Unit 6 Blog - Dirt on Dirt

Unit Vocabulary- 

Asthenosphere - the upper layer of the Earth's mantle (half solid, half liquid)

Lithosphere - the rigid outer part of the Earth (rocky and basically the crust)

Plate Tectonics - when plates slide, hit, or collide with one another resulting in the formation of mountainous structures and underlying sea creations

Tectonic Cycle - the cycle or process of making a seafloor and mountains 

Divergent Plate Boundaries - boundaries or two tectonic plates moving away from each other 

Convergent Plate Boundaries -boundaries or two or more tectonic plates or parts of the lithosphere that move toward one another and collide

Transform Fault Boundary - when the lithosphere is neither created nor destroyed but in fact the boundaries are found on the sea floor connecting segments of diverging mid ocean ridges

Physical Weathering - geological process of the breaking down of rocks 

Chemical Weathering - the erosion or disintegration of rocks caused chemically rather than mechanically 

Erosion - rock or inorganic matter being destructed or obliterated by elements such as wind, water, or other natural agents

Deposition - a particular type of sediment being preserved in rocks through the process of lithification

Cation Exchange Capacity - total capacity of a soil to hold exchangeable cations. It effects the soils' ability to hold nutrients 

Base Saturation - the basic content or hydroxide ions in soil exchange cites

Soil Degradation - decline in soil quality caused by improper use of chemicals and daily actions  

Ores - solid material from which a metal or valuable mineral/chemical can be extracted for increased income means only

Big Picture Reflection-  

Human Impact:

Humans impact the environment and soil in many ways. The agricultural uses of processes such as slash and burn techniques exhaust the land and deplete the surrounding soil. The development of agricultural means and ways has, however, created opportunities to keep soil and the environment fertile and healthy. Humans also destruct good fertile soil areas to create infrastructure, buildings, and other everyday necessary locations. This prevents growth of the land and decreasing amounts of available soil. Human impact in the environment is beneficial because humans plant seeds to grow plants and also provide fertilizers and nutrients to better improvise the quality and contents of the soil. 

Economic Impact:

Economic impacts include the disruption of the economy from natural disasters. Also overusing or exhausting the soil would cause destruction of the environment but also increased weathering and erosion resulting in a higher amount of money to redevelop and refurbish the soil and surrounding land. Plate tectonics shifting and colliding also can cause earthquakes which can disrupt the daily lives of people and their homes. Also volcanoes erupting and occurring can result in the destruction of people's homes and cause cleaning up and reconstruction to be extremely expensive. The extraction of minerals and resources also uses up a lot of the money provided by the government.

Environmental Impact:

Environmental impacts include soil erosion, a lack of nutrients, the weathering of rocks, and many natural disasters hurting the environment. When volcanoes erupt and occur, the lava or magma creates a large layer of solid rock, burning the soil with its high and increased levels of temperature and the ash can also cause chemicals and gases to be exposed to people in the environment. Although, the area does return to its original state, the remnants and effects remain. Earthquakes and Tsunamis can wipe out vegetation, farming land, shelters, and infrastructure. Depending on the intensity of the environmental impact, detrimental effects can be proven to be negative or positive impacts can also result and be observed. Such as the increase of plant production, or the decrease of weathering and erosion through the use of prevention chemicals and care for the environment.
Government Legislation:
Government legislation that has impacted the soil, environment, and sea life include the Earthquake Hazard Reduction Act of 1977. This act established a group called the National Earthquake Hazard reduction Program and from it many other agencies have formed. The group and act works towards providing relief to destructive disasters such as Earthquakes. The Federal Emergency Management Agency also plays a huge rule in providing aid and teaching skills to communities that need the help and guidance to better prepare and help themselves live a healthy lifestyle and prevent the destruction of the environment. These government acts and agencies help better incorporate an increased ability, capacity and opportunity to benefit the environment and economy. 

