GEd110 | People and Earth’s Ecosystem

CHAPTER 1 Energy flow is the flow of energy through

living things within an ecosystem. All living
How does humans influence our environment? organisms can be organized into producers and
How does our environment influence us, consumers, and those producers and consumers
humans? can further be organized into a food chain. Each of
the levels within the food chain is a trophic level.
Our environment is the sum of all the
conditions surrounding us that influence life. These The energy flow in the ecosystem is one of
conditions include biotic and abiotic. The influence the major factors that support the survival of such a
of humans is an important part of the environment great number of organisms. For almost all
as well. In addition, one environment may be organisms on earth, the primary source of energy is
strikingly different from another. solar energy.

An ecosystem is a particular location on The chemical energy stored in the food of

Earth whose interacting components include living, living organisms is converted into the potential
or biotic components and nonliving, or abiotic, energy by the arrangement of the constituent atoms
components. of food in a particular manner. This energy flow is
based on two important Laws of Thermodynamics.
Ecology is the study of living organisms’
relationships with their environment. It deals with
interaction between living organisms with each other
and their surroundings.

Ecology also provides information about the

benefits of ecosystems and how we can use Earth's
resources in ways that leave the environment
healthy for future generations. It is also studied at
various levels, such as organism, population,
community, biosphere, and ecosystem.
It states that the amount of energy in the
Levels of Ecosystem Organization universe is constant. It may change from one form to
another, but it can neither be created nor destroyed.
Light energy can be neither created nor destroyed
as it passes through the atmosphere. It may,
however, be transformed into another type of
energy, such as chemical energy or heat energy.
These forms of energy cannot be transformed into
electromagnetic radiation.

It states that non-random energy

(mechanical, chemical, radiant energy) cannot be
changed without some degradation into heat energy.
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GEd110 | People and Earth’s Ecosystem
The change of energy from one form to another
takes place in a such way that a part of energy As it moves through living things and through the
assumes waste form (heat energy). In this way, after atmosphere, water is responsible for metabolic
transformation the capacity of energy to perform processes within cells, for maintaining the flows of
work is decreased. Thus, energy flows from higher key nutrients through ecosystems, and for global-
to lower level. scale distribution of heat and energy. Water
performs countless services because of its unusual
Living organisms can use energy into two properties. Water is so important that when
forms radiant and fixed energy. Radiant energy is in astronomers look for signs of life on distant planets,
the form of electromagnetic waves, such as light. traces of water are the key evidence they seek.
Fixed energy is potential chemical energy bound in
various organic substances which can be broken Carbon Cycle
down in order to release their energy content. Carbon serves as a dual purpose for
organisms: (1) it is a structural component of organic
molecules, and (2) chemical bonds in carbon
compounds provide metabolic energy.

The carbon cycle begins with photosynthetic

organisms taking up carbon dioxide (CO2). This can
be called carbon fixation because carbon is changed
from gaseous CO2 to less mobile organic
molecules. Once a carbon atom is incorporated into
organic compounds, its path to recycling may be
very quick or extremely slow.

Carbon cycle is vitally important to life on

The producers and consumers in ecosystem Earth. Through photosynthesis and respiration, it is
can be arranged into several feeding groups, each the way the earth produces food and other renewal
known as trophic level (feeding level). In any resources. Through decomposition, it serves as the
ecosystem, producers represent the first trophic earth’s waste disposal system. In addition, the
level, herbivores present the second trophic level, carbon cycle is important because carbon-
primary carnivores represent the third trophic level containing gases in the atmosphere affect the earth
and top carnivores represent the last level. climate. Increased carbon dioxide (CO2) in the
atmosphere has been responsible for more than half
Biogeochemical Cycles of the climate warming observed in recent decades.
Water/Hydrologic Cycle Coal and oil are the compressed, chemically
Water cycle, also called hydrologic cycle, altered remains of plants and microorganisms that
cycle that involves the continuous circulation of lived millions of years ago. Their carbon atoms (and
water in the Earth-atmosphere system. Of the many hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, etc) are not
processes involved in the water cycle, the most released until the coal and oil are burned. Enormous
important are evaporation, transpiration, amounts of carbon also are locked up as calcium
condensation, precipitation, and runoff. carbonate (CaCO3) in the shells and skeletons of
marine organisms, from tiny protozoans to corals.

