Global National Issues Affecting Biosphere 2024 PDF

SUES AFFECT L IS IN NA G T IO H T EB NA IOS AL/...

SUES AFFECT L IS IN NA G T IO H T EB NA IOS AL/ BY GROUP 4: Kristine Borromeo, Vivienne Mae PHE Verga, Jim Velarde, Mae Eileen Tan GLOB RE  WHAT IS BIOSPHERE? The biosphere is where all life occurs on Earth. The biosphere is made of three parts, called the lithosphere, atmosphere and hydrosphere.  BIOSPHERE: THREE PARTS LITHOSPHERE ATMOSPHERE HYDROSPHERE The land mass, The air that living organisms The aquatic excluding Earth’s use for respiration, and portion of the mantle and core, which supports life up to planet, all of which which do not 2,000 meters The above the The support life. support life. hydrosphere planet’s surface. lythosphere The worldwide sum of all ecosystems. It is the zone of life on Earth and supports Biodiversity; the variety of life on earth.  BIOSPHERE: THE 5 BIOMES A biome can be defined as a large biological community or an ecosystem where different types of living organisms including plants, animals, birds, insects, and humans are used to living in a certain type of climate. The world comprises a huge diversity of the types of environments which are divided and grouped into different types of biomes and are mainly based on the adaptations, range of temperature, weather, and climatic conditions. The biosphere is subdivided into five subcategories known as biomes which include (Aquatic, Desert, Forest, Grassland, and Tundra) GLOBAL/ NATIONAL ISSUES AFFECTING THE BIOSPHERE The biosphere and its components have been relatively stable for thousands of years, however humans have affected its flows. Some of the changes humans have caused to the biosphere are extremely dangerous, especially those we regard as irreversible and these impacts are interconnected. Among the better known examples are: The atmospheric build-up of carbon dioxide Overpopulation Biodiversity Loss Resource depletion Pollution of air, fresh and salt waters, and of soil  THE ATMOSPHERIC BUILD-UP OF CARBON DIOXIDE The atmospheric build-up of carbon Two primary sources—natural and human sources. dioxide, causing global warming. 1. Natural sources include decomposition, ocean release, WHAT IS CARBON DIOXIDE? respiration and animals, which exhale carbon dioxide as a Carbon dioxide (commonly waste product. abbreviated as CO2) is a clear gas 2. Human sources that lead to carbon dioxide emissions composed of one atom of carbon (C) come from activities like cement production, and two atoms of oxygen (O). deforestation as well as the burning of fossil fuels like A minor part of the air that humans coal, oil and natural gas. breathe. It is also a byproduct of our body’s metabolism and is What is the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere subsequently exhaled from the lungs. called? Greenhouse Effect- A process that occurs when gases in Earth's atmosphere trap the Sun's heat. GLOBAL WARMING: CARBON DIOXIDE AND THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT Solutions: Use fuels with reduced carbon emission intensity – renewables, nuclear, and natural gas. Adopt more efficient technologies on both the energy demand and supply sides. Develop and implement carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology.  OVERPOPULATION The human population rises to an extent exceeding the carrying capacity of the ecological setting. It is only logical that an increase in the world’s population will cause additional strains on resources. All that consumption contributes to ecological degradation. An overpopulated environment will inevitably create pressures leading to more deforestation, decreased biodiversity, and spikes in pollution and emissions, which will aggravate climate change. Solutions: Family planning. According to estimates in a study by Wynes and Nicholas (2017), a family having one fewer child could reduce emissions by 58.6 tonnes of CO2-equivalent per year in developed countries. Education. Enhancing education, particularly for women and girls, is another crucial solution. Education empowers individuals to make informed decisions, contributes to one's economic standing and reduces fertility rates.  