GE 15: Environmental Science Self-Instructional Manual PDF

College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 1...

College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 THE UNIVERSITY OF MINDANAO College of Arts and Sciences Education Physically Distanced but Academically Engaged Self-Instructional Manual (SIM) for Self-Directed Learning (SDL) Course/Subject: GE 15: Environmental Science Name of Teacher: THIS SIM/SDL MANUAL IS A DRAFT VERSION ONLY, NOT FOR REPRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE OF ITS INTENDED USE. THIS IS INTENDED ONLY FOR THE USE OF THE STUDENTS WHO ARE OFFICIALLY ENROLLED IN THE COURSE/SUBJECT. EXPECT REVISIONS OF THE MANUAL. Prepared by: Hazel G. Carreon, PhD Christian Dell A. Gentallan Jason Ben R. Paragamac Ronnel P. Senining \1 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 COURSE OUTLINE: GE 15 – ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE Course Coordinator : E-mail : Student Consultation : Mobile : Phone : Effectivity Date : Blended (On-line with Face to face or Virtual Sessions)Time Frame : 54 Hours Student Workload : Expected Self Directed Learning Requisites : None Credit : 3 units Attendance Requirements : A minimum of 95% attendance is required at all scheduled Virtual or Face to Face sessions. COURSE INFORMATION CC’s Voice: Hello! Welcome to this course GE 15-Environmental Science. This a three (3) a unit-lecture course that will cover the inland and marine atmospheric systems and human dimensions potentially influences the cycle and processes in the global setting. Moreover, this coursewill give you an overview of how environment economy, as well associal interaction, to form communities and within a defined ecosystem. CO: Studying environmental studies requires a deeper understanding of other disciplines, including chemistry, earth sciences, biology, mathematics, engineering, social sciences, and humanities. This course deals with the holistic study of atmospheric, geophysical, oceanic, biological, and social sciences. You are expecting to demonstrate an understanding of how environmental science works as well as introduce you to the complex processof different, including, could it be natural or human-made ecosystems. You expect to evaluate the environment's current conditions and determine potential threats and hazards associated with rapid industrial development and rapid population growth. This course will enable you to learn sustainable and unsustainable environmental practices as well as the consequence of unplanned development and enforcement of environmental policies and regulations and the international commitments of highly developed, developed, and developing towards gearing towards a safe and sustainablefuture. \2 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 BIG PICTURE WEEK 1-3 Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOa): At the end of the unit, you are expected to identify the nature and scope of environmental science as well as the basic concepts and principles, theories of environmental science. METALANGUAGE In this section, the essential terms relevant to the study of environmental science ULO-1 will be operationally defined to establish a typical frame inthe field of natural sciences and social influences towards the quality of life and sustainability. You will encounter these terms as we go through environmental science studies with how people and intimately connected and the implications of rapid population growth and towards the environment. It involves a more comprehensive understanding ofthe ecological problem, making judgments evaluation of different types of environmentaland their functions. Please refer to the definition in case you will encounter difficulty in theunderstanding of environmental science concepts. 1. Environment - it is a place where different things are such as a wet or hot environment. 1.1. It can be living (biotic) or non-living (abiotic) community, which includesthree essential forces: physical, chemical, and natural. 2. Science defines the systematized body of knowledge that builds and organizes a lot of information in a different form of testable experiments and predictionsabout everything in the universe. 3. Environmental Science is an interdisciplinary academic field in science thatintegrates all the physical, biological, and information to the study of the environment, and the solution to environmental problems. 4. Ecology is a branch of biology concerning interactions among organisms, andtheir biophysical environment includes both biotic and abiotic components. 5. Chemistry. The study of matter, its properties, how and why substances combine or separate to form other elements, and how elements interact with energy. 6. Biodiversity is a group of different individual life that inhibit the plant EArth.That varies on their genetic component and adaptation to the environment. \3 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 6.1. In the terrestrial biodiversity is composed of animals on land usually greater near the equator, which is an indicator of the warming of the climate. 7. Habitat is considered an environment is naturally occurring to a specificorganism to survive. 7.1. A species habitat is those places where the species can find food, shelter,protection, and mates for reproduction. 7.2. Both physical and biological features characterize it. 8. Sustainability. The ability of a system to exist continually at a cost, in a universethat evolves in the state of entropy toward the thermodynamic equilibrium of theplanet. 8.1. In the 21st century, it generally refers to the capacity for the biosphereand human civilization to coexist. 9. Ethics is a branch of philosophy that could somehow be systematized, defend,recommend, and identify what right and wrong behavior is. 10. For the environmental Ethics is a discipline in philosophy that studies or focuson the moral relationship among human beings to the value and moral status ofthe environment, which includes plants and animals. 11. The ecosystem is a community comprised of living organisms in conjunction orin relationship with the nonliving components of their specific environment that interact with each other. 12. Photosynthesis. It is the process of all plants that transform into the release of energy ATP. During this process, the light energy of the sun is captured. Thereis a conversion of water, some mineral and carbon dioxide, and a certain amountof oxygen needed by animals to survive. 13. A species is a basic unit of classifying and identifying the taxonomic rank of anorganism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. 14. Food Chain. A linear network of links in a food web starting from producer organisms and ending at apex predator species, detritivores, or decomposer species. 15. Food Web. The natural interconnection of food chains and a graphical representation of what-eats-what in an ecological community. 15.1. Another name for the food web is the consumer-resource system. \4 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE To perform the aforesaid big picture (unit learning outcomes) for the first three (3)weeks of the course, you need fully understand the following essential knowledge that willbe laid down in the succeeding pages. Please be reminded that you are not limited to referto these resources exclusively. Thus, you are expected to utilize other books, research articles, and other available resources in the university library. e.g., e-library, search.proquest.com, etc. To ensure a sustainable future for ourselves and future generations, we need to understand something about how our world works, what we are doing to it, and what wecan do to protect and improve it. The word “science” is simply an anglicized version of the Latin “Scientia," which means knowledge. Environment. It is defined as the circumstances surrounding an organism or group of organisms or the complex social or cultural conditions affecting each organism in the given biotic and abiotic community. However, human being inhabits the naturalworld, as well as the, built the environment or the technological, social, and culturalworld, all constitute essential parts of our environment. Environmental Science it is the systematic study of our environment and our proper place in it. A highly interdisciplinary, integrating natural sciences, social sciences,and humanities in a broad, holistic study of the world around us. It is the foundation is ecology and is more concerned on human impact on the environment. Kinds of knowledge contribute to solution in Environmental Science Goal: Clean Energy Future 1. Ecology. How foes energy production affects populations? 2. Chemistry. How can we make better batteries? 3. Urban Planning. What urban designs can reduce energy use? 4. Sociology. How do people adopt new ideas? 5. Political Science. Which policies lead to sustainable solutions? 6. Engineering. Can we design better vehicles? 