Chain Reaction-
What a lot of people do not realize is that by doing one, what seems like simple, thing, a chain reaction can be triggered and affects that were not intended can occur. For example, an anti-inflamatory drug given to cows, caused three different types of vultures to be endangered from consuming the drug from the dead cow carcasses. Since feral dogs are scavengers as well, and they now do not need to compete with the vulture, they thrive because they are not affected by the drug and increase the threat of rabies. All of these affects were completely unintended, yet still occurred from something that seemed so small, showing how delicate nature is.
Hot-Spot Strategy-
I can see how a Hot-Spot Strategy would not the best approach because not all areas that are high in plant diversity support a high animal diversity. Humans are very dependent and reap the benefits of plants for food, medicine, etc. So if there is an are with a high level of plant variety, humans may suffer fro this loss, and it is possible that we are conserving very few animals in the process.
Disastrous Habitat Loss-
Some of the areas that are at higher risk for natural disasters are also at higher levels of habitat loss. If we combined our efforts we could protect these natural populations while preserving human populations and civilizations simultaneously. How does this not benefit everyone? Mankind benefits as well as the ecosystem/ecosystems in question.
Monday, October 11, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Biodiversity
i. What are ways in which preserving biodiversity locally might have a global effect?
There are many habitats that are just locally, but some of their effects can be global. For example, if a disturbance in an ecosystem in a specific area has a chemical imbalance, higher CO2 levels for example, it can affect the levels of chemicals globally through transportation by air of water. This in turn can create conditions that can not sustain some species that may have already been present in said ecosystem. The same effect can occur in the question of how preserving biodiversity locally can effect global aspects of nature. If the diversity of nature can be preserved, the tempering with balances could easily be avoided. Therefore, the consequences could be prevented entirely and the global balance would be in check if the biodiversity was preserved.
ii. How do habitat destruction and loss of species effect more than just one area?
As well, some species can be migratory and depend of more then one habitat. If a migratory bird in one area goes extinct, then all of the ecosystems that were influenced by their presence would be effected as well, possibly creating a global chain-reaction in the process. If there were to be a force strong enough to effect one type of habitat, that danger could easily be a threat to other environments as well. There are also some species that are in multiple environments, such as grass, that if they were to go extinct, many habitats would suffer.
iii. How does preserving biodiversity enhance the life of people?
Medicines most often come from animal and plants, but if these species were to be extinct, then humans would have to suffer without the medicine we depend on. With a lowering level of biodiversity, viruses and bacteria have a much better chance of becoming immune to the type of medicine that would be used against them, do to the lesser amount of things that they would need to be able to be immune to. But, preserving the amounts of biodiversity gives us the opportunity to use vaccines that would only be affective because of the high amounts of varying species.
There are many habitats that are just locally, but some of their effects can be global. For example, if a disturbance in an ecosystem in a specific area has a chemical imbalance, higher CO2 levels for example, it can affect the levels of chemicals globally through transportation by air of water. This in turn can create conditions that can not sustain some species that may have already been present in said ecosystem. The same effect can occur in the question of how preserving biodiversity locally can effect global aspects of nature. If the diversity of nature can be preserved, the tempering with balances could easily be avoided. Therefore, the consequences could be prevented entirely and the global balance would be in check if the biodiversity was preserved.
ii. How do habitat destruction and loss of species effect more than just one area?
As well, some species can be migratory and depend of more then one habitat. If a migratory bird in one area goes extinct, then all of the ecosystems that were influenced by their presence would be effected as well, possibly creating a global chain-reaction in the process. If there were to be a force strong enough to effect one type of habitat, that danger could easily be a threat to other environments as well. There are also some species that are in multiple environments, such as grass, that if they were to go extinct, many habitats would suffer.
iii. How does preserving biodiversity enhance the life of people?
Medicines most often come from animal and plants, but if these species were to be extinct, then humans would have to suffer without the medicine we depend on. With a lowering level of biodiversity, viruses and bacteria have a much better chance of becoming immune to the type of medicine that would be used against them, do to the lesser amount of things that they would need to be able to be immune to. But, preserving the amounts of biodiversity gives us the opportunity to use vaccines that would only be affective because of the high amounts of varying species.
