Human Impact Basics
What does “human impact” mean?
Human impact means the changes people cause to the Earth’s environment, ecosystems, and natural resources.
What is deforestation?
Deforestation is cutting down large amounts of trees or forests.
Name one source of air pollution.
Cars, factories, and power plants.
What does “biodiversity” mean?
Biodiversity means having many different types of plants and animals. Bio means "life" and diversity means "variety"
What does “resource depletion” mean?
Resource depletion means using up resources faster than they can be replaced. They will eventually get to a point of deletion.
Name one positive and one negative effect humans can have on Earth.
Positive: planting trees, recycling, etc.... Negative: pollution, cutting down forests, etc....
How does deforestation affect biodiversity?
It destroys habitats, causing animals and plants to lose their homes.
What type of pollution includes water as the main dumping ground for waste.
Water pollution.
How does building cities harm biodiversity?
Building cities removes habitats where animals and plants live.
Give one example of an overused natural resource.
Fossil fuels (coal, oil, gas), fresh water, minerals (rocks)
What on Earth is most affected by human activities? (hint: more than one)
Climate, forests, water, land, animals, and air.
Why does cutting down trees increase climate change?
Trees absorb CO2; without them, more toxins will exist in our environment
Why is plastic pollution especially dangerous to our marine life and to us?
Marine animals can mistake plastic for food or get trapped in it, which can kill them. It is harmful to us because we eat the fish that eat the plastic and it gets stuck in our bodies.
What is overexploitation? Give an example.
Overexploitation means taking too many animals or plants (ex: overfishing, overhunting).
How does farming affect forests and biodiversity?
Cutting down forests for farms reduces animal habitats and plant life. In order to keep out animals out of our food we add poison to our food to protect it before it gets picked.
Give two examples of things that humans do that change the environment.
Examples: building cities, farming, burning fossil fuels, overfishing.
What bad gas do trees absorb that helps balance the atmosphere?
Carbon dioxide (CO2)
How does water pollution affect both animals and humans?
Dirty water can poison animals and humans, cause sickness, and damage ecosystems.
What happens when invasive species enter a new ecosystem?
Invasive species can take over and outcompete with native species, messing up the balance of the ecosystem.
What happens to habitats when cities expand (urbanization)?
Habitats are destroyed, less space for animals and plants, more pollution.
How does human impact affect future generations?
Human actions can damage natural resources, making life harder for people in the future (less clean air, water, food, and space).
Name two consequences of deforestation on ecosystems.
Loss of biodiversity, more greenhouse gases (leading to poor air quality), climate change.
Give one example of how we can reduce pollution.
Reduce, reuse, recycle; use less plastic; cleaner energy, being mindful of everyday things we do that will make a big change down the line.
Why is biodiversity important for human survival?
Humans rely on biodiversity for food, medicine, clean air, and healthy ecosystems. The ecosystems around us also serve a purpose for our overall survival.
How does overuse of fossil fuels harm the environment?
Burning fossil fuels adds CO2, which causes global warming and climate change.