Unit 5 Blog - The Human Population

Unit 5 Blog- The Human Population

Unit Vocabulary - 

CBR (Crude Birth Rate) - the number of live births that happen among the population of a given geographical area consisting of 1,000 total people 

CDR (Crude Death Rate) - the number of live deaths that happen among the population of a given geographical area consisting of 1,000 total people

TFR (Total Fertility Rate) - the average number of children that would be born to a woman over her lifetime

Replacement Level Fertility - is the requirement of producing an average of 2.1 children per woman usually in developed countries 

Population Momentum - refers to the population growth but at a national level that would occur if levels of childbearing declined to replacement level

Net Migration Rate - the difference of immigrants and emigrants of an area in a given particular period of time, divided per 1,000 inhabitants. (+) = more people entering the country than leaving it, (-) = more people leaving the country than entering it

Family Planning - the practice of controlling the number of children in a family and the intervals between each birth 

Affluence - the state of having a great deal of money; wealth 

IPAT equation - describes the role of multiple factors in determining environmental degradation. P - population, A - affluence, T - technology, I - environmental impact 

GDP (Gross Domestic Product) - the monetary value of all the finished goods, services, and products that are produced within the boundaries of a country in a specific and particular given time

Population Pyramid (Age Pyramid) - an illustration that shows the distribution of various age groups in a population  no definition

high growth rate

stable growth

declining population

Making Connections - 

The theory of demographic transition is a generalized description of the changing pattern of mortality, fertility and growth rates as societies move from one demographic regime to another. There are also many expected environmental impacts that are associated with each stage of the demographic transition such as:

-Stage 1 to 2
In this stage, the countries have better sanitation, more access to food, and ability to request and gain medical resources such as vaccines, and medicines. The sanitation, however, can disturb many ecosystems. There are many technological, agricultural, and medicinal advancements mainly resulting in lower death rates. There is an excessive and extensive amount of farming significantly to support a larger population. This farming directly correlates to remove many living and surrounding communities from plant and animals. 

-Stage 2 to 3
The countries at this stage and level in the demographic transition model usually have a larger ecological footprint because it requires more resources to make the products that people consume on a daily basis. This happens due to the affects of affluence, or an abundant amount of wealth in the society. The more affluent people are able to afford more and are also willing to give more. 

-Stage 3 to 4
This stage has countries that more highly developed. These countries have an abundance of affluence and technology that exceed farther than the other levels. The birth rates are significantly lower than death rates because women have an opportunity to be industrially involved in the work force. However, Stage 3's ecological footprint is a lot lower than Stage 4 because people could spend and afford more on resources required to people on a daily basis. Many of these resources include food, water, shelter, gas, and other tools. The higher and advanced technology in this stage brings the countries involved to a higher state of affluence as well. 

Current Event - 

Link: http://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/24029/s-chandrasekhar/how-india-is-tackling-her-population-problem

The government of India and majority of its citizens have indeed known and been aware of the fact that India is rushing towards its overpopulation. The adverse economic circumstances they have been in though has stopped the advent of a new era and start to control the producing of children in each household. But the population explosion is definitely starting to become noticeable and observers have decided to implement a family planning program. The government of India, through the article, and outside research, has declared and decided to reduce the birth rate from the present 41 thousand to approximately 20-25 thousand as quickly as possible. Although this population control has been in force for many years it has created ruckus and chaos. Pros would include, less people which would decrease the overpopulation rate, and allowing India to socially, politically, and economically recover from its constant and unstoppable downfall. Cons would include the already stated chaos and ruckus and most definitely the recent action of banning the knowing of the gender of the child. Other cons or problems include the difficulty behind persuading families that a small family is better to have. This persuasion and statement indirectly correlates with the tradition of having bigger families to carry out the name and extended family. However, these pros and cons still add to the decision of implementing family planning that the government has made. 

Big Picture Reflection -  

Human Impact:

The impact humans have on this Earth has not only increased dramatically, but has also surpassed all means, creating an environment for only industrial, technological, and medicinal advancements. Birth rates are increasing and since death rates have significantly dropped, the growth rate in the environment has increased in many countries. Humans have the ability to change the world and through highly known professions and research that is occurring, the world in fact is at its turn about. 

Environmental Impact:

Humans have a drastic impact on the surrounding environment. They play a huge role in positively and negatively changing and improving the Earth. The biggest example we humans see is the most populated countries, China and India. As per China's one-child-policy, the crude birth rate has significantly decreased while having a stable population increase. This causes the population to be higher in its affluence rate. The country of India, however, has one of the largest populations, but absolutely no policy or way to stop the producing of children. Environmental workers and population controllers have even sent out doctors according to the documentary, to India to further improve conditions and stop women from being forced to have children. As birth rates increase in India, more death rates drastically occur and it effects the surrounding environment because there ends up being a lack of shelter, food, and water due to overpopulation. 

