Environmental Issues Introduction.pptx

Introduction to Environmental Issues t a ok o L o! n i rh t tha Some key definitions ...  biome - a large geographical area of distinctive plant and animal groups, which have adapted to life in that habitat  ecosystem - where plants and animals are linked to their environment through a ser...

Introduction to Environmental Issues t a ok o L o! n i rh t tha Some key definitions ...  biome - a large geographical area of distinctive plant and animal groups, which have adapted to life in that habitat  ecosystem - where plants and animals are linked to their environment through a series of feedback loops  carrying capacity - the largest number of a population that the environment of a particular area can support  stress - when pressure is placed on a particular system. It can lead to losses or disruption of that system Poaching Galapagos Island turtles... We thought we had it right many times before but ... DDT  Rachel Carlson  Book: Silent Spring (1962) They paved paradise and put up a parking lot With a pink hotel, a boutique and a swinging hot spot Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got ‘til it's gone They paved paradise and put up a parking lot They took all the trees and put 'em in a tree museum And they charged all the people a dollar and a half just to see 'em Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got till it's gone They paved paradise and put up a parking lot Hey farmer, farmer, put away that DDT now Give me spots on my apples but leave me the birds and the bees (please!) Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got ‘til it's gone They paved paradise and put up a parking lot Late last night the screen door slam And a big yellow taxi took away my old man away Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got ‘til it's gone They paved paradise and put up a parking lot Don't it always seem to go That you don't know what you've got ‘til it's gone Minamata Disease → from mercury exposure Fukushima Nuclear Accident - March 11, 2011 The Gaia Hypothesis  James Lovelock → GAIA is the ancient Greek goddess of the Earth  “The earth is a self-regulating organism (like a giant cell) that can adjust to big and small changes made on earth to maintain its habitability  All physical and living components of the earth are connected and work together to maintain the environment.  Like humans, if its biological systems are pushed too far, Biodiversity  Biodiversity is the number, variety and variability of living organisms on Earth  'Life on Earth' Biodiversity Biodiversity's Importance - clip (2:52) Article - why biodiversity is so important; there is no magic number of species we need, but the number is likely hundreds of thousands or millions since so many species are intricately interconnected. “Without biodiversity, there is no future for