Entry 14: Nutrient/Biogeochemical Cycles 1

Assuming you already know what is an ecosystem from Entry 8, I shall not bother explaining it as I continue on nutrient cycles(also known as biogeochemical cycles). Life on earth is inextricably linked to climate through a variety of interacting cycles and feedback loops. In recent years there has been a growing awareness of the extent to which human activities, such as deforestation and fossil fuel burning, have directly or indirectly modified the biogeochemical and physical processes involved in determining the earth's climate. These changes in atmospheric processes can disturb a variety of the ecosystem services that humanity depends upon.
The Earth is a closed system for matter, except for small amounts of cosmic debris that enter the Earth's atmosphere. This means that all the elements needed for the structure and chemical processes of life come from the elements that were present in the Earth's crust when it was formed billions of years ago. This matter, the building blocks of life, continually cycle through Earth's systems, the atmosphere, hydrosphere, biosphere, and lithosphere, on time scales that range from a few days to millions of years. These cycles are called biogeochemical cycles, because they include a variety of biological, geological, and chemical processes. In my next post, I shall be going in-depth about nutrient/biogeochemical cycles, and hope to give you a better understanding.

Information obtained from:
1)http://essp.csumb.edu/esse/climate/climatebiogeo.html
2)http://www.enviroliteracy.org/subcategory.php/198.html

Entry 13:Environmental Protection 2

As mentioned in my previous entry, I'll be continuing on reusing and recycling today. Apart from reducing electricity usage and gas emissions, you can help reduce pollution just by putting that soda can in a different bin. If you're trying to choose between two products, pick the one with the least packaging. If an office building of 7,000 workers recycled all of its office paper waste for a year, it would be the equivalent of taking almost 400 cars off the road! If you must drink bottled water or can drinks, put them in the recycling bin, which helps to reduce the amount of space taken up at landfills by solid waste. By reusing paper bags and everyday waste like cardboard boxes, why not reuse them? You do not waste money on unnecessary boxes and bags by reusing whatever you have instead of conveniently dumping them away. This will go a long way in environmental protection and make a earth an even cleaner place for generations to come.
By following these tips, you can help to save precious money and do your part in saving the earth. Remember, REUSE, REUCE and RECYCLE!

Information obtained from:
1)http://www.environmental-protection.org.uk/transport/car-pollution/#wa638
2)http://interiordec.about.com/library/weekly/aa042201a.htm
3)http://science.howstuffworks.com/save-earth-top-ten.htm

Entry 12:Environmental Protection 1

Today's topic shall be on Environmental protection, and how you can do your part in saving the earth. Environmental protection or going green, is actually easier than you think. There a a few things you can do which can help to make a less harmful impact on the environment. Help to save the Earth by reusing, recycling and reducing. In this post I shall only be touching on reducing usage of cars and savng electricity, as it's fairly long alone. Firstly, when you reduce your usage of cars, you save money and the planet. You can stop using the car for short journeys and switch to public transportation instead. If you just stay off the road twice weekly, you'll reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 1590 pounds per year. Alternatively, you can walk or cycle for short distances. It not only saves money spent on fuel, you burn calories and improve your health too! Also, to save electricity, which in turn saves the earth, you should use compact fluorescent which only use 1/4 the amount of electricity and incandescent one uses while generating the same amount of light. In my next post I'll be giving you more helpful tips on reusing and recycling, so do continue reading!

Information obtained from:
1)http://www.environmental-protection.org.uk/transport/car-pollution/#wa638
2)http://interiordec.about.com/library/weekly/aa042201a.htm
3)http://science.howstuffworks.com/save-earth-top-ten.htm

Entry 11:Sources of Global Warming

I shall start an in-depth study of the burning question in my mind for so long, Who exactly is responsible for global warming and pollution? What do they do to the environment? Well actually, we humans are responsible for this mess we created. World wide emissions are increasingly rapidly due to the modernisation of society, and can accomodate power plants, transportation, oil refining, burning and depletion of Earth's resources and waste deposition. Waste deposition releases methane, which also enhances the greenhouse effect. Everyday emissions from factories and cars are some of the worse causes of pollution and ozone depletion. Fossil fuel combustion, particularly as it occurs in motor vehicles, has been identified as the largest contributor to air pollution in the world. Motor-driven vehicles do have a big impact on us and our environment, and most of us would probably not be able to live life so comfortably without efficient transportation. Not all pollution produced by cars is the same. In fact, there are two types of pollution discharged by petrol vehicles.

1. Exhaust emissions: including dangerous gases such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, hydrocarbons and particulates.
2. Evaporative emissions: vapours of fuel which are released into the atmosphere, without being burnt.
   

