Canadian Geography 1202
UNIT 2
NATURAL AND HUMAN SYSTEMS

Students are expected to know how natural and
human systems interact. More specifically
students should be able to:
 1.
 2.
 3.
Identify and describe natural systems
Identify and describe human systems
Explain how systems thinking maybe be
used to understand the interaction between
human and natural systems
NATURAL SYSTEMS
A natural system is one that is created by
nature. It is not artificial
 Earth’s natural systems maybe divided into four
spheres:

 1.
 2.
 3.
 4.
Atmosphere
Lithosphere
Hydrosphere
Biosphere
ATMOSPHERE


Atmosphere refers to the gases surrounding
our planet

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6jIMkPwa
hQ
LITHOSPHERE

Lithosphere is the crust and uppermost part of
the earth’s surface. It is made of tectonic
plates

Examples include lava, rocks and soil
HYDROSPHERE

Hydrosphere is the water of the earth’s surface

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h6y18NaL
O2g&index=6&list=PLZ6BtLkOU0h4qq3mMAJ7
Zm9WeNTRM48KK
BIOSPHERE

Biosphere is all the living systems on the earth,
including humans, plants and animals
LET’S MAP

Let’s take our four natural systems and place
them on a concept map
Natural Systems Map
Atmosphere
Lithosphere
Natural Systems
Hydrosphere
Biosphere

Take some natural things and place them in the
correct system
PLACE IT IN THE NATURAL SYSTEM












Moose
Wind
Smog
Soil
Ozone layer
Fog
Stream
Atlantic Ocean
Bear
Grass
Northern lights
Lava












Rain
Trees
Rocks
Snow
Clouds
Ground
Lightning
Fox
Lake
Mink
River
Mud
VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnpF0ndXk8
QUESTIONS…
Is one natural system more important than
another?
 Can one natural system have an impact on
another? Explain

NATURAL SYSTEMS AND CONNECTIONS
Rank the natural systems
 Which do you think is the most important?
Why?

Natural systems are connected
 Natural systems interact with each other

SYSTEMS THINKING
What is a system?
 A system is a series of interrelated parts that
connect and work together to form a whole

WHY ARE SYSTEMS IMPORTANT?
It is important to study systems because the
systems on earth shape the environment in
which we live
 Two categories of systems:

 Natural
 Human
SYSTEMS THAT OCCUR IN NATURE
 Systems
that occur in nature
 Circulation
of water in the ocean
 Weather and climate
 Water drainage
 Energy cycles
 ***These
systems form ecosystems, which make
up our planet
WHAT ARE ECOSYSTEMS?

An ecosystem is a community of plants and
animals that interact with another and their
physical environment (land, climate, soil, water
and nutrients).
WHAT ARE HUMAN SYSTEMS?

Human systems are systems created by people.
They are artificial
HUMAN SYSTEMS

System that are created by humans include:
Human settlements
 Transportation routes
 Communication systems
 Economics
 Infrastructure
 Energy

WHY USE A SYSTEMS APPROACH?
Everything is connected in a complex web of
systems
 Help us make better decisions as we work to
create safer and healthier environments.
 Help us to protect natural systems and to use
resources so they last into the future.

COMPLEX WEB OF SYSTEMS

A complex set of “dynamic” systems make up
our world.
 Dynamic
 May
means continually changing!
take millions of years for the change(oil formation)
 May only take a few minutes for the change (car burning
gas)
SYNERGY: GREATER THAN THE SUM OF ITS
PARTS
Synergy means the whole is greater than the
sum
 Systems are dependent on one another

 The
whole system is greater than the sum of it
parts
 WATER
(2 parts hydrogen/1 part oxygen)
 CAR (engine, tires, brakes)
HUMAN SYSTEMS…TRANSPORTATION

