Transcript Habitat - Coe Lake Outdoor Science Education

Coe
Lake
Outdoor
Science
Education
Life Science Unit
I. Habitat
Biomes & Climate Change
Habitat
• Habitat is defined as the type of
environment in which an organism lives;
where an organism is commonly found.
• Four Important Components:
food, shelter, water, space
• Example:
Ohio’s Primary Headwater Stream Habitat
Biome
• The world’s major
communities terrestrial &
& aquatic (living
habitats)
• Classified by
predominant vegetation
and similar climate
• Characterized by
adaptations of
organisms to the
particular environment
• Biomes have moved &
changed many times in
Earth’s history
Distribution of Earth’s
Continents Over the Years
Climate & Biome Distribution
Earth’s Biomes
Freshwater Biome @ Coe Lake
Climate’s Come A Long
Way!
• Earth’s climate has changed drastically over
its history (ice ages, warming trends, rising
sea levels,etc)
• Climate Change- a change in long-term
weather patterns due to anthropogenic
sources (FF combustion)
• The concern with climate change today is
global warming caused by human activities.
• But first let’s define a natural process…
Greenhouse Effect
• Greenhouse gases (like CO2, CH4, NOx) allow
incoming solar radiation to pass through the
Earth's atmosphere, but prevent most of the
outgoing infrared radiation from escaping into
outer space. So they trap heat.
• This process occurs naturally and has kept the
Earth's temperature about 57 degrees
Fahrenheit (14 degrees celsius) warmer than it
would otherwise be. Current life on Earth could
not be sustained without the natural greenhouse
effect.
The Enhanced Greenhouse
Effect
• We have the singular ability to change the
atmospheric gas composition.
• The atmosphere is THIN, like the skin on
an apple and…
• Since the start of the Industrial Revolution
was have put more global warming
greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere
(thin skin)from the combustion of FF. More
COWS = More methane!
• This has caused …..next slide…
Everyday things we do that add
GHG to atmopshere…
• Using a screen saver on computer emits 2.5 lbs
CO2/day
• Turning on lights (3 -60 watt lights) for 6 hrs = 1.5 lbs
CO2/day
• Riding a car to school uses 5lbs. CO2 (2.5 miles each
way) in a car that gets 20 miles/gallon
• How far your clothing traveled to store then home.
• How much energy it took to create your clothing…
Global WarmingThe Extreme Greenhouse Effect
• An average increase in the
Earth's temperature, which in
turn causes changes in climate.
• Increase caused by increase in
GHG in atm.
• An increase in CO2 is from
burning fossil fuels coupled with
deforestation.
• A warmer Earth may lead to
sea and land ice melt, heat
waves last longer, changes in
rainfall patterns, a rise in sea
level, flooding will increase,
droughts will occur, and a wide
range of impacts on plants,
wildlife, and humans.
Consider This…
• You know that Popsicle
in your freezer? At 32
degrees F it freezes
and stays solid enough
for you to bite it. BUT
at 33 degrees F it falls
off the stick.
• 1 degree difference is
all it takes…
Get Down to Earth- What You Can Do To Stop Global
Global Warming Animation
• CLICK HERE
Carbon Emissions in US
Reduce Your Carbon Footprint
• Everyday activities produce
carbon emissions like: using
computer, taking a shower,
turning on lights, riding a
car/bus to school, using new
plastic or paper shopping
bags, etc.
• Average American = 20 tons
CO2 (40,000 lbs)/year
• Reduce footprint by planting
trees…they take in and hold
onto carbon dioxide (a GHG)
= CARBON SINK
Simple Stuff You Can
Do
• Use CFL lights (75% more efficient than
regular light bulb)
• Unplug chargers (they use phantom
power )
• Put computer in sleep mode (screen
savers use more energy than letting
computer go to sleep)
• Paper or plastic at store? Neither! Use
reusable canvas tote! (14 plastic bags
uses the same amt. of petroleum that it
would take to drive a car 1 mile!)
• Reuse paper- the more trees we cut
down to make paper the more CO2
released and fewer trees left standing to
absorb the new CO2 we’ve yet to
produce!
What You Need to Know..
• Difference between weather & climate
• What is the greenhouse effect and how is it different
from global warming?
• What are some greenhouse gases and where do they
come from?
• Define biome and provide examples of biomes.
• Define global warming.
• Stats on average American and their carbon footprint.
• What is a carbon “sink”?
• Identify the components of a freshwater pond/lake
biome. (like Coe Lake )…