Vocab!!
Ecosystem- a specific location categorized by the mux of
abiotic and biotic components.
Gross
primary Productivity- (GPP) the
absolute amount of solar energy that ecosystem producers capture through
photosynthesis.
Net
Primary Productivity- the total amount of energy captured in an
ecosystem by producers subtracted from the energy respired by producers.
Biomass- the
total mass of all living matter in an area.
Standing
Crop- the total amount of
biomass appearing in an ecosystem at any specific time.
Ecological
Efficiency- the proportion of consumed energy that can be passed from one
trophic level to another.
Trophic
Pyramid- the distribution of biomass, numbers or energy among trophic
levels represented.
Biogeochemical
Cycles- the movement of matter within and between ecosystems.
Macronutrients-
the key elements needed by organisms in large amounts, nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium,
magnesium and sulfur.
Limiting
Nutrient- a nutrient required for the growth of an organism but is only
available in a lower amount than other nutrients.
Leaching- the
transporting of dissolved molecules through the soil by groundwater.
Disturbance- an
event caused by physical, chemical, or biological agents, resulting in changes
in population size or community composition.
Resilience-
The rate at which an ecosystem returns to its original state
after disturbance.
Instrumental
Value- something that has worth as an instrument or a tool that can be
used to accomplish a goal.
Intrinsic Value
The intrinsic value of an animal refers to the value it
possesses in its own right, as an end-in-itself, as opposed to its instrumental
value, its value to other animals.
**CURRENT
EVENT**
“Myanmar's Tourism Boom Endangers Fragile Ecosystems”
The country of Myanmar has recently
opened its doors to tourism although it helps the income is it hurting the
ecosystem? Drawn
by this beauty, Inle Lake is bursting with tourists, but activists worry that
this unique aquatic environment is too fragile to survive the pollution and
waste that the tourism industry brings. As the number of tourists increase each
month so does the rapid amount of hotels being built. Barbara Bauer an
activists says “"One of the most important things to understand is the
fragility—both environmental and economic fragility—of the lake and the
interaction and interdependence on tourists upon it," she said. "I
think the people here are by nature and tradition caretakers of their
resources, but they are not yet well enough informed to know how to do this,
faced with the onslaught of both tourism and chemistry," Locals have also
began to worry about the fish. Because there are so many tourist attractions
fish are forced to all go to the same place which provides over population
killing many fish. Since the affects of the tourism have not hurt anyone or
anything the government has offered grants and other methods to secure the
ecosystem.
Quote!
Reflection:
Economics: the branch of knowledge concerned with the
production, consumption, and transfer of wealth. AKA money. Money is the root
of all evil because tourism increased the income of money for the country of Myanmar the country decided to risk hurting
their ecosystem. Human interaction also ties into economics. The humans wanting
to come tour the country is the reason why the business owners in Myanmar are
throwing their money into the hotel industry, which is causing a threat to the
ecosystem. However environmentalists have been taking action to lessen the
threat by demanding grants to restore polluted or damaged. The government did
take action by granting activists a $35 million grant.
