Embedded Files
Learning intentions
Learning intentions
We will be learning about how:
To explains the processes and influences that form and transform places and environments
To recognise the ways human alter the environment.
success criteria
success criteria
I will be successful when:
I can investigate the human alterations of biomes to produce food industrial materials & fibres and the environmental effects of these alterations.
I can examine and identify the human alterations to the physical characteristics of biomes eg vegetation removal, agriculture. land terracing, irrigation & mining.
key inquiry questions
key inquiry questions
key inquiry questions
investigate the human alteration of biomes to produce food, industrial materials and fibres and the environmental effects of these alterations, for example: (ACHGK061)
- examination of human alterations to the physical characteristics of biomes eg vegetation removal, agriculture, land terracing, irrigation, mining
- assessment of environmental impacts of human alterations to biomes eg habitat and biodiversity loss, water pollution, salinity
- discussion of successful sustainability strategies that minimise environmental impacts
introduction
introduction
introduction
introduction
There has been extensive change to the Earth's natural biomes over the last 300 years. Due to human development over half of the world's land area that was considered habitable has now been converted into farmland or housing.
Around the world there have been countless examples of natural biomes including forests, grasslands, tundra and even deserts, being converted into farms.
While it is sometimes done by large corporations , in most places it is the work of small scale farmers, each motivated by the need to provide food for their own families and communities.
human alterations to biomes
human alterations to biomes
human alterations to biomes
Humans want food and resources and there are two ways to get these:
Hunting animals that are already there naturally or gathering food that naturally grows (what we did since humans were humans). This is adapting to the environment. It means that we have to rely on skills and luck to survive (and sometimes only barely surviving.
Altering/changing the environment to give us exactly what we want, the amount we want and at the time we want it.
Complete the worksheet How Humans Alter Biomes.
task 1 - how humans alter biomes
main ways humans alter biomes
main ways human alter/change biomes to produce food, fibres & industrial materials
Vegetation Removal: Instead of finding food in forests (which is difficult and does not give you a lot of food), humans either cut down or burn massive areas of land to make way for either: farms; or land for animals to graze.
Agriculture: ‘Agriculture’ just means ‘farming’. Farms don’t just happen – they are built specifically to crow certain crops. Some crops are for food (e.g. sugar cane) and some are for fibres or industrial materials (e.g. cotton plants or rubber trees). Each year approximately 5 million hectares of land (that's about 2/3 the size of Tasmania) is converted into farm land. Most of the land this affects is natural tropical rainforests.
Land Terracing: A food like rice needs a lot of water and flat land. In areas where there is plenty of water but no flat land, people have worked out that they can cut into hills to make “steps” of flat land to grow rice. There are called ‘terraces’.
Irrigation: If you own a farm, just basing your whole life on the success of the farm and then hoping like hell that it rains can be incredibly stressful. If your crops need a lot of regular water, one way to make sure they grow is to install a water system (e.g. sprinklers) that automatically water your crops.
Mining: Industrial materials that we need (e.g. oil/petrol, coal, iron ore to make steel) do not just sit on top of the Earth’s surface. We have to dig into the ground to get them. This sometimes involves digging shafts and sending people down into the mine. Sometimes we just blow a massive hole using dynamite and then dig a round ramp to get trucks down to the bottom to get the minerals we need.
Complete the Worksheet - How Humans Alter/Change Biomes
task 2 - how humans alter/change biomes
task 3 - 5 human impacts on the environment
5 Human Impacts
5 Human Impacts
Put the heading in your workbook 5 Human Impacts on the Environment. While you are watching the video in your workbooks note down the 5 Major Human Impacts on the environment.
task 4 - pollution
pollution
pollution
One of the major impacts of human society on our environment is pollution.
Watch the video on Pollution and then in your workbooks put the heading Pollution and then answer the following questions.
What are some of the ways humans have contributed to pollution in our environment?
How does this change & impact the natural environment?
How can we reverse our impact?
task 5 - the hidden costs of hamburger
the hidden costs of a hamburger
the hidden costs of a hamburger
Watch the video, 'The Hidden Costs of Hamburgers'. Create a well presented mind map showing the environmental impacts caused by the consumption of Hamburgers.
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