Nitrogen Cycle
The nitrogen cycle is the biogeochemical
cycle by which nitrogen is converted into multiple
chemical forms as its circulates among atmosphere,
terrestrial, and marine ecosystems. The conversion
of nitrogen can be carried out through both biological
and physical processes.

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GEd110 | People and Earth’s Ecosystem
Organisms cannot exist without amino acids, differentiated from one another based on their
peptides, and proteins, all of which are organic specific environmental and physical features.
molecules that contain nitrogen. Nitrogen is
therefore an extremely important nutrient for living There are various biomes on our planet Earth
things. This is why nitrogen is a primary component such as forests, deserts, grasslands, tundra, and
of household in agricultural fertilizers. Nitrogen can aquatic. Each biome has distinctive features that
make up about 78% of the air around us.
differentiate it from others like temperature range,
Sulfur Cycle rainfall pattern, soil quality and plant life.
Sulfur plays an important role to living
organisms for being a component of protein which is BIOME 01 Forest
an essential element. Aside from this, it is also used The forest biome, which covers about 30% of
as a determinant of rainfall, water, and soil’s acidity, the Earth's land surface, is incredibly vast and
as well as it is important because of its ability to varied. These large areas of land are primarily made
regulate global climate. up of trees and other woody vegetation.

Sulfur is mainly present in rocks, soil and The forest biome falls into three main
water, its cycle is quite complicated because of the classifications: tropical forests, temperate forests,
number of oxidation states that the element has. and boreal forests.
Aside from inorganic processes, living organisms
has also the ability to release sulfur in the
environment, like the bacteria called Sulfur Bacteria.
It has the ability to metabolize/oxidize sulfur and its
compounds with which is released to its
environment, useful to plants, and is important to
sulfur cycle.

Human activities also contribute to the large

amount of released sulfur in the environment.
Activity like generating power through combustion of BIOME 02 Tundra
fossil fuels accounts for 75 to 85% of man-made The tundra biome, which is predominantly
sulfur dioxide emission in global scale (HSDB 1998). located in Canada, Alaska and Russia's
This large 57 emission of sulfur compounds causes northernmost regions, is a wide expanse of land with
large areas problems such as acid rains, health
no trees.
problems, infrastructure damages, and even in
It has a cold environment known for its
foods.
extended winter season and brief summer periods.
The Biomes
Ecosystem
An ecosystem can be defined as a group of
both living and non-living organisms that interact
with one another in a specific environment.

This intricate system is characterized by

interdependence among organisms such as
animals, plants, and microorganisms who rely on BIOME 03 Desert
each other and their surrounding conditions for The desert biome is a dry, arid region that
survival. receives less than 10 inches of rainfall per year.
Desert biome has extreme temperature fluctuations,
What is Biome? with hot days and cold nights.
A biome refers to a vast region on the
planet’s surface known for its distinctive weather
conditions, flora, and fauna. These regions are
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GEd110 | People and Earth’s Ecosystem
Deserts are found all over the world, from the important for maintaining the health of
Sahara in Africa to the Mojave in the United States ecosystems and for providing important
to the Gobi in Asia. ecosystem services, such as pollination and
nutrient cycling.

2. Biomes play an important role in regulating

the Earth is climate, with plants absorbing
carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and
releasing oxygen. This helps to mitigate the
effects of climate change and keep the
planet's climate system in balance.

