Human Impacts on Earth Systems

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Biosphere Noun

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[bahy-oh-sfeer]

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Biosphere

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The regions of the Earth's surface, atmosphere, and hydrosphere that are occupied by living organisms and their habitats.

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Example: This diagram shows the biosphere is the part of Earth where life exists, spanning across the land (lithosphere), water (hydrosphere), and air (atmosphere).

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Carrying Capacity Noun

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[kar-ee-ing kuh-pas-i-tee]

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Carrying Capacity

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The maximum number of individuals of a particular species that an environment can sustainably support over a long period.

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Example: An ecosystem is like a bucket with a limited size (carrying capacity). Population growth fills it, but limiting factors cause the excess population to overflow.

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Ecological Footprint Noun

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[ee-kuh-loj-i-kuhl foot-print]

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Ecological Footprint

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The amount of land and water needed to produce resources and absorb the waste for a person or population.

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Example: This image shows a footprint containing cities, farms, and forests to represent the total amount of land and water area a human population uses.

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Habitat Fragmentation Noun

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[hab-i-tat frag-men-tey-shuhn]

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Habitat Fragmentation

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The process where a large, continuous habitat is broken into smaller, isolated patches by human activities or natural events.

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Example: This diagram shows a large woodland habitat being broken into smaller, separate pieces by a human-made open corridor, like a road or trail.

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Deforestation Noun

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[dee-fawr-uh-stey-shuhn]

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Deforestation

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The permanent removal of standing forests from a large tract of land, often for agriculture or urban development.

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Example: This image shows a cleared forest with stumps and felled logs, directly illustrating the environmental impact of deforestation.

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Desertification Noun

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[dih-zur-tuh-fi-key-shuhn]

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Desertification

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The process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically due to drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agricultural practices.

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Example: This image shows the transformation of land from a healthy, green state to a dry, cracked desert, which is the result of desertification.

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Acid Rain Noun

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[as-id reyn]

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Acid Rain

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Rainfall made acidic by atmospheric pollution from fossil fuel emissions, which causes significant environmental harm to ecosystems.

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Example: Pollutants like sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from factories mix with water (H2O) in the air, creating acid rain that harms ecosystems.

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Greenhouse Effect Noun

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[green-hous ih-fekt]

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Greenhouse Effect

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The natural process where certain atmospheric gases trap heat from the sun, warming the Earth's surface to a habitable temperature.

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Example: This diagram shows solar radiation from the sun passing through the atmosphere to warm the Earth. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere then trap some of this heat.

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Global Warming Noun

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[gloh-buhl wawr-ming]

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Global Warming

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The long-term trend of increasing average global temperatures, primarily caused by the human-induced increase in greenhouse gases.

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Example: This diagram shows how greenhouse gases in the atmosphere trap heat from the sun, preventing it from escaping into space and causing a warming effect.

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Point-Source Pollution Noun

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[point-sawrs puh-loo-shuhn]

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Point-Source Pollution

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Pollution that originates from a single, identifiable source, such as a factory smokestack or a specific discharge pipe.

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Example: Pollutants are discharged into a river from an identifiable location, the two pipes, which are the 'point source' of the pollution.