BIODIVERSITY LOSS When plant or animal species disappear completely from Earth (extinction) or when there is a decrease or disappearance of species in a specific area, biodiversity loss occurs. Loss of biodiversity undermines the ability of ecosystems to function effectively and efficiently and thus undermines nature's ability to support a healthy environment. This is particularly important in a changing climate in which loss of biodiversity reduces nature's resilience to change. Solutions: 5 Ways to Preserve Biodiversity Support local farms Plant local flowers, fruits and vegetables Take shorter showers Respect local habitats Know the source  BIODIVERSITY Biodiversity is more than simply the collection of plants and animals on earth; it is about local ecosystems and promoting healthy conditions for organisms to thrive. Protecting biodiversity is critical to the survival of our planet and all living creatures on it — including humans. In fact, we guarantee that you depend on biodiversity to survive. From the oxygen we breathe to the food we eat, the natural world profoundly influences our lives.  RESOURCE DEPLETION Occurs when the renewable and non-renewable natural resources become scarce because they are consumed faster than they can recover. The term resource depletion is commonly associated with water usage, fossil fuel consumption, trees and fishing. All of these resources have been depleted. This is the product of an increasing global population multiplied by an ever-increasing level of consumption per person. Solutions: 8 Solutions for Natural Resource Depletion Make Electricity Use More Efficient Use More Renewable Energy Promote Sustainable Fishing Rules Avoid Single-Use Plastics Drive Less Recycle More and Improve Recycling Systems Use Sustainable Agriculture Practices Preventing natural resource depletion is vital for the environment, economy Reduce Food Waste and the health and well-being of the human population.  POLLUTION OF AIR, FRESH AND SALT WATERS, AND OF SOIL What are Pollutants? A pollutant can be defined as any unwanted or harmful substance that pollutes our environment. Generally, certain toxic substances like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen dioxide are present in the air in small quantities and are not harmful to us. But when these substances are The presence of extremely high concentrations of harmful further present in ways that cannot substances in the environment is known as pollution. This be tolerated, they become pollution is caused mainly by certain human activities, resulting in pollutants. environmental pollution that can be harmful to the health of living organisms. Air, water, and soil pollution are the three main kinds of pollution causing health hazards today.  AIR POLLUTION The presence of harmful toxic compounds in extreme quantities in the air results in air pollution. There are two Sulphur- types of air pollutants: dioxide 1. Primary pollutants- The pollutants that directly cause air pollution. 2. Secondary pollutants- The pollutants formed by the intermingling and reaction of primary pollutants. Air pollution is usually caused by burning fossil fuels. Among all other continents globally, India is the country with the Smog most polluted cities. Lucknow, Kanpur, New Delhi are a few among them because of excessive use of fossil fuels by vehicles and other industrial units.  FRESH WATERS POLLUTION Freshwater pollution originates from many sources, including municipal, industrial and agricultural waste, wastewater and nutrient run-off, power generation, heavy industry, automobiles, and others. Around the world, some 2 billion tonnes of human waste are disposed of in water courses every day. Severe organic pollution already affects around one seventh of all river stretches in Africa, Asia and Latin America, and has been steadily increasing for years. All of that pollution has significant health impacts both on environment and human: 4,000 children die every day from diseases caused by polluted water and inadequate sanitation. Each year, some 1.8 million people (mostly children) are killed by diarrhoea alone. The impacts on wildlife can also be severe. Increased discharges of untreated sewage, combined with runoff of fertilizer and other chemicals into freshwater bodies can trigger pathogens, PASIG RIVER IN THE PHILIPPINES chemical and nutrient pollution—which in turn leads to an overgrowth of plant life that starves fish and other animals of oxygen. SALT WATERS POLLUTION Dramatic increases in salt (sodium chloride) concentrations are occurring in freshwaters globally due to human activities. Too much salt in the environment is toxic and lethal to aquatic life, pollutes drinking water sources, and damages infrastructure. ​Increased salt concentrations lead to a phenomenon called freshwater salinization syndrome (FSS). This syndrome is due to direct and indirect effects of salts that cause other pollutants in soil, groundwater, surface water, and