...Homework #1 – Basic Terms and Concepts Name: Intro to the Environment - Eco Footprint - Homework #1 (HW1) – Fall 2012 1. An ecosystem is a community of organisms living in a particular environment and also the physical elements in that given environment, in which these organisms interact. Its diversity is profoundly substantial. An ecosystem can extend from the icy artic zones to the tropical forests. They occur in many different scales with smaller systems pierced inside larger systems. Depending on the scale, an ecosystem can be small or profoundly large. 2. Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water. In plants, photosynthesis generally involves the green pigment chlorophyll and generates oxygen as a byproduct. 3. A producer in an ecosystem, converts energy from the environment into carbon bonds. For instance, green plants use energy from the sun to create more complex molecules like carbon dioxide into glucose. Consumers on the other hand are organisms that obtain nutrients from other organisms. They attain their energy from the carbon bonds made by the producers. An example of a consumer is animal that gets its energy from plants. It is also called an herbivore. A few examples of herbivores include cows, moose, gazelles, rabbits and elephants. The trophic level of an organism is where the organism is situated in the food chain. A food chain is similar to...
Words: 1025 - Pages: 5
...known as: the Lithosphere, the Biosphere, the Atmosphere, and the Hydrosphere. Each of these elements performs a certain function that is dependent on the other. The Lithosphere is the Earth’s outermost rocker layer. The Biosphere consists of recently decayed and living organisms on Earth’s surface. The Atmosphere is the gases that surround the Earth. The Hydrosphere contains all of the earth’s water and ice, above and below the surface. Losing any of these systems would have a depleting effect on the earth as we know it. There is a cycle to how these systems work, plants gain nutrients from the lithosphere and then these nutrients are incorporated back into the biosphere. When the plants die some of the material left behind is released into the atmosphere and the rest goes back into the lithosphere. Each element provides what is needed to continue the cycle and the cycle is a constant. People depend on each subsystem in the same way that the earth depends on these systems to continue. The lithosphere is important because “There are high mountains ranges like the Rockies and Andes, huge plains like those in Texas, Iowa and Brazil, and the deep valleys of the ocean floor .We walk and climb on this part of the lithosphere (Wheeling Jesuit University, 2005).” The biosphere is important because it contains the environment that a person lies in. “The biosphere is as important as life itself because it is all of life. Without the biosphere, the Earth would be a lifeless...
Words: 471 - Pages: 2
...A biome is a major biological community that occurs over a large area of land. Each biome is characterized by precipitation, temperature, wind, soil conditions, availability to water, amount of sunlight, and land. For example, the taiga is very cold in the winter, hot and humid during the summer, receives 30-85 cm of precipitation annually, and the soil is thin and poor in nutrients. There are different types of biomes and each of them have different characteristics. The tundra is the coldest of all the biomes. The temperatures range from -40 degrees Celsius to 18 degrees Celsius. (Mission Biomes, N.D.) The precipitation ranges from 150 to 250 mm of rain per year. (Mission Biomes, N.D.) According to the article Mission: Biomes, there are almost no trees due to short growing season and permafrost; lichens, mosses, grasses, sedges, shrubs. (N.D.) Tundras are located south of the ice caps and extend across North America, Europe, and Siberia. Tundra winters are long, dark and cold. The temperatures are below 0 degrees Celsius for six to ten months. Animals hibernate during the winter because it is so cold. Taiga is the Russian word for timberland and is the biggest biome on the planet. It extends over Eurasia and North America (Taiga, 2000). The taiga is situated close to the highest point of the world, just beneath the tundra biome (Taiga, 2000). The winters in the taiga are exceptionally frosty with just snowfall (Taiga, 2000). The summers are warm, blustery, and sticky. A considerable...
Words: 751 - Pages: 4
...Biomes have changed and moved ordinarily amid the historical backdrop of life on Earth. There are fourteen biomes on the planet. Fields are isolated into savanna and mild prairies. The sea-going classification is partitioned into freshwater, freshwater wetlands, marine, coral reef and estuaries. Earthbound biomes are significant districts in the Earth that have a similar atmosphere in spite of being in various geological areas. The sea-going biome is the biggest of them all. Tundra The tundra is the coldest biome and is a treeless territory. The tundra is described by low temperature, little precipitation, low supplements, and organic assorted qualities. The Tundra has a considerable measure of vegetation inside this biome. Some regular plants incorporate the bearberry, ice greenery, Caribou greenery, Diamond leaf willow, Labrador Tea, Pasque Flower, and the Tufted Saxifrage. The creatures in the tundra eat these plants to survive and pick up vitality to remain warm. A few plants are helpful for people. A tundra can be found in Canada or Alaska. The atmosphere in a tundra is extremely frosty and creatures like moose and a wolf can be found in it. Contamination is a natural issue in a tundra. A few adjustments in a tundra are relocation and hibernation. Taiga A taiga is a biome that can be found in Russia. Its atmosphere is frosty and almost no precipitation. An artic fox, goose, a bear or sheep can be found in a taiga. The taiga ecological issues are deforestation and mining...
