved yield with fewer insecticides- reduced hunger- increased human health and nutrition TERM 75

Critics of GMOs argue...

DEFINITION 75

• increased use of herbicides- "what we do not know now, will hurt us later" - future environmental problems and human health problems

Horizontal Gene Transfer

the transfer of genes of one species to a different species TERM 77

Obesity

DEFINITION 77 linked to 400,000 deaths per year in 2000 TERM 78

Chronic Hunger

DEFINITION 78 1/5 of people in the developing world are considered chronically hungry TERM 79

Major Food Sources

DEFINITION 79

1. Wheat, Rice, and Corn2. Seafood- 25% of animal protection3. Meat and Dairy- developed countries account for 20% of population, yet 80% of consumption of Meat and Dairy TERM 80

Slash and Burn

DEFINITION 80 used in areas with nutrient poor soil

Labor Intensive

intense form of agriculture using human and animal labors to grow crops TERM 82

Mechanized Agriculture

DEFINITION 82

• requires large areas of land- found in areas with good soilBenefits:- reduced labor and increased yieldsProblems:- leads to erosion, organic matter removed, requires more energy, increased reliance, political and environmental issues TERM 83

Alternative Agriculture

DEFINITION 83 Crop Rotation- plant different, specific crops in a field each yearPros:- reduced build-up of pests and retains soil nutrientsCons:- more equipment TERM 84

Organic Agriculture

DEFINITION 84

• animal manure used as a fertilizer- crop rotation used to enhance productivity and reduce pests- biological predators and human labor to combat pests- higher upfront costs, but less damaging in long run to environment TERM 85

IPCC

DEFINITION 85 Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change- appointed by UN in 1988- Mission: to study the issue and make recommendations

Greenhouse Gases

• gases that are transparent to light, but absorb infrared radiation- mainly CO2, chlorofluorocarbons, methane, and NO