Transcript Chapter 3.2 PowerPoint

How Humans Influence
Ecosystems
Science 10 – Chapter 3.2
Media Watchdog
Assignment
Subtitle
Media Watchdog Assignment – 3.2B – Page 135
▪ The media has an important
role in delivering
information on
environmental issues, and as
citizens we expect the
information to be accurate.
Media Watchdog Assignment – 3.2B – Page 135
▪ 1. Environmental media topics tend to fit into one of the following
categories. Which category does this report fit into? Circle one: Animal
Habitat Loss, Global Warming, Air Pollution/Acid Rain, Water
Contamination/Water Quality, Other.
▪ 2. In 20 words or less, summarize what the report is about.
▪ 3. What social, political, or economic issues are involved?
▪ 4. What are the arguments?
▪ 5. Are the arguments based on scientific experts’ claims? What evidence
do you have of this?
▪ 6. What lifestyles, values, and points of view are presented in this
message?
▪ 7. Does the report interpret data to favour one perspective over another?
Explain.
Media Watchdog Assignment – 3.2B – Page 135
▪ 8. What techniques are used to attract my attention? For a newspaper
article, consider the title of the article, what page the article appears on,
and any pictures that are included. For a television report, consider the
length of the segment, when it appears, and the footage or interviews.
▪ 9. What emotional effect does the report have on the listener or reader?
▪ 10. Do you think the story was presented to appeal to a specific audience?
▪ 11. Why do you think this message was sent?
▪ 12. Based on the information presented in the report, would you accept or
reject the information as entirely true or possibly true? Give reasons for
your answer.
CBC.ca News April 22, 2014
Humpback whale protection reduced
Analysis
▪ Ottawa is downgrading the North Pacific humpback's status from
'threatened' to 'of special concern‘
1. Endangered Species and human activity
2. An increase in humpback whale population has occurred over the
past 40 years due to decreased human interaction, but future human
endeavors may again harm the population with the “new status”.
3. Economic: pipeline route Social/Economic: whale watching
Political: Canadian Government Species Status, pipeline
Analysis
4. Arguments
▪ Habitat will now be less enforced
▪ But …The whales have apparent resilience to change, calving, food resources
5. Scientific Experts:
Trevor Swerdfager: Fisheries and Oceans Canada – Very Reliable – Government
Agency
Lance Barrett-Lennard: Vancouver Aquarium – Reliable – non-profit??
“must have to do, seems to” is that scientific?
Karen Wristen: Living Oceans Society – reputable and reliable non-profit
“species at risk act is being ignored and sidelined essentially”
Art Sterrit: Coastal First Nations Executive Director
Dr. Marty Leonard: Committee on the Status of Endangered Species in Canada
“only biological scientific evidence used in the decision”
Analysis
6. Points of view
One side – other species do not have the same resilience, so we need not
worry about the humpback.
Only used biological evidence, did not consider pipeline route
The other side – government has forgotten what reduced the number of
humpbacks in the first place. An increase in tanker traffic will certainly
affect humpbacks. Science was flawed: voodoo science
7. The 2 minute report gives more time to the government and aquarium
scientist then to the conservationist and First Nation comments. Finally
giving the last word to a biologist who recommended the change of status.
Analysis
8. The National on CBC – prime time – nationwide broadcast following
hockey night in Canada
Online, just a small window on the website
2 minutes in length
Images of whales alive and having fun – Whoa!
Biologist with whale bone
Tanker image – pipeline
Seawall in Vancouver
The attire?
Analysis
9. Emotional effect is low. There were no images of dead whales, or
whaling. Whales “seem” to be just fine.
10. Audience is the general population of Canada above the age of
majority. No major target. Specific audience is intended to be intelligent
and have an idea of what the Species Risk Act and pipeline issues entail.
11. The message was sent because of the ongoing pipeline debate, and
because that it was a change in “status” that happened that day.
