Human Impact Stations

Directions: Rotate among the stations to learn about the impact of Humans on our Ecosystem.

Topic Description

Natural What is a natural resource?

Resources anything that can be used to support life like water, soil, and air

What does it mean to say Earth’s resources are finite?

What does it mean to say natural resources can be depleted?

What is a renewable resource? Definition & 3 Examples

--Define:
• Can be replaced/“renewed” given sufficient time

--Examples:
● Wind

● Solar

● Hydropower

What is a nonrenewable resource? Definition & 3 Examples

--Define: • FINITE (limited) resource
• Can be DEPLETED (used up)

--Examples:
● oil

● coal

● natural gas

How can we preserve our resources? GIve at least 3 specific ways!

• reduce- Avoid using the resource
• Turn off electronics, walk, bike, carpool
• reuse- Use the same product over and over, instead of throwing it away after one use
• Recycle: Put items in the recycling so that it can be used to make another product.
Human Draw and label a graph to show human population growth.
Population
Growth &
Industrialization

What are some reasons for human population growth?

too many people living in a particular area

What would happen if we reached Earth’s carrying capacity for the Human population? (Remember- carrying
capacity is the maximum number of individuals in a population that the resources in the area can support.)

the world would be over populated

What are some problems associated with overpopulation? Give at least 4.

pollution
greater use of finite
loss of biodiversity
overuse of land
What is industrialization?
Products produced may add quality to people’s lives, but they can also harm the environment

What does it mean when someone says industrialization has trade offs?
Products produced may add quality to people’s lives

Think of at least three negative trade - offs to industrialization.

Pollution: What are fossil fuels? GIve 3 examples.
Burning of Fossil natural fuel
Fuels -coal -gas - oil

Where do fossil fuels come from and can we get more?

it comes from algae, yes

What are fossil fuels used for?

produce energy

What are the negative consequences of burning fossil fuels?

carbon monoxide and smog fill the air of major cities

How can we get energy in a more environmentally friendly way? In other words, this is a compromise!! (multiple
ways, in your own words!!)
maybe if we plant more trees we could be able to get energy in more environmental way

Pollution: What causes air pollution?

Air Pollution burning fossil fuels to make energy

Why is air pollution problematic?

carbon monoxide and smog fill the air

How can it be prevented?

we can stop using cars and instead take the buss, ride a bike, or walk

Pollution: According to the diagram, how is acid rain formed?

Acid Rain rain mixes with toxic gases in the air

What are some consequences of acid rain?

Acidification of lakes and streams causing “fish kills”;

Why can acid rain be related to air pollution and water pollution?
damage to tree leaves at high elevations due to acid fog, damage to stone buildings
Pollution: What is nuclear power and why is it GOOD?
Nuclear Power,
produces energy with no air pollution
Radioactive
Waste, and
Thermal Pollution Why is nuclear power better than using fossil fuels for power?
b/c there won't be air pollution

Nuclear power produces radioactive waste. Why is that problematic?

causes mutations that can't be gotten rid of

Nuclear power, coal power, even electronic power plants, all produce thermal pollution. What is thermal pollution?

water used to cool reactor gets warm and is released into the ecosystem

Why is thermal pollution bad?

b/c fish die since warm water holds less oxygen than cold water

Pollution: Water How can water become polluted?

pollution and
algal blooms • Adding fertilizer to soil which then runs off into lakes

What can change about your daily routines to stop water pollution?
stop using things like kitchen soap or laundry detergent
What effect does sewage, detergent/soaps, and fertilizers have when they runoff into bodies of water?
fertilizers cause algae to grow
What is algal bloom and what causes it?
algal bloom is a rapid increase in algal, Sewage and soaps (detergents) get into water and act as fertilizer causing algae to grow
Why is algal bloom problematic?
Overgrown algae eventually decomposes and depletes water of oxygen, fish die.
What other kinds of pollution end up in the water? What are some effects?

plastic pollution, plastic doesn't break down causing animals to die

Loss of Biodiversity
Biodiversity: What is biodiversity?
Habitat
destruction verity of plants and animals

Why is biodiversity important?

provides functioning Eco systems

Habitat Destruction:
What is habitat destruction by deforestation and developing land, and what are 4 consequences on biodiversity of
that area.
when trees are cut off, there will be a decrease of animals that lived in that area

What can be done to slow or prevent deforestation?

making awareness of the causes of deforestation and trying not to use area where there species living

What is habitat destruction to build farmland and what are 2 consequences of it on biodiversity of that area?

habitat loss and habitat reduction decrees in species

What are some alternatives to typical pesticides?

fungicides
herbicides
insecticides

How can designating land a “national park” or other type of government park prevent habitat destruction?
trying to keep it as it is and not build harmful things or destroy whats already there keep signs that prevent people from trowing trash
or leaving things that could harm that environment
Loss of Biological Magnification
Biodiversity: When toxins are present, the concentration of toxins (circle: increases or decreases) as you move up the food
Biological chain to higher predators.
Magnification

In the diagram below, which organism gets the greatest amount of toxin?

Why does the above effect happen?

b/c of chemical pollution

To consume food with the lowest level of mercury, a toxin, are you better eating “high” on the food chain, like tuna
(a top predator) or “lower” on the food chain, like sardines, a small fish that eats plankton? Justify your claim!!
Loss of Direct Harvesting
Biodiversity: -What is direct harvesting? GIve an example.
Direct Harvesting
to take a species out of it's environment, removing a bear from his habitat

-What are two consequences of direct harvesting on biodiversity in that area?

decrease on species

Loss of Imported Species

Biodiversity: What is an imported or invasive species?
Imported Species
organisms that causes ecological or economic harm in an Eco system

Why do imported or invasive species usually survive and outcompete native species?

they do it for the food also b/c there aren't predators to hunt them

Describe two examples of imported species and what happened when they were imported.

Zebra Mussels in the Hudson River populations of plankton in the Hudson River have fallen.
Global Warming What is “global warming”?

Increase in Earth’s global temperature

What are the “greenhouse gases”?

heat in the atmosphere and warm the planet.

What do the “greenhouse gases” do to contribute to global warming?

traps heat and warms the planet

In the space to the right, draw a sketch to show the interaction between:
the earth, greenhouse gases in earth’s atmosphere, the sun’s energy,
and the earth’s temperature.

What do the “greenhouse gases” come from?

burning fossil fuels

What are some consequences of global warming? GIve at least three.

Dirtier air
Higher death rates

More acidic oceans

Why is global warming a global problem, not just a local problem?

b/c it can effect the whole world not just one place

How can we prevent global warming- give at least three ways and describe why these would work!
save electricity
don't trow away food
save water
Ozone Depletion What is the ozone layer and what does it do?

high concentration of ozone found in the atmosphere

Why are ultraviolet (UV) rays harmful?

causes premature aging of the skin and signs of sun damage

What has caused the hole in the ozone layer?

manufactured chemicals

How can we help reduce the ozone hole?

Avoid consuming of gases dangerous to the ozone layer

Draw a quick sketch to show what happens with and without an ozone layer. Include a person, cells, UV rays, and
ozone in the atmosphere.

Is ozone depletion a local problem or a global problem? Justify your answer.

ozone depletion is a global problem since it can effect everyone