Short-term environmental changes, like droughts, floods, and fires, do not give populations time to adapt to the change and force them to move or become extinct. 

Long-term environmental changes , such as natural temperature fluctuations, affect organisms over generations, occur gradually over time and allow populations the opportunity to adapt.

Adaptation- a characteristic that improves an individual's ability to survive and reproduce in a particular environment

Biodiversity- the variety of species living within an ecosystem

Subsequent populations-future generations of a specific population of species

Pollution-the contamination of air, water, or soil by substances that are harmful to living organisms

In your journal or on a scrap sheet of paper, sort these words into either long term or short term impact.  Give a reason for your answer and compare with another student.

Drought

Climate change

Urbanization

Radioactive Waste

Blizzard

Flood

Check Your Understanding

1. Differentiate between short-term and long-term changes that can occur in an ecosystem.

2. Without answering the multiple choice questions below, scan them and describe the strategy you will use to answer these questions.