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Unit 5

Human Beings and the Ecosystem

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Human Activity Alters Ecosystems

Why do we do that?

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Our Activities Alter Ecosystems for 3 Reasons:

  1. We overexploit natural resources
  2. We occupy the natural environment
  3. We cause pollution

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We Overexploit Natural Resources

Natural resources are….

everything we obtain, consume and use, from ecosystems, to do our daily activities.

Overexploiting is when we…

extract natural resources from the environment faster than they regenerate or replace themselves.

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We Occupy and Destroy the Natural Environment

We occupy areas that were once natural ecosystems.�

Example: We substitute forests for cities.

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We Cause Pollution

We produce dangerous residues that we release into the environment:

  • We pollute the air with gasses from factories & cars
  • We pollute rivers, lakes and seas by spilling sewage, chemicals & oil from cities and factories
  • We pollute the ground with insecticides, fertilizers & residues from cities, factories and farms

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What problems do we cause?

  1. Loss of biodiversity
    • many animals are already extinct
    • more are in danger because we overexploit them and destroy their homes�
  2. Loss of natural spaces
    • we are destroying natural spaces�
  3. Climate change
    • pollution is changing the earth´s climate

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Why must we protect the planet??

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  • Human activity is �destroying the �planet�
  • If we continue, the �planet will be beyond�repair

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Ways we can protect the planet

  1. Exploit resources �carefully
    • allow them time to �regenerate
  2. Protect natural �spaces
    • places that need to be�protected
  3. Protect endangered�species
    • stop species from going �extinct
  4. Reduce pollution
    • clean water before returning�it to the environment
    • promote energy saving �materials

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What is a protected �natural space?

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How can we protect�endangered species?

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What are two ways we can reduce pollution?

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What are the four ways we can protect the planet?

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A place where all human activity�that can alter the environment�is prohibited

Protect their ecosystems, breed them �in zoos, and return them to their �natural habitat

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substitute fossil fuels, emit less dangerous substances, promote energy saving materials, and clean water before returning it to the environment

  1. exploit resources carefully
  2. protect natural spaces
  3. protect endangered species
  4. reduce pollution