7.4 LESSON Modeling Sustainability

Learning Objectives

▪ Identify the criteria that can be used to evaluate whether

development is sustainable.

▪ Explain complex ecosystems.

Sustainable Development
Using resources in ways that preserve ecosystem services is
called sustainable development.
Sustainable development recognizes the links between
ecology and economics.

The Economy

exists in

(depends on)
Society
which exists in
(depends on)

The Environment

Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources

Renewable resource: a
resource that can be
produced by a healthy
ecosystem.
(wind, solar)

Nonrenewable resource: a
resource that cannot be
replenished or replaced by a
natural process.
(fossil fuels - oil, coal, gas)

Complex Ecosystems

Complex ecosystems can change unexpectedly into a very
different-looking ecosystem.

What would
happen if the
carnivorous fish
(in blue) were
overfished by
humans?

1

2

3

Adding Humans

Humans have drastically
changed the environment, and
measures need to be taken to
promote sustainable
development in the future.

This model adds the
Anthroposphere to the four
spheres we looked at in the
carbon cycle unit.

Humans benefit from
ecosystem services performed
by nature - purifying water and
air, flood control, fertilizing soil.

Resilience

Resilience is the ability of a system to deal with change.
Sustainable development must be able to survive
environmental stresses such as droughts, floods, storms,
heat waves, cold snaps, and unexpected changes to
ecosystems due to climate change.

Designing Solutions

Scientific research can have a positive impact on the
global environment by:
•recognizing a problem in the environment
•gathering data to document and analyze the problem and
identify its cause; and
•guiding changes in our behavior based on scientific
understanding

Example: in the 1980’s research into the thinning ozone
layer led to the banning of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
which is leading to the return of the ozone layer.