7.8A Catastrophic Events and Ecological Changes 2

7.8A Catastrophic Events and Ecological Changes 2

•(7.8 A)Predict and describe how catastrophic events such as floods, hurricanes, or tornadoes impact ecosystems

We will describe how catastrophic events and environmental changes impact ecosystems by reviewing the slides.

I will describe and predict how catastrophic events and environmental changes impact ecosystems by answering questions.

Negative effects of Hurricanes

• •uproot trees, knock over buildings and homes, fling potentially deadly debris around, sink or ground boats, and flip cars.

  
  

• •storm surge and Destruction of coastal ecosystems (mangrove swamps)

  •Destruction of coastal habitats

  •due to salt water

• torrential rains can cause significant flooding Deaths by flooding or flying debris

  
  

• •Severe damage from tornados

  •Drastic beach erosion

Postitive effects of Hurricanes

• •Rains will end a drought.

• •Bacteria and red tide breakup

• •Help to balance global heat

• •Replenishment of barrier islands

• •Replenish inland plant life

• •Spread plant seeds

Multiple Choice

Most of the damage done by hurricanes is caused by —

• storm surges that flood coastal areas

• lightning from thunderstorms

• trees falling due to high winds

• windows blowing out of buildings

Multiple Choice

Hurricane Rita had a profound effect on some areas of Texas. While the strong winds generated by the hurricane

destroyed homes and property, it also caused other dramatic impacts to the ecosystem. Which of the following was

not an impact of Hurricane Rita?

• defoliation of forest canopies

• increase in the amount of bacteria beneficial to marine environments

• animal life was impacted by limited food availability

• changes in the position of shorelines

Multiple Choice

Hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes are usually considered catastrophic weather systems because of the damage they

cause to homes, roads, buildings, and deaths or injuries to people. These storms also cause changes to the

ecosystems that they pass through. The storm surge from Hurricane Ike pushed salt water into fresh water marshes

killing the grasses. What is a possible effect this would have had on wildlife in the area around Galveston?

• Alligators were displaced to areas closer to people's homes and businesses.

• Migratory birds heading south to winter didn't have a resting place.

• Cattle were stranded with no grass to graze upon.

• All of the above.

Multiple Choice

Hurricanes start as a tropical depression, then develop into tropical storms. Hurricane winds blow in a spiral around a

calm center called an eye. The eye can be up to 30 miles wide, and the storm can be 400 miles in diameter. What

positive impact could a hurricane have on an ecosystem?

• Flooding triggers mudslides or landslides

• Promoting seed scatter of many plant species

• Defoliating tree canopies and uprooting trees

• Stabilizing plants on beaches and dunes are lost

Multiple Choice

Hurricane Harvey caused widespread devastation in the Houston area in 2017. The slow movement of Harvey

contributed to the destruction of homes and businesses.

What catastrophic event occurred as of a result of the Category 4 hurricane?

• Earthquake

• Tornado

• Tsunami

• Flooding

Negative Effectts of Tornados

• •Tornadoes affect vegetation and organisms. Vegetation is uprooted and organisms that live in trees that are uprooted may die or need to relocate due to loss of habitat.

• The high winds of a tornado can fling debris that can kill animals or people.

• The lack of trees causes increased erosion in the area.

• •A strong tornado can also damage healthy soil by removing the topsoil -- and leaving only rock.

Negative Effects of Tornados

• •Tornados have other effect such as destroying buildings, rupturing pipelines and breaking chemical containers, which can contaminate groundwater.

• Other wastes, such as household chemicals, and industrial and medical wastes, can be widely disbursed, contaminating the environment.

• Severe tornadoes can break pipes with raw sewage, or storage tanks with oil, asbestos, dioxides can create long-term environmental hazards and increased risk of disease transmission through contaminated soils and water.

Positive Effects of Tornados

• Plants that survive can grow more abundantly than other species and the loss of plants can allow new species to grow.

• •High winds can spread seeds far away, creating new growth.

Multiple Choice

There is an area in the middle of the United States that extends from Texas to Montana that receives predictable

yearly severe weather patterns, especially during the spring and summer. The photo below shows how catastrophic

this type of weather can be to people.

What type of weather is this?

