People and the Earth's Ecosystems - Finals (reporting)

Biodiversity

total variety of life on Earth, from genes to entire ecosystems

Bio

means life

Diversity

means variety

Genetic Diversity

variations in DNA within a single species

Species Diversity

sheer number of different species living in a habitat

Ecosystem Diversity

variety of habitats

1. Provisioning

2. Regulating

3. Supporting and Cultural

3 Reasons why Biodiversity is Important

Provisioning

production of food, clean water, timber, and plant-based medicines

Regulating

forests absorbing carbon dioxide, wetlands filtering water, and insects pollinating food crops

Supporting and Cultural

soil formation, nutrient cycling, and eco-tourism

Biodiversity

is the asset

Conservation Biology

is the tool

Biodiversity

the rich, complex, and vulnerable library of life on Earth that is currently facing a global threat

Conservation Biology

active science, framework, and practice dedicated to preserving biodiversity

Crisis Discipline

emerged in the late 1970s and1980s as traditional biology fields proved too slow to stop accelerating global extinction rates.

Late 1970s and 1980s

when did the Crisis Discipline emerge

Crisis Discipline

developed as a rapid-response science, much life emergency room medicine

Crisis Discipline

to take immediate action and make critical ecosystem management decisions even when scientific field data is incomplete.

Ecology and Genetics

managing wildlife populations

Social Sciences and Economics

working with local indigenous communities

Environmental Law and Policy

enforcing protected areas and cracking down on poaching

Overexploitation/Pverharvesting

involves hunting, fishing, or otherwise collecting organisms at a faster rate than they can be replenished

Bush Meat

generic term used for wild anials killed for food

Bush Meat

recent commercialization ofthe practice now has it available in grocery stores, which has increased harvest rates to the level of unsustainability

Overhunting

unsustainable killing of wild animals at a rate faster than they can reproduce

Poaching

illegal killing or capturing of wild animals, usually in violation of local laws, wildlife protection, or property rights

Overfishing

removal of aquatic animals at a rate fasterthan species can naturally reproduce

Bycatch

animals thatfishers sometimes catch anddiscard because they do not want them, cannot sell them, or are not allowedto keep them

Tragedy of the Commons

economic pressure in which fishers have little motivation to exercise restraint in harvesting a fishery when theydo not own the fishery

Wild Ginseng

valuedforits healthbenefits, are decreasing

Waling-waling

are aggressively collectedfrom the wild to supplydomestic andinternationalblack-market exotic plant collectors.

Threatened Species

species likely to become endangered if current threats continue

Endangered Species

species facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild

1,864

how many individuals of the giant panda are left

22,000-31,000

how many individuals of the polar bear are left

4,000-6,000

how many individuals of the snow leopard are left

Escalation Ladder of Extinction

Exotic Species

species that have been intentionallyy or unintentionally introduced by humans into an ecosystem in which they did not evolve

Human Transportation

cause of exotic species

Exotic Species

often undergo dramatic population increases in their new habitat and reset the ecological conditions in the new environment, threatening the species that exist there

Invasive species

can threaten other species through competition for resources, predation, or disease

Lakes and islands

_______ and ____ are particularly vulnerable to extinction threats from introduced species

Flowerhorn Fish in Lake Sampaloc (San Pablo, Laguna)

The researchers said the fish first entered Lake Sampaloc ’ s ecosystem after escaping from breeding facilities during a major typhoon.

Flowerhorn Fish in Lake Sampaloc (San Pablo, Laguna)

his fish is extreme territorial aggression andhigh reproductive potential.

Flowerhorn Fish in Lake Sampaloc (San Pablo, Laguna)

The fish compete for essential resources with native fish in the lake.

• This will potentially reducing their abundance and contributing to the decline ofthe lake's overallbiodiversity

Habitat Fragmentation

is the breaking of a large, continuous habitat into smaller, isolated patches due to human activities

Habitat Fragmentation

is one of the leading threats to biodiversity because it reduces the amount of suitable habitat available for wildlife

smaller habitat

patches support dewer species

reduced genetic diversity

increases vulnerability to disease and environmental change

edge effects

habitat edges experience more sunlight, wind, predators, and human disturbance than the forest interior

habitat fragmentation

has isolated populations of the Bornean orangutan, reducing thier access to foods, mates, and shelters

Early Detection and Rapid Response networks

monitor and instantly eradicate newly formed colonies

Eco-bridges

facilitate safe travel and gene exchange

Biodiversity

sustains humanity by providing food, clean water, medicine, climate regulation, and cultural enrichment

Biodiversity

faces urgent threats that demandimmediate action.

Pollution

is unwated waste of human origin released to air, land, water, and the ocean without regard for cost or consequence

Pollution

is an existential threat to human health and planetary health, and jeopardises the sustainability of modern societies.

