Anthropogenic Change

Anthropogenic Change

The Anthropocene

We are in a period of manmade change to earth.

Anthropogenic changes include loss of biodiversity and climate change.

Importance of Biodiversity

Biodiversity is important because healthy ecosystems provide many services that benefit humans.

Ecosystems with good biodiversity provide services such as:

• Remove CO₂ and add O₂ (trees)

• Recycle compounds necessary for life, such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus (decomposers)

• Filter (clean) water

• Create wood and other fibers for shelter and clothing

• Grow food!

Deforestation

Destruction of forest is devastating for all organisms that count on the forest to provide services, including humans.

Multiple Choice

Loss of biodiversity _______ an ecosystem's ability to provide services to humans and other organisms.

• increases

• decreases

The Sixth Extinction

Mass extinctions of species are accelerating to the point that scientists believe we are in the sixth major extinction event since life began on earth. Amphibians like this frog are vulnerable due to habitat loss and toxins in their environment.

At risk

Large mammals like these elephants are also at high risk because they need large amounts of land to remain healthy.

Multiple Choice

The most direct cause of species extinction is

• humans planting trees

• habitat loss

• burning of fossil fuels

Video Segments

During this lesson you will watch 2 video segments. Click on the preview to play the video.

Multiple Choice

"All the different life on earth," is

• deforestation

• decompostion

• biodiversity

Multiple Choice

What portion of earth's land should have forests to keep the climate stable?

• About 10%

• More than one third

• Forest isn't absolutely necessary

Multiple Choice

Our food supply depends on biodiversity.

• true

• false

Multiple Select

Biodiversity is "under attack" because humans have (choose 2)

• protected forest land

• destroyed habitats

• reduced animal populations by an average of 60%

• created national parks

The Significance of Climate Change

Human activity has caused warming of the atmosphere and significant change to climates worldwide.

Problems caused by climate change include

• More intense storms

• Melting of the polar ice sheets

• A rise in sea level

• Droughts

• Climate refugees

• Loss of biodiversity

• Effects on human health

Multiple Select

Which compounds contribute to trapping heat in the atmosphere, creating The Greenhouse Effect? (Choose 3)

• water vapor

• methane

• glucose

• oxygen

• carbon dioxide

Multiple Choice

The event that began the big increase in carbon dioxide in the earth's atmosphere was

• The Big Bang

• The Industrial Revolution

• World War II

Multiple Choice

Melting of the polar ice has cause a rise in sea level.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Weather has become more extreme due to

• loss of biodiversity

• higher global temperatures

• mass extinction

Multiple Choice

Droughts most directly affect

• sea level rising

• food production

• release of methane

Multiple Select

Human health problems that increase with smog and higher air temperatures include (choose 2)

• asthma

• diabetes

• lung cancer

• arthritis

Multiple Choice

Which of these actions will have the most effect on slowing climate change?

• reduce burning of fossil fuels

• plant more trees

• stop deforestation

• all of these will help slow climate change

Plant trees!