Words: 1774 - Pages: 8
...University of Phoenix Material Biosphere Worksheet Section A: Answer the following questions in complete sentences. 1. Define biosphere. Describe the part of the biosphere where humans can survive. Biosphere can be described as our whole earth and all living entities that dwell in it. 2. Based on this week’s required readings, what are the main causes of threats to the biosphere? The main causes of threats to the biosphere revolve around all the no sustainable practices that directly affect our world; more specifically, the immediate and long-term effects of the incorrect disposal of waste. 3. Define sustainability. What do scientists predict will happen in Earth’s future if we do not increase our sustainability practices? Sustainability refers to our ability to endure and maintain. From an ecological standpoint, sustainability considers the long-term environmental and social consequences of our decisions relative to our future resource base. Scientists predict the world’s future resource base will be dramatically depleted if we cannot effectively learn how to sustain. It is equally important to note that far too many decisions that prove correct in the short term have disastrous consequences in the long term. Section B: Fill in the chart with complete sentences. For each item listed below, identify one related threat to the biosphere. Then, describe business practices that may cause this problem. Finally, describe alternative business practices that may...
Words: 930 - Pages: 4
...University of Phoenix Material Biosphere Worksheet Section A: Answer the following questions in complete sentences. 1. Define biosphere. Describe the part of the biosphere where humans can survive. Biosphere is defined as the component of the earth's crust, waters, and atmosphere that supports life. The part of the biosphere where humans can survive is the actual land where we can live they live and the air we can breathe in. This is with water that helps to sustain human life and to preserve our human survival. 2. Based on this week’s required readings, what are the main causes of threats to the biosphere? Some of the causes are threats to the biosphere are pollution, deteriorating failing water panels, separation of cultivating earth, along with dysfunctions of various species. 3. Define sustainability-The definition of sustainability is an environmental science terminology and the attribute of not transpiring harm to the environment. That can exhaust its natural resources. This will help to support long-term environmental and ecological balances. Sustainability is a principle that will require everything for survival because our well-being will depend on it directly or indirectly for our natural environment. Scientists predicts that the Earth’s future will be directly affected by humans and nature. It can only survive or exist in productive synchronization. When social economics can be provide it requires the present of future generations that we need to increase...
Words: 883 - Pages: 4
...Sebastian Estrada PHIL 3360: Environmental Ethics Dr. Vicki Toscano Issues paper#1 Anthropocentrism vs. Biocentrism 1/26/2012 The Historical Roots of our ecologic crisis is an article written by Lynn T. White, Jr. published in the journal Science in 1966. White was a medieval scholar and in this article he blames technology, Christianity, and anthropocentrism as the “Roots” of our ecologic crisis. He states, “All forms of life modify their contexts,” but believes that this modification should be for the good of the earth like the coral polyp. He states Man must coexist with nature. Man had always been a dynamic element in harmony with the earth. This all changed sometime around the 1850 when the “Baconian Creed” of scientific knowledge started influencing the people. As a result man began to exploit the earth through new advents in technology. White cites the invention of the eight-oxen plow as the beginning of man’s “ruthlessness” towards nature. White continues to argue that Christian Axioms fueled this newfound exploitive attitude towards earth. To White, Christianity’s story of creation and notion that “no item in the physical creation had any purpose save to serve man’s purpose (White).” only served to justify these actions and put Christianity as “the most anthropocentric religion the world has seen.” White continues to argue that simply applying more science and more technology to our ecologic crisis is not going to solve the problem. To him the issue is essentially...
