Human Impacts on the Colorado Life Zones

Vocabulary

1) Consequence - The result or effect of an action 2) Ecology - The study of how living organisms and non-living elements are inter-connected 3) Fragmentation - To break habitat up into pieces 4) Indirect Effect - A result of an action that is not obvious at the time, or is the result of a chain reaction 4) Exotic Species - A plant or animal that moves into an area where it did not evolve to live. This happens when certain conditions change to make it possible.

Rules of the Web of Life: 1) Everything and everyone is connected together.

2) All of our actions have consequences for other members of the web.

Balance

Human Needs & Wants Consequences to Our Environment

Colorado Life Zones Alpine 11,500 +ft.

Sub alpine 10,000 – 11,500 ft.

Montane 8,000 – 10,000 ft.

Foothills 5,500 – 8,000 ft.

Plains 3,500 – 5,500 ft.

Riparian

Q: Why do we live in a dry environment?

West East x

A: Rain Shadow Effect Thinking question: Where does our water come from?

Human Impacts on the Prairie

 Changes to wildlife habitat  Air quality  Water quality

Changes to the Land Need: Housing Consequence: Loss of farmland & wildlife habitat Need: Jobs & Homes Need: Transportation Consequence: Water & air pollution Consequence: Fragmented wildlife habitat

How Does Agriculture Effect the Prairie?

Land Changes Oil Transportation Need: Food Water Feedlots  What is an indirect effect of growing food ?

Water Quality

Farm chemicals can move into streams by erosion.

Food chain effects of water pollution.

The pollution cycle

What is the lesson ?? We need to make sure our waste is disposed of correctly and safely !!!

Smog

Air Quality

Consequences

 Pollution builds up in atmosphere – brown cloud  It doesn’t disappear – it can fall or rain out of the atmosphere onto forests, lakes, streams  Human health problems

Human Impacts in Riparian Areas

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Changes to stream environments

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Water quality

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Fish & wildlife habitats

Dams

Dams have destroyed many Riparian systems in the United States, and in the world.

Why do we need dams?

Grand Ditch Horsetooth Reservoir Are there

consequences

to moving water from rivers to reservoirs?

Human Impacts in the Foothills & Montane

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Changes to wildlife habitat

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Increased Fire Risk



Invasive plants species

Threats To The Foothills

When people start building houses in the foothills it pushes out animals that use to live there. Can you think of any other problems new houses cause?

Wildfire in the Foothills & Montane How do we balance human safety & keeping environment healthy?

Human Impacts on the Subalpine and Alpine

Ski Resorts Snowmobiles Pets Humans Livestock Grazing

Tough Problems Need Creative Solutions !!

Tough Problems Need Creative Solutions!

Habitat Corridors Plants that like dry weather Create New Wetlands

Recycling Here’s some more simple solutions…….

Ride a bike instead of taking the car !

Reuse & Refill!

H 2 O Purifiers Use Non-disposable containers

Important Lessons: 1) Human activity can affect our environment in many different ways.

2) Sometimes, the effects of our actions are hard to see.

3) Human needs & wants should be BALANCED with environmental consequences.

4) There are always things we can do to prevent or make less impact on the environment!