BIOME 04 Aquatic 3. Biomes provide important resources for

The aquatic biome is a vast ecosystem that human use, such as food, timber, and
covers approximately 70% of the Earth’s surface. It medicinal plants. Many traditional cultures
is home to a wide variety of plant and animal also rely on biomes for cultural and spiritual
species, many of which are adapted to life in water. practices. Biomes also provide opportunities
for recreation and tourism such as hiking,
Aquatic biome includes both freshwater and camping, and wildlife watching.
saltwater environments, ranging from rivers and
lakes to oceans and coral reefs. 4. Biomes help to regulate the water cycle by
storing and releasing water, which is
important for maintaining freshwater
resources and preventing flooding and
drought. Biomes help to maintain soil fertility
by cycling nutrients and providing organic
matter.

BIOME 05 Grassland
The grassland biome, also known as
prairies, steppes, or savannas depending on the
region, is a type of ecosystem characterized by vast
expanses of grasses and occasional trees.

Grasslands are typically located in areas with

a semi-arid or continental climate. Symbiosis
Symbiosis is a term describing any
relationship or interaction between two dissimilar
organisms. The specific kind of symbiosis depends
on whether either or both organisms benefit from the
relationship.

Why are Biomes important?

1. Biomes are home to a wide variety of plant
and animal species, many of which are found
nowhere else on Earth. This biodiversity is

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GEd110 | People and Earth’s Ecosystem

Population Dynamics
Factors that Affect Population Size
Population
Population is all the organisms of the same species Birth rate is the number of individuals produced per
that live in a particular geographical area. unit time.
• Population density- refers to the number of • Births and migration into the population
individuals of a species per unit area or unit increase population size.
volume of a habitat.
• Population dispersion - refers to the pattern Death rate is the number of deaths per unit time.
of dispersal of individuals across an area of • Deaths and migrations out of the population
interest decrease the population size.
• Demography is the statistical study of a
population, such as its density, its Survivorship curves show the probability of dying
distribution, and its rate of growth. at a given age
Demography is dependent on mortality
pattern and age distribution. Survivorship curves follow predictable
patterns:

• Type I - species that invest much energy

caring for young have low death rates early
in life. Most individuals survive to reproduce.
• Type II - species have an approximately
equal probability of dying at any age.
• Type III - Species that invest little energy
raising their young have high death rates
among offspring. Few individuals survive to
reproductive age.