Pollution

includes contamination of air by fine particulate matter (PM2·5); ozone; oxides of sulphur and nitrogen; freshwater pollution; contamination of the ocean by mercury, nitrogen, phosphorus, plastic, and petroleum waste; and poisoning of the land by lead, mercury, pesticides, industrial chemicals, electronic waste, and radioactive waste.

9 million

pollution was responsible for an estimated how many deaths

16%

globally, pollution was responsible for an estimated how many deaths

US$ 4·6 trillion

how much money was pollution responsible for in the economic output of 2015

Water Pollution

contamination of water bodies—such as lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater—usually as a result of human activities

Water Pollution

It degrades water quality, making it toxic for humans and the environment

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)

Caused by nutrients when excess agricultural fertilizers (nitrogen and phosphorus) run off into lakes.

Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs)

causes explosive algae growth that depletes oxygen in the water, killing fish.

Untreated raw sewage

overflows introducing bacteria (causing gastroenteritis), or industrial factories discharging "forever chemicals" (PFAS) and heavy metals into rivers

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

ontain carbon-fluorine bonds. In organic chemistry, the carbon-fluorine bond is one of the strongest imaginable.

• Because this bond is so tight, these chemicals do not break down naturally in the environment.

Air Pollution

The introduction of hazardous gases, particulate matter, or biological molecules into the Earth’s atmosphere

Air Pollution

It is one of the most severe environmental health hazards, impacting respiratory and cardiovascular systems.

ground-level ozone (smog)

Unlike the protective ozone layer high in the atmosphere, _______________ is created when nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from cars and factories chemically react in the presence of sunlight

Particulate Matter

Microscopic solid or liquid droplets from vehicle exhaust, coal-fired power plants, and wildfire smoke.

Particulate Matter

Because they are so small, they can enter the lungs and bloodstream.

Noise Pollution

Unwanted or harmful sound that disrupts the quality of life, sleep, and communication

Noise Pollution

The WHO recognizes it as a major public health hazard that causes chronic stress, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive impairment

75-40 dBA

noise range

Light Pollution

excess or inappropriate artificial light outdoors.

Light Pollution

occurs in three ways: glare, light trespass, and skyglow

2.2%

Light pollution is increasing globally, in both developed and developing countries. Satellite data show that from 2012 to 2016, continuously lit areas brightened at a rate of ________ (percentage) per year

Light pollution

is increasing globally, in both developed and developing countries. Satellite data show that from 2012 to 2016, continuously lit areas brightened at a rate of 2.2% per year

9.6%

Scientists’ measurements indicate that the average night sky got brighter by ________(percent) per year from 2011 to 2022, which is equivalent to doubling the sky brightness every 8 years

Glare

is the bright and uncomfortable light shining directly to the observer that interferes with your vision

Light Trespass

is the unintended spill of artificial light into other people’s property or space and often becomes a source of conflict

Skyglow

is the brightening of the night sky from human-caused light scattered in the atmosphere

Electromagnetic Pollution

The invisible presence of artificially generated, non-ionizing electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and radiation in the environment

• While the severe health impacts are still heavily debated and studied, the sheer volume of radiofrequency waves is recognized as an environmental alteration.

300 MHz to 300 GHz

frequency range that can be associated with microwaves from electronic devices such as smartphones, tablets, microwave ovens, radio, and television sets emit low intensity electromagnetic radiation

Electrosmog

• Sources of low-frequency radiation are electrical wires, overhead lines of railways and electrical appliances in households.

• The increase in electricity consumption and intensification of trade on the liberalised electricity markets have resulted in higher electricity transmission rates via the distribution network.

• This means that low-frequency magnetic fields will continue to increase along existing transmission lines

300 MHz and 15 GHz

frequencies in which Airport surveillance radars operate in

Land Pollution

presence of toxic chemicals (pollutants or contaminants) in soil in high enough concentrations to pose a risk to human health and the ecosystem

Itai-Itai Diseas

is characterised by osteomalacia, osteoporosis, painful bone fractures and kidney dysfunction (WHO, 2019).

• used to be widespread and is still seen in women over 50 years of age.

Cadmium

root cause of the Itai-Itai disease

Agrochemicals

The excessive use of synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and mineral fertilizers that degrade the soil microbiome and seep into the food chain

Acid Rain

is a type of precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, hail, or fog) that has a higher acidity than normal due to the presence of sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) and nitric acid (HNO₃).

Acid rain

is one of the major forms of air pollution caused by the release of sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOₓ) into the atmosphere

sulfur dioxide (SO₂) and nitrogen oxides (NOₓ)

these gases react with water vapor, oxygen, and other chemicals to form acids, which then fall back to the Earth's surface through precipitation or dry deposition.

Pure Rainwater

is naturally slightly acidic because it dissolves carbon dioxide.

5.6

pH of normal rain

below 5.6

pH of acid rain