12. I accept that the information about humpback population increases is
true based on the credentials of the people interviewed. I do not believe
that the decision to change the status is entirely scientific. I believe the
pipeline economics could have been an influence and the evidence will not
be known until there are more tankers and less humpbacks. What will be
the decision if there is a drop in humpback whales in the future and the
tanker route becomes protected?
Title and Content Layout with List
▪ Add your first bullet point here
▪ Add your second bullet point here
▪ Add your third bullet point here
Words to Know
▪ Contamination
▪ Deforestation
▪ Extinction
▪ Habitat loss
▪ Soil degradation
▪ Resource exploitation
▪ Sustainability
▪ Traditional ecological knowledge
The Effects of Land and Resource Use
▪ Land Use: urban development, agriculture, industry, mining, and
forestry.
▪ Resource Use: how humans obtain resources
▪ Resources: soil, wood, water, gas, oil, and minerals
▪ Humans use the land and resources to meet there needs.
▪ Needs: food, shelter, economy.
▪ Economy: selling goods to other countries. Exporting.
▪ Exported goods: cars, wood, coffee, tobacco, coal, fish, computers
etc…
The Effects of Land and Resource Use
Habitat Loss
▪ The destruction of
habitats due to human
activity that can no longer
support the species that
once lived there.
Habitat Fragmentation
▪ The division of habitats into smaller, isolated fragments.
▪ Affects plant pollination, seed dispersal, wildlife movement, and
plant and animal reproduction.
▪ Roads and pipelines.
▪ Solutions
The Effects of Deforestation
▪ Deforestation: logged and cleared and
never replanted.
▪ Less habitat for animals, and plants are
removed
▪ Soil degradation results from
deforestation.
▪ Soil is eroded because there are no plants to
hold the soil in place.
▪ Nutrients are removed from the ecosystem.
Effects of Agriculture
▪ Soil erosion from wind. The American Dust Bowl
▪ Soil compaction: occurs when soil is squeezed by
vehicles and animals.
▪ Reduces the air and moisture in the soil – reduces the health of
the soil.
▪ Increases run-off. Increasing the nitrogen and pollution in areas.
▪ Solution: Aeration puts holes in the soil to allow for some water
and air to move through the soil.
Resource Exploitation
▪ the action of making use of and benefiting from resources
▪ Fish, timber, coal, mining…
▪ Overexploitation – making use until the resource is fully depleted.
▪ Atlantic Cod
▪ Extinction – species is gone for ever.
▪ Exploitation contributes to CONTAMINATION of ecosystems.
▪ BC mine reclamation is a law!
The effects of overexploitation on food webs
The effects of overexploitation on food webs
▪ The kelp forest example
1. Sperm whales and baleen whales hunted in 1946
2. Orcas eat those whales so orcas needed to find new food
3. Orcas ate seals, sea lions, and sea otters instead.
4. Sea otters eat sea urchins.
5. Sea urchins population increased because there were no otters.
6. Urchins eat the kelp.
7. Kelp forest declined with so many urchins not being eaten by the otters which
were all eaten by the orcas who should have been eating the whales!!!
8. Kelp provide habitat – HABITAT LOSS – the butterfly effect?
Resource management and traditional
ecological knowledge
▪ Knowledge is passed down from generation to generation.
▪ Human experience and knowledge gained over centuries!
▪ I call it wisdom.
▪ Art Sterrit
▪ Examples: controlled burning = recycling nutrients
▪ Midwifery, cosmic navigation, are also examples traditional
knowledge not directly related to ecology.
▪ Stanley Park – Tourist management vs. natural forest ecology
Greenpeace
▪ Greenpeace is an independent campaigning organisation, which
uses non-violent, creative confrontation to expose global
environmental problems, and to force the solutions which are
essential to a green and peaceful future.
▪ Greenpeace's goal is to ensure the ability of the earth to nurture life
in all its diversity.
▪ Therefore Greenpeace seeks to:
▪ protect biodiversity in all its forms
▪ prevent pollution and abuse of the earth's ocean, land, air and fresh
water
▪ end all nuclear threats
▪ promote peace, global disarmament and non-violence