7. Economics. What are the benefits and costs of energy sources? HISTORY OF ENVIRONMENTALISM Environmentalism encompasses environmental health and protection and depicted as an ideology, philosophy, and social movement, including all aspects covering the changing environment of the Earth. It began after the industrial revolution when there was an increase of smoke pollution and chemical discharge which led to the formation of modern environmental laws. In 1863, Britain’s Alkali Acts were passed to combat air \5 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 pollution. In 1898, Coal Smoke Abatement Society was established in response to coal combustion leading to heavy smoke in industrial cities. After World War II, the industrialization expansion was stupendous that led to economic development and brought nature degradation. With each passing day, the people became environmentally conscious. With this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 1948 was created to protect and preserve nature in its original form. The Clean Air Act 1956 was formed following the London Smog Episode (Great Smog of London) 1952. It initially aimed to limit air pollution by controlling the emission of air pollutants. During 1960-1970 marks the beginning of Modern Environmental Movement and the establishment of World Wildlife Fund (WWF) which was created to protect animals and places from human developmental activities. The Green Revolution in Agriculture 1966 was initiated to understand the negative impacts of uncontrolled and unregulated use of pesticides and fertilizers on the environment. It was intended on improving agriculture using environmental-friendly techniques. Other environmental movements flourished during this decade such as NEPA (1969) which aimed to ensure environmental health by negotiation policies and acts; US EPA which was created in 1970 to monitor human activities that are negatively impacting the environment of the Earth; and Greenpeace (1971), a campaign of committed individuals who tried to stop the American Nuclear Weapon test. Environmental Justice Movement (1980) is an international movement that aims to encourage social, economic, and environmental justice by identifying the connection between health and environmental issues began in response to the unjust treatment of low-income communities that were exposed to environmental pollution. Thereafter, many conferences were organized that included Stockholm conference in 1972 (United Nations Conference on the Human Environment, 1972), Montreal protocol in 1987 (The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, 1987), and Kyoto protocol in 1997, etc. People became more cognizant of the environmental problems attributed by industrialization. The Chernobyl disaster in 1986 was a massive environmental issue. Hence, the Brundtland Report in 1987 (Our Common Future, 1987) brought more consciousness among people and the Earth Summit in 1992 discussed the socio-economic development along with ways to solve problems concerning environmental protection. Environmentalism in the new millennium kicked off with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 2000 which based on eight goals to be achieved before 2015 which was reenforced with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) in 2015 as set during the United Nation General Assembly to be achieved before 2030 that aims for the future through sustainable approaches. The second Earth Summit which was dubbed as the World Summit on Sustainable Development was held in 2002 to discuss and organize sustainable development approaches. The key focus was solving problems of the growing population along with increasing demand for energy, water, and food resources. International environmental treaties were also established such as Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants in 2001 which aimed to reduce or limit the production, manufacturing, and utilization of persistent organic pollutants; and the Paris Agreement in 2015 that aimed to limit the global emission of greenhouse gases to reduce rising global temperature, mitigating and adapting to climate change. Currently, various conferences were held at various locations around the world to discuss ongoing environmental crises and possible sustainable approaches. \6 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 Environmentalism is constantly developing and dealing with new environmental concerns including plastic pollution, genetic engineering, global warming, overpopulation, etc. ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS It studies the ethical basis of environment or discussion of the ethical basis of environmental protection. It also deals with the moral relationship of human beings to and the value and moral status of the environment and its nonhuman content. The ways we interpret environmental issues, or our decisions about what we shouldor should not do with natural resources, depend partly on our underlying worldviews. Perhaps you have a primary ethical assumption that you should be kind to your neighborsor try to contribute in positive ways to your community. Moral views in society also changeover time. In ancient Greece, many philosophers who were concerned with ethics and morality owned slaves; today, few societies condone slavery. Most societies now believe itis wrong, or unethical, to treat other humans as property. The Greeks granted moral value, or worth, only to adult male citizens within theircommunity. Women, slaves, and children had few rights and were essentially treated as property. Over time we have gradually extended our sense of moral value to a broader circle, an idea known as ethical extensions. These philosophical questions are not merely academic or historical. In 2004, the journal science caused a public uproar by publishing a study demonstrating that fish feel pain. Many recreational anglers had long managed to suppress worries that they were causing pain to fish. The story was so unsettling that it made national headlines and provoked fresh public debates on the ethics of fishing. How we treat other people, animals, or things, can also depend on whether we believe they have inherent value—an intrinsic right to exist, or instrumental value (they have value because they are useful to someonewho matters). If I hurt you, I owe you an apology. If I borrow your car and smash it into a tree, I don't owe the car an excuse. I owe you an apology—or reimbursement. Environmental Ethics and Principle: 1. Profound respect for nature 2. Maintain a harmonious relationship with other species 3. Take responsibility for the impact on nature 4. Local and indigenous environmental knowledge should be respected 5. Plan for the long term MATTER, ENERGY, AND LIFE Matter. It is anything that can occupy space and has a mass. Solid, liquid, gas, plasma, and Bosh Einstein Condensate are the phases of matter that constitute the arrangement of the structures and properties of atoms. All life is made of matter. It cannot be created nor destroyed, recycled nor transformed as stated in the Law of Conservation of Matter. Energy provides the force to hold matter together, tear it apart, and move from one place to another. The energy in moving objects is called Kinetic Energy, the stored \7 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 energy, latent and ready to use is called Potential Energy, and the energy stored in food or carbon compounds is called Chemical Energy. Conservation of matter has a direct bearing on human relationship with the biosphere since we use natural resources to produce a tremendous amount of disposable goods such as Styrofoam cups, plastics bags and other synthetic items that aggravate the garbage problem which eventually becomes a major and permanent pollutants. Thermodynamics and Energy Transfers The study of thermodynamics deals with how energy is transferred in natural processes. It deals specifically with the relationships of heat, work, and energy. Ecosystem dynamics are governed by physics laws, including the law of conservation of matter and the laws of thermodynamics. The recycling of matter is the basis of the cycles of elements that occur in the ecosystems such as solar energy enters the system and is converted to chemical energy through photosynthesis. Likewise, the chemical energy stored in the bonds that hold the food molecules together is available for the metabolism of organism. The dynamic balance or homeostasis of organisms and ecosystems centers around an optimum stage that is best suited for the healthy existence of the living system. Homeostasis which means “to stand equally” refers to the dynamic balance in a living ecosystem. When a living ecosystem is active, the condition in it is change continuously in response to many environmental stimuli. It is a condition of fluctuating balance centered on some ideal state or optimum. This dynamic balance is maintained by active and opposing adjustments and compensation. Laws of Thermodynamics Atoms and molecules cycle endlessly through organisms and their environment, butenergy flows in a one-way path. A constant supply of energy—nearly all of it from the sun—isneeded to keep biological processes running. Energy can be used repeatedly as it flows through the system, and it can be stored temporarily in the chemical bonds of organic molecules, but eventually, it is released and dissipated. The study of thermodynamics deals with how energy is transferred to natural processes. More specifically, it deals with the flow rates and the