Transportation Systems
 Interconnecting
network of roads, trains, air travel,
shipping and cycling routes.
 Shopping for clothes, music, sports equipment etc.
is all part of our ECONOMIC System as well as our
transportation system.
HUMAN SYSTEMS…COMMUNICATION

Communication Systems
 is
a fundamental to every society. Language, drawing,
and writing have enabled mankind to evolve and to pass
on knowledge and values.
 Interconnecting network of:
Phone
 Television
 Radio
 Cell phones
 Internet web pages
 News papers

HUMAN SYSTEMS-INFRASTRUCTURE

The basic facilities, services, and installations
needed for the functioning of a community or
society

such as transportation and communications
systems, water and power lines, and public
institutions including schools, post offices, and
prisons
WATER

Water is a natural substance that is essential to
all known forms of life.

It covers 70% of Earth's surface.
THE HYDROLOGIC CYCLE
WATER

We need water to live
 2/3
of our body is water
 Crops and livestock require water
 Average
Canadian uses 300 liters of water per day
 Add production/manufacturing it is 4000 liters
WATER…

Average daily residential water use per capita
(litres per person):
United States - 425L
 Canada - 326L
 Italy - 250L
 Sweden - 200L
 France - 150L
 Israel - 135L

INTERACTION OF HUMAN AND NATURAL
SOLUTIONS
WATER POLLUTION

3 main types of water pollution:
 Biological
Pollution
 Physical Pollution
 Chemical Pollution
1. WATER POLLUTION…BIOLOGICAL
Bacteria and algae that enter lakes and rivers.
 Sewage from cities and towns are the largest
source.
 Solved by reducing sewage from entering water
supplies (sewage treatment plants)

2. WATER POLLUTION…PHYSICAL
Least harmful but most obvious.
 Floating garbage, paper, tin cans etc.
 These are easily seen and clean-up and
prevention is relatively simple.

3. WATER POLLUTION…CHEMICAL
Most dangerous
 Dumping of poisonous chemicals into rivers
and lakes
 Using pesticides on our lawns or pouring paint
or cleaners down the drain.

3. WATER…CHEMICAL POLLUTION

Clean-Up there are 2 problems:
 Not
able to completely stop chemicals from
reaching water supplies
 Do not have the technology to clean-up chemicals
once they are in the water.
POLLUTION
Human health and environmental health are
closely linked
 Example…
 Using pesticides on our lawns or pouring paint
or cleaners down the drain all add to the toxic
chemicals found in your water system
 Many water treatment plants cannot remove
toxic waste from water

VIDEOS
Water Pollution:
 http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/envfreshwater-whycare
 Water/Biological/Physical Pollution:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDSmJSGrC6c
 Chemical Pollution:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn9r4JSMGg0

CASE STUDY #1
Read pp.69-75
 Do together questions 1 and 2 from “Stretch
your Thinking” on Page 75
 Video:
 http://www.cbsnews.com/news/saving-wildsalmon/

CASE STUDY #2
Handout: “Tar Sands Oil”
 Video:
 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YkwoRivP1
7A


Human activities like burning fossil fuels to run cars,
trucks, factories, heat buildings, etc. have started to
change the make up of gases in the atmosphere

This has lead to changes in our climate systems
 GLOBAL WARMING!!!
INTERACTION OF HUMAN AND NATURAL
SYSTEMS

Remember?

Human activities like burning fossil fuels to run cars,
trucks, factories, heat buildings, etc. have started to
change the make up of gases in the atmosphere

This has lead to changes in our climate systems
 GLOBAL WARMING!!!
CANADA’S CLIMATE SYSTEMS
Climate is the weather conditions of a
particular region averaged over a long period of
time
 Climate in Canada varies widely from place to
place and season to season

CANADA’S CLIMATE
Affected by seven natural characteristics:
 1. Size: 9,971,000 km2. Temps and precipitation
vary.
 2. Latitude: Northern country. Closer to the north
pole than equator
 3. Ocean Currents: Warm (Pacific) and cold
currents (Atlantic)
 4. Winds and Air Masses: Winds carry air masses
across the country


