Lecture 9

Topic: Anthropogenic factor. Ecological crisis Global climate change: Global warming

Objectives:

1. Characteristics of anthropogenic factor

2. Environment and its components

3. Ecological crisis and ecological situations

4. Modern Ecological crisis: Pollution.

5. Natural gas composition of the atmosphere.

6. Global energy balance and Greenhouse effect. Greenhouse gases

7. Global warming, its sources and solving the problem of sustainably. International cooperation on climate change problem

1. Characteristics of anthropogenic factor

Anthropogenic factor – is that caused by human activities.

Characteristics:

• Irregular and therefore unpredicted effect on organisms at a higher rate - organisms cannot adopt.

• Unlimited effect on organisms up to utter destruction: (compare with natural disasters!).

• Effect on organisms through changes of environment (temperature, moisture, light, climate, pollutants etc.).

- Negative effect of people's activity for themselves (as species) and for other organisms ("Ecological boomerang" principle).

- Creation of social factors (TV, stress, education, living conditions etc.) that affect people as well as natural factors.

Scheme: An overview of the ecological issues

INPUT (from environment) OUTPUTS (into environment) Accelerating energy flows Sources Atmosphere (air) Lithosphere (energy, materials) Hydrosphere (water) Biosphere (wildlife) Society problems: Population Affluence Technology Atmosphere (air pollution) Lithosphere (solid waste) Hydrosphere (water pollution) Biosphere (degradation) Sink Accelerating matter cycles Depletion problems Social solutions Pollution problems ENVIRONMENT

2. Environment and its components

"First nature", or Ecological space - natural environment, weakly changed by human -occupies 1/3 earth land. Mostly they are less suitable for people living: high mountains regions, glaciers, north marsh areas etc.). This environment can be regenerated and regulated itself. Most of the areas are also presented with Rain forests. But nowadays they are restricted at large scales.

Table: Natural environment, weakly changed by human

Regions	Area, %	Regions	Area, %
Antarctic	100	Africa	27,5
North America (mostly Canada)	37,5	South America	20,8
NIS (former USSR)	33,6	Asia	13,6
Australia and Oceania	27,9	Europe	2,8

"Second Nature", or "Quasi-nature" (Latin: quasi =Like) - environment changed by human. This environment cannot be self-regulated for a long time. It includes cultural landscapes: plough-land, pasture, gardens, vineyard, parks etc.). The environment requires energy expenses by people.

"Third Nature", or "Art-nature"(Latin: arte =artificial) — environment created by human. It includes factories, plants, housing estate of cities etc. This environment requires permanent energy expenses, otherwise it can be destroyed. Most people of industrial society live in this environment (accumulation of wastes, pollution).

Social environment - include people relationships, psychological climate, health services, cultural values, standard of life etc.