Human Impacts on the Colorado Life Zones Vocabulary 2) Ecology 1) Consequence - The result or effect of an action - The study of how living organisms.

Human Impacts on the Colorado Life

Zones

Vocabulary

2) Ecology

1) Consequence - The result or effect of an action

- The study of how living organisms and non-living elements are inter-connected

3) Fragmentation

- To break habitat up into pieces

4) Indirect Effect- A result of an action that is not obvious at the time, or is the result of a chain reaction

4) Exotic Species- A plant or animal that moves into an area where it did not evolve to live. This happens when certain conditions change to make it possible.

Rules of the Web of Life:

1) Everything and everyone is connected together.

2) All of our actions have consequences for other members of the web.

Balance

Human Needs & Wants

Consequences to Our

Environment

Foothills5,500 – 8,000 ft.

Plains3,500 – 5,500 ft.

Montane8,000 – 10,000 ft.

Sub alpine10,000 – 11,500 ft.

Riparian

Alpine 11,500 +ft.

Colorado Life Zones

Q: Why do we live in a dry environment?

Where does our water come from?

x

EastWest

Thinking question:

A: Rain Shadow Effect

Changes to wildlife habitat

Air quality

Water quality

Human Impacts on the Prairie

Changes to the Land

Consequence: Loss of

farmland & wildlife habitat

Need: Transportation

Need: Housing

Consequence: Fragmented wildlife habitat

Need: Jobs & Homes

Consequence: Water & air pollution

What is an indirect effect of growing food ?

How Does Agriculture Effect the Prairie?

Need: Food

Feedlots

Land Changes Oil

Transportation

Water

Water Quality

Farm chemicals can move into streams by erosion.

Food chain effects of water pollution.

The pollution cycle

We need to make sure our waste is disposed of correctly and safely !!!

What is the lesson ??

Human health problems

Pollution builds up in atmosphere – brown cloud It doesn’t disappear – it can fall or rain out of the atmosphere onto forests, lakes, streams

ConsequencesSmog

Lots of

cars

!

Air Quality

Human Impacts in Riparian Areas

Changes to stream environments Water quality

Fish & wildlife habitats

Dam

sDams have destroyed manyRiparian systems in the UnitedStates, and in the world.

Why do we need dams?

Grand Ditch

Horsetooth Reservoir

Are there consequences to moving water from rivers to reservoirs?

Human Impacts in the Foothills & Montane

Changes to wildlife habitat

Increased Fire Risk

Invasive plants species

Threats To The Foothills

When people start building houses in the foothills it pushes out animals that use to live there.

Can you think of any other problems new houses cause?

Wildfire in the Foothills & Montane

How do we balance human safety & keeping environment healthy?

Human Impacts on the Subalpine and Alpine

Ski Resorts

Humans

Snowmobiles

Pets

Livestock Grazing

Tough Problems Need Creative Solutions !!

Wildlife habitat

Fire

Air Pollution

Water Quality Waste Disposal

Water Supply

Weeds

Human Interactions with wildlife

Tough Problems Need Creative Solutions!

Habitat Corridors

Create New WetlandsPlants that like dry weather

Here’s some more simple solutions…….

Recycling

Ride a bike instead of taking the car !

Reuse & Refill!H2O Purifiers

Use Non-disposable containersKeep it

out!

Important Lessons:

1) Human activity can affect our environment in many different ways.2) Sometimes, the effects of our

actions are hard to see. 3) Human needs & wants should be BALANCED with environmental consequences.

4) There are always things we can do to prevent or make less impact on the environment!