8.11C – Explore how short and long term environmental changes affect organisms

and traits in subsequent populations, 8.11D recognize human dependence on

ocean systems and explain how human activities such as runoff, artificial reefs, or

use of these resources have modified these systems

On your page/white board, create this diagram.

Short Term Long Term

Now, think about events that happen in our world that might have an effect on an ecosystem.Come up with 2 short term and 2 long term, and be ready to share out.

Short Term –event/causes:

Long Term –event/causes

Venn Diagram - now let’s look at these:

Place these events in your diagram

1. Climate Change2. Drought3. Hurricane4. Floods5. Ice Age6. Volcanic eruptions7. Forest Fire

Venn Diagram Words - Answers

1. Climate Change-LT2. Drought- both3. Hurricane-ST4. Floods-ST5. Ice Age-LT6. Volcanic eruptions-LT7. Forest Fire- Both, depends on the

severity and effects on populations.

These events are occurring constantly on our planet - How do organisms change and evolve over time in response?

Adaptations Adaptations – are structures or

behaviors that increase an organism’s ability to survive in a given environment

Individual organisms live or die according to their inherited adaptations

Extinction occurs when species are unable to adapt to environmental changes

Environmental EventsNatural events and human impacts can

cause short term and long term changes in environmental conditions.

But what does this do to the living organisms WITHIN this ecosystem?

Environmental Events: Individual organisms live or die; only

species (populations) can adapt

Individual organisms with certain traits are more likely than others to survive and have offspring.

Changes in environmental conditions can affect the survival of individual organisms and thus, entire species.

Natural Selection (2 on this slide)

The process by which individuals that are better adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce than other members of the same species

Interactions with the environment in future generations, those traits may not longer aid in survival.

Natural selection affects the survival of populations

Long term survival of a species is due to the concentration of favorable traits in offspring over generations due to the selection pressure of environmental conditions.

The Role of Genes in Natural Selection

Remember, only traits that are inherited can be acted upon by natural selection

Natural Selection (3 on this one)

Darwin observed that some variations make individuals better adapted to their environment

Those individuals are more likely to survive and reproduce

If their offspring inherit the trait, they will be more likely to survive and reproduce

After many generations, more members of the species will have the helpful trait

In effect, the environment has “selected” organisms with helpful traits to be the parents of the next generation

Natural genetic changes – one example: Geographic isolation – when some members of a

species become cut off from the rest of the species

A new species might form when a group of individuals remains separated from the rest of its species long enough to accumulate different traits

Geographic isolation may have occurred on a worldwide scale during continental drift

Remember Continental Drift? This was (and is) a NATURAL process

http://www.exploratorium.edu/origins/antarctica/ideas/gondwana3.html

Environmental Changes Negative environmental events that are human

derived:

Pollution

Acid rain

Deforestation

Climate changes

Succession

The unfortunate truth Human caused changes are often too rapid for

evolutionary processes

Instead of evolving, organisms simply perish

Human activities that modify the ocean

Critical Ocean Issues:

Overfishing

Sea Temperature Rise

Marine Pollution

Ocean Acidification/Coral Bleaching

Marine Habitat Destruction

Sea Level Rise

Marine Invasive Species

Oil Spills

Why does it matter if we change the world?

Human impact can harm our world and it can be irreversible.

We are dependent on our planet in ways that we are often unaware of.

Video: Sylvia Earle – My Wish

On your notes page, write any thoughts or questions

from the video

Human Impact Investigations You will be given information for each one of these

four categories

Over-Fishing

Plastic Pollution

Oil Spills

Coral Bleaching

How to go through each section: Unit 5 – find this section, each button takes you to

another page within the website

Plastics in our Oceans There are

multiple steps to go through with written information, videos and infographics to help you understand the issues we face

Over-Fishing

Coral Bleaching

Oil Spills

HW for tonight – learn more about the problem…

Review an article about oil spills

Complete a modified version of Criterion D on an oil spill article

HW for tonight – read article and answer questions