ii. the living planet a. the earth system. energy matter energy first and second laws????...
TRANSCRIPT
II. The Living Planet
A. The Earth System
A. The Earth System
ENERGY
MATTER
ENERGY
First and second laws????
INPUTS BOUNDARY OUTPUTS
WHAT PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH MIGHT WE USE TO FIGURE OUT HOW
THIS SYSTEM WORKS???
...reductionism... define, describe, and understand the subsystems
ENERGY
MATTER
ENERGY
INPUTS BOUNDARY OUTPUTS
ATMOSPHERE
LITHOSPHERE
HYDROSPHERE
A. The Earth System
1. Lithosphere
crust - dynamic mobile tectonic plates; vulcanism
upper mantle
A. The Earth System
1. Lithosphere
Why and how is the lithosphere important to life?
A. The Earth System
1. Lithosphere
Why and how is the lithosphere important to life?
1)Source of inorganic nutrients (P, K, Na, Ca)
2) Movements of plates explain the distribution of life forms.
Marsupials evolved in the southern hemisphere and radiated across the supercontinent before separation of the land masses.
A. The Earth System
2. Atmosphere
78% Nitrogen Gas (N2)
21% Oxygen Gas (O2)
1% traces of:
Noble Gases
Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
Hydrogen Gas (H2)
Methane (CH4)
water vapor (H2O)
A. The Earth System
2. Atmosphere
How is this important to life?
A. The Earth System
2. Atmosphere
How is this important to life?
1) Source of inorganic nutrients (N, O2)
A. The Earth System
3. Hydrosphere - 98% liquid water
- Ocean: 97% (1.35 billion km3)
3.5% dissolved salts by volume
- Freshwater: 3% (48 million km3)
Ice: 2/3 (33 million km3)
Groundwater: 1/3 (15.3 km3)
Soil: trace (122,000 km3)
Rivers/Lakes: trace (40,000 km3)
Air: trace (13,000 km3)
A. The Earth System
3. Hydrosphere - 98% liquid water
How is this important to life?
A. The Earth System
3. Hydrosphere - 98% liquid water
How is this important to life?
1) It is the environment of life – reactions between soluble compounds occur readily in liquid water… and more in a moment.
WHAT OTHER PHILOSOPHICAL APPROACH COULD WE USE TO
DETERMINE WHETHER THE EARTH SYSTEM IS "TYPICAL"?
II. The Living Planet
B. Comparing Earth, Venus, and Mars
Earth Venus Mars
CO2 0.035% 96% 95%
N2 77% 3.5% 2.7%
H2O 1% 0.01% 0.007%
Ar 0.93% 0.007% 1.6%
O2 21% trace trace
Atmospheric Composition
Venus and Mars are fairly similar.
But where did all Earth's CO2 go?
And where did all the O2 come from????
II. The Living Planet
B. Comparing Earth, Venus, and Mars
1. Liquid water has changed our planet:
- takes CO2 out of atmosphere (dissolution)
- erodes lithosphere
the two things put carbon and mineral nutrients into solution, where they can react with one another, and be taken up by....
Carbon-Based Life Forms!!
II. The Living Planet
B. Comparing Earth, Venus, and Mars
2. LIFE CHANGES OUR PLANET
- increases rates of flux between other subsystems
(evapotranspiration, nutrient uptake, respiration)
- Changes the composition of subsystems
- Life transports CO2 from the atmosphere to living tissues or its products (Calcium Carbonate shells), which settle in sedimentary strata of carbonaceous rocks (limestone and derivatives) and fossil deposits (oil, gas).
Coccolith - a phytoplankton
White cliffs of Dover
II. The Living Planet
B. Comparing Earth, Venus, and Mars
2. LIFE CHANGES OUR PLANET
- increases rates of flux between other subsystems
(evapotranspiration, nutrient uptake, respiration)
- Changes the composition of subsystems
- Life transports CO2 from the atmosphere to living tissue or its products (shells), which settles in sedimentary strata of carbonaceous rocks (limestone and derivatives) and fossil deposits (oil, gas).
- Photosynthesis releases O2. That is where ALL of the Earth's oxygen gas has come from.
A. The Earth System
3. Interactions (fluxes)
LITHOSPHERE
ATMOSPHEREVolcanic gases, Particulates
HYDROSPHERE
Precipitation
Evaporation
Sedimentation
Erosion
A. The Earth System
3. Interactions (fluxes)
LITHOSPHERE
ATMOSPHEREVolcanic gases, Particulates
HYDROSPHERE
Precipitation
Evaporation
Sedimentation
Erosion
BIOSPHERE
I. WHAT IS LIFE?
II. The Living Planet
A. The Earth System
B. Conclusions
- The current conditions on the Earth that support human life and culture are produced by the dynamic interplay of the earth subsystems - the BIOSPHERE IS CRITICAL HERE.
- Change the subsystems and alter the dynamics.
- Will future conditions support human life.....?
III. What is Ecology?
A. Definitions:
III. What is Ecology?
A. Definitions:
Ricklefs - “The study of the interactions of organisms with one another and with their environment”
III. What is Ecology?
A. Definitions:
B. Biological Scales
Primary Producers fix energy in sunlight and build/absorb organic molecules….some bacteria, some protists, and plants.
Consumers eat primary producers, decomposers, and other consumers as herbivores, detritivores, predators, and parasites… some bacteria, some protists, and animals.
Decomposers eat dead material and release nutrients to the soil. Bacteria and fungi.
III. What is Ecology?
A. Definitions:
B. Biological Scales
C. Ecological Roles
III. What is Ecology?
A. Definitions:
B. Biological Scales
C. Ecological Roles
D. Effect: Distribution and abundance
Distribution and abundance across space
Distribution and abundance through time
TIME
IV. Why is it Important?
IV. Why is it Important?
A. Pragmatic Reasons
IV. Why is it Important?
A. Pragmatic Reasons
Human Ecology:
- distribution...
Human Ecology:
- distribution...
Human Ecology:
- distribution...
Human Ecology:
- distribution...
Human Ecology:
- distribution...
Human Ecology:
- distribution... and abundance...
Human Ecology:
- distribution... and abundance...
Born 1928 (3.5x)
Born 1960 (2.1x)
Born 1987 (1.5x)
Humans affect 83% of the land surface area on the planet
Industrialization has allowed us to become a geological force, acting at rates millions of times faster than natural processes
2012: 391
The Earth has become a human-dominated system…
IV. Why is it Important?
A. Pragmatic Reasons B. Sustainability
IV. Why is it Important?
A. Pragmatic Reasons B. Sustainability
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
IV. Why is it Important?
A. Pragmatic Reasons B. Sustainability
Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
How?
IV. Why is it Important?
A. Pragmatic Reasons B. Sustainability C. Biodiversity
And that’s why all FU students must take a Humans and the Natural Environment class…