Human impacts on plants and animals

Human Impacts on Plants and Animals

7SCIENCE: Wed., March 2nd

Review: Human Impact on the Environment

• We use land for many things, including:– Farming– Grazing– Forestry – wood– Landfills– Industry and factories– Housing!

• How do these affect the living things (plants animals and others) in these environments?

What happens to these living things?

• When humans clear land for buildings or other purposes, we disturb the environment

• Can you think of some ways? – Land is cleared for many reasons: farms, factories,

landfills, water, energy etc!

Review: Nature Preserves• What is a nature preserve?– Land that is not used by humans to produce something or to

store waste (landfill)– Illegal to take natural resources

• These nature preserves are important because they protect many of the earth’s ecosystems – Protect the habitats (homes) of

many living things including plants and animals

– Without a habitat, these living things don’t have a place to find food, water, a mate, have shelter

Who can make decisions about what to protect?• Governments• Nature organizations• The people!

Activity: What did your lunch cost wildlife?

• The choice of foods that we eat, and the places and ways we produce food has an impact on the environment

• For example:– Removing habitat for farm land– Spraying fruits/vegetables with chemical pesticides,

herbicides or fertilizers• These chemicals can leak into the water and add to

water pollution• Removes insects or plants that animals may use for food• These chemicals can accumulate (build up!) in human

bodies and have negative effects

Activity: What did your lunch cost wildlife?Instructions: to be completed individually in full sentences, and handed in at the end of class. DO NOT have to write the questions – 15 marks1) (1) Please make a list of what you ate at school yesterday, at recess

snacks and lunch.2) (5) Select one of these foods and trace its origin by drawing a flow

diagram (). Describe for this food:1) (2) How and where it was grown?2) (1) How was it transported?3) (1) What materials were used to create the package?4) (3) Where could wildlife be affected along this path?5) (2) What are 2 changes that could be made to minimize the

effect on wildlife? For example, could you eat something else? Could something be changed in producing the food to protect wildlife?