Pollution Pollution Humans need to be responsible for their environment and learn to work with nature Outline Outline 1. Key concepts 2. The biosphere 3. Nonrenewable resources 4. Renewable resources 5. Solid waste 6. Surface water and ground water 7. Air pollutions: pollutants, smog, acid rain 8. The greenhouse effect 9. The ozone layer 10. Conclusions Key Concepts: Key Concepts: 1. Human population growth has been increasing 2. Adaptive mechanisms are not in place to handle pollutants 3. Many pollutants exert regionally harmful effects
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Pollution - University of Texas at Austin · Water pollutants may not be removable and can kill plants and animals Nutrients: excess cause eutrophication of surface waters, death
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PollutionPollution
Humans need to be responsible
for their environment and learn
to work with nature
OutlineOutline1. Key concepts
2. The biosphere
3. Nonrenewable resources
4. Renewable resources
5. Solid waste
6. Surface water and ground water
7. Air pollutions: pollutants, smog, acid rain
8. The greenhouse effect
9. The ozone layer
10. Conclusions
Key Concepts:Key Concepts:
1. Human population growth has been
increasing
2. Adaptive mechanisms are not in place to
handle pollutants
3. Many pollutants exert regionally harmful
effects
Key Concepts:Key Concepts:
4. Deforestation and land conversion for
agriculture meeting the demand of growing
human population are leading to loss of soil
fertility and ecosystem balance
5. A decline in the quality and quantity of water is
occurring
6. Human activities are disrupting interactions in
ways that may have severe consequences
The biosphereThe biosphere
• Biosphere: global ecosystem encompassing all other ecosystems
• Thin region (only 20,000 meters or ~12 miles thick) capable of sustaining all life on Earth
� extends from approximately 9000 meters above sea level to about 11,000 meters below sea level
• Synonym: “the environment”
The biosphereThe biosphere
Nonrenewable resourcesNonrenewable resources
All resources come from the land
Nonrenewable resources: formed at a rate much slower than their consumption; coal, oil, minerals--once used up, they’re gone!
Includes fossil fuels, uranium, wood, and minerals (iron, aluminum, copper, zinc)
Recycling and reuse conserve resources and reduce waste disposal
Nonrenewable resourcesNonrenewable resources
Ιn agricultural ecosystems, a large amount of nutrients are removed from the area in the crop biomass.
After awhile, the natural store of nutrients can become exhausted.
Renewable resourcesRenewable resources
Produced by natural systems: nonfinite; replace themselves quickly enough to keep pace with consumption
• Solar power
• Hydroelectric power
• Wind
• Geothermal energy
• Biologically produced fuel gases
Solid wasteSolid waste
Garbage produced in large quantities in industrialized world must be deposited in landfills or burned: neither option good!
Many landfills running out of space or are polluted or dangerous; must be closed
Alternatives include:
� better planning for waste disposal
� reduce = less consumption; recycle/re-use;
Surface water and ground waterSurface water and ground water
Pollution from many sources
Point sources: factories, sewage treatment plants, etc.
Nonpoint sources:� Runoff of sediments caused by erosion, etc.
� Metals, acids from mines
� Poisons from hazardous waste dumps
� Pesticides/herbicides/fertilizers from treated agricultural land after rain
Surface water and ground waterSurface water and ground water
Water pollutants may not be removable and can kill plants and animals� Nutrients: excess cause eutrophication of
surface waters, death of fish, etc.
� Toxins: may accumulate in food chain
� Thermal pollution: heated water kills plants, fish
• Prevention of pollution is more effective than cleanup
Surface water and ground waterSurface water and ground water
Air PollutantsAir Pollutants
1.Carbon oxides CO, CO2
2. Sulfur oxides SO2, SO3
3.Nitrogen oxides NO, NO2, N2O
4.Other organic CH4, CFC’s,
compounds
5.Suspended particles Dust, soot, lead,
pesticides
Regional Differences in Regional Differences in Concentrations of Fine ParticlesConcentrations of Fine Particles
Smog
Acid RainsAcid Rains
• Acid rain: rainwater acidified by sulfuric and nitric acids formed by discharge of industrial chemicals