Humans in the Biosphere

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Humans in the Biosphere

• Renewable NonRenewable Resources

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Tragedy of the Commons

• Any Resource That Is Open To Everyone Will
  Eventually Be Destroyed, Because
• Everyone Will Use The Resource But
• No One Is Responsible For Conserving It!

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English Commons
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Tragedy of the Commons

• Key Concept
• Regardless of whether they are held in common,
  environmental resources can be classified into
  two types
• Renewable
• NonRenewable.

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Renewable Resource

• Any resource that can be regenerated and are
  therefore replaceable.
• Trees
• Water
• Air
• Oceans

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NonRenewable Resource

• A resource that can not be replenished by natural
  processes.
• Oil
• Coal
• Natural Gas

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Sustainable Use

• Using natural resources in a way that does NOT
  deplete them.
• Key Concept
• Human activities affect the supply and quality of
  renewable resources.

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Land Resources

• Fertile Soil is a combination of
• Humus, sand, clay
• Topsoil
• Absorbs Retains Moisture
• Allows Drainage
• Rich In Nutrients
• Low In Salts

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Soil Erosion

• The wearing away of surface soil by water and
  wind when surface protection is removed.

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Soil Erosion
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Desertification

• The transformation of fertile soil into deserts
• Strategies to control
• Contour Plowing
• Leaving Previous Years Stubble In Place

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Desertification
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Contour Plowing
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Corn Stubble Left In Place
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Forest Resources

• Can be a renewable resource if managed carefully.
• New Growth Forests are less diverse than Old
  Growth Forests
• Deforestation
• Damage can be permanent
• Laterite

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Deforestation
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Laterite
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Ocean Resources

• Major source of protein
• Over fishing causes collapse of fisheries
• Controlled by
• Take limits
• Fishing seasons
• Closing Fisheries

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Cod Fishing Banned
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West Coast Fisheries Closing
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Aquaculture

• Replacing Wild Fisheries
• Can Be Established Anywhere
• Growing Industry in Midwest

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Aquaculture
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Open Ocean Aquaculture
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Air Resources

• Common Resource (everyone uses, nobody owns)
• Smog, Acid Rain

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Smog
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Acid Rain
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Water Resources

• Fresh Water Running Out