• Blizzard

• Tornado

• Flood

• Hurricane

Multiple Choice

On May 27, 1997 a tornado occurred in Jarrell, a city located in the hill country of Central Texas. This tornado

destroyed over 40 homes killing 27 people and injuring 12 more. It killed hundreds of cattle, too. What effects would

this tornado have on the plants in the area?

• The plants will get more than enough water for the year.

• Droughts will follow the tornado.

• Flooding will occur after the tornado.

• Vegetation is uprooted and trees can be pulled out of the ground

Negative Effects of Floods

• Rising waters will inundate plant and animal life killing both and damaging structures

• Rushing waters will uproot plants, trees and wash away homes, cars, and people

• Rising waters will flood sewer systems and spread sewage and contaminate all flooded areas. This creates a potential for disease.

• Rushing waters will carry debris that can destroy structures and can kill animals or people.

• Soil erosion along rivers covers plants prevents them from getting sunlight.

Positive Effects of Floods

• When the water recedes it will leave behind new soil and nutrients allowing for better plant growth

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following describes an impact of floods on ecosystems?

• Strong winds uproot small plants and trees.

• Soil erosion along rivers prevent plants from getting sunlight.

• Homes will be destroyed and people will be injured.

• Less competition for space and resources among aquatic organisms.

Multiple Choice

The photograph above shows damage by a flood. What effects can a flood have on our water supply?

• Floods destroy drainage systems causing raw sewage and other toxic chemicals to spill out into bodies of

  water.

• B Floods provide an abundant water source for the year so that we need less rain.

• Floods will cause nearby lakes or rivers to be contaminated with lava, rock or debris.

• Floods cause tsunamis that bring saltwater ashore contaminating water supplies and spreading raw sewage.

Negative Effects of Drought

• Prolonged periods of below average precipitation will lead to a drop in the water table causing water levels in pond, lakes, streams, and rivers to fall drastically

• Lower water levels will decrease aquatic habitat and lead to a drop in aquatic populations

• Plants and trees will start to die out leading to a loss of habitats for animals

• Soil will dry out and be vunerable to being blown away by wind erosion.

• Dried vegetation leads to increase potential for fires.

Multiple Choice

Texas has experienced several years of little rainfall. Because of this weather pattern, farmers and ranchers have had

great economic hardships and large cities such as Dallas have had to create water rationing laws. What is this type of

weather?

• Flood

• Drought

• Tornado

• Hurricane

Multiple Choice

This is a photo of rangeland in west Texas during the summer of 2012. What severe weather pattern can you infer

from this photo?

• Blizzard

• Drought

• Tornado

• Flood

Negative Effects of Wildfires

• Loss of plant and animal life

• Loss of habitats

• Los of plant life leads to increased soil erosion

• Loss of homes and crops

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Positive Effects of Wildfires

• Clears debris and opens areas for new plant growth.

• Adds minerals from burned debris to soil

• Helps some pine trees to release seeds from pine cones.

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Multiple Choice

Wildfires can be one of the most destructive forces on our planet. Millions of acres of forest lands are lost annually as a

result. Which of the following is NOT a way in which wildfires can affect this type of ecosystem?

• loss of habitat for animals

• depletion of beneficial minerals found in top soil

• encourages new growth for selected plant life

• aids in preventing soil erosion

Multiple Choice

The photo above shows volcanic lava flowing into the water. How will the aquatic ecosystem be impacted by the lava?

• Decreased acidity, decrease in temperature, and change in food supply

• Decreased acidity, increase in temperature, and change in food supply

• Increased acidity, decrease in temperature, and change in food supply

• Increased acidity, increase in temperature, and change in food supply

Multiple Choice

If a large volcano that is on an island erupts, it will impact the local ecosystem. Which of the following is NOT a way

the volcano will affect the local ecosystem?

• Lava will run down from the volcano, burning down all the trees around the volcano.

• The lava from the volcano will heat up the air in the local area and kill all life in the area.

• When the volcano erupts, it will throw dust into the air affecting plants across the island.

• The lava will run into the ocean around the island, killing coral reef animals.

Multiple Choice

What might have caused the catastrophic event above?

• Logging trucks left the soil too sandy after deforestation.

• No forest trees were left to hold the soil after deforestation.

• Trees were only taken from one side of the mountain causing an imbalance.

• The rain brought about flooding causing the houses to move.

Multiple Choice

Which of these natural disasters is most likely to happen with little or no warning?

• Earthquakes

• Tsunamis

• Hurricanes

• Tornados