transformation of energy from one form or quality to another. Thermodynamics is a complex, quantitative discipline regarding the relationship between heat, work, and energy. Heat is the transfer or flow of energy because of temperature difference. Work is the transfer of energy that is not due to a difference in temperature. However, both heat and work are significant type of energy transfer in organisms and ecosystem. The first law of thermodynamics states that energy is conserved; that is, it is neither created nor destroyed under normal conditions. Energy may be transformed, for example, from the energy in a chemical bond to heat energy, but the total amount does not change. The second law of thermodynamics states that, with each successive energytransfer or transformation in a system, less energy is available. That is, energy isdegraded to lower-quality forms, or it dissipates and is lost, as it is used. When youdrive a car, for example, the gas's chemical energy is \8 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 degraded to kinetic energy and heat, dissipating, eventually, to space. The second law recognizes that disorder,or entropy, tends to increase in all-natural systems. Ecological Organization While cellular and molecular biologists study life processes at the microscopic level, ecologists study interactions at the species, population, biotic community, or ecosystem level. Species refers to all organisms of the same kind that are genetically similar enough to breed in nature and produce live, fertileoffspring. Organisms occur in populations, communities, and ecosystems. A population consists of all the members of a species living in each area at the same time. All the populations of organisms living and interacting in a particular area make up a biologicalcommunity. An ecological system, or ecosystem, is composed of a biological community and its physical environment. The environment includes abiotic factors (nonliving components), such as climate, water, minerals, and sunlight, as well as biotic factors, suchas organisms, their products (secretions, wastes, and remains), and effects in each area. Energy Flow through Ecosystems The movement of energy through a living system begins with the capture of sunlight by primary producers, then energy flows through food chains and food webs in a steady “one way stream”. As it flows, energy is alternately stored and used to power the life processes of animals through which it moves. The energy captured by producers and consumers is temporarily stored until one organism eats another. Each of this storage steps along a food chain or food web are called a trophic level. The producers represent the first trophic level, herbivores, occupy the second; carnivores that eat herbivores form the third trophic level, and so on. There are practical limitations of trophic levels. Every time one organism eats another, only a small fraction of energy present in the lower trophic level is stored in the next higher level. Using the ecological rule of 10 or the 10% rule, an average of only about 10% of energy fixed by plants is ultimately stored by herbivores. Only 10% of the energy that herbivores accumulate ends up being stored in the living tissues of carnivores that eat them. And only 10% of that energy is successfully converted into living tissues by carnivores on the third trophic level. This inefficient energy chains are called ecological pyramids. \9 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 https://www.google.com/search?q=ecological+pyramid&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwissPn- xZr5AhWlnFYBHbE5B-EQ_AUoAXoECAIQAw&biw=1242&bih=597&dpr=1.1#imgrc=TPHhniLCofYvWM&imgdii=L1i- Xe5SQXA_JM Food Chains and Food Web Matter and energy are processed through the trophic levels of an ecosystem via food chains and food web. At each energy transfer point, less energy is available to do work. So, energy must be supplied to an ecosystem continuously. A primary producer, a herbivore, and a carnivore form a simple chain. https://www.google.com/search?q=food+chainvs+food+web&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwii3biFyJr5AhWGSJQKHaIrDL4Q2- cCegQIABAA&oq=food+chainvs+food+web&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzIGCAAQChAYOgcIABCxAxBDOgQIABBDOgUIABCABFD pGViML2DWOmgBcAB4AIABwQGIAfwEkgEDMC40mAEAoAEBqgELZ3dzLXdpei1pbWfAAQE&sclient=img&ei=4vfhYqLkJ4a R0QSi17DwCw&bih=597&biw=1226&hl=en#imgrc=8J2WpAHEoC7G0M \ 10 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 Take notice of all the animals and plants in most ecosystems, we can see that feeding relationships usually weave numerous organisms into large, complex, and dynamic networks called food webs, in which many animals eat several different kinds of food. SELF HELP You can refer to the sources below to help you further understand the lesson. Ahmad, P., Ahanger, M., Alyemeni, M. & Alam, P., 2019. Photosynthesis, Productivity, and Environmental Stress. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., USA. Guzman, R.S., 2018. Environmental Science: Towards a Sustainable Earth. Vibal Group, Quezon City, Philippines. Murray, D., 2017. The Global and the Local: An Environmental Ethics Casebook. Brill. Netherlands. Nadeem, F., Bhatti, A., Hanif, M., Tauqueer, H., 2020. Environmental Chemistry. A Comprehensive Approach. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. USA. Scotford, E., 2017. Environmental Principles and the Evolution of Environmental Law. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. United Kingdom. LET’S CHECK Activity No. 1. Now that you have known the most essential terms in the study of environmental science. Let us try to check your understanding of these terms. In the space provided, write the terms, being asked in the following statements: ENVIRONMENTAL __________1. SCIENCE It refers to the systematic study of our environment andour place in it. INTERDISCIPLINARY __________2. SCIENCE An interdisciplinary science integrating natural sciences, social sciences, and humanities in broad study of the world around us. __________3. ENVIRONMENT The circumstances or conditions that surrounds anorganisms or group of organisms or the complex of social or cultural conditions that affect an individual or community. CONSERVATION __________4. MOVEMENT It is a movement created to protect animals and places from human developmental activities. ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE __________5. MOVEMENT It is an international movement that aims to encourage social, economic, and environmental justice. __________6. OPEN SYSTEM Refers to systems that receive inputs from surroundings and produce outputs that leave the system. \ 11 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 SECOND LAW OF __________7. It is a THERMODYNAMICS law which states that energy is degraded to lower- quality forms, or it dissipates and is lost, as it is used. __________8. SPECIES It consists of all the members of a species living in each area at the same time. ECOLOGICAL __________9. PYRAMIDS It is an inefficient energy chain. __________10. FOOD CHAIN It is a feeding relationship usually weave numerous organisms into large, complex, and dynamic networks. LET’S ANALYZE Activity No. 1. Getting acquainted with the essential terms in studying environmental sciences will not be sufficient. What matters is that you should be able to discuss the inter- relationship environment, development, social progress, and environmental ethics. Now, I will require you to explain your answers thoroughly. 1. Define environmental science and identify some important environmental concernswe face today. Should environmental science include dimensions? Explain. 2. What is science? Identify and discuss some of its basic principles. \ 12 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 3. Draw a diagram showing the difference between a food chain from a food web. 4. Why is ethics being studied in environmental science. Cite examples. IN A NUTSHELL Activity No. 1. Environmental science is an interdisciplinary science that ensures a holistic study and understanding of the natural scope of environmental science and its whole systems. The study of the environment and human dimensions is an integral part requiresdeeper understanding on the role of human towards sustainability as well as the sustainable use of resources and the growing issue and conflicts between the social, economic, and environment. Based on the definitions and the essential elements in the study of environmental and the learning exercises that you have done, please feel free to indicateyour arguments or lessons learned below. 1. The environment is a complex system where people and nature are intertwined, andthe unprecedented growth rate of the human population is the underlying global environmental problem. 2. Ethics and faith base perspectives often inspire people to engage in natural resource conservation and management, which eventually influences decision making about environmental issues, which involves society, politics, culture, economics, values, and scientific information. YOUR TURN 3. \ 13 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Q & A LIST Do you have any questions for clarification? Questions/ Issues Answers 1. 