Lesson4humanimpactonbiosphere
- 1. Dynamic Planet- Sub unit 3 Battle for the Biosphere 3.2a How have humans impacted the biosphere ? To understand that the biosphere is being degraded by human actions What are the potential impacts of pollution and climate change on the biosphere- Rainforests and tundra
- 2. Watch the video clip, list all the ways the rainforest is being destroyed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-Gjz5vNwro
- 3. What are the impacts of pollution and Climate Change on rainforests? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7gpAy4ivZ0&feature=related identify the impacts on people and the environment of Climate change in the Amazon This situation is a vicious cycle- if you cut down trees you release the stored carbon into the atmosphere adding to greenhouse gases- leading to a warming climate- leading to changes in the forest If trees are removed, the hydrological cycle is affected as trees return 50% of rainfall back to clouds- less trees means less rain returns to the clouds so less falls- reducing amounts of rain that trees need to function
- 4. Tasks In pairs or small groups, prepare a speech to highlight the impacts of climate change on tropical rainforests Use the 2 articles you have been given to give you ideas about what to include You have 15 minutes to prepare your speech
- 5. Climate scientists also worry that permafrost in the Arctic tundra will thaw, releasing enormous amounts of CO2 and methane gas into the atmosphere. According to Field, the most critical, short-term concern is the release of CO2 from decaying organic matter that has been frozen for millennia. "The new estimate of the total amount of carbon that's frozen in permafrost soils is on the order of 1,000 billion tons," he said. "By comparison, the total amount of CO2 that's been released in fossil fuel combustion since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution is around 350 billion tons. So the amount of carbon that's stored in these frozen soils is truly vast." Much of the carbon is locked up in frozen plants that were buried under very cold conditions and have remained in deep freeze for 25,000 to 50,000 years, he added. "We know that the Arctic is warming faster than anyplace else," he said. "And there is clear evidence that these frozen plants are very susceptible to decomposition when the tundra thaws. So melting of permafrost is poised to be an even stronger foot on the accelerator pedal of atmospheric CO2, with every increment of warming causing an increment of permafrost-melting that shoots an increment of CO2 into the atmosphere, which in turn increases warming. What are the impacts of pollution and Climate Change on the Tundra? Outline the impacts of Climate change on the Tundra biome
- 6. What are the impacts of pollution and Climate Change on Coral Reefs?
- 7. Task Produce a fact sheet about coral reefs, include information about- Where they are located Describe what they are Describe how they are being destroyed Use the information you have been given to help you