Words: 1154 - Pages: 5
...The chaparral biome is a temperate shrub land biome found in all five parts of the world with a Mediterranean, dry, coastal climate. The chaparral is primarily found in California and the Baja California Peninsula, Mexico. The chaparral is also found around the world in Chile, South Africa, and Western and Southern Australia. The chaparral’s climate is defined by mild, wet winters and hot dry summers. Plants of the Chaparral Plants of the chaparral must survive long periods of heat, fire, and drought. Many plants of the chaparral very closely resemble plants of the desert that can also survive long periods without rain. The South African Chaparral contains many species of plants that are not located anywhere else in the world. Examples of Chaparral Plants: Quercus ilex- commonly known as the evergreen oak, holm oak or holly oak. Eucalyptus- known by its scientific name and commonly known as the plant koala bears almost exclusively eat. However, the waxy coating of the leaves makes the eucalyptus difficult to digest but that does not stop the koalas from eating. Salvia- commonly known as the sweet smelling sage plant, this plant produces long purple strands of flowers. This plant has hairs that grow along the stem to keep water from transpiring and reduce water loss. When the hairs are rubbed or brushed against, it stimulates oil producing cells that release a very pungent smell making these plants unattractive to some grazing animals. ...
Words: 1683 - Pages: 7
...Biosphere Worksheet Jose Luis Sandoval Jr. MGT/360 August 18, 2014 Samuel Cunningham Biosphere Worksheet Section A: Answer the following questions in complete sentences. 1. Define biosphere. Describe the part of the biosphere where humans can survive. Biosphere is defined as the parts of the land, sea, and atmosphere in which organisms are able to live. The biosphere is an irregularly shaped, relatively thin zone in which life is concentrated on or near the Earth's surface and throughout its waters; and all the Earth's ecosystems considered as a single, self-sustaining unit ("Biosphere - Definition of Biosphere by the Free Dictionary", 2014). For humans to survive there must be certain environmental conditions such as proper temperature must exits, and humans must be supplied with food. The northern continents will be the best place for humans to survive. 2. Based on this week’s required readings, what are the main causes of threats to the biosphere? The main cause of threats to the biosphere is the world population of 6 billion people. These people cause global warming, water shortages, loss of arable land, pollution, extinction of species, and social ills. 3. Define sustainability. What do scientists predict will happen in Earth’s future if we do not increase our sustainability practices? Sustainability is define as of, or relating to a state of being maintained at a constant level while no major or severe damage is incurred, such as to the...
Words: 733 - Pages: 3
...The biosphere is the region of the surface and atmosphere of the earth (or another planet) occupied by living organisms. It contains all the living things in the world: plants, animals and bacteria. It includes other layers of the atmosphere which are called the lithosphere, the troposphere and the hydrosphere. The lithosphere is the other region of the earth, the troposphere is the lower region of the atmosphere and the hydrosphere is the region of lakes, oceans, streams, ice and clouds that make up earth's water resources. There are over 30 millions species on this region of the planet, and the number of different organisms in an ecosystem is called biodiversity. The more biodiversity the more stable the ecosystem is.But it is still inevitable for each and every organism to adapt to their surroundings and even change it at times. But the biosphere never remains the same, no matter what. And the effects can either be negative or positive. The top species on the biosphere are humans, and they affect the area in both good and bad ways. Humans are the only species that make their ecosystem adapt to them instead of the other way around. This is why they have the most effect on the biosphere. Some things humans have done that improves the condition of the biosphere would be selective breeding. By putting the best of the best together, which normally cannot occur in nature naturally, this gives species a better opportunity to survive. In regards to crops, this allows them to survive...
Words: 756 - Pages: 4
...SYSTEMS THINKING APPROACH AS A UNIQUE TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT: A CASE STUDY IN THE CAT BA BIOSPHERE RESERVE OF VIETNAM Thanh Van Mai Bosch O.J.H School of Integrative Systems, The University of Queensland, QLD 4343, Australia Corresponding author (thanh.mai@uqconnect.edu.au) ABSTRACT Tourism is not simply an industry, but is an open, dynamic and complex system. The system consists of many interacting components and involves many different stakeholders. The development of tourism in a sustainable way impinges on and is subject to many factors. The limitation of traditional approaches to tourism research has become evidently in many cases. These approaches have usually looked at a particular issue or issues of the whole tourism picture. As a result, it has become difficult to manage tourism toward sustainability. This paper provides an overview of the systems thinking approach and its application in the study of the tourism system in the Cat Ba Biosphere Reserve of Vietnam. This study shows that systems thinking has proved to be an effective and powerful tool to explain the complexities of the tourism system. It has helped to simplify, clarify and integrate isolated problems associated with the industry, and provided a mechanism for group learning and decision making to achieve desirable outcomes. The paper proposes systems thinking be used as an appropriate tool for sustainable tourism development. Key words: complexity, dynamics, sustainability, systems thinking...