Apart from being detrimental to the environment, cars severely affect our health too. Cars produce smoke, which is a by-product of incomplete combustion. Incomplete combustion can significantly increase the quantity of certain toxic chemicals discharged by vehicles into the air.These chemicals can cause mild to severe irritation to the eyes, nose, throat and lungs. They can also be absorbed into the body and cause deterioration in general health. The extent of these detrimental effects on people's health is related to the length of time one is exposed to vehicle emissions, the concentration of fumes breathed and various other factors such as age and health. So know you should know about what contributes to global warming. However, there are natural sources too.They can be dust or by products of wildfire and volcanic activity. Before you start counting how many more years you have to live before Earth's becomes too unhealthy for mankind to live in, I would like to emphasise that there is still hope! By "going green", and making everyone aware of global warming, we CAN slow down or stop global warming! This shall be continued in my next post.

Information obtained from:
1)http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/air/aq4kids/cars.asp
2)Sec 2 "Project Work 2008" (Group Powerpoint slides)

Entry 10:Consequences of Global Warming

I'll be touching on the consequences of global warming now that you understand what it's about. You may be thinking right now, "I know what is global warming but I do not have to care about it since it does not affect me." Well, I am sorry, but you are most definitely wrong. Yes, it is not affecting you now, but the condition is worsening, and it could harm our planet in the next few years to come. With more air pollution, more and more people could contract respiratory dieseases worldwide, which can severely impact our breathing! For example, bronchitis could affect our respiratory system, and though rare among us today, it could possibly be a common illness in future.
With air pollution, we can expect more babies to be bron with chronic asthma. This illness has no cure and we would have to carry inhalers everywhere we go, and if you happen to forget to use it, you would experience shortness of breath. The worse case scenario would be that Earth would be too unhealthy to be inhabitable. To add to the large percentage of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, loggers continue to destroy nature's precious habitat- the forests. I fthis goes on, we would not have enough trees to provide oxygen for us all. Burning the trees releases toxic fumes that are unhealthy for mankind too. These are some causes of pollution which are highly likely to occur in future, and poses a great threat to the survival of mankind.
Now that you know the causes of air pollution, I would touch on the sources of pollution and how we can reduce greenhouse gas emission and how to play our part in saving the earth! In my next post of course, so read on.

Information obtained from:
1) Sec 2 "Project Work 2008"(Group Powerpoint slides)

Entry 9:What is Global warming?

I shall start my post on Ecology-Global Warming. The greenhouse effect has also become an increasingly hot topic in the past few years, as global temperatures are rapidly on the rise. If all of this sounds like nonsense to you, I shall explain in detail what on Earth is global warming.
Well, firstly, global warming is the increase in the average measured temperature of Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-twentieth century, and its projected continuation.

The Intergovernment Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concludes "most of the observed increase in globally averaged temperatures since the mid-twentieth century is very likely due to the observed increase in anthropogenic (man-made) greenhouse gas concentrations" via an enhanced greenhouse effect. These greenhouse gases trap unnecessary heat in the atmosphere, and pollution is the biggest problem. There are several forms of pollution that contribute to the emission of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide. Although trees help to absorb carbon dioxide and give out oxygen, pollution continues and people continue destroying the environment and harming our planet. I shall continue on the consequences of global warming and how we can stop it in my next few posts. I hope you understand what is global warming now and please read on to learn more.

Information obtained from:
1)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_Warming

Entry 8:What is an Ecosystem?

I have completed on my first topic and I hope you have enjoyed reading it and learnt something new. I shall be starting on my second topic, Ecology and Nutrient cycles in the Ecosystem. I do not know much about this topic, and would like to learn more about it through the Internet. I hope the information below would be useful.
Firstly, what on Earth is the Ecosystem? An ecosystem is a natural unit consisting of all plants, animals and micro-organisms (biotic factors) in an area functioning together with all the non-living physical (abiotic) factors of the environment. Ecosystems vary in size. They can be as small as a puddle or as large as earth itself. Any group of living and non-living things interacting with each other can be considered as an ecosystem. The whole Earth's surface can be described by a series of interconnected ecosystems. Within each ecosystem, there may also be habitats which vary in size. A habitat is a place in which a population lives. A population is a group of living organisms of the same kind living in the same place at the same time. All of the populations interact and form a community. The community of living organisms interact with the non-living world around it to form an ecosystem. The habitat must also be able to support the needs of organisms, such as food, water, temperature, oxygen and minerals.
I hope you have learnt more about the ecosystem, and I would continue this topic on ecology and nutrient cycles in my next post. :D

Information obtained from:
1)http://www.fi.edu/tfi/units/life/habitat/habitat.html
2)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem
3)http://www.abheritage.ca/abnature/Ecosystems/intro.htm