Biology 111: Lecture 9Fall 1997

Human Impact I

  1. Earth: Our ecosystem

  2. Energy flow through ecosystems is NON-CYCLIC
    1. In what form is the energy?
    2. Food chains/food webs
      1. Autotrophs vs. heterotrophs
      2. Trophic levels = functional levels
        1. Producers
        2. Consumers
        3. Decomposers
        4. Detritivores
      3. Examples
    3. Energy flow
      1. Principle processes
        1. Photosynthesis
        2. Cellular respiration
      2. Energy pyramids

  3. Human impact on the earth
    1. Our culture
      1. Accumulated knowledge, customs, beliefs, arts over time
      2. Enables us to change the environment to meet our needs
      3. Major stages
    2. Its consequences
      1. Extinction
      2. Eating ourselves out of house and home
      3. Environmental pollution/accidents


    "What's going on inside of me?
    I despise my own behavior
    This only serves to confirm my suspicions
    That I'm still a man in need of a savior.

    I wanna be in the Light
    As you are in the Light
    I wanna shine like the stars in the heavens
    Oh, Lord, be my Light and be my Salvation
    'Cause all I want is to be in the Light
    All I want is to be in the Light."

    		dc Talk, In The Light