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GEd110 | People and Earth’s Ecosystem
Age structure (distribution of age classes) aids in These populations follow a logistic, or S
determining if a population is growing, stable, or shaped, growth model. As the population
declining. size approaches the carrying capacity, the
growth rate slows.
Population and Natural Selection
Thomas Malthus' writing, "An Essay on the Factors that Regulate Population Size
Principle of Population" was one of Charles Density dependent Factors
Darwin's inspiration when he thought of "Natural • The effects of density-dependent factors
Selection". Mathus' essay theorized that increase as the population density
populations grow in geometric progression while rises.
food production grow in arithmetic progression. • They result from interactions between
This meant that populations grow faster than food organisms. o competing among each other
supply, eventually leading to food shortage. This for space, nutrients, food, or mates o spread
led Darwin to think that since the "supply was low, of disease is easier with higher population
but the demand was high, organisms may try to density and the risk of predation
compete for resource, and thus the early Density- independent Factors
beginnings of Natural Selection • Density-independent factors exert effects
that are unrelated to population density. o
Opportunistic vs. Equilibrium Species Natural disasters, such as this fire, might
• Opportunistic species tend to show eliminate population in an area without
exponential growth. They are typically small regard to population density.
organisms that reproduce at an early age,
have short life spans, and have many The Human Population
offspring that receive little parental care. The growth of any population, including
• Weeds, insects, and many species with type humans, is determined by the difference between
III survivorship curves have opportunistic birth rates and death rates.
life histories. Much of the current growth in the human
• Equilibrium species tend to show logistic population is due to high birth rates and low death
growth. Their population size is near the rates in less-developed countries. The low birth rate
carrying capacity. They typically reach their in more-developed countries may be attributed to
reproductive age slower than opportunistic family planning programs.
species, have longer lives, and have
received extended parental care. Variation of Birth and Death rates Worldwide
• Birds, large mammals, and species with • Increase in population - countries with more
type I or type ll survivorship curves are often individuals below reproductive age than are
equilibrium species in their reproductive years.
• Decrease in birth rates - tend to decline as
Exponential Growth economic development progresses
Exponential Growth The pattern of population because of family planning programs and
growth depends upon two primary factors: opportunities for women outside of the
• The biotic potential; and Resource home
availability.
Exponential Growth: Limitation Population growth depends upon the reproductive
• Carrying capacity the maximum number of characteristics of the population:
individuals that the habitat can support • The number of offspring per reproduction
indefinitely • Frequency of reproduction
• Exponential growth cannot continue • Age at which reproduction begins
indefinitely when resources are limited (and • Chances of survival until reproductive age
other factors influencing death and birth
rate), then population growth levels off.
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GEd110 | People and Earth’s Ecosystem
Will human population continue to grow PROBLEMS AFFECTING BIODIVERSITY
exponentially? There are two causes of
overpopulation: OVEREXPLOITING OF ORGANISM
• Resource consumption
Overexploitation of organisms refers to the
• Population size
excessive harvesting or use of a species a a rate
The probability that a species will become extinct
that exceeds its natural ability to replenish itself.
depends upon three primary factors:
This unsustainable practice can lead to the
• Size of Geographic Range
depletion or extinction of the species.
• Degree of Habitat Tolerance
• Size of Local Populations EXAMPLES OF OVEREXPLOITATION OF
ORGANISMS
CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY
• Overfishing
INTRODUCTION • Hunting and Poaching
Conservation biology is a multidisciplinary • Logging and Timber Harvesting
scientific field that aims to protect and manage • Wildlife Trade
Earths biodiversity. It combines principles from • Medicinal and Ornamental Plants
ecology biology genetics, and other natural
sciences to address the conservation of species, IMPACTS OF OVEREXPLOITATION OF
habitats, and ecosystems. Conservation biology ORGANISMS
often involves collaboration between scientists, • Population Decline
policymakers, conservation organizations, and • Ecosystem Imbalance
local communities to achieve its objectives. • Economic and Livelihood Consequences
• Extinction
KEY GOALS OF CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
• Understanding Biodiversity: Studying the STRATEGIES TO COMBAT
variety of life forms on Earth, including OVEREXPLOITATION
species, genetic, and ecosystem diversity
• Assessing Threats: Identifying and • Sustainable Harvesting Practices
analyzing the threats to biodiversity, such as • Protected Areas
habitat destruction, climate change, • Monitoring and Enforcement
pollution, overexploitation, and invasive • Community Involvement
species. • Public Awareness
• Developing Conservation Strategies:
Creating and implementing plans to protect INTRODUCTION OF EXOTIC OR FOREIGN
and restore species and habitats. This SPECIES
incudes establishing protected areas, Also known as invasive species or non-
habitat restoration, captive breeding, and native species, involves the intentional or
reintroduction programs. accidental movement of organisms from her native
• Sustainable Use of Resources: Promoting habitats to new environments where they did not
the sustainable use of natural resources to previously exist. This can happen through various
ensure that human activities do not human activities such as trade, travel, agriculture,
compromise the ability of ecosystems to and aquaculture. Exotic species can become
maintain biodiversity invasive if they establish, spread, and cause harm
• Education and Advocacy: Raising public to the environment, economy, or human health
awareness about the importance of
biodiversity and advocating for policies IMPACTS OF INVASIVE SPECIES
that support conservation efforts. • Biodiversity Loss
• Habitat Alteration
• Economic Costs
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GEd110 | People and Earth’s Ecosystem
• Human Health DIFFERENT KINDS OF POLLUTION AND
• Ecological Imbalance DEGRADATION

MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL POLLUTION

• Restoration is the introduction of harmful materials into the
• Early Detection and Rapid Response environment. These harmful materials are called
• Biological, Mechanical and Chemical pollutants.
Control DIFFERENT TYPES OF POLLUTION

