Six different areas that Humans impact biodiversity

1. Human Impact on
Biodiversity
Foldable instructions

2. Label the tabs:
Biodiversity
Pollution
Altered Habitats & Hunting
Invasive Species
Climate Change
Ecological Succession

3. Front (cover)
Biodiversity  The variety of living things found on
Earth
3 Ways We Benefit from Biodiversity:
1.Agriculture (farming) – many types of pollinating animals
allow the production of fruits and vegetables
2.Air Quality – Trees and other plants make O2 and clean
the air by absorbing CO2
3.Health – spending time in nature can improve mental
health; most medicines come from plants

4. Water Pollution (top section)
Water Pollution  Harmful chemicals or
microorganisms accumulate in lakes, rivers,
streams and oceans threatening the quality of life
for those that depend on it
Biomagnification  increased amounts of toxins
at higher levels of a food chain

5. Water Pollution (top section)
2 Examples of how organisms are affected
1. DDT is an insecticide used to kill insects. It gets
into the water after rain. It is absorbed by fish which
get eaten by eagles. Increased amounts affect the
ability of bald eagles to produce protective egg
shells.
2. Sharks, tuna, king mackerel and other large
fishes contain more toxic mercury than smaller
fishes. Pregnant women should avoid eating them.

6. Air Pollution (bottom section)
Air Pollution  The accumulation of harmful
chemicals in the atmosphere that negatively affect
the health of humans and other living things.
How is air pollution related to acid rain?
Air pollutants such as Sulfur and nitrogen
oxides combine with water the water vapor
converts to diluted forms of sulfuric acid and nitric
acid.

7. Air Pollution (bottom section)
2 Examples of how organisms are affected
1. Air pollution can cause respiratory problems in a
variety of different animals.
2. Acid rain can remove necessary nutrients from
the soil which can leave trees and plants susceptible
to pests and diseases.

8. Altering Habitats (top section)
Carrying Capacity  the size of a population that
can be supported by a habitat’s resources over a long
period of time.
Limiting factors  anything in an ecosystem that
prevents the growth of populations
 Biotic (living): predators/prey, disease,
humans
Abiotic (non-living): water, sunlight, soil &

9. Altering Habitats (bottom section)
Examples of Humans Altering
Habitats
The affect on organisms
Deforestation – destroying forests
to build farms for growing crops
Decreases carrying capacity; animals
without homes may die off and
eventually become extinct.
Habitat Fragmentation – buildings,
or road construction that destroys part
of an animal’s habitat; breaking it up or
making it smaller
Giant pandas have lost 23% of their
habitat in Southern Eastern China from
1976-2001
Regulated hunting – keeps the
population in check as long as rules
are followed
White-tailed deer have no natural
predators. Hunting prevents
overpopulation and starvation.
Poaching – Illegal hunting of Removing protected species, such as

10. Invasive Species (top section)
Invasive Species are any organism (plant, animal,
fungus, bacteria) that is not native to an area and
causes harm
Example 1 
Affect on biodiversity: outcompete native fish for
space and food; negatively change the food web
of Ohio river systems
Invasive Carp

11. Invasive Species (bottom section)
Example 2 
Affect on biodiversity: they eat all of the algae
and microorganisms from the water; smaller fish
don’t have food
Example 3 
 Affect on biodiversity: It crowds out native
species of plants causing a disruption in the
whole ecosystem and food web.
Zebra
Mussels
Purple Loosestrife

12. Climate Change (top section)
Climate: the average temperature and
precipitation of a specific area over long periods
of time
Greenhouse Gases: gases that trap heat such as
carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), ozone (O3),
nitrous oxide (N2O), and chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs)
Human activities that increase climate change

13. Climate Change (bottom section)
In what ways does climate change affect
biodiversity?
1. Increased temperatures and decreased water
vapor can reduce growth rates of plants –
shrinking forests and jungles
2. Increase difficulty for corals and shellfish to
make hardened shells – reduced biodiversity of
coral reefs & other ocean ecosystems

14. Ecological Succession (top
section)
 Ecological Succession  Ecological succession is the
process by which natural communities replace (or
“succeed”) one another over time.
Difference between primary and secondary
succession:
 Primary succession happens after a new patch of
land is created; secondary succession happens after a
climax community is impacted by a disturbance.

15. Ecological Succession (bottom
section)
 Pioneer Species  groups of living things that are
able to survive with very little soil to build or rebuild
a habitat
Primary pioneers: Lichens & mosses are the first to
inhabit a new land area. They attach to rocks and
make soil for other species to live in.
Secondary pioneers: after fires many species of fungi
decompose plant matter to make soil suitable for