2. \ 14 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 3. 4. 5. KEYWORD INDEX Environmental Science Conservation Species Population Ethics Community Ecological Systems Energy Niche Climate Change Ecological Pyramid Habitat BIG PICTURE WEEK 1-3 Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOb): At the end of the unit, you are expected to explain how nature and systems interact and how systems affect one another and identify the major biomes in an ecosystem. METALANGUAGE In this section, the essential terms relevant to the study of environmental science ULO-1 will be operationally defined to establish a typical frame inthe field of natural sciences and social influences towards the quality of life and sustainability. Please refer to the definition in case you will encounter difficulty in theunderstanding of environmental science concepts. 1. Ecosystem – a biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment. 2. Biome – a large naturally occurring community of flora and fauna occupying a major habitat, e.g. forest or tundra. 3. Flora – the plants of a particular region, habitat, or geological period. 4. Fauna – the animals of a particular region, habitat, or geological period. 5. Region - an area or division, especially part of a country or the world having definable characteristics but not always fixed boundaries. \ 15 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE BIOMES Biomes are diverse biological communities where various plants and animal speciesshare common characteristics for the environment, they are thriving in. They are formed inresponse to a shared physical climate and on the world's different continents. While theselocal communities have distinctive characteristics, they can understand concerning a few general groups with the same climate conditions, patterns of growth, and vegetation types. https://socratic.org/questions/how-do-biomes-change-with-latitude-1 Tropical Moist Forest The tropical moist forest supports the world's one of the most complex and biologically rich biome. These forests do share standard features such as rainfall and unchanging temperatures. One type of moist forest is the cool cloud forests found in high mountains where fog and mist provide sufficient moisture for the vegetation. On the otherhand, the tropical rainforest has an abundant rainfall per year (more than 200 cm.) and warmto hot temperatures all year round. TROPICAL MOIST FOREST in Cayo District, Belize https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Hoplopyga-liturata-habitat-in-in-tropical-moist-forest-in-Cayo-District- Belize_fig14_288699564 \ 16 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 Both tropical moist forests have an old, thin, acidic, and nutrient-poor soil. However, the presence of species on these forests is overwhelming in the canopy of the tropical rainforest, where millions of insect species are present. In mountainous regions,temperatures are more relaxed, and precipitation is usually more significant at high elevations. Communities can transition quickly from warm and dry to cold and wet as yougo up a mountain. Vertical zonation refers to the vegetation zones defined by altitude. Tropical Seasonal Although the temperatures are hot throughout the year, wet and dry seasons arethe distinct characteristics of many tropical regions. These are the areas that support drought-tolerant forests that are dormant and appear to be brown during the dry season;however, they will turn into the vibrant green during rainy months. Tropical seasonal forestshave annual dry seasons but with periodic rain to support tree growth. The trees and shrubsthat grow in these forests are drought- deciduous in which during drought or water is unavailable, will lose their leaves and cease to grow. Moreover, seasonal forests are oftenopen woodlands that grade into savannahs. http://w3.marietta.edu/~biol/biomes/tropdry.htm Tropical Savannas and Grasslands Both grasslands and savannahs are areas with too little rainfall to support forests. However, unlike grasslands, the savannahs have thin tree cover. Like tropical seasonal forests, most tropical savannahs and grasslands have a rainy season, but typically, rains are less abundant than in a forest. The plants in these areas have adaptations to survive drought, heat, and even fires. Many of these plants have long-lived roots that seek deepgroundwater and can persist even the leaves and stems die. \ 17 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 https://grasslandsbiomeproject6.weebly.com/tropical-savanna.html Deserts Deserts occur when rainfall is rare and unpredictable (less than 30 cm) and hot orcold yet always dry. The vegetation in deserts is remarkably diverse, although sparse. Well- adapted plants have water-storing leaves and stems, thick epidermal layers to prevent excessive water loss and salt tolerance. Most desert plants and animals are adapting to prolonged droughts, and both extreme heat and cold. Whenever spring rainfalls, most of these plants blossom and rapidly dispose of seeds. The Dessert of the North”La Paz Sand Dunes”, Ilocos Norte, Philippines. https:www.vigattintourism.com/tourism/articles/The-Dessert-of-the-North-La-Paz-Sand-Dunes Temperate Grasslands As in tropical latitudes, temperate (mid-latitude) grasslands occur where there is enough rain to support abundant grass but not enough for forests. Generally, grasslandsare involved with diverse grasses and flowering herbaceous plants or forbs that create acolorful grassland during summer. Vegetation can be less than a meter in dry grasslandswhile in more humid areas, the vegetation can exceed two meters. The accumulation of dead leaves during the annual winter \ 18 |Page  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 produces thick and organic-rich soil where roots candig deep to survive drought, fire, and extreme heat and cold. https://study.com/academy/lesson/temperate-grassland-biome-climate-plants-animals-locations.html Temperate Shrublands Dry environments can be biologically rich, where they can support drought- adaptedtrees, shrubs, and grasses. In Mediterranean areas, hot season coincides with dry season creating warm, dry summers and cold, moist winters. Dense thickets are forming from evergreen shrubs with small, leathery, hard, and waxy (sclerophyllous) leaves—a cluster of shrub oaks, dry-resistant pines, or other small trees in sheltering valleys. Due to fuel-richplant assemblage, periodic fires burn ferociously, allowing plant succession and spring flowers to bloom abundantly. Temperate shrublands or chaparral (Sp. Thicket) have summer droughts. Temperate Forests Temperate forests can be evergreen or deciduous. Temperate, or midlatitude, forests occupy a wide range of precipitation conditions, mainly between 30 and 55-degrees. In general, we can group these forests by tree type, which can be broadleaf deciduous (losing leaves seasonally) or evergreen coniferous (cone-bearing). Deciduous Forests. Broadleaf forests occur throughout the world, whererainfall is plentiful, in mid-latitudes, deciduous forests located in the forest lose their leaves during winter. The loss of green pigments in plants produces brilliant colors in the forest during the autumn season. Broadleaf forests are evergreen or drought- deciduous, such as Southern live oaks usually found at a lower latitude. Deciduous forests can regrow very fast sincethey inhabit warm, moderate climates. \ 19 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 Coniferous Forests. These forests grow in a wide range of temperatures andmoisture conditions. They occur in a limited moisture area that may experience cold climates such as winter wherein moisture is unavailable (frozen), and hot climates might have a seasonal drought. It also includessandy soils that hold little moisture that is often occupied by conifers. Waterloss of these trees reduced by thin, waxy leaves common to pine needles.The coniferous forest of the Pacific coast grows in extremely wet conditions.Rainy forests often enclosed in fog, cool in temperature, and the most humid coastal forests are known as temperate rainforest. Condensation in the canopy (leaf drip) is a significant source of precipitation in the understory. Boreal Forests Since conifers can survive winter cold, they tend to limit the existence of boreal forest or northern forest between about 50° and 60° north. Numerous qualities and types of boreal forest in the mountainous areas are at a lower latitudewhere dominant trees are pines, hemlocks, spruce, cedar, and fir. Boreal forest, such as taiga (snow forest), known by its Russian name, describe as extreme, and ragged edge where forest progressively gives way to open tundra. In this area, extreme cold and short summer limit the growth rate of trees. About 10 cm diameterof trees may be over 200 years old in the far north. Boreal forests occur at high latitudes. https://depositphotos.com/stock-photos/boreal-forest.html Tundra Tundra. It is a treeless landscape located in the mountaintops or high latitudes, and the growing season of this biome is only two to three months. It mayhave frosted any month of the year, and most of the year, temperatures are below the freezing point where only small, hardy vegetation can survive. Tundra