Discussion—Biomes, Development, Pollution, and You

Each part of the United States has at least one ecological crisis based on location, biome, and industrialization pattern. For example, the Midwest was once a prairie with very fertile soil. However, when people realized that with the right watering and drainage system this area could become productive farmland, there arose ecological problems. The conversion of the prairie to farmland is the root cause of many ecological problems in this region.

Regardless of what biome you consider, humans have likely had an impact on the ecology of that area.

For this assignment, identify the biome in which you live. The following are a few examples of biomes:

• Tropical rainforests: This biome has high average temperatures, high moisture levels, and high species diversity.
• Prairies: The prairies have grassland-variable temperatures, variable moisture levels—depending on proximity to mountain ranges—and are mainly dominated by grasses and ungulate herbivores.
• Deserts: These biomes have hotter average temperatures, low moisture, lower species diversity, and a composition of species limited mainly to those that are adapted to hot temperatures.
• Temperate forests: The temperate forests have variable temperatures, high moisture levels, and higher species diversity.
• Taigas: These biomes have colder average temperatures, lower moisture levels, and lower species diversity.
• Tundras: The tundras have cold average temperatures, low moisture levels, and low species diversity.
• Coral reefs: These biomes have high average temperatures and high species diversity.
• Open oceans: These biomes have a wide range of temperatures and species diversity varies.
• Chaparrals: The chaparrals have higher average temperatures, lower moisture levels, and are dominated mainly by grasses and shrubs.
• Alpines: These biomes have low average temperatures, low precipitation, and receive high ultraviolet (UV) rays due to high elevation.

Using the readings for this module, the online library resources, and the Internet, respond to the following:

• Explain how humans have impacted the biome in which you live. List the types of environmental damage that have been caused and the species that have been impacted.
• Describe the major pollution issues for your biome, and elaborate on the sources of this pollution.
• List any species that have become extinct in this biome.

Support your statements with appropriate examples and scholarly references