PDS APES 5th Period 2009-10

Today we discussed potential solutions to the problem of the enhanced greennhouse effect, also known as global warming. The only way to truly solve this problem is to attack the problem at its source: Greenhouse Gases. We need to decrease the amount of greenhouse gases, especially Carbon Dioxide, in the atmosphere by either reducing the production and emission of them (less adding) or by removing them from the air (more subtracting)

There are a few ways that we as a society can reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The first is to be smart and stingy with our fossil fuel use. Fossil fuels produce Carbon Dioxide when burned, which is the most abundant greenhouse gas. We should also use alternative fuel sources which give off no greenhouse gas emissions. Examples include wind, solar and nuclear power. We should alter our agriculture practices because almost a third of our current methane (a green house gas) production comes from cattle.  Government implemented Cap and Trade programs are also effective because they limit the amount of emissions factories are allowed to produce and allow the buying and selling of the permits required to emit greenhouse gases. This promotes our economy and the environment at the same time, which is a rarity. Great success has already been seen with this program in the reduction of sulfur dioxide emissions.

No greenhouse gas emissions here! http://www.westislandweather.com/wind_turbine_aalborg.jpg

We can also decrease the amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere currently to slow global warming. One relatively easy way to do this is Carbon Sequestration, which is the taking in and storing of Carbon Dioxide. Trees do this naturally through photosynthesis, so we should plant more trees and cut down less. This can also be done using technology, which basically capture the Carbon Dioxide as it exits the power plant and stores it underground.

Global Cooperation is also a must when it comes to reducing greenhouse gases because the whole world has to be willing to participate, not just one country. International treaties and regulations have already been implemented such as the regulations involved in the Kyoto Protocol. Unfortunately the United States is no longer a member of the Kyoto protocol for economic reasons.

So you may be asking what can I as an individual do? You can use “green” buildings with solar roofs or green roofs, alternative energy sources like wind, hydrogen powered vehicles, invest in green companies, and stop eating meat. (Less demand for beef=less cattle=less methane)

Just because it's hydrogen powered, doesn't mean it has to look silly. http://jch-picsontheweb.site88.net/web_images/red-hot-hydrogen-car.jpg

Here is a hilarious cartoon about the United States’ absence from the Kyoto Protocol:

http://trendsupdates.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/04/kyoto-protocol-cartoon.jpg

Today’s topic was the first of three types of water pollution: Cultural Eutrophication. Eutrophication is the process of Natural Nutrient Enrichment of Phosphates and Nitrates to a body of water. Cultural Eutrophication is when humans speed up this process, and this is when problems occur.

The process of Cultural Eutrophication takes place in a few steps.

1. Excess Nitrates and Phosphates run off into bodies of water. The sources of the excess of Nitrates and Phospahtes are mainly inorganic fertilizers and feedlot waste lagoons.

2. The excess nutrients in the water enable algae to grow at a ridiculously fast (exponential) rate. When this occurs in Coastal Ocean aras, it can cause a Harmful Algal Bloom (HAB). Common examples of Harmful Algal Blooms are Red Tides which are caused by microscopic algae that give off a red colored toxin.

Sometimes there is so much algae that it blankets the surface of a body of water. This makes it so sunlight cannot reach the plants in the water. This severely lowers the amount of Dissolved Oxygen in the Water.

http://plants.ifas.ufl.edu/guide/bloom1.jpg

3. The algae undergoes a dieback in which all the algae dies.

4. All of the dead organic algae matter causes the population of Decomposing oragnisms to rise rapidly. The increased amount of organisms performing cellular respiration causes the dissolved oxygen to lower even further. The water is now said to be hypoxic meaning that it is very low in dissolved oxygen.

5. Within the Oxygen Depleted Zone the animals that rely on large amounts of oxygen begin to die. Basically, the fish die.

Here is a link to a website that offers a great animation of the process:

http://coseenow.net/2008/11/eutrophication-animation/

It is also important to note that Cultural Eutrophication is worse in rivers, Lakes, streams and coastal areas of the ocean. Obviously the problem is not as bad in the open ocean which is far from any excess run off of nutrients. The problems is also worse in areas without any current where the nutrients collect and don’t move on elsewhere. Areas where this problem has been horrible recently include the Gulf of Mexico and Chesapeke Bay. (Both which are coastal areas with little water movement.)

