APES –EVERYTHING (2023/2024) RATED A

APES –EVERYTHING (2023/2024) RATED A Environment the sum of all conditions surrounding us that influence life Environmental Science The field that looks at interactions among human systems and those found in nature System any set of interacting components that influence one another by exchanging energy or materials Ecosystem particular location on Earth whose interacting components include biotic and abiotic components Environmental Studies Includes subjects environmental policies, economics, literature, ethics, chemistry, biology, Earth science How long have humans lived on earth? 2.5 mil years Postitive Human Activites Native Americans on Great Plains used fire to capture animals for food, these fires kept trees from encroaching on plains allowing a window for an entire ecosystem to develop. Technology + Dramatic human population growth =? increase rate and scale of our global environmental impact How Do Humans Alter Natural Systems? modern cities - electricity, running water, sewage systems, public transportations. Cities also cover land that was once natural habitat so species living there relocate or go extinct. Ecosystem Services the processes by which life supporting resources such as clean, timber, fisheries, and agricultural crops are produced. 5 Global Scale Indicators 1. Biological Diversity 2. Food Production 3. Average global surface temp & CO2 in Atmosphere 4. Human Population 5. Resource depletion Genetic Diversity A measure of genetic variation among individuals in a population. Species Diversity number of species in a region / particular type of habitat Why are frogs important? used to study land and water habitats Speciation evolution of a new species (slow process) 1-3 new species a year world wide. How many species go extinct each year? 10,000+ What does loss in biodiversity tell us? natural systems are facing strains unlike any in the recent past Food Production our ability to grow food to nourish human population. What factors influence worldwide grain production irrigation, human labor/energy, climatic conditions, amount/quality of land. Why has grain production not kept up with population growth? 1. productivity of agricultural ecosystems down bc of soil degradation, crop disease and unfavorable weather conditions. 2. Demand outpaces supply What has lead to the increase in atmospheric CO2? Anthropogenic activity Examples of