Compendium 2, unit 4

Human Landscapes

1.Origin of life

a.Primitive earth

b.Small organic molecules

c.Macromolecules

d.Protocell

e.Biological Evolution

f.Fossils

g.Human evolution

h.Natural Selection

2.Nature of Ecosystems

a.Autotrophs

b.Heterotrophs

c.Niche

d.Water Cycle

e.Carbon Cycle

f.Nitrogen Cycle

g.Phosphorus Cycle

3.Human Population Growth

a.Bio-diversity

b.Alien species

c.Pollution

d.Medicinal value

e.Agricultural value

4.Working towards a sustainable society

a.Sustainable society

b.Multi-use farming

c.integrated pest management

d.recycling and composting

1.Origin of Life

a.Primitive earth- The Atmosphere was formed by gasses escaping from volcano's.

b.Small organic molecules- Production of nucleotides and amino acids.

c.Macromelecules- RNA first hypothesis suggests that rna was the only macromolecule used to produce the first cells.

d.Protocell- Can carry on metabolism, but unable to reproduce

e.Biological evolution- simplest cells produced, prokaiyotic and eukryotic cell was present.

f.fossils- evidence for evolution.

g.Humans evolution- Started out as Domain Eukaryn (2bya) and evolved to Homo Sapiens (0.1 bya).

h.Natural Selection- Mechanism for adaptation that has led to the ever growing of not only or species, but all others, according to Darwin.

2.Nature of Ecosystems

a.Autotrophs- Require only inorganic nutrients and an outside energy source to reproduce organic nutrients for their own use and for all other members of a community.

b.Heterotrophs- They are consumers that need a source of organic nutrients.

c.Niche- The role of an organism in an ecosystem

d.Water cycle- Transfer rate of water between components of an ecosystem.

e.Carbon cycle- TERRESTRIAL AND AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS EXCHANGE CARBON DIOXIDE WITH THE ATMOSPHERE.

f.Nitrogen cycle- Nitrogen gas is converted to ammonium.

g.Phosphorus cycle- Phosphorus in the ocean sediments move onto land.

3.Human Population Growth

a.Biodiversity- Variety of life on earth, described in terms of the number of different species.

b.Alien species- Exotics, are non native members of an ecosystem.

c.Pollution- Environmental change that adversely affects the lives and health of living things.

d.Medicinal value- Medicine that has originally derived from living organisms.

e.Agricultural value- Wild plants that have been modified to become high producers.

4.Working towards a sustainable society

a.Sustainable society- would only use renewable energy sources.

b.Multi use farming.

c.Integrated pest management.

d.Recycling and composting.

Ref: Mader, Aris, Brady