Nature 2050 exam 2- Amy Counterman

Anthropogenic Effects

Culture adapting to demands of their immediate environment, linear progression of culture.

Environmental economics

uncover the Total Value of natural goods and services nature's capital. Intrinsic option , and bequest values are included along with the values for ecosystem services such aswatershed biodiversity and carbon sequestration and cultural services.

Environmental ethics

the study of the moral relationship of humans to the environment and its nonhuman contents

Environmental politics / policy

Principles and laws that guide decisions and actions that influence environmental conditions or processes.

Conservation psychology

A focus on human behavior and how people make decisions regarding the environment. Values Beliefs Attitudes Social norms Emotions.

Environmental sociology

The study of the relationship between society and environment. special emphasis on social factors that cause environmental problems, the societal impacts of those problems, and efforts to solve the problems.

Environmental Anthropology

The study of the relationships between human societies and the physical , biotic , built , and cognitive environments across space and over time . This discipline investigates how culture mediates the relationships between people and their environment

Archeology

a sub-discipline within Anthropology and the study of how historic cultures have managed their natural resources and Traditional Ecological Knowledge have and continue to be used are important focus areas within this field.

Anthropogenic

Human-induced changes on the natural environment

Modern examples of anthropogenic effects

Easter islands. The people used all of their natural resources leading to a societal collapse.

How conservational social sciences can influence anthropogenic effects.

It can help us to better understand what is causing these issues and how we can implement different policies to prevent declines in resources or global warming

human population

7.9 billion and is projected to be 9.6 billion by 2050

3 periods of human growth

pre-agricultural, agricultural, industrial

Pre-agricultural period

The advancement of skills such as tool making , as well as the ability to pass those skills on to successive generations , allowed humans to adapt quickly to new environments .

Agricultural Period

Began about 10,000 years ago with the domestication of plants and animals and the development of farming this increased the food supply.

Industrial Period

around 1800 Technologies powered by fossil fuels increased food production and allowed agriculture to expand onto land that previously was unfit for farming. improved sanitation and huge advances in medicine the rate of population growth accelerated we are still in this industrial period.

Demographics

conditions affecting human survival in poor countries remain well below the standards of developed countries death rates in those countries are nearly 2X those of the wealthiest countries.

Immigration

Moving into a population

Emigration

movement of individuals out of a population

Pre-transition stage

prior to economic development human populations are limited by a low availability of food and a high prevalence of disease High death rates and high birth rates High death rate among the young Families compensate for high death rates by having many children . birth and death rates even out = zero population growth

Mortality Transition Stage

Improved economic conditions relieve food shortages , produce better living conditions and health care , and expand access to education death rate decreases while the birth rate stays high / increases result : rapid , sustained population growth (Nigeria/Afghanistan)

fertility transition stage

Continued economic development produces social and cultural changes that lead to lower birth rates . People delay starting families , which lowers total fertility rates families may limit # of children through using contraceptives or other family planning death rate remains low and birth rate decreases so population growth slows

stability transition stage

Characterized by low birth rate and a low death rate birth rate and death rate nearly equal almost zero population growth or even a decline in population (Japan, some western European-Italy/Spain)

age structure

the distribution of a population based on age and gender Survivorship ( longevity ) and age - specific birth rates determine a population's age structure

Age Structure piramids

These reflect a country's history of population growth.

Case study approaches to Population Growth : CHINA

1978 1-child policy had big impacts on birth rates and pop. growth rates. Through education, financial subsidies, and strict penalties, they encouraged couples to have only 1 child. Negatives: shrinking work face, fewer consumers. Positives: housing supply, transportation.

Case study approaches to Population Growth India

Their approach to population mgmt. is based on education and voluntary participation. created a Dept of Family Planning behind the idea family planning should be voluntary and decisions regarding strategies for managing population growth be delegated to individual states.

Ecological footprint

the amount of land needed to supply the demand for ecological goods and services

Resource usage

_______ for an average US citizen is 2.7X larger that that of an average citizen and nearly 12 X larger than that of an average Haitian.

Biocapacity

A population exceeds its __________ when it draws a portion of its ecosystem goods and services from outside its geographical boundaries.

Sustainability

maintaining the ability to accommodate three important sources of change (the world is changing, we are changing, we are changing the world)

Carrying capacity

the point at which competition for limited resources causes birth rates and death rates to reach equal numbers , resulting in zero population growth.

The impacts of conservation social sciences on human population.

Food, Water, Shelter.

Haita deforestation example and impacts

Logging and rubber plantations led to deforestation, political instability reduced tourism and key to poverty, led to further deforestation, 1990 most of Haiti deforested, less than 3% of Haiti supports forest, low water quality, flooding, landslides

Wood services

Contains 75%of world biodiversity, wood products (3.4 billion cubic meters of wood per year (53% for fuel, 31% for building material, 16% for paper))

Wood values

Flood prevention, carbon storage, recreation, wood/ paper, air and water quality.