ALTERATION AND LOSS OF HABITAT Water Pollution

Alteration and loss of habitat refer to the Water pollution occurs when harmful
changes in and destruction of natural environments substances – often chemicals microorganisms –
that organisms depend on for survival. These contaminate a stream, river, lake, ocean, aquifer, or
processes are often driven by human activities and other body of water, degrading water quality and
can have severe impacts on biodiversity and rendering it toxic to humans or the
ecosystem health environment.
Habitat alteration involves changes in the
structure, composition, or function of natural DID VOU KNOW?
habitats. These changes can be temporary or • Unsafe water kills more people each year
permanent and may result from various human than war and all other forms of violence
activities combined.
• Without action, the challenges will only
HABITAT ALTERATION
increase by 2050, when global demand for
• Urbanization freshwater is expected to be one-third
• Agriculture greater than it is now
• Deforestation
• Pollution Air Pollution
• Infrastructure Development Air pollution is contamination of the indoor or
• Climate Change outdoor environment by any chemical, physical or
biological agent that modifies the natural
HABITAT LOSS characteristics of the atmosphere.
Habitat loss refers to the complete destruction of a
habitat, rendering it unable to support the species DID YOU KNOW?
that once lived there. • Less than 1% of global land area has safe air
• Land Conversion pollution levels
• Mining and Quarrying • Air pollution is a greater threat to life
• Water Management expectancy than smoking, HIV or war
• Fire • At least 1 in 10 people die from air pollution-
related diseases
STRATEGIES TO MITIGATE HABITAT
ALTERATION AND LOSS Radioactive Contamination
• Public Awareness Undesirable radioactive material (with a
• Climate Action potentially harmful effect) that is either airborne or
• Land-Use Planning deposited in (or on the surface of) structures,
• Protected Areas objects, soil, water, or living organisms (people,
animals, or plants) in a concentration that may harm
people, equipment, or the environment.

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GEd110 | People and Earth’s Ecosystem
DID VOU KNOW? Plastic Pollution
• Radioactive materials can be solids, Plastic pollution is a global problem. Every
liquids or gases, and thus the radiation year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into
pollution may spread and affect all three aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and
media. Spreading through the air, however, seas.
is the fastest way that of propagation of
radiation pollution, which may threaten Solid Waste
human health. Solid waste is unwanted or useless solid
materials generated by human activities. Improper
Sewage Pollution management of solid waste can cause a range of
Sewage pollution is everything we flush problems, such as disease, air pollution, marine
down the loo or wash down the drain that is released plastic pollution, and negative impacts on wellbeing.
into the environment through sewer overflows, or
that washes off the land and roads. DID YOU KNOW?
• Only 9% of all plastic produced is recycled.
DID YOU KNOW? • If you tied together all the ribbon thrown away
• Every day, 2 million tons of sewage and in an average year, you could tie it around
industrial and agricultural waste are the Earth.
discharged into the world's water the
equivalent of the weight of the entire human Soil Pollution
population of 6.8 billion people. Soil pollution refers to the contamination of
soil with anomalous concentrations of toxic
Light Pollution substances. It is a serious environmental concern
Light pollution, the excessive or since it harbors many health hazards. For example,
inappropriate use of outdoor artificial light, is exposure to soil containing high concentrations of
affecting human health, wildlife behavior, and our benzene increases the risk of contracting leukemia.
ability to observe stars and other celestial objects.
DID YOU KNOW?
DID YOU KNOW? • The soil is alive. Soil is not an inert, dead
• Light pollution also contributes to substance. A handful of healthy soil can
atmospheric pollution. Nitrate radicals that contain more living organisms than human
help in control of smog are destroyed in beings that have ever lived on earth.
excessive artificial lights which increases
pollution in the atmosphere. Chemical Pollution
Chemical pollution is the increased presence
Noise Pollution of chemical pollutants in our environment, especially
Not all sound is considered noise pollution. those that do not Occur there naturally. Man-made
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines noise chemicals are part of our everyday life, and we
above 65 decibels (dB) as noise pollution. To be encounter them almost everywhere we look,
precise, noise becomes harmful when it exceeds including in the air, food, and beverages we
75 decibels (dB) and is painful above 120 dB. consume.