Here is a current event article about the problem in the Gulf of Mexico. Note the image that shows the problematic areas across the world.

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/gulf-dead-zone-47071506

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I was looking through the chapter one study guide and my answer for problem 4 is incomplete. I do not remember what the difference is between living off of capital and living off of income. I think we need to be living off of income but I’m not sure. Can somewhat with a better memory help me out?

I am a little bit confused on how the AGR is decreasing, when it seems that more countries are in stage 2 than stage 3 or 4. This could be wrong, but it seems that way to me.  I also have another smaller question. In the book it says that Pakistan is the fifth biggest country by population, but we said it was Brazil in class. Which one is it?

Today in class we began talking about evolution. The first thing we discussed was the history of earth’s evolution. Scientists believe that earth formed about 4.5 billion years ago. Life on earth formed about 3.7 billion years ago. In this .8 billion year span with no life, the Earth underwent chemical evolution. In this time the earth cooled and the oxygen level rose. The Earth eventually became a suitable environment for life. In the last 3.7 billion years of life, the Earth has undergone biological evolution, which is what we typically think of today when we think of evolution. Here is a link to a great interactive timeline of Earth’s Geological History:

http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/prehistoric-world/prehistoric-time-line.html

There are two main types of evolution Microevolution and Macro Evolution.

Microevolution is the evolution of a population. Microevolution is driven by Natural Selection. Natural selection is the the selection of certain adaptations that give an organism an advantage. Organisms with these adaptations have an advantage in obtaining food, reproducing or something of the sort, and therefore this adaptation becomes more and more frequent in the population as they are passed down from generation to generation. There are four things that make Natural Selection possible.

1. Genetic Variation: The gene pool of a population has many different alleles due to crossing over in meiosis, random fertilization of egg by sperm, and mutations. These lead to various phenotypes (physical traits)

2.Overproduction of offspring

3. Struggle for existence: Basically there is not enough food, etc. for every organism to survive, and there is competition for survival.

4. Differential Survival and Reproduction: Certain adaptations make some organism better at surviving than others.

There are three ways that a trait can be “selected for”. Let’s say that we have a population of mice that can have white, black or gray fur. In the first scenario the mice are living on white rocks. Mice with white coats are going to survive more easily and be selected for. This is known as directional selection when one extreme is favored. If the mice are living on a mix of white and black rocks, both white and black coats are favored. This is known as diversifying selection when both extremes are favored. Finally, if the mice are living on gray rocks, the gray coat is favored. This is known as Stabilizing Selection when the intermediate trait is favored.

avonapbio.pbworks.com/Chapter-23

It is important to note that microevolution is not done by individuals. An individual is not granted what it wants or needs. If a mouse has a black coat living on black rocks he is fine and happy. However, if the rocks suddenly are changed to white, the mouse can not change his fur color to white. He can’t evolve just because he wants to. Populations evolve by natural selection, not individuals. evolution.berkeley.edu/…/IEneeds.shtml

Microevolution can happen fairly quickly relative to the earth’s geological time scale. (So a million or so years)

Natural Selection can eventually lead to speciation or the creation of a new species. This is macroevolution. This can happen in one of two ways. The first is geographical isolation when two groups of a population are separated by some sort of physical barrier. An example is squirrels in the Grand Canyon. There was once only one species of squirrels but when the canyon was formed two groups were separated on either side of the canyon. The two groups adapted to their different environments and now there are two species. (Shown below)

The second type of speciation is reproductive isolation when two groups of the same population live together but adapt differently and eventually can no longer reproduce with each other. This results in two separate species.

www.agen.ufl.edu/…/lect/lect_11/lect_11.htm

That’s all, feel free to comment with any corrections or additions.

All of the biomes seem to fit into the pattern of polar, temperate, or tropic deserts, grasslands or forrests except for the chapparal. I am a little confused on how where it fits into this pattern as far as temperature and precip. are concerned. Is it just a random biome that doesn’t really classify as desert, grassland or forest?