Authentic assesment

Learning Goal: I’m working on a environmental science multi-part question and need an explanation and answer to help me learn.

Begin by launching the Click and Learn Activity “The Anthropocene Human Impact on the EnvironmenLinks to an external site..” Click on “Launch Interactive.” If you have trouble, this

Download the chart I have attached to use as a template to answer the questions. Save it to your device and open it up. Complete the template as you click through the activity. Submit the chart here in Canvas. While you can free form the answer, I strongly suggest using the attached chart to submit your answer.

Select four (4) human impacts of the ones listed above that you are most interested in learning about. List the following information for how each impact affects ecosystems:

a) Describe how the human impact you selected affects the ecosystem

b) Summarize some of the quantitative (graph) data that provide evidence of humans’ impact on the ecosystem

c) Describe specific types of evidence people should look for in their own ecosystem to determine whether humans are changing the local environment.

d) How do you think this impact will change over the next 100 years? Make a prediction based on the evidence and data you have seen so far.

Keep in mind that this assignment is designed to make you think. Only question (b) has information that you will get from the activity. Use can use information from the book (summarized not copied and pasted) or other resources to gather your response.

Example Answer using Atmosphere (means you can’t use this one)

1. The main effect of human impact in the atmosphere is climate change. By increasing the amounts of Carbon Dioxide, Nitrous Oxide, and Methane in the atmosphere, humans are affecting regular temperatures and seasons throughout the world.
2. From the 50’s to the present day, Carbon Dioxide, Nitrous Oxide, and Methane levels in the atmosphere have risen tremendously fast. That is mainly due to the boom in human population and industrialization worldwide.
3. If you see temperatures during the summer rising way above that they used to be, or maybe more natural disasters happening, it could be strongly related to human impact in the atmosphere.
4. We cannot fall in the trap of the Tragedy of the Commons, each one of us is contributing to polluting the air we breathe. If the population continues growing at the current rate and we don’t change our habits, in the next 100 years we won’t have ice in the polar regions anymore, the level of the sea will eventually rise covering coastal cities, and we will likely have to wear masks when outside to avoid getting sick.