4. Air Mass: Body of air with same temperature
and moisture. High air pressure masses have
high temps and clear skies. Low air pressure
masses have low temps and precipitation

5. Jet Stream: Fast-moving, high altitude air
moving across Canada. Divides warm and cool
air. Steers weather systems.

6. Landscapes: Canada has a wide range of
landforms and elevations. Elevation means
cooler temperatures. Mountains create
precipitation

7. Water: Slower to heat up and cool down
than land. Places near large bodies of water
have cool summers and milder winters
VIDEO
“Inconvenient Truth”
 2006 Academy Award winning documentary
 Questions:

1.
What is Al Gore’s message?
 2.
What does Gore suggest we do to fight global
warming?
 3.
What is the meaning or significance of the title?


http://vimeo.com/24857305
CLIMATE CHANGE

Questions:
 1.
What is Al Gore’s message?
 2.
What does Gore suggest we do to fight
global warming?
 3.
What is the meaning of the title?
WIND AND AIR MASSES
Huge air masses stretch across the country
 Major affect on our weather
 Winds move from high pressure to low pressure
 Front is a leading edge of an air mass

JET STREAM
Blows from west to east across the country
 In a curvy pattern
 Separates warm and cold air

WHAT IS WEATHER?

Daily conditions of the atmosphere in terms of
heat, rain, wind, snow, sunshine, dryness, and
cloud cover
HOW DOES WEATHER AFFECT US?
Brainstorming Activity!
 Recreation
 Work
 Travel
 Location

WHAT IS CLIMATE?

Climate is long-term weather patterns in a
particular area
COMPARE WEATHER AND CLIMATE
Same?
 Both deal with rain, snow, sun, humidity and
other atmosphere conditions

Different?
 Weather can change in a few hours
 Climate change can take tens, hundreds or
thousands of year to change

WEATHER STATEMENTS
It is sunny and 25 degrees today.
 The forecast calls for 10 centimetres of snow.
 There is a storm warning for tomorrow.
 The humidity today is at 85%
 The UV index is high for tomorrow

CLIMATE STATEMENTS
Deer Lake historically receives less rainfall than
Corner Brook.
 St. John’s has a higher annual snowfall than
Toronto.
 Halifax had its coldest winter in recorded
history.
 Ottawa set a heat wave record this past
summer.

TO DO:
Read pp.76-89
 Questions on page 89. #’s 1-3
 Worksheet: Weather and Climate

CLIMATE
What is a climate region?
 A climate region is an area that shares similar
weather conditions (precipitation, warmth, wind
and sun)
 Canada has 7 distinct climate regions.
 Why?
 Because Canada is so big

Canada’s climate regions:
 1. Arctic:
 Very cold winter, short cold summer, very dry
 2. Subarctic:
 Cold winter, cool summer, moderate
precipitation
 3. Pacific:
 Mild winter, warm summer, heavy precipitation

4. Mountain:
 Temperatures and precipitation vary greatly
 5. Prairie:
 Cold winter, hot dry summer
 6. Lower Lakes:
 Cool winter, hot summer, moderate precipitation
 7. Atlantic:
 Cold winter, warm summer, moderate precipitation

CLIMATE GRAPHS
What is a Climate Graph?
 Climate graphs show temperature and
precipitation for a particular region

QUESTIONS…
1.
 2.
 3.
 4.
 5.

What is the wettest month?
What is the driest?
What is the warmest month?
What is the coldest?
What is the annual amount of precipitation?
QUESTIONS…ON YOUR OWN
1.
 2.
 3.
 4.
 5.

What is the wettest month?
What is the dryest?
What is the warmest month?
What is the coldest?
What is the annual amount of precipitation?
1.
 2.
 3.
 4.
 5.

