Untitled Lesson

U3 L6: Effects of the

Biosphere

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Earth’s Biosphere

●The Earth’s biosphere consists of all of the living things on Earth.

●Humans are also part of the biosphere and affect Earth’s air, water, land, and
other living things.

●A natural resource is a material found in nature that humans and other living
things can use. These resources are either renewable or nonrenewable
resources.

●Renewable resources can be replaced in nature or will not run out.

●Nonrenewable resources are found in a limited amount on Earth’s surface
and will eventually run out.

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Protecting Plants and Wildlife

●Plants and animals get what they need to survive from Earth’s resources.

●There are many that do not get what they need to survive and are considered
endangered. This means they are at risk of becoming extinct, or dying out
completely. Human activities are partly to blame for this, such as pollution in
the form of litter and acid rain.

●Another threat to ecosystems is deforestation. Deforestation is the removal of
large areas of trees. The animals that live in the forests are forced to move.
They may not be able find another habitat that has the resources they need.

●Humans can make smart choices when they plant new trees that are species
native to the area. This way, the trees can provide balance to all of Earth’s
systems.

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