can freeze inany month. \ 20 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 Arctic Tundra. It is an extended biome that has a short growing season.Hence, it has low productivity. During midsummer, however, 24-hour sunshine supports the booming of plant growth and plenty of insect’s life. Arctic tundra is essential for birds as well as to global biodiversity. https://alaskaconservation.org/protecting-alaska/priorities/protecting-lands-waters/arctic/ Alpine Tundra. It has a similar environmental condition and vegetation tothe arctic tundra. It occurs on near mountaintops, and these zones have ashort and extraordinary growing season. Often one sees a mind-blowing abundance of flowers in alpine tundra. Hence, everything must bloom immediately to create seeds in half a month before the arrival of snow. Numerous alpine tundra plants have deep pigmentation and weathered leaves to secure against the sunlight in the thin mountain atmosphere. Compared to other biomes, the tundra has relatively low diversity. https://sites.google.com/site/biomesapes/home/tundra/alpine-tundra MARINE ECOSYSTEMS The diversity of organism in oceans and seas are no seen effectively. However, they are also as diverse and complex as terrestrial biomes. The oceans cover three- fourths of theEarth's surface, and it has an essential role but often unrecognized compared to terrestrial ecosystems. Most of the marine species depend on photosynthetic organisms the same asterrestrial animals. \ 21 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 https://sciencing.com/marine-ecosystem-classification-38170.html Open Oceans The open ocean is usually associated with a biological desert since it generally has low productivity. But like terrestrial deserts, the open ocean has areasof productive richness and diversity. Fish and plankton abound in regions such asthe equatorial Pacific and Antarctic oceans, where currents distribute nutrients. Phytoplankton, free-floating photosynthetic plants, microscopic algae are essential to support the marine food web. Oceanographers have discovered thousands of varieties of organisms, and most of them are microscopic organisms. Open ocean (middle of the Pacific Ocean) communities vary from surface to hadal zones. Coastal Zones Shoreline communities vary in terms of depth, light, nutrient concentrations, and temperature. Estuaries have high biological productivity and diversity due to the abundant nutrients that came from the land. However, excessive loads of nutrients may stimulate bacterial growth that consumes oxygen in the water, which is more than 200 "dead zones” occur in coastal zones. Coastal zones support vibrant, diverse biological communities. Corals reefs are known in marine ecosystems because of their exceptional biological productivity and their diverse, beautiful organisms—reefs form clusters as colonial animals (coral polyps) that live symbiotically with photosynthetic algae. Calcium-rich coral skeletons build-up to make reefs, atolls, and islands. Reefs protect shorelines and shelter of countless species of fish, worms, crustaceans, and other life-forms. Reef-building corals exist where water is shallow and clear enough for sunlight to reach the photosynthetic algae. However, the biggest threat to reefs is global warming. Elevated water temperatures cause coral bleaching, in which corals expeltheir algal partner and then die. \ 22 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 Mangroves are trees that grow in saltwater. They take place along calm, shallow, tropical coastlines around the world. Swamps help stabilize shorelines, and they are also significant nurseries for fish, shrimp, and other commercial species. Estuaries are bays where river water meets the sea; hence, there is a mixing of saltwater and freshwater. Salt marshes are shallow wetlands flooded regularly or occasionally and drained by seawater, usually on shallow coastlines, including estuaries. In contrast to the shallow, calm conditions of estuaries, coral reefs, and mangroves, tide pools may experience violent, wave-blasted shorelines that support enchanting life-forms. Tide pools are depressions in a rockyshoreline that are flooded at high tide but retain some water at low tide. These areas remain rocky, where wave action prevents most plant growth or sediment (mud) accumulation. Barrier islands are low, narrow, sandy islands that form parallel to a coastline. They occur where the continental shelf is shallow, and rivers or coastal currents provide a steady source of sediments. They protect brackish (moderately salty), inshore lagoons and salt marshes from storms, waves, andtides. FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS Freshwater environments are not that wide as the marine ecosystem, but they areabundant and center of biodiversity. Most of the terrestrial communities rely relatively onfreshwater habitats. In the desert, isolated pools, streams, and even underground watersystems support astounding biodiversity and land animals with water. https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=28066 \ 23 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 Lakes Like marine environments, freshwater lakes have distinct vertical zones. Close to the surface, a subcommunity of plankton, primarily microscopic plants, animals, and protists (single-celled organisms such as amoebae), float freely in the water column. Some insects may live at the air- water interface such as water strider and mosquitoes. The fish move through the water column, sometimes close to thesurface and sometimes at depth. Finally, a variety of snails, burrowing worms, fish, and other organisms occupy the bottom or benthos. They make up the benthic community. They are reducing the levels of oxygen in the benthic environment, primarily because there is little mixing to introduce oxygen to this zone. Anaerobic bacteria (not using oxygen) may exist in low-oxygen sediments. In the littoral zone,arising of plants such as cattails and rushes grow in the bottom sediment. Lakes, unless shallow, have a warmer upper layer mixed with wind and warmed by the sun. This layer is the epilimnion. The epilimnion is the hypolimnion (hypo = below), a colder, deeper layer that is not combined. You may have found the sharp temperature limit known as the thermocline between these layers on theoff chance that you have swum in a moderately deep lake. Underneath this limit, thewater is a lot colder. This limit is likewise called the mesolimbic. Local conditions that influence the characteristics of an aquatic communityinclude: 1. Excess nutrients such as nitrates and phosphates 2. suspended matter, such as silt that affects light penetration 3. depth 4. temperature 5. currents 6. bottom characteristics, such as muddy, sandy, or rocky floor 7. internal currents 8. connections to, or isolation from, other aquatic and terrestrial system Wetlands Wetlands are shallow biological systems where the land surface is saturated or lowered in the late part of the year. Wetlands have vegetation that is adjusted todevelop under saturated conditions. These are shallow and beneficial. These relatively small systems rich in biodiversity and are essential for both breeding andmigratory birds. Wetlands catch, and often purify industrial and farm wastewater,while bacteria and plants consume the nutrients and pollutants in the water. Its biodiversity as wetlands. Wetlands may gradually convert to terrestrial communitiesas they with sediment, and as the vegetation slowly fills in towards the center. This process often accelerated by increased sediment loads from urban development, farms, and roads. \ 24 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 Swamps are wetlands with trees. Marshes are wetlands without trees. Bogs are areas of concentrated land, and usually, the ground is comprised of deep layers of accumulated, undecayed vegetation known as peat. Fens are like bogs except that they are mainly fed by groundwater, so they have mineral-rich water and exceptionally adapted plant species. Bogs are primarily fed by precipitation. Swamps and marches provide a significant degree of ecological sustainability. Bogsand fens, mostly nutrient-poor and have limited environmental efficiency. Environmental Variables Affecting the Biomes 1. SUNLIGHT. Sunlight powers the photosynthesis that supplies energy to nearly all life on earth. It is also essential for vision, which many animals rely on for catching foods, spotting predators, etc. 2. TEMPERATURE. Organisms can survive within a specific, limited range of temperature. If the body temperature either rises above or falls below that range, the critical chemical reactions in the tissues get “out of synch” with one another, resulting in metabolic chaos. 3. WATER AND DISSOLVED SALTS. Precise balance of water, dissolved salts, and organic molecules in the body fluids of organisms must be maintained to keep the cells alive. Many plants and animals cannot survive in dry conditions, such as deserts, because they cannot acquire and store water that are needed by their body cells. But some organisms cannot equally live in swamps or marshes because of too much water in the soil. Hence, salinity which is the concentration of dissolved organic salts, affects the ability of the organisms to control their water balance. 