water pipes to become more concentrated and mobile. SOIL POLLUTION Soil pollution is the contamination of soil due to harmful substances. Polluted soil becomes unfit for growing crops and plants, and is usually accompanied by water pollution. The significant causes of soil pollution are over-irrigation, usage of pesticides, dumping of sewage and garbage, deforestation and mining. The most common soil pollutants are heavy metals like lead and mercury, pesticide compounds, salt and mineral ores. These pollutants disturb the soil profile, spoil the soil fertility and make it unfit for growing crops. Water and soil pollution usually occur together as polluted water seeps into the soil and contaminates it. Pollutants from the soil can leach into groundwater or move into the water bodies when it rains. REDUCING POLLUTION Reduce, reuse, and recycle Volunteer Educate Conserve water Choose sustainable Shop wisely Use long-lasting light bulbs Plant a tree Don't send chemicals into our waterways Bike more  IMPORTANCE OF BIOSPHERE Many people rely on the biosphere for basic necessities including food, medicine, construction materials, and fuel. The biosphere, also known as ecosphere, provides the Humans destroy ecosystems. Our lifestyle creates ecosystem that is needed for survival. It functions as the pollution and we overuse our natural resources. Today, planet’s life support system, assisting in the control of we are using the resources of 1 and ½ planet Earths, even atmospheric composition, soil health, and the hydrological though we only have one. We build roads, hunt animals, (water) cycle. An indicator of a biome’s contribution to the cut down trees, destroy forests and just litter the planet earth. It plays a vital role in the conservation of ecosystems, like crazy. We waste resources that are not infinite and the life of species and their reciprocal interactions. will soon run out. If we continue depleting resources and destroying our environment, soon it will be too late for them to recover, even with our help. When we’ve mined what we can from our planet, when all animals have died, when there are no more fish in the sea, when the Earth is barren and devoid of trees… What will happen to us? Everything relies on everything else around it. Our planet is alive and interconnected and we are part of that web. CONCLUSION The biosphere is as important as life itself because it is all of life. Without the biosphere, Earth would be a lifeless planet such as Mars or Venus. ACTIVITY 1. A _ can be defined as any unwanted or harmful substance that pollutes our environment. A. Pollution B. Pollutants C. Greenhouse effect D. Natural Source B. Pollutants 2. A process that occurs when gases in Earth’s atmosphere trap the Sun’s heat. A. Greenhouse Effect B. Soil Pollution C. Source of Nature D. Biodiversity Loss A. Greenhouse Effect 3. Occurs when the renewable and non- renewable natural resources become scarce because they are consumed faster than they can recover. A. Human Sources B. Carbon Dioxide C. Resource Depletion D. Greenhouse Effect C. Resource Depletion 4. Includes decomposition, ocean release, respiration, and animals, which exhale carbon dioxide as a waste product. A. Natural Sources B. Natural Resource C. Source of Nature D. Ecosystem A. Natural Sources  5. What are the 5 Biomes? A. Tundra, Aquarium, Forest, Grassland, Deserte B. Aquatic, Dessert, Tundra, Forest, Grassland C. Aquatic, Tundar, Forest, Grassland, Desert D. Aquatic, Tundra, Desert, Forest, Grassland D. Aquatic, Tundra, Desert, Forest, Grassland 6. When plant or animal species disappear completely from Earth (extinction) or when there is a decrease or disappearance of species in a specific area. A. Depletion B. Carbon Dioxide C. Biodiversity Loss D. Pollution C. Biodiversity Loss 7. A minor part of the air that humans breathe. It is also a byproduct of our body's metabolism and is subsequently exhaled from the lungs. A. Atmosphere B. Biosphere C. Pollutant D. Carbon Dioxide D. Carbon Dioxide 8. Increased salt concentrations lead to a phenomenon called ____. A. Fleshwater Salinization Syndrome B. Freshwater Salinization Syndrome C. Freshwater Sanitation Syndrome D. Freewater Sanitation Syndrome B. Freshwater Salinization Syndrome 9. The presence of extremely high concentrations of harmful substances in the environment is known as __. A.Biomes B. Pollution C. Atmosphere D. Earth B. Pollution 10. The __ is as important as life itself because it is all of life. The __ is where all life occurs on Earth. A. Biomes B. Earth C. Biosphere D. Air C. Biosphere