7U4L3a Environmental Changes Intro

Environmental Changes Intro

7.MS-LS2-4. Analyze data to provide evidence that disruptions (natural or human-made) to any physical or biological component of an ecosystem can lead to shifts in all its populations.

Short Term Changes

• Changes that occur quickly in an ecosystem and affect organisms immediately

• Does not give organisms time to adapt to changes 

• Forces populations to move or possibly risk death

Examples of Short Term changes

• Drought

• Flood

• Volcanic Eruption

How Do Short Term Changes Affect Organisms?

Drought –

the severe lack of rainfall causes producers to die which eventually reduces food sources for all other organisms

Flood –

organisms that are unable to escape the rising water are swept away and drown

Volcanic eruption –

gas, ash, and lava covers a large area and destroys shelters, food sources, and habitats of many organisms

Multiple Choice

A fire destroys all of the trees and plants in the forest. How might this affect the birds in the area?

• The birds will plant seeds and grow new trees.

• The birds will have more food to eat.

• The birds will plant seeds and grow new trees.

• The birds will have no place to build their homes.

Multiple Choice

All of the following are examples of environmental changes that can be caused by humans except - 

• clearing land for housing developments
• pesticides
• volcanic eruption
• pollution

Long Term Changes

• Changes that occur slowly over time and affects organisms over several generations

• Gradual changes that allow organisms time to adapt 

• Organisms become better adapted to survive in their environment

Multiple Choice

An organism that cannot adapt to changes in the environment will most likely -

• produce more offspring

• die

• change its traits to survive

• store more food

Examples of Long Term Changes

• Climate change

• Pollution

• Deforestation

How do Long Term Changes Affect Organisms?

Climate change –

can cause a change in migration patterns, nesting, and hibernation of many different species 

Pollution –

chemicals, pesticides, and fertilizers can poison air, soil, and water over time

Deforestation –

contributes to habitat destruction of a large number of species

Checkpoint!

Multiple Choice

The ICE AGE is

• Short Term Environmental Change

• Long Term Environmental Change

Multiple Choice

URBANIZATION is

• Short Term Environmental Change

• Long Term Environmental Change

Multiple Choice

A WILDFIRE is

• Short Term Environmental Change

• Long Term Environmental Change

Multiple Choice

A BLIZZARD is

• Short Term Environmental Change

• Long Term Environmental Change

Environmental Changes Vocabulary

• adaptation - how organisms adjust to a new environment or make changes to their current environment

• climate change - a change in global or regional climate patterns

• conservation - to prevent the wasteful use of a resource

• ecosystem - all of the living and nonliving things that interact in an area

• environment - the setting or habitat in which organisms live

Environmental Changes Vocabulary

• long term environmental changes - changes that occur slowly over time and affect organisms over several generations

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

• short term environmental changes - changes that occur quickly in an ecosystem and affect organisms immediately

• succession - the gradual growth of new organisms in an ecosystem

• urbanization - an increase of an urban (city) population