Economic Impact:

The human population also impacts the economy in many ways. According to statistics show on the internet on average being productive and earning an income is only possible by an age group from about 16 to 67 on average. This working age/population increases the environment but age groups like the youth/minor or the elderly seniors takes along a path for the economy to only fall short of the needed amount of money to sustain specific communities. The population size is important to the economy of a nation. As the stage or levels on the demographic transition increase in number so does the industrial workforce. The more women and men there are to equally balance out the labor rates the more opportunity there is for an abundance in affluence. The baby boom however can be considered as an example of one of the negative effects to decrease the affluence in the economy. The average age group working now has to provide for the elderly resulting in no net income in the economy causing a drastic change and impact in the work force and economy. 

Governmental Impact:

The governmental impact is usually on the human population. Like stated above we have the one-child policy in China which allows for only one birth of a child per person. In the United States we have family planning as an act to provide family planning services to those less fortunate that have limited access to resources but that did qualify for health benefits. This act was called the Family Planning Services and Population Research Act (1970).

Unit 4 Blog - APES

Vocabulary - 

Species Richness - is the number of species living in a particular environment, community or group

Species Evenness - (the diversity index) refers to the proximity of the quantity of species in a given environment

Microevolution - the change within a species or small group of organisms within an environment overall a small period of time

Macroevolution - is a ginormous evolutionary change in which there is an origin of new types of species

Evolution by Natural Selection - is one of the basic mechanisms of evolution in that it states that more individuals are produced each generation that can survive

Evolution by Artificial Selection - is the unoriginal evolution in which plants and animals are intentionally bred in order to produce species and living organisms that are preferred by humans

Allopatric Speciation - is speciation by geographic isolation in which organisms are not allowed to mate on a regular basis causing the lineage or generation to speciate

Sympatric Speciation - is the process through which new living species or organisms evolve from a single ancestral species while being in the same location or environment

Genetically Modified Organisms - are plants and animals that have been genetically created with DNA from bacteria, viruses, or other animals and plants to combine different genes and create different species with a variety of traits

Fundamental Niche - this is where a specific species or indiviual organism lives or resides without any competition or force

Exponential Growth Model - is a visual representation of any quantity of species that grows or decays by a fixed percent or regular interval

Logistic Growth Model - is a visual representation for a quantity that increases rapidly at first and than more slowly as the quantity approaches an upper limit. This is only used when there is widespread or extreme situations

Carrying Capacity - the number of living organisms or crops that a region can support without the obliteration of the environment.

Keystone Species - a particular species on which other species in an ecosystem largely depend on and if removed from an ecosystem it causes extreme and drastic negative changes in the environment 

Current Events (Biodiversity Hotspots)

A biodiversity hotspot is an area that is home to many living and endemic species. These species reside in these particular areas and often need biological attention because there can be a loss of biodiversity  

My particular hotspot is generally located in the great mountain system of Asia forming a barrier between the Plateau of Tibet to the north and other plains of the Indian subcontinent to the south. The Himalayas themselves include some of the highest mountains in the world for example Mount Everest. Other places and locations around the mountain range are Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Tibet (China). 

An endemic species is one that is only found in a specific or particular region and cannot be found anywhere else in the world because it is isolated and resides only in that location. Their habitat is restricted to that one specific area and are not widespread. Endemic plants in the Himalaya Hotspot are located in the Eastern Himalayan broadleaf forests which is temperate and found near the middle elevations of the Himalayan mountains. These forests are rich in abundant resources and cover a large area. One such example of an endemic plant is the Himalayan Maple. (Acer Campbellii) These plants are diverse and can be categorized as species rich. They also belong from the Indomalayan, Indochinese, Himalayan, Eastern Asiatic and even the Gondwanan origin. An example of an endemic animal is the Brown-capped Laughingthrush also known as the Trochalopteron austeni. It is found more towards the India and Myanmar part of the Himalayas and its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist in montane forests. 

The reasons why biodiversity is decreasing around the Himalayans has a lot to do with its location. Being close and near the equator creates a transition zone between the Palearctic and Indo Malayan realms. Species from both places are represented in the particular hotspot. In addition to straddling between two zones. The hotspot itself has many geological, climatic and altitudinal variations causing topographic complexity and contributing tothe diversity of the mountains. Other causes include human population growth, habitat destruction, pollution, agriculture, and global warming

To protect the Himalayan Hotspot the Living Himalayas Initiative are helping to protect  restore and reconnect natural landscapes across the Eastern Himalayas  Their specific and general aim is to make sure of the fact that each and every plant and animal species can grow and thrive. Local communities around the area are able maintain their livelihood as well through the Initiative because it offers jobs and employment opportunities. This includes the sustainable use of natural resources from forests, grasslands, and freshwater systems.