4. OXYGEN. The concentration of available oxygen can be important limiting factor in a variety of environments. Bacteria can either be aerobic or anaerobic. Too much oxygen for anaerobic organisms can be fatal as lack of oxygen is for aerobic. Air-breathing animals need more oxygen to sustain life. 5. METABOLIC WASTE. All organisms produce metabolic waste products. Plants release oxygen by day, give off carbon dioxide by night, and discard leaves and stems on a seasonal basis. Waste products must enter the biogeochemical cycle wherein they are broken down and carried away. 6. NUTRIENTS. Distribution of nutrients is important in determining where organisms can grow and where they cannot. The more nutrients available in each area, the more living things can successfully survive. SELF HELP You can refer to the source below to help you further understand the lesson: Magill, G., & Potter, J., 2017. Integral Ecology: Protecting Our Common Home. Cambridge Scholars Publisher. United Kingdom. \ 25 | P age  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 LET’S CHECK Activity 2. Answer the following questions: ___________________ 1. They are diverse biological communities were various plants and animal species share common characteristics for the environment, they are thriving in. ___________________ 2. These forests share standard features such as rainfall and unchanging temperatures. ___________________ 3. These forests have annual dry seasons but with periodic rain to support tree growth. ___________________ 4. These are areas with too little rainfall to support forests. ___________________ 5. The plants and animals are adapting to prolonged droughts, and both extreme heat and cold in this area. ___________________ 6. A rainy forest which is often enclosed in fog, cool in temperature, and the most humid coastal forests. ___________________ 7. It is a treeless landscape located in the mountaintops or high latitudes, and the growing season of this biome is only two to three months. ___________________ 8. They are free-floating photosynthetic plants, microscopic algae which are essential to support the marine food web. ___________________ 9. They are shallow biological systems where the land surface is saturated or lowered in the late part of the year. ___________________ 10. They are areas of concentrated land, and usually, the ground is comprised of deep layers of accumulated, undecayed vegetation known as peat. LET’S ANALYZE Activity No. 2. In this activity, you require to elaborate your answer once again to each ofthe questions provided below. \ 26 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 1. Why are tropical rainforests so interesting to scientists and so potentially valuable to human society? 2. Describe the environmental variables and explain their importance to plants and animals. 3. Differentiate the following: a. Tundra from Taiga b. Temperate Forest from Boreal Forest c. Wetlands from Lakes IN A NUTSHELL Activity No. 2. Make research of the different types of forest in the Philippines. Provide a clear photo of each type and a description. Include the different species that are most likely found, their limiting factors, and the threats it is facing for each type. Q & A LIST Do you have any questions for clarification? Questions/ Issues Answers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. \ 27 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 KEYWORD INDEX Biomes Ecosystem Marches Rainforest Marine Desert Forest Freshwater Tundra Taiga Wetlands Swamps BIG PICTURE WEEK 4-5 Unit Learning Outcome c (ULOc). Explain the human population growth, its impacts to the environment and to the biodiversity. METALANGUAGE In this section, essential terms relevant to human population growth, its patterns, history, and implication to the natural resource will be operationally defined for you to comprehend ULO-b. You will also be required to refer to the previous definitions found in ULO-a to connect with the topic discuss under the lesson unit. These are some key terms that will enable you to grasp the core areas of environmental science. 1. Population. It is the entire pool from which a statistical sample is drawn from a different group of individuals. 1.1. A population is referring to an entire group of people of different races, sexuality, and status; objects like material things; events like social gatherings; hospital or school visitations, and measurements of a distinct boundary. 2. Demographic Transition. It refers to the shift in the history of birth and death rates in society because of the absence of science and technology advancements. There is also an issue on the economic and educational development, particularly in women that may cause the demographic transition. 3. Population Density. It is the measurement of the given population over volume respondents. 1.1. It is frequently applied to living organisms, most of the time, to humans. 1.2. It is a key geographical term. 4. Mortality Rate. It is referring to the number of death in a given population over some time. 5. Sex Ratio. It is a ratio of males to females in a population. In most sexually reproducing species, the rate tends to be 1:1. 6. Fecundity it is referring in two ways; human demography has the potential for the reproduction of a listed population as opposed to a single organism. For the \ 28 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 study in the biological community, it is similar to fertility, wherein it is a natural way to produce offspring. 7. Demography is referring to the statistical features of the human population. The demographic analysis can cover whole societies or groups comprising education, nationality, religion, and ethnicity. 8. Migration. It is referring to the movement of people of different sectors from one country to another with the intention of the new location, new work or employer, or for greener pasture. 8.1 The movement is often over long distances and from one country to another, but internal migration within the city is also possible; indeed, this is the dominant form globally. 9. Morbidity is a general term meaning the occurrence of disease and illness in a population. 10. Biodiversity - Biodiversity is all the different kinds of life you’ll find in one area— the variety of animals, plants, fungi, and even microorganisms like bacteria that make up our natural world. 11. Taxonomy - Taxonomy is the practice and science of categorization or classification. A taxonomy (or taxonomical classification) is a scheme of classification, especially a hierarchical classification, in which things are organized into groups or types. ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE PEOPLE AND THE ENVIRONMENT Humans and the environment, in which our daily lives take place, are intricately interwoven. Our activities are having an increasingly dramatic and negative impact on wildlife and ecosystems, endangering not only wild species but also our own survival. Despite the fact that we completely rely on nature for essential, life- sustaining services like clean air and water, a predictable climate, and food, these effects are only getting worse. The unfortunate reality is that we are mostly using the planet's resources to fulfill our short-term demands, and those who will suffer the most are the most vulnerable or don't have a voice in how those resources are used (such as future generations). Making sure that development and expansion take place without causing environmental harm and enriching people's daily lives without depleting the environment is one of the main issues of the twenty-first century. Governments and people may need to make some challenging decisions about how we define and reward success in the future. HUMAN POPULATION Human population refers to the number of people living in a particular area, from a village to the world as a whole.The world population now stands at around 7.8 \ 29 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 billion inhabitants, having reached 7 billion milestones in 2011. Demographers expect the 8 billion breakthroughs in 2023, nine (9) billion by 2037, and projected as high as te (10) billion in the year 2056. It is common to say that human populations, like that of the United States, grow at an exponential rate, which means that the annual growth rate is a constant percentage of the population Usually, in discussions of population dynamics, birth, death, and growth rates are expressed as percentages (the number per 100 individuals). The human population is so huge that percentages are too crude a measure, so it is common to state these rates in terms of the number per 1,000, referring to the crude rate. Thus, we have the crude birth rate, crude death rate, and crude growth rate. More specifically, here is a list of terms that are used frequently in discussions of human population change and will be useful to us in this book from time to time. A population is defined as a group of individuals of the same species living and interbreeding within a given area. Members of a population often rely on the same resources, are subject to similar environmental constraints, and depend on the availability of other