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Understanding Our Environment

History of Human Interactions

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Human Population Through Time

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1. Ancient Times

  • Hunters and Gatherers roamed the earth
    • Depending directly on environment for

food water, shelter – all basic needs

    • Like Native American cultures
    • Nomadic - moved with the migrating animals

- moved with seasonal fruit blooms

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Impact on Environment

  • Overhunting of large mammals
  • Setting fires to open up hunting grounds
  • Spreading plants /seeds to new areas

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2. Hundreds of Years Ago

  • Agricultural Revolution
    • Farming - turning over the soil,

- planting the best seeds

- Domesticating animals and raising livestock

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Impact on Environment

  • Allowed human populations to grow and concentrate into smaller areas

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  • Changed the food we eat
    • Domesticated from wild plants

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  • Replacing forests and fields with farms changed habitats for animal

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  • Caused more soil erosion and degradation

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3. Modern times

  • Industrial Revolution –
    • Technological inventions
    • Combustion engines burning fossil fuels

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Impact on Environment

  • Improved quality of life in the short-term
    • Advanced medicine and nutrition for health
    • Made things easier, more convenient

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  • Created long-term problems
    • Natural resource depletion – using things up
    • increased pollution – unhealthy air, land, water
    • habitat loss for wildlife – lack of biodiversity