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Gases and Climate Change
1) Combustion
Hypothesis: If Rubbing Alcohol is ignited by fire inside of a plastic two liter bottle, the rubbing alcohol will turn to a gas and the vapor will rise from the bottle.
Results: When the bottle was set on it's side and the flame was put to the open lid once all of the excess rubbing alcohol was removed, the bottle set a large spark and flew back in the direction that the bottom of the bottle was faced. There was also a loud whoosh sound as the bottle flew very quickly.
The slideshow animation was very hands on and really showed you what types of gases were where in the environment. It seems as if many of the same gases humans use animals use as well, but to a much larger extent.
2) CO2 Gas
Hypothesis: If the flame on the candles are exposed to the gas caused by the vinegar and baking soda, the flame will grow to be larger in a very fast manner, and then quickly retreat to stop burning.
Results:When the gas was exposed to the flame, both of the candles stopped burning as if they were blown out. Since fire needs oxygen to burn, and the carbon dioxide was exposed to the flame, it was blown out because the fire was deprived of oxygen.
It seems to me that people are removing too many plants that would normally be converting CO2 to keep the balance but since,
3) Hydrogen Gas
Hypothesis: If the Hydrogen is being separated from the HCI and then the Hydrogen gas is exposed to flame, the flame will remain burning.
Results:My hypothesis was supported in the aspect that the flame kept burning. The fire remained as long as the gas that was being produced was still present. Due to the results of this demonstration I would believe that using Hydrogen would be a great source of power due to how clean it burns.
4) Air Pressure
Hypothesis 1: If the heated can of a little bit of water is but in a bowl of ice water bottoms down, then the gas that was created by the heating will quickly release from the top of the can.
Results 1: When the can was put in the ice water, nothing happened. Perhaps too much of the vapor was already released, or the water wasn't hot enough.
Hypothesis 2:If the heated can of a little bit of water is but in a bowl of ice water up-side-down, then the gas that was created will cause a sizzling sound and the air will release into the water and bubbles will rise.
Results 2:When the can was put in the ice water up-side-down, the can imploded with a large crackling sound as if it were crushed because the air had nowhere to escape. Since chemicals take up more area then when they are in a gas form, when the water was turned back into a liquid the space it took was not being used and the air pressure caused the sides of the can to fall into itself to fill the vacuum.
Our Climate Response:
Between the two forms of Ocean Power, I think that the use of Tidal Power is much more practical then that of Wave Power due to the predictability levels. An unpredictable source of energy should not be depended on to supply power. Biofuels seem to not be useful very useful because it takes so much money to turn it to a useable form of energy, that it almost even outs with the amount it supplies.
Hypothesis: If Rubbing Alcohol is ignited by fire inside of a plastic two liter bottle, the rubbing alcohol will turn to a gas and the vapor will rise from the bottle.
Results: When the bottle was set on it's side and the flame was put to the open lid once all of the excess rubbing alcohol was removed, the bottle set a large spark and flew back in the direction that the bottom of the bottle was faced. There was also a loud whoosh sound as the bottle flew very quickly.
The slideshow animation was very hands on and really showed you what types of gases were where in the environment. It seems as if many of the same gases humans use animals use as well, but to a much larger extent.
2) CO2 Gas
Hypothesis: If the flame on the candles are exposed to the gas caused by the vinegar and baking soda, the flame will grow to be larger in a very fast manner, and then quickly retreat to stop burning.
Results:When the gas was exposed to the flame, both of the candles stopped burning as if they were blown out. Since fire needs oxygen to burn, and the carbon dioxide was exposed to the flame, it was blown out because the fire was deprived of oxygen.
It seems to me that people are removing too many plants that would normally be converting CO2 to keep the balance but since,
3) Hydrogen Gas
Hypothesis: If the Hydrogen is being separated from the HCI and then the Hydrogen gas is exposed to flame, the flame will remain burning.
Results:My hypothesis was supported in the aspect that the flame kept burning. The fire remained as long as the gas that was being produced was still present. Due to the results of this demonstration I would believe that using Hydrogen would be a great source of power due to how clean it burns.
