Impact on Ecosystems

Big Ideas…

W.E.D.

EcoRegions of Texas

Catastrophic Events

Watershed

Weathering•Breaking apart of land/rocks into sediments

• Mechanical – breaking apart rock by physically processes

• Rates of weather – hard rocks weather slower than soft rocks

• Moisture and fluctuating temperature above and below freezing increases weathering

Types of Weathering

Frost or Ice Wedging

Abrasion caused by friction or impact

of other rocks

Animals burrowing or human activity

Plant roots wedging and

growing

Types of WeatheringChemical – breaking rocks with a chemical

reaction–Oxidation, plant and natural acids, acid rain,

rusting–Promoted by moisture and high temperatures

Limestone cave

Erosion•Movement of sediments by wind, water, glaciers, gravity, humans, etc.

Deposition• Dropping off of sediments

in a new location–Results of deposition: sand

dunes, river deltas, mountains, beaches

Shape It Up

EcoRegions of Texas

1. Pineywoods 2. Oak Woods & Prairies3. Blackland Prairies4. Gulf Coast Prairies & Marshes5. Coastal Sand Plains6. South Texas Brush Country7. Edwards Plateau8. Llano Uplift9. Rolling Plains10. High Plains11. Trans Pecos

EcoRegions of Texas

What is a watershed?• the region or area drained by a river,

stream, lake, ocean, or any body of water.

What is surface water?

• Surface water consists of all the water that exists on top of the Earth’s surface.– oceans, lakes, ponds, rivers, streams,

marshes, etc.– 1% of all freshwater

What is groundwater?

• Groundwater consists of all the water that has seeped down beneath the Earth’s surface. – 31% of all

Freshwater

Impact on water supply• Pollution – wastewater, pesticides/insecticides,

fertilizers, etc.• Climate change – increased global temperatures lead

to less surface water (evaporation) and an increase in the removal of groundwater (pumps/wells)

• Urban/Rural development – cities/farms replacing natural ecosystems will lead to collection of more waste and contamination of freshwater supplies

• Deforestation – leads to increased erosion, which could lead to an increase of waste materials that end up contaminating the freshwater supply

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=watershed&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=eTLGhz91DfGMMM&tbnid=jDrb0G03dfZOKM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.uwrwa.org/explore/whatis.asp&ei=3a55UZPMD-WI2wXnnYCwDA&bvm=bv.45645796,d.aWM&psig=AFQjCNFLG1KJi9GELWvG6miG19AOe-40dw&ust=1367015365539064

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=watershed&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=zZRNGQfBnWgbJM&tbnid=lIIWZgmXD3uFCM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.shorelandmanagement.org/quick/w.html&ei=JK95UfzaD8Xs2QXHuYHQBg&bvm=bv.45645796,d.aWM&psig=AFQjCNHgKVrVVPBRtweZ5s0Z5PsB2jwBAA&ust=1367015580847775

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=water+table&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=ATQe889ITPKdfM&tbnid=kQfVOgyw9Ii9BM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthgwdecline.html&ei=7q95UZ_qOMnE2gXAoICYDA&bvm=bv.45645796,d.aWM&psig=AFQjCNHj5dNmWzBjVfaZdOjrS424KO45kg&ust=1367015783577275

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=water+table&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=xryqgQi9WJ89HM&tbnid=dc2OwWNjqsszpM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://www.sbaran.net/7science/indexWater.html&ei=2LB5UfXnBqe72wXJ2IGACg&bvm=bv.45645796,d.aWM&psig=AFQjCNHj5dNmWzBjVfaZdOjrS424KO45kg&ust=1367015783577275

http://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=water+table&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&docid=n0sbFwL68Pl3XM&tbnid=Eol52dUuQgb9eM:&ved=0CAUQjRw&url=http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthgwquality.html&ei=BLF5Ud6cA6PZ2QWk3oD4BA&bvm=bv.45645796,d.aWM&psig=AFQjCNHj5dNmWzBjVfaZdOjrS424KO45kg&ust=1367015783577275

• Natural Disasters – extreme sudden events caused by environmental factors that injure plants, animals, and/or property. Such as: hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, etc.

• Catastrophic Events – events caused by natural or man made factors that injure plants, animals, and/or property. Such as; oil spills, 911(twin towers), atomic bombs, epidemics, and natural disasters.

Flood• Flashfloods are caused by severe rain

storms• Effects low elevation areas the most since

gravity pulls water downward• Increases runoff and adds water to the

water table

Tornado

• Strong cyclone (circle) wind• Fast rotating columns of air

associated with severe thunderstorms.

• Common in ‘tornado alley’– Texas panhandle and Oklahoma

Hurricane

• Huge tropical cyclones that form over an ocean

• Produces severe rain – can cause flooding• Only effects coastal regions – not Allen

Texas• Can also cause floods and mudslides