DID YOU KNOW? DID YOU KNOW?

• Psychology Today reports that the number • Packaging, pots and pans leach chemicals
one cause for hearing loss actually is not into our food
age, it's noise. The elderly are at an even • Chemicals can meddle with your hormones
higher risk of further hearing damage caused
by noise pollution. Oil Spill
Oil spills can harm sea creatures, ruin a day
at the beach, and make seafood unsafe to eat. It
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GEd110 | People and Earth’s Ecosystem
takes sound science to clean up the oil, measure the and self-replenishing, and usually have a low- or
impacts of pollution, and help the ocean recover. zero-carbon footprint.

DID YOU KNOW? Renewable Source of Energy

• Korea has the lowest number of document oil 1. Wind
spills, with 32. - used to produce electricity by converting
the kinetic energy of air in motion into
CONSEQUENCES OF POLLUTION electricity.
2. Solar
Acid Rain - harnessed to generate electricity, solar
Acid rain is one of the consequences of air thermal energy and solar architecture.
pollution. Gases produced from the burning of fuels 3. Bioenergy
react with the oxygen in the air and water vapour, - derived from recently living organic
transforming into acids that fall onto the earth's materials known as biomass.
surface as rain. 4. Hydroelectric
- one of the oldest and largest sources of
Ozone Depletion renewable energy, which uses the
When chlorine and bromine atoms come into natural flow of moving water to generate
contact with ozone in the stratosphere, they destroy electricity
ozone molecules. One chlorine atom can destroy 5. Geothermal
over 100,000 ozone molecules before it is removed - heat energy from the earth that is used
from the stratosphere. for bathing, for heating buildings, and for
generating electricity
Algal Bloom
A harmful algal bloom (HAB) occurs when
toxin-producing algae grow excessively in a body of
water. The excessive algal growth, or algal bloom,
becomes visible to the naked eye and can be green,
blue-green, red, or brown, depending on the type of
algae.

Change of Soil pH
Extremes in pH levels can also mean high
concentrations or more accessible forms of minerals
such as aluminum, which can be toxic to plants.
Non-Renewable Energy
Human Disease Nonrenewable energy comes from sources
Environmental pollutants can cause health that will run out or will not be replenished
problems like respiratory diseases, heart disease, in our lifetimes-or even in many, many
and some types of cancer. People with low incomes lifetimes.
are more likely to live in polluted areas and have
unsafe drinking water. Non-Renewable Source of Energy
1. Coal
- a combustible black or brownish-black
IMPACT OF EOPLE ON THE CARBON CYCLE sedimentary rock with a high amount of
AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT carbon and hydrocarbons which takes
millions of years to form.
Renewable Energy 2. Fossil Fuels
Renewable energy is energy that comes - formed from the fossilized, buried
from a source that won't run out. They are natural remains of plants and animals that lived
millions of years ago
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3. Nuclear Power that would otherwise radiate upward, from the
- a form of energy released from the planet's surface, into outer space.
nucleus, the core of atoms, made up of
protons and neutrons. Volcanic Eruption
4. Natural Gas Volcanic gases like sulfur dioxide can cause
- a hydrocarbon mixture consisting global cooling, while volcanic carbon dioxide, a
primarily of saturated light paraffins such greenhouse gas, has the potential to promote global
as methane and ethane, both of which warming.
are gaseous under atmospheric
conditions. Changes in Orbit
Changes in the Earth's orbit around the sun
and changes in the tilt and wobble of the Earth's axis
can lead to cooling or warming of the Earth's climate
because they change the amount of energy our
planet receives from the sun.

