BILD 18 Study Guide - Final Guide: Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Fertile Crescent, Habitat Destruction
20 Jun 2018
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Department
Course
Professor
Final Exam Review (Important Concepts)
Lecture 1: Introduction
What is the current population?
● Almost 7.5 billion people (nearing 8 million)
● Increasing resource consumption per person
Lessons from History
● Pyramid at Chefren
● Mayan Ruins
● Easter Island
● Chaco Canyon
● Fertile Crescent
● Petra
● All these civilizations were thriving and successful until resources were no longer
abundant enough to support the population
Is this what globalization is leading to?
● Global warming stems from anthropogenic causes
● Humans have added huge amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere
● Carbon dioxide
● Methane
● Nitrous oxide
● Sulfate aerosol
What are the consequences of global warming?
● Loss of ice caps and glaciers, which will increase temperatures
● Glacier national park
o 1900 – 150
o 2005 – 30
o 2030 – 0 left
● Increased sea level
● Species extinction
o Less than 1% of species in the entirety of earth’s history are alive today
● Facilitate spread of disease
The Oceans
● Increase in pollution leads to a decrease in marine life
o Habitat destruction
▪ 1/3 coral reefs dead, 1/3 unhealthy
o Overfishing
▪ Locally lots of exploitation to the point of local extinction
o CO2 increase slows circulation of thermohaline currents, influencing climate
Lecture 2: Our Precarious Earth and its Biosphere
Lecture 3: Our Oil Addiction
What is our largest industry?
● Energy industry (US uses ¼ of global energy)
o California is better than US average because of policies such as
▪ Car regulations
▪ Building codes
▪ Wind power
● Energy diversity is the best defense against shortage and crisis
o However, US has very little energy research investment which doesn’t foster
energy innovation, and should put an emphasis on encouraging clean energy
Lecture 4: Pollution and Biosphere Health (Part 1 and Part 2)
What is a pollutant?
● Any chemical where it is “not wanted”
▪ CO2, pesticides
What are the types of smog?
● London smog (smoke + fog)
● Photochemical smog (formed when hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides are in the presence
of sunlight)
What is the regulation on outdoor air pollution?
● Acknowledged that there are negative health impacts
● Clean Air Act
Lecture 5: Species Extinction
What is mass extinction and escribe the past five:
● Need at least 50% of the species to go extinct
● Ordovician → Devonian → Permian → Triassic → K/T
Current Statistics on Species Extinction:
● Background extinction rate is much higher due to human causes
● Extinction rate is going up (highest for amphibians because they absorb toxins through
their skin)
An Acronym from Remembering Habitat Extinction Causes (HIPPO):
● Habitat destruction
● Invasive Species
● Population growth (human)
● Pollution
● Overharvesting
Lecture 6: The Future of Species Conservation (Oliver Ryder)
Mission:
● Preserve legacy of life on Earth for futhre generations by establishing and maintaining
genetic resources in support of worldwide efforts in research and conservation
What are some species that are dying?
● California Condor
● Northern White Rhino (functionally extinct)
What is functionally extinct?
Lecture 7: Stratospheric and Tropospheric Ozone (O3) (Part 1) (Part 2)
Lecture 8: Water we doing? (Jack Paxton)
Where does most of our water come from?
● Most of San Diego water comes from Orville Dam
Where does most of our water go?
● 80% agriculture
What happened to the water that disappeared?
● Lake Tulare, Owens Lake and some parts of the Colorado River have dried up
● Causes subsidence, or when the actual ground level lowers because of fracking
Why is there water stress and what are solutions?
● Global warming
o Less snow in the Sierra Nevada means less freshwater run-off
o More flooding because the snow melts all at once
Document Summary
Almost 7. 5 billion people (nearing 8 million) All these civilizations were thriving and successful until resources were no longer abundant enough to support the population. Humans have added huge amounts of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. Loss of ice caps and glaciers, which will increase temperatures. Glacier national park: 1900 150, 2005 30, 2030 0 left. Species extinction: less than 1% of species in the entirety of earth"s history are alive today. Lecture 2: our precarious earth and its biosphere. Energy industry (us uses of global energy: california is better than us average because of policies such as, car regulations, building codes, wind power. Energy diversity is the best defense against shortage and crisis: however, us has very little energy research investment which doesn"t foster energy innovation, and should put an emphasis on encouraging clean energy. Lecture 4: pollution and biosphere health (part 1 and part 2) Any chemical where it is not wanted : co2, pesticides.