Deforestation

Removal of forest cover that allows alternative land use

Deforestation reasons

Agriculture, unsustainable harvest, road construction, and urban development

Sustainable forest management

Allocation, Harvest, rationing, investments

Allocation

Management of the location and relative amounts of different forest uses

Harvest

Extraction of goods or services from a forest Clear-cutting, even-aged management Seed cuts, uneven-aged management

Rationing

Process of determining amount of forest goods or services to be used by humans

Investments

Wide array of management strategies Actions taken to restore and maintain health and productivity Understory thinning Replanting Rotation timing

Urbanization

Humans in densely populated cities Depended on various factors Growth of food supply Market economies Water and waste management Social and government structure

Ancient cities

Earliest simple cities nearly 15,000 years ago Supported high population density Division of labor Centers for trade and the earliest true cities 6,000-8,000 years ago also supported society and government

Modern cities

1750 - industrial revolution Urbanization increased Only a small amount of people produce food

Current trends

Urbanization still at rapid rate 51 % of people live in urban areas 75 % or higher in developed nations ( 82 % in US ) Urban poor becoming major issue Megacities (More than 10 million residents)

Megacities

Over 10 million people (New York)

exurb

a district outside a city, especially a prosperous area beyond the suburbs. (Dutchess county)

Urban area

a residential district located on the outskirts of a city (Port Chester, NY)

Urban sprawl

Widespread growth of land included in a metropolitan area

Causes of urban sprawl

Government policy Economic growth Transportation Cultural issues Poor planning Urban flight (Escaping the city center)

Urban sprawl examples

Los Angeles

Consequences of sprawl

Degrades human environments Reduces biodiversity Stresses infrastructure Diminishes human heath and well - being Most important among these impacts are the inefficient use of energy and increased pollution.

Urban heat island effect

Cities warmer and less humid Four characteristics drive this effect (Less vegetation, Impervious and sealed surfaces, Complex three - dimensional structure, Sources produce heat and pollutants)

Urban heat island effect mitigation factors

All factors affect absorption of solar energy, rate of heat loss, and air movement

Urban hydrology

Impervious surface cover ( ISC )- Percentage of land covered with sealed surfaces (Concrete, asphalt, rooftop) this reduces dranage and infiltration, increases runoff, diminishes water quality

Bioswales

Vegetated planters along city streets in Indianapolis help to soak up rainwater , reduce flooding , and filter pollutants from runoff (NY)

Greenroofs

A layer of vegetation planted over a waterproofing membrane that is installed on top of a roof (NY)

Urban plans and planning

Unites various disciplines to build environments and transportation systems for urban communities (Engineering, Architecture, Ecology, Sociology)

Sustainable urban growth

Strengthen existing communities first Provide a variety of transportation Create walkable neighborhoods Make development decision predictable , fair , and cost - effective Encourage community collaboration

Bounding growth

Zoning, Urban growth boundary ( UGB )

Urban Biodiversity

Widely dispersed and tolerant of a wide array of environments- Food webs complex (Urban plants, Landscaping, Garbage, Human provided feeders)

Green infrastructure

City parks , street trees , greenways , bioswales green roofs , and waterways

Green infrastructure and how it greatly improves cities

Water management, Air quality, Aesthetics, Supports wildlife, Reduces heat

Weather

The condition of the atmosphere at any given time and place

Climate

A description of average weather conditions ( over 20-30 years)

Factors affecting the amount of solar energy heating Earth's atmosphere :

Variations in the amount of solar energy leaving the Sun, Variations in Earth's position with respect to the Sun (orbital variations), Reflectivity (albedo) of Earth's surface and cloud layers, Position of Earth's continents (especially polar continents), Volcanic dust and greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere

greenhouse gases occur naturally in the Earth's atmosphere

Water vapor Carbon dioxide Methane Nitrous oxide

Global warming

Change in greenhouse gas content caused bu human activity

Human causes of global warming

Greenhouse gases Deforestation Coal mining Burning of fossil fuels Industrial processes Agriculture

Major Greenhouse Gases from People's Activities

Methane 17.0 % Carbon dioxide 64.3 % Nitrous oxide 6.0 %

The greenhouse effect

the way in which heat is trapped close to Earth's surface by greenhouse gases

Effects of the greenhouse gas effect

Rise in sea level, changes in rain fall causing flooding, hurricanes, extreme drought, decline in crop productivity, ecosystems are changing

Climate change

It is a change which is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and which is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparative time periods

Examples of climate change

Glaciers melting, ring data from trees shows a warming trend, animals are migrating north and plants are flowering earlier

What to do about Global Climate Change

Adaptation - Live with the problem Mitigation - Avoid the problem Geoengineering - Fix the problem

Adaptation

is about reducing the effects of climate change on both human and natural system

Mitigation

about reducing the causes of climate change by decreasing the anthropogenic impact on the climate system .

Reduce the burning of fossil fuels can be done by

Transport efficiency : new hybrid and diesel technologies , lighter construction materials to increase mileage efficiency

Transport conservation : investment in mass transport and urban planning to make public transportation more accessible

Building efficiency : improved design and material use to reduce energy use and emissions

Renewable Energy

Wind energy, Solar energy, Biofuels

What factors influence variation in the number and kinds of species from place to place ?

Determined by atmosphere and climate Temperature , precipitation and evaporation the process of natural selection determines this as well.

Terrestrial Biomes

The communities of similar organisms found in a particular climate

three climatic zones

Tropical zone (Bahamas) Temperate zone (United States (excluding Alaska and Hawaii) Polar zone (Antartica)

Tropical zone

Equator to 25 ° north and south latitude Tropical rain forest , tropical seasonal forest , and tropical savanna biomes

Temperate zone

Falls between 25 ° and 60 ° north and south latitude Temperate deciduous forest , temperate evergreen forest , chaparral , and grassland biomes

Polar zone

Above 60 ° north and south latitude Boreal forest and tundra biomes

Desert

found in very dry areas of all three climatic zones

Aquatic and marine biomes

2/3 of Earth's surface covered in water Teeming with life 99.7 % of liquid water saline

aquatic

Freshwater ecosystems (wetlands, streams, lakes, estuary)

marine

Saline ocean systems (oceans, seas, intertidal zone)

Permafrost

permanently frozen layer of soil beneath the surface of the ground (30-100 cm)

how landforms impact ecosystems

influence hydrologic and soil-forming interact with climate and directly processes and is the best correlation of vegetation and soil patterns at meso- and microscales