Pick a Side - 

There are many factors that lead to species extinction that include rapid environmental change. This includes precipitation, habitat destruction, over harvesting, temperature, climate change, the introduction of invasive species, and emerging diseases. This usually leads to many developing adaptations not only into the environment, but the climate and in species. Environmental changes play a huge role in species extinction as well, but extinction and genetic diversity go hand in hand in that the more diverse the less extinction is likely to occur and if plants and animals are not able to adjust and adapt than that proves to be the end of their era. This is known as natural selection. Natural selection favors different phenotypes in a habitat or environment. If individuals cannot adjust or adapt than they will not be able to carry forth the life and hardships each ecosystem has to offer. Extinction can either be of complete destruction or can lead to isolation and over time species not being able to survive causing geographic isolation. This is known as reproductive isolation and can help lessen the factor and process of extinction. The only way to get rid of extinction by all means through reduction of higher level species so that lower levels can survive. A niche specialist would be beneficial in the environment because they can thrive in any environmental condition with a reduced or limited diet. This would not only be a solution to solving extinction problems but would also allow for the conservation of resources.

Big Picture Reflection - 

Human Impact: Humans play a huge role in the how, what, when, where, and why factors of ecosystems and environments. They both negatively and positively influence biodiversity. They provide changes and can alter the environment through means such as contamination, process of dumping waste, littering, and actions of not reusing, reducing, or recycle. Human actions all around the world can become a huge problem for endemic and regular species but humans have also provided means such as influenced evolution to provide those species and their traits that we favor to be a part of something bigger and better. Evolution can be increased through human work and if continued scientific research works then promoting the ideas of positive benefits to the environment will benefit ecosystems, plants and animal species. 

Environmental Impact: There are many significant impacts on the development of new species and environments. The evolution, whether original or not, can make a drastic change in the environment. Species richness and evenness all are dependent upon evolution. Environmental Impacts can occur through many means such as GMC's and the use of fertilizers or other pesticides. The more diversity and quantity of species in the environment the better living and residing conditions there will be in the area or community. The environment most importantly just needs for every plant animal or species even to function properly in order to continue and process changes and adaptations. 

Economic Impact: There are many economic impacts that play a huge role in how everything works, such as pest control, nutrient provision, altering genetic diversity, disease prevention control, and pollination to further benefit the agricultural and forest industry to prosper. By altering the environment such as adding or removing a specific factor the economic impact can either prove to be beneficial or consequential. The extinction of species also causes a hindrance in the ecosystem and food pyramid resulting in more money for acts legislations, protection, conservation, and so many more things. Genetically Modified Crops also play a huge role in promoting and producing revenue for the environment. 


Governmental Legislation: There are many legislations such as the Threatened Species Conservation Act that provides for the conservation and protection of plants and animal species. This is definitely necessary because we need species whether they be plant or animals, but we need them in order to function our environment properly and the legislation would do exactly that. Another legislation is the Endangered Species Act which has been around for many years now since about 1973. The act not only promoted CITES, another legislation, but also provides yet again the conservation of species that are endangered or threatened by their existence. 

Unit 3 Blog - Ecosystem Ecology

Vocabulary 

Ecosystem - A specific area on Earth that is filled with living and nonliving factors

Gross primary Productivity - the total amount of the sun's energy, over a specific amount of time, that producers receive through the process of photosynthesis

Net Primary Productivity - the energy obtained in an ecosystem subtracted by the energy producers breathe 

Biomass - The total mass of all living things within a specific location

Standing Crop - the amount or total mass of all living things in an ecosystem over a specific time period 

Ecological Efficiency - the amount of consumed energy that passes through one trophic level to another 

Trophic Pyramid - a visual representation of a balanced representation of biomass, numbers, and energy among the trophic levels 

Biogeochemical Cycles - the movement of anything that takes space within and between ecosystems 

Macronutrients - the six main factors or elements that living organisms need in order to function. The elements consist of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and sulfur

Limiting Nutrient - A nutrient necessary for the development of an organism, but is available in a small amount 

