Unit 8: Human Impact

Name: Date:
Aim #58 Human Interference and Decision Making:What are some ecological problems, causes, effects and solutions?

  1. Human Interference

Some human activities that destroy habitats are destroying individual organisms and the diversity amongst the living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem.

NEGATIVE ACTION / WHAT IS IT? / EFFECT ON ECOSYSTEM / EXAMPLE / SOLUTION
Direct Harvesting / The destruction or ______of a species from their habitat. /
  • Can lead to the ______of a species
  • Decrease in ______
  • ______ecosystem
/
  • Organisms removed from native habitats and sold as unusual pets/plants
  • Organisms are killed to collect a specific body part (ex: elephant tusks for jewelry)
/ Pass ______to ______endangered species
Deforestation / Destruction of ______resulting from cutting or burning them down /
  • Habitats are ______
  • Species can become endangered or ______
/
  • Clearing forests for land use or farming takes away natural habitats
  • Area covered by rainforests is only half as large as it was 150 years ago!
/ Pass ______to ______natural areas (natural parks, preserves etc.)
Imported
(Invasive)
Species / When a species is ______(intentionally or accidentally) from one environment to a______environment /
  • These imported species become ______because they are NOT part of the ______ecosystem
  • Have NO natural ______
  • Can crowd out, feed on and eliminate______(original) species
/
  • Purple loosestrife plant
  • Gypsy moth
  • Zebra mussels
  • Japanese beetle
  • Cane Toads
/ •______or
______importation of goods from one place to another
•Set ______that use chemical scents to attract insects
•______the population with biological controlsreleasing natural predators of invasive species or a disease to kill them.
  1. Individual Decisions and Societal Actions

For each environmental problem, people must learn to assess the ______to the ecosystem.

For each solution, analyzethe ______(negatives) and the ______(positives).

We must determine which ______(compromise) is acceptable and which is too dangerous for the welfare of future generations

TRADE OFF: a situation that involves ______one quality or aspect of something in return for ______another quality or aspect. It implies a decision to be made with full comprehension of both the ______and the ______of a particular choice.

  • Every environmental problem DOES NOThaveone solution that will please everyone or work in favor of the ecosystem. However, there are positive decisions that can be made that cause the LEASTdamage to the environment

Trade off example: The positive effect of using alternative energy sources to reduce the air and water pollution caused by factories, power plants and automobiles.A negative effect is that they are expensive to install and purchase, may take up a lot of space and could impact organisms in the ecosystem.

  1. 3.

4.

Use the information below to answer #5 & 6

5.
6.

7.

Use the information below to answer #8 & 9

8.

9.

  1. Summary: Negative vs. Positive Human Actions Impacting the Environment

NEGATIVE HUMAN ACTIONS / POSITIVE HUMAN ACTIONS
  1. Development/Industrialization
  2. Pollution (burning fossil fuels)
  3. Farming
  4. Overhunting/Overgrazing
  5. Deforestation (extensive clearing/cutting down forests)
  6. Direct Harvesting (removing species from their habitats)
  7. Introduction of a foreign species
/
  1. Recycling wastes
  2. Conserving available resources
  3. Using cleaner resources (Ex: Solar instead of fossil fuels)
  4. Protecting habitats and endangered species
  5. Use of biological controls instead of pesticides and herbicides
  6. Farming native plants (Ex: cocoa in the rainforest)
  7. Planting trees to replace those cut down
  8. Passing laws to control pollution, land management, hunting, fishing etc.