4) Air Pressure
Hypothesis 1: If the heated can of a little bit of water is but in a bowl of ice water bottoms down, then the gas that was created by the heating will quickly release from the top of the can.
Results 1: When the can was put in the ice water, nothing happened. Perhaps too much of the vapor was already released, or the water wasn't hot enough.
Hypothesis 2:If the heated can of a little bit of water is but in a bowl of ice water up-side-down, then the gas that was created will cause a sizzling sound and the air will release into the water and bubbles will rise.
Results 2:When the can was put in the ice water up-side-down, the can imploded with a large crackling sound as if it were crushed because the air had nowhere to escape. Since chemicals take up more area then when they are in a gas form, when the water was turned back into a liquid the space it took was not being used and the air pressure caused the sides of the can to fall into itself to fill the vacuum.
Our Climate Response:
Between the two forms of Ocean Power, I think that the use of Tidal Power is much more practical then that of Wave Power due to the predictability levels. An unpredictable source of energy should not be depended on to supply power. Biofuels seem to not be useful very useful because it takes so much money to turn it to a useable form of energy, that it almost even outs with the amount it supplies.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Chernobyl Children Show DNA Change
I agree that just because the effects are happening now does not mean it will not affect the future. If there are DNA changes occurring in the current generation only means the more likely it will affect later generations through their parent's genes, and not just fade away into obscurity. Even very low doses of radiation can still make changes in a person's DNA. When a child is still inside of it's mother it is especially vulnerable to the harms of radiation because it is still developing. Many of the children that were effected from this radiation had a parent, or parents, that were liquidators. “Liquidators” were people who helped clean up the aftermath of Chernobyl. These children were exposed to it much more then other children through their parents. Their parents were not effected as strongly because they were fully developed at the time and their bodies could handle the radiation.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Chornobyl Questions
1. How many explosions were there?
2. When did the explosion/explosions occur?
3. What type of cancer increased due to the iodine radiation collecting there?
2. When did the explosion/explosions occur?
3. What type of cancer increased due to the iodine radiation collecting there?
Monday, August 30, 2010
Love Canal Questions
1. What were the specific tests that took place on the Love Canal's toxic levels? What were the results?
2. Have there been any reported health problems caused by it recently because there are currently people living there?
3. Where there any other places in a similar situation to Love Canal around the same time? What were they?
4. If the Love Canal were to happen in today's world, how would it have been different?
5. What precautions can be made to avoid this situation from happening again?
2. Have there been any reported health problems caused by it recently because there are currently people living there?
3. Where there any other places in a similar situation to Love Canal around the same time? What were they?
4. If the Love Canal were to happen in today's world, how would it have been different?
5. What precautions can be made to avoid this situation from happening again?
8-30-10 Catalyst
1.) What caused the toxic waste to begin being pushed to the surface?
The blizzard of 1977 played a big part along with the usually wet season. When the snow would melt it would seep underneath the canal and when the water rose again it brought along the chemicals that were underground, leaving this black gunk seeping from the ground.
2.) What are some of the health hazards associated with the chemicals dumped there?
Some health problems included; cancer, birth defects, miscarriages, disfigurements, liver disease, epilepsy, autism, and more.
3.) Besides humans how are other parts of the ecosystem affected by this?
The chemicals affected many different aspects of the environment. When the chemicals arose after the storm they got washed away with the other water, infecting it. So the chemicals affect everything that needs water; people, animals, and plants; in addition to everything that is dependent on that type of animal or plant. It also gets into the soil and affects the plants that way as well.
The blizzard of 1977 played a big part along with the usually wet season. When the snow would melt it would seep underneath the canal and when the water rose again it brought along the chemicals that were underground, leaving this black gunk seeping from the ground.
2.) What are some of the health hazards associated with the chemicals dumped there?
Some health problems included; cancer, birth defects, miscarriages, disfigurements, liver disease, epilepsy, autism, and more.
3.) Besides humans how are other parts of the ecosystem affected by this?
The chemicals affected many different aspects of the environment. When the chemicals arose after the storm they got washed away with the other water, infecting it. So the chemicals affect everything that needs water; people, animals, and plants; in addition to everything that is dependent on that type of animal or plant. It also gets into the soil and affects the plants that way as well.
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