Words: 5250 - Pages: 21
...Institution: Course: Name: Date: The author of the article " When Did Photosynthesis Emerge on Earth?” is David J. Des Marais. The author examines the period when photosynthesis emerged and the issues surrounding its emergence in our biosphere. The author looks at the historical and evolutionary evidence to advance the topic of the emergence of photosynthesis. The article is majorly based on the biosphere changes and the changes in the oxygen levels and the metamorphosis of sedimentary rocks to illustrate the sequence of biochemical records and trends. In the early Earth’s history photosynthesis has highly evolved. Also through the rapidity of its emergence has suggested that there was no existence of flukes and it could also on other worlds also (Des Marais, 2000). The question on when did photosynthesis take its place in the place Earth is an issue which has been researched widely in order to unearth the many unknown mysteries. Probably life is thought to have begun early the history of the Earth, perhaps more than 3800 years ago and through the years it has received a lot of sophistication in terms of metabolism. Great developments of biomolecules and key pathways reveal a great deal of evolutional innovations in the field of photosynthesis. A sequence of genes’ information has been used in the analysis of the major photosynthetic bacteria. Also the molecular origins of the major photosynthetic bacteria has been clarified to a great extent...
Words: 976 - Pages: 4
...‘Not only do Prokaryotes have a wide range of metabolic activities crucial for maintaining the biosphere, they also exert significant impacts on human life’ discuss this statement fully using named examples. Prokaryotes are unicellular microorganisms without a nucleus; they are divided into two groups’ Eubacteria and Archaebacteria. These microorganisms are very small and invisible and are known as the most dominant species on the earth’s biosphere as they are found almost everywhere on earth, they are predominately, found in our body’s immune system, and they are mainly responsible for the decomposition of dead matter which in return benefits both plants and animals. They are found in the air that we breathe, in the food that we eat, in deep seas, in cold and hot temperatures, sea corals, in salt water, fertile soils and in short, they are so diverse in their form of habitation and adaptation, as different types of bacteria adapt to different types of environments in different forms of life. However, bacteria are grouped according to their uniqueness, features, structure, functions, and contribution to human life. Prokaryotes are so beneficial to us because they act as defences to protect us from various diseases. The essay will examine the significant impact of prokaryotes to human life. The word bacteria may be frightening to most of us; in many cases it is often associated with many negative and harmful aspects such as infectious diseases, dental decay, mould and...
Words: 2362 - Pages: 10
...subordinate’s obtainment of benefit or burden. Generally corporations focus on its primary stakeholders because they are the most noticeable and affected. However, it is myopic for a corporation to ignore or act in reluctance to its secondary stakeholders in naivety of the actual ripple that its action may cause. This is why stakeholder consideration and action is becoming a more ascendant quality of corporations. The analysis of four O’Reilly Auto Parts stakeholders will be discussed in this paper, each with its own synopsis of this corporations attempt to perpetuate its positive influence, and/or its failure to do so in particular areas. The stakeholders analyzed are customers, a primary stakeholder, and future generations and Earth’s biosphere, which are both secondary stakeholders. Primary Stakeholder: Customers Positives: Customer Stakeholder The customer is perhaps the most salient stakeholder. Providing the upmost care to the customer ensures lucrative sustainability of any retail sales corporation. O’Reilly Auto Parts has focused the majority of its efforts on the customer. Embedded...
Words: 1388 - Pages: 6
...circulates through the atmosphere, biosphere, oceans, and crust. This model is similar to ones presented by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). It allows you to experiment with how human input to the cycle might change global outcomes to the year 2100 and beyond. One particularly relevant human impact is the increase in atmospheric CO2 levels. Between the years 1850 and 2015, atmospheric concentrations have risen from 290 parts per million (ppm) to over 400 ppm - a level higher than any known on Earth in more than 30 million years (see Unit 12 to find out how scientists measure ancient atmospheric carbon levels). Using the simulator, you will experiment with the human factors that contribute to this rise and explore how different inputs to the carbon cycle might affect the concentrations of the greenhouse gas CO2. Procedure Read through the material and follow the directions provided on the Habitable Planet website (unless otherwise instructed). Fill in the tables below with your data and answer the questions. Note: DO NOT download the data tables provided on the HP website. This file contains everything you will need. Save your file as: LASTNAME-Lab04-HPCarbonCycle. This lab is due by Saturday, February 20, 2016 at 10:00 am. Lesson 1: The Carbon Cycle https://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/interactives/carbon/carbon_cycle_1.php Lesson 1: Step 1 Gaseous Carbon Ocean Water Fossil Fuels Biosphere Gaseous Carbon To Year Atmosphere...
Words: 1637 - Pages: 7