Leaching - the movement of dissolved molecules through the soil by groundwater

Disturbance - an instance in which physical, chemical, or biological factors change the population size and what the community is made out of

Resistance - a calculation of how much an error can affect the pathway of energy and matter in a given ecosystem 

Resilience - the rate at which an ecosystem returns to its original state after a change in the population or matter

Instrumental Value - an object or anything in general that is worth an instrument to accomplish a certain goal 

Intrinsic Value - value of a company, stock, currency, or product

Current Events 

Link: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/11/131106202247.htm

Summary:

Hydrocarbons are known to be mankind as the primary source of energy for specifically combustible fuel. Through the exploration of hydrocarbon, many have found out that they can contribute to the formation of greenhouse gases and are a major stressor to the environment. Drilling sumps have also been joined and used for the extraction so that hydrocarbon and it's emissions do not negatively effect the aquatic ecosystems around the environment. Through Queen's university and other institutions combined, their researched has shown that the drilling sump has its negative and positive environmental effects but suggests and considers that the construction of the sumps has solely been for the purpose of storing waste. The ultimate result of this drilling has drawn the effect of leaching resulting in an environmental impact and weather change 

Environmental Quote

I definitely think this quote is true because bees are essential factors for the continuation and growth of many living organisms. To start off bees aid in the production of many products such as honey and beeswax which is commonly used for many things. Honey can be used in food, as well as medicinal uses and Beeswax on the other hand is used in the form of candles. These supplies and products are used by humans all around around the world and if there were no bees then there would be none of these resources for the use of humans. We as humans greatly depend on plants for food, and the removal of bees, from our ecosystem, would effect the amount of pollination that occurs. Statistics show that 4 out of every 5 food crops are pollinated by bees. The removal of bees from the environment would cause a huge change in our ecosystem. Organisms might be able to evolve and adapt to the changes that would take place in the environment due to the drastic drop in pollination, but humans would not. There would be an increase in food shortages, a wide loss of agricultural jobs and possibly a trend of "survival of the fittest" within the community. This would then lead to economic problems and might even be the leading cause for the destruction of mankind on Earth. The quote shows that if one thing is removed from the ecosystem and environment then it can change the course of life on this planet. 

Reflection

Human Impact: 

Ecosystems are of utmost importance to humans around the world, but the human impact can cause many detrimental effects. Humans can cause impacts which provide positive effects such as providing food and natural materials to other people, purifying the water, and even keeping the environment clean. Many negative effects include the burning of fossil fuel, erosion, flooding, and changes in many cycles that help run the environment. Cutting down tress also releases excessive amounts of carbon into the air, excessive nitrogen can be emitted from soil, and both the releases can lead to negative impacts in many ecosystems. All natural resources have been used by humans somehow and the effects could cause changes in the ecosystems and even in the living organisms around us. Although, humans change the world through their actions they are doing many things on the sidelines to help provide fertilized and healthy soil and a decrease in the emissions of excessive amounts of nutrients. 

Environmental Impact: 

Ecosystems can be effected by the environment through many means, but with all changes ecosystems can easily return back to their normal state. For example, warming of the Earth, due to weather change, can cause multiple species to migrate to areas where the weather is more suitable but as weather calms down the living species return back to where they resided. Ecosystems and what resides in them form the environment and provide living organisms and nature with nutrients and services. For example, keeping rivers clean and healthy provides organisms with a place to stay and automatically becomes the existence of an ecosystem. Removing species of living organisms from the food chain or web can effect the ecosystem and result in the unbalance of the ration of plants to animals or visa versa. 

Economic Impact: 

Ecosystems are usually the number one source or pathways toward economic gains. The economic provisions that many people have allowed are towards the use for invasive species. These invasive species have been used for research and in turn money has been given for the management and care taking of many animals. Resources such as fish, lumber, wood, trees, animals, plants, all go towards the selling and growing which usually help the economy and its gross domestic productivity. The economy also greatly depends on agricultural and regular resources to increase the financial profits. 

Government Legislation: 
Through the government many acts have been passed to significantly improve the environment such as the EPA or Environmental Protection Agency. This agency helps keep many ecosystems from being exploited or taken advantage of for increases in economic gains by humans. The NEPA or National Environmental Policy Act also requires all federal agencies to reconsider environmental impacts and also to take permission from people before. Last and among the many others included the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts which help ensure that ecosystems and surrounding environments would be safe from many human interventions.