Solar Radiation
Solar radiation warms the atmosphere and
produces global wind patterns due to the uneven
distribution of solar energy across the planet's
Climate Change and Global Warming surface which can alter the distribution of snow and
- Climate change refers to long-term shifts in ice cover. It also affects the growth of
temperatures and weather patterns. Such photosynthesizing organisms, and in turn, affects
shifts can be natural, due to changes in the the productivity and biomass in ecosystems.
sun’s activity or large volcanic eruptions.
- Global warming is the long-term heating of Tectonic Shifts
Earth's surface observed since the pre- Large mountain chains can influence the
industrial period (between 1850 and 1900) circulation of air around the globe, and consequently
due to human activities, primarily fossil fuel influence the climate. For example, warm air may be
burning, which increases heat-trapping deflected to cooler regions by mountains.
greenhouse gas levels in Earth's
atmosphere. Industrial Revolution
Since the Industrial Revolution, human
Global warming activities have released large amounts of carbon
- refers to the rise in global temperatures due dioxide and other greenhouse gases into the
mainly to the increasing atmosphere, which has changed the earth's climate.
concentrations of greenhouse gases in the Natural processes, such as changes in the sun's
atmosphere. energy and volcanic eruptions, also affect the earth's
Climate change climate.
- refers to the increasing changes in the
measures of climate over a long period of Transportation
time - including precipitation, temperature, The cars, trucks, ships, and planes that we
and wind patterns. use to transport ourselves and our goods are a major
source of global greenhouse gas emissions.
CAUSES OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Electricity Generation
Greenhouse Effect Generating electricity and heat by burning
At the root of climate change is the fossil fuels causes a large chunk of global emissions.
phenomenon known as the greenhouse effect. This Most electricity is still generated by burning coal, oil,
is the way that certain atmospheric gases "trap" heat or gas, which produces carbon dioxide and nitrous

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GEd110 | People and Earth’s Ecosystem
oxide – powerful greenhouse gases that blanket the How to reduce carbon footprint?
Earth and trap the sun's heat. ✓ Reduce Waste
✓ Conserve everything
Agriculture ✓ Avoid plastic
Large scale changes such as deforestation, ✓ Eat less meat
soil erosion or machine-intensive farming methods ✓ Plant tress
may all contribute to increased carbon ✓ Use Renewable Energy
concentrations in the atmosphere. Soil erosion by
water, wind and tillage affects both agriculture and “Sustainable development is
the natural environment.
development that meets the needs of
Oil and Gas Development the present, without compromising the
Oil and gas lead to emissions at every stage ability of future generations to meet
of their production and consumption—not only when their own needs.”
they’re burned as fuel, but just as soon as we drill a
hole in the ground to begin extracting them.

Buildings
Unsurprisingly, given how much time we
spend inside of them, our buildings—both residential
and commercial—emit a lot of greenhouse gases
including heating, cooling, cooking, running
appliances, and maintaining other building-wide
systems

Deforestation
Trees absorb and store carbon dioxide. If What is the United Nations Framework
forests are cleared, or even disturbed, they release Convention on Climate Change?
carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. Forest First steps to a safer future: the Convention in summary
loss and damage is the cause of around 10% of
global warming. There's simply no way we can fight ✓ Recognized that there was a problem.
the climate crisis if we don't stop deforestation. ✓ Sets a lofty but specific goal.
✓ Puts the onus on developed countries to lead
Lifestyle and Human Activities the way.
The decisions we make every day as ✓ Directs new funds to climate change
individuals—which products we purchase, how activities in developing countries.
much electricity we consume, how we get around, ✓ Keeps tabs on the problem and what's being
what we eat —add up to our single, unique carbon done about it.
footprints. Put all of them together and you end up ✓ Charts the beginnings of a path to strike a
with humanity’s collective carbon footprint. delicate balance.
✓ Kicks off formal consideration of adaptation
“The first step in reducing it is for us to to climate change.
acknowledge the uneven distribution of
climate change’s causes and effects,
and for those who bear the greatest responsibility
for global greenhouse gas emissions to slash them
without bringing further harm to those who are least
responsible.”

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