Understanding Ecosystems and Biodiversity

Network of Nature and Ecosystem

• Interconnectivity of ecological systems and numerous networks
• Geographic area where plants, animals, and other organisms work together to form a bubble of life
• Biotic: living things within an ecosystem (e.g., plants, animals, bacteria)
• Abiotic: non-living physical and chemical components of an ecosystem

Biodiversity

• All the different kinds of life in one area
• Species and organisms work together in ecosystems like an intricate web
• Causes of biodiversity loss:
  • Climate Change: changes in air temperature, weather patterns, and sea levels
  • Pollution: introduction of contaminants into the natural environment
  • Habitat Destruction: massive destruction of natural habitats
  • Overexploitation: harvesting a renewable resource to the point of diminishing returns
  • Invasive species: non-native organisms that establish themselves and rapidly reproduce within an ecosystem
• Solutions to biodiversity loss:
  • Habitat Protection and Restoration
  • Support Local Farms
  • Climate Change Mitigation

Climate System

• Atmosphere: a mixture of gases that surrounds the Earth
• Lithosphere: the solid, outer part of Earth (including the mantle and crust)
• Hydrosphere: the total amount of water on a planet
• Biosphere: made up of parts of Earth where life exists (all ecosystems)
• Cryosphere: the frozen water part of the Earth system

Democratic Intervention

• Refers to the ways in which a government regulates or interferes with activities or decisions made by individuals or organizations
• Democracy: originated from the Greek words "demos" (by the people) and "kratein" (to rule)

6 Fundamental Elements of Democracy

• Rule of law: no one is above the law
• Separation of power: equal distribution of power for checks and balances
• Basic Rights and Freedoms:
  • Human Rights: rights that belong to every person (e.g., right to life, right to be secured in one's person)
  • Civil Rights: rights that protect individual freedoms (e.g., right to own property, right to enjoy privileges)
  • Political Rights: rights that protect individual freedoms from government infringement (e.g., right to run for elective office, right to suffrage)
  • Freedom to worship: the right to worship any God
  • Freedom of association: right to join any association
  • Freedom of speech
• Pluralism: ensures that citizens can voice their opinions, criticisms, and proposals to the government

4 Dimensions of Democracy

• The people: a collective group of individuals with varying political and religious beliefs
• Equality: equal in the eyes of the law
• Common good: what is good for the people
• Representation: the use of representatives to take actions that benefit the common good

Types of Democracy

• Direct/Pure Democracy: citizens come together to decide on issues or pass laws through a vote
• Indirect Democracy/Representative: people elect leaders to act as their representatives in the government

Other Forms of Government

• Aristocracy: ruled by the nobility
• Capitalism: people are allowed to own property
• Communism: equal distribution of wealth or classless society
• Constitutional Monarchy: ruling power is divided between two heads
• Despotism: government where people are treated as slaves
• Dictatorship: the ruler has the power of the three branches
• Federalism: governing power is shared between a central government and regional/local government
• Monarchy: power is passed down to the monarch's children
• Oligarchy: government is ruled by a few individuals
• Republic: government ruled by a president
• Revolutionary: existing government is forcibly thrown
• Socialism: businesses that involve production and basic utilities are governed by the government
• Timocracy: leaders are chosen by their honor
• Plutocracy: power is held by the wealthy
• Tyranny: ruled by a wealthy person who wields power to rule by overthrowing those who are in power