What is the wettest month?
What is the driest?
What is the warmest month?
What is the coldest?
What is the annual amount of precipitation?
CANADA’S VEGETATION SYSTEM
A vegetation system is a system of plants that
are native to an area
 They have not been planted by people



Canada’s Vegetation Regions:
1. Tundra:


2.
Temperate Rainforest:


3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Southern prairie
Mixed Forest


Most of Canada
Grassland:


Western Canada/BC
Boreal Coniferous Forest:


Pacific coast
Mountain Forest:


North
South Ontario, Quebec and Maritimes
Deciduous

Southern Ontario
What is a biome?
 A large region of the earth (i.e. rainforest or
desert) which is distinct because of the plants
that grow there
 Biomes include animals
 Plants in the biome are the product of the
landforms and the climate

Biomes correspond with latitude and longitude
 The farther from the equator, the less direct
sunlight, and the less heat
 The boreal (northern) forest is the largest
biome in the world!


Boreal Forest:
 Made
of coniferous (needle –pine, spruce and fir)
and deciduous (leaves –birch, maple) trees
 Animals like moose, bears, and wolves
CANADA’S BOREAL FOREST
Video:
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhe5FHbm
p


Read pp.90-94
CANADA’ NATURAL SYSTEMS
Canada’s Water Systems:
 Much of the rain and snow that falls in Canada
ends up in our interconnected waterways
 A waterway is a body of water. It includes
lakes, rivers, and wetlands

Wetlands are bogs, swamps or marshes
 Once considered wasteland
 One of our most important natural systems

Why are wetlands important?
 1. Remove contaminants from water
 2. Habitat: nesting and feeding ground
 3. Spawning and nursery ground for fish
 4. Protect shore from erosion
 5. Reservoir: store water

Video: The value of wetlands
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYZUXB9JJ
zE

Water runoff: What is it?
 Water that runs over the surface of the land
into rivers and lakes is called runoff
 Does not absorb into the ground

What is groundwater?
 Water that filters down through layers of soil,
sand and gravel

Drainage basins:
 What is a drainage basin?
 An area of land that collects all water that flows
into the ocean

Drainage basins:
 About 75% of all water in Canada drains into
the Arctic Ocean or Hudson Bay
 Water flows downhill
 These areas are at lower elevation

Canada’s Lakes:
 Canada has two million lakes
 Great Lakes are the largest freshwater lakes in
the world
 21% of the earth’s surface fresh water

NATURAL SYSTEMS: SOIL
What is Soil?
 Soil is the uppermost layer of the earth’s crust.
 Soil is a mixture of broken rocks and minerals,
living organisms, and decaying organic matter
called humus
 Soil includes air and water.
 Made of layers, called profile


Soil Profile:

Humus is decaying matter that is dark, soft and
rich in nutrients.
Many different organisms live in the soil
 Include worms, algae, fungi and bacteria
 Without them, no room for plants to grow

Why is Soil Important?
 1. Food: we do not eat if we do not have soil
 2. Oxygen: supports trees
 3. Water: soaks up and purifies it

Types of soils:
 1. Coniferous forest
 2. Mountain forest
 3. Deciduous forest
 4. Bog soils
 5. Stony/rocky soil

INTERACTION: HUMANS AND SOILS
Soil quality is decreasing
 Farmers yields are declining
 Due to pesticides. Killing unwanted bugs and
plants
 Also kills creatures that make soil function
 Also affect chemistry of soil and humus

NATURAL AND HUMAN SYSTEMS: PESTICIDES

http://www.cbc.ca/player/Radio/ID/2395667
045/
CASE STUDY #3…ON YOUR OWN
Read “Water Crisis” on page 62
 Answer the following questions:
 1. Who are the players/stakeholders in this case
study?
 2. What is the problem with the water
infrastructure in the case study?
 3. What is the even bigger problem for the towns?
What answer do they propose?
 4. What actions can you take to ensure your
water supply is safe and preserved?