members to persist over time. Scientists study a population by examining how individuals in that population interact with each other and how the population as a whole interacts with its environment. As a tool for objectively studying populations, population ecologists rely on a series of statistical measures, known as demographic parameters, to describe that population (Lebreton et al. 1992). The field of science interested in collecting and analyzing these numbers is termed population demographics, also known as demography. Broadly defined, demography is the study of the characteristics of populations. It provides a mathematical description of how those characteristics change over time. Demographics can include any statistical factors that influence population growth or decline, but several parameters are particularly important: population size, density, age structure, fecundity (birth rates), mortality (death rates), and sex ratio. HUMAN POPULATION GROWTH The rise in the number of people on Earth is referred to as population growth. The majority of human history saw a relatively steady population size. Energy, food, water, and medical care, however, became more accessible and dependable as a result of innovation and industrialization. As a result, the human population has swiftly expanded and is still growing, having a significant impact on the planet's ecosystems and climate. In order to support the world's population while adapting to and minimizing climate and environmental changes, technological and societal innovation will be necessary. \ 30 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 https://ugc.berkeley.edu/background-content/population- growth/#:~:text=Human%20population%20growth%20impacts%20the,wildlife%2C%20especially%20in%20the%20 oceans. The expansion of the human population has a range of effects on the Earth system, including: increasing the number of environmental resources being extracted. These resources include minerals, plants, water, and wildlife, particularly in the oceans, as well as fossil fuels (oil, gas, and coal). In turn, the removal of resources frequently results in the release of trash and toxins that degrade the quality of the air and water and endanger the health of both humans and other species. Increased use of fossil fuels to produce electricity, fuel industrial processes, and power transportation (such as cars and planes). An increase in the use of freshwater for industrial activities, agriculture, recreation, and drinking. Freshwater is extracted from lakes, rivers, the ground, and man-made reservoirs. increasing environmental effects of ecology. To build urban areas, including homes, shops, and highways to accommodate expanding populations, forests and other habitats are uprooted or destroyed. In addition, when populations rise, more land is put to use for farming, including raising crops and caring for animals. This in turn has the potential to reduce species populations, geographic ranges, biodiversity, and change how organisms interact with one another. Fishing and hunting are being increased, which is reducing the numbers of the exploited species. If additional resources are made available for the species that remain in the environment, fishing and hunting may also indirectly boost the numbers of species that are not fished or hunted. increasing the planned or unintentional import and export of supplies, which increases the spread of invasive species. Invasive species frequently thrive in disturbed habitats where urbanization has occurred and outcompete native species. For instance, numerous invasive plant species abound in the areas of land near to highways and roadways. the spread of illnesses. Diseases can spread quickly among and within communities when people live in heavily populated places. Furthermore, infections can spread fast to new areas due to easier and more frequent transportation. BIODIVERSITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT \ 31 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 The vast variety of life on Earth is referred to as biodiversity. It can be applied more precisely to all the species found in a certain area or environment. Every living creature, including plants, microorganisms, animals, and people, is referred to as biodiversity. Around 8.7 million species of plants and animals are thought to exist, according to scientists. However, to far, only about 1.2 million species, the most of which are insects, have been recognized and described. This implies that the identities of millions of other creatures are yet unknown. https://greensaver.org/insights/why-is-it-important-to-conserve-biodiversity/ All of the species that are still living today have developed distinctive characteristics through many generations that set them apart from other species. Scientists distinguish between species based on these differences. Different species of organism are those that can no longer procreate with one another due to their divergent evolutionary paths. All living things that can reproduce sexually belong to the same species. Given that there is still a lot of species to be discovered, scientists are curious about how much biodiversity there is on a global basis. They also research the number of species that can be found in a single environment, such as a lake, grassland, tundra, or woodland. Beetles, snakes, antelopes, and many other species can be found on a single meadow. The warm, humid temperature of tropical regions is an example of an optimum environmental setting for plant growth in ecosystems that support the greatest biodiversity. Species that are too small to perceive with the naked eye can also exist in ecosystems. Microscopically examining soil or water samples reveals a vast array of bacteria and other microscopic creatures. The world has certain regions with greater biodiversity than others, including parts of Mexico, South Africa, Brazil, the southwestern United States, and Madagascar. Hotspots are places with exceptionally high biodiversity levels. Hotspots are also home to endemic species, which can only be found in a single place.For the sake of survival \ 32 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 and the preservation of their ecosystems, all species on Earth cooperate. For instance, cattle are fed on the grass in pastures. The manure that cattle then create replenishes soil nutrients and encourages the growth of further grass. Additionally, farmland can be fertilized with this manure. Humans benefit greatly from many species, especially in the areas of food, clothing, and medicine. However, due to human consumption and other activities that disrupt or even destroy ecosystems, a large portion of the Earth's biodiversity is under danger. Threats to biodiversity include population expansion, pollution, and climate change. The rate of extinction of species has increased at an unheard-of rate as a result of these concerns. Some scientists predict that during the next century, half of all species on Earth will become extinct. To maintain biodiversity and safeguard endangered species and their habitats, conservation measures are required. TAXONOMY, CLASSIFICATION OF ORGANISMS Taxonomy is the branch of biology that classifies all living things. It was developed by the Swedish botanist Carolus Linnaeus, who lived during the 18th Century, and his system of classification is still used today. Linnaeus invented binomial nomenclature, the system of giving each type of organism a genus and species name. He also developed a classification system called the taxonomic hierarchy, which today has eight ranks from general to specific: domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. \ 33 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 https://in.pinterest.com/pin/506936501792112432/ A taxon (plural: taxa) is a group of organisms that are classified as a unit. This can be specific or general. For example, we could say that all humans are a taxon at the species level since they are all the same species, but we could also say that humans along with all other primates are a taxon at the order level, since they all belong to the order Primates. Species and orders are both examples of taxonomic ranks, which are relative levels of grouping organisms in a taxonomic hierarchy. The following is a brief description of the taxonomic ranks that make up the taxonomic hierarchy. Example of taxonomy is the diagram below, which shows the classification of the red fox, Vulpes vulpes (sometimes the genus and species names are the same, even though these are two different ranks). https://biologydictionary.net/taxonomy/ Many mnemonic devices can be used to remember the order of the taxonomic hierarchy, such as “Dear King Philip Came Over For Good Spaghetti”. SELF-HELP \ 34 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 You can refer to the sources below to help you further understand the lesson. Marten. G.G. 2008. Human Ecology: Basic Concepts for Sustainable Development. Earthscan, USA Cunningham, W. P., and Cunningham, M., 2010. Environmental Science: A Global Concern. 11th Edition. McGraw Hill, New York. Botkin, D., and Keller, E., 2011. Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet. 8th Edition. John Wiley and Sons, USA LET’S CHECK Activity 3: Please encircle the answer under each item that best reflects your thinking. 1. It is referred to as the number of births per 1000 individuals per year. a. Crude death rate c. Crude birth rate b. Life expectancy d. Fertility rate 2. This refers to the capacity to become pregnant or to have children. a. Age-specific birth rate c. Fertility b. Total fertility d. Sex ratio 3. Which taxonomic rank is more specific than order but less specific than genus? a. Genus c. Species b. Family d. Order 4. It describes the occurrence of diseases and illnesses in a population. a. Prevalence c. Morbidity b. Incidence d. Fatality 5. It refers to the average number of years a newborn infant can expect to live births. a. Birth rate expectancy c. Doubling time b. Rate of natural increase d. Cause-specific death rate 6. Why is taxonomic classification used? a. It allows each species to be uniquely identified. b. It gives us an idea of how closely two organisms are related. c. It has been unnecessary to change taxonomy since Linnaeus invented it in the 18th Century. d. Choices A and B only are correct. 7. It refers to the three-stage pattern of change in birth rates and death rates that has occurred during the process of industrial and economic development. a. Demographic transition c. Growth rate b. Sex ratio pattern d. Logistic curve rate \ 35 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 8. The average number of years n individuals can expect to live given the individual's present age. a. Life longevity c. Life expectation of living b. Life expectancy d. Life transition 9. It is the highest (most general) rank of organisms. a. Kingdom c. Domain b. Phylum d. Species 10. It is the branch of biology that classifies all living things. a. Biochemistry c. Taxonomy b. Taxology d. Life Science LET’S ANALYZE Activity No. 3. The study of population is a complex process where we investigate how population grows over time and how it affects the nature and quality of life among different communities and its implication to the limited resources and sustainability. We use different factors and parameters to examine how the population will grow shortly and how the resources can sustain this growth. At this juncture., you will be required to elaborate your answer supported with literature and data to the following questions. 1. Discuss comprehensively how population growth affects the environment, economy, and development. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 2. How population growth rate affects the sustainability of natural resource? _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 3. Discuss the effect of overpopulation to biodiversity. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 4. Discuss comprehensively why it is important to protect biodiversity. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ \ 36 | P age  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 5. Is there a need to limit population growth? Why _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ IN A NUTSHELL Activity No. 3. Demographic studies play an important role in studying human ecology and settlement patterns. It enables urban and environmental planners to design sustainable communities with the utmost comfort and responsiveness to the growing population growth and demand for resources. Identifying the key factors affecting demography will shape the idea of projecting future demand for residential units, commercial establishments, industrial, and institutional facilities. In this portion of the group, you will be required to state your arguments or synthesis relevant to the topics presented on population growth and its effect in biodiversity. I will answer the first two items, and you will continue the rest. 1. Population projection is a significant undertaking in demographic studies. It supplies data on how we are going to plan communities mindful of the pressing issues on population growth and quality of life. 2. The holistic evaluation of the triggering factors of uncontrolled population growth, a decline of environmental quality, and scarcity of resources is deemed necessary to attain sustainable development. 3. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 4. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 5. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 6. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 7. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ \ 37 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 8. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 9. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ 10. _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ Q&A LIST Do you have any questions for clarification? Questions/ Issues Answers 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. KEYWORD INDEX Population Death Rate Biodiversity Growth Demography Taxonomy Birth Rate Morbidity Organisms BIG PICTURE WEEK 4-5 Unit Learning Outcome d (ULOd) Discuss how species interaction shape biological communities. \ 38 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 METALANGUAGE Below are the essential terms that you are going to encounter in the pursuit of ULOd. 1. Biological Communities – The term biological community refers to all the living components in an ecosystem. A slightly different concept is encompassed in the word biota, which refers to all flora and fauna, or plant and animal life, in a particular region. 2. Predation it is referring to a biological interaction where one organism captures and kills other organisms, its prey. 2.1. It is one of the known modes of feeding behaviors that includes parasitism and micropredation and parasitoids. 3. A symbiotic relationship is referring to any close and long-term biological interaction between two different organisms. 3.1. The organisms, each termed a symbiont, may be of the same or different species. 4. Mutualism it is referring to a biological and ecological interaction where both organisms benefit from each other. 11.1. It is one of the known ecological interactions. 5. Parasitism. A symbiotic relationship between species, where one organism, the parasite, lives on or in another organism, the host, causing it some harm, and is adapted structurally to this way of life. 6. Keystone species. It is a concept that was introduced by Robert T. Paine in 1969. It pertains to species relative to its abundance is a disproportionate effect on its natural environment. ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE BIOLOGICAL COMMUNITIES A population consists of all individuals of a single species that exist together at a given place and time. A species is a single type of organism that can interbreed and produce fertile offspring. All of the populations living together in the same area make up a community. An ecosystem is made up of the living organisms in a community and the nonliving things, the physical and chemical factors, that they interact with. \ 39 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 https://www.bursahaga.com/ The living organisms within an ecosystem are its biotic factors and the physical and chemical features are abiotic factors. Abiotic factors include resources living organisms need, such as light, oxygen, water, carbon dioxide, good soil, and nitrogen, phosphorous, and other nutrients. Abiotic factors also include environmental features that are not materials or living things, such as living space and the right temperature range. Energy moves through an ecosystem in one direction. https://sciencenotes.org/biotic-and-abiotic-factors-in-ecology/ Organisms must make a living. This means that each individual organism must acquire enough food energy to live and reproduce. A species' way of making a living is called its niche. An example of a niche is making a living as a top carnivore, an animal that eats other animals, but is not eaten by any other animals. Every species fills a niche, and niches are almost always filled in an ecosystem. An organism’s habitat is where it lives. The important characteristics of a habitat include climate, the availability of food, water, and other resources, and other factors, such as weather. \ 40 | P a g e  College of Arts and Sciences Education 2nd Floor, DPT Building Matina Campus, Davao City Phone No.: (082)300-5456/305-0647 Local 118 https://slideplayer.com/slide/10578551/ What Is a Community? A community is the biotic part of an ecosystem. It consists of all the populations of all the species in the same area. It also includes their interactions. Species interactions in communities are important factors in natural selection. They help shape the evolution of the interacting species. There are three major types of community interactions: predation, competition, and symbiosis. Predation is a relationship in which members of one species (the predator) consume members of another species (the prey). Competition is a relationship between organisms that strive for the same resources in the same place. The resources might be food, water, or space. There are two different types of competition: 1. Intraspecific competition occurs between members of the same species. For example, two male birds of the same species might compete for mates in the