The concept of solar system has had several changes in its theories throughout thousands of years. Majority of people thought that there was no solar system. Ancient astronomers believed that the earth was the center of universe and the sun moved through the sky (Nine Planets, 2011).
Ancient astronomers saw points of lights moving through the skies and named them planets, with specific names after their gods, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Venus and Saturn. Heliocentric reordering was proposed and later, Galileo discovered the solar system. Invention of the telescope led to discoveries of 3 more planets, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto in the 17th century.
Examples Scientific concepts that changed with time
- The earth is thought to be stationery at the center of universe and the ethereal objects moving through sky.
- Aristarchus proposes heliocentric reordering of the cosmos.
- Nicolaus develops the first heliocentric system.
- Galieo, Kepler and Newton develops the current the understanding that the earth revolves around the sun and rotates about its axis
Historical event that changed scientific aspects of natural world
The Chernobyl Disaster
Historical Context
- Chernobyl nuclear reactor suffered a catastrophic power increase which caused explosion of its core.
- Occurred in Ukraine on 26th April 1986.
- Occurred during the test of a safety emergency core cooling.
- The plant was under direct jurisdiction of the central Moscow’s authorities
Effects
- Released numerous quantities of radioactive fuel and core materials into the surface.
- Ignited graphite moderator which increased emission of radioactive particles into the atmosphere.
- Health of plant workers and local people affected.
- Rivers, lakes and reservoirs polluted (Harti, Hoffman & Fleming, 2005), p. 1).
Impact on scientific understanding
This accident led to discoveries of more effects of radiation on health and environment such as thyroid cancer, beta burns and mutations, among others.
The understanding nuclear technology and its effect took a new turn, with its emerging influence on global worming and environmental effects researched.
Examples
This accident led to a new understanding of impacts of the adverse effects of radiation. Further research ware initiated by UNSCEAR (United Nations Scientific of the Effects of Atomic Radiation) on treatment for thyroid cancer, down syndrome, chromosomal aberrations, neural tube defects etc. The Chernobyl disaster led to a new twist to the understanding of its real effects on health, leading to a series of research on the risk observed.
Extensive research and screening were done , for cancer along with other diseases and other environmental effects. The natural world is usually known to be safe and eternal, but disaster witnessed changed our understanding of nature, that it needs to be conserved. Chernobyl Nuclear disaster became a revolution in scientific discoveries and clearly led to numerous changes in our conception of the natural world.
Ecosystem
- A specific area of a given size in which climate, animals, plants and the landscape continually interact.
- It is all the organisms in an area along with non-living factors with which they interact.
- It ids the interaction between biotic and abiotic factors in a specific area.
The Florida everglades
- Geographical location
- The everglades is a subtropical wetland in the southern part of Florida.
- Its location in coordinates is 26.00 N 80.70 W
- It starts from Orlando all the way to Lake Okeechobee with river Kissimmee.
Biotic and abiotic factors of the everglades
These are all the living organisms in a given ecosystem and their interaction.
They include coastal lowlands, plants species such as saw grass, mangroves, Marsh, Orchids, Bromeliads and Ferns as well as Tree Island and Hammock.
Animals species include the tiniest frog, Birds such as the whooping crane, land mammals such as bobcat and the largest crocodiles in America known as the American alligator
Abiotic factors: Comprises of dissolved oxygen and inorganic carbon in its various forms, ph. (4.9 – 7.0), water temperature, climate, light intensity, water flow, salinity, and a high toxic mercury concentration.
The everglades comprise of wetlands, and fresh water body that supports aquatic life ,sawgrass and other biotic ecosystems.
Impact of Humans on the Everglades
- Human has been part of everglades ecosystem for thousands of years.
- The past 100year has seen significant changes in landscape, which has affected the ecosystem.
- The pressure on land due to the expansion of urban centre have affected the ecosystem
- The drainage system implemented was without adequate research on its effect on ecosystem causing further pollution.
- Environmental degradation has been due to pollution (U.S. Geological Survey, 1999).
- Other causes are due to the change of landscape from natural ecosystem to urban centre.
- Establishment of sugar processing plant and plantations have also contributed to environmental degradation in Everglades.
- These activities have degraded local environment leading to a decline in quality of biotic life.
Future Impact of Humans on the Everglades
Revision of the plan to halt sugar manufacturing plant would contribute to further environmental degradation if much is not done to conserve the ecosystem.
Population increase in the future may decline future life of biotic factors as well as exhaust abiotic factors such as phosphorus concentration which is essential to biotic factors.
Future settlement may lead to further change in the landscape, causing significant (negative) changes to the Everglades ecosystem.
Continued awareness on environmental conservation and good drainage systems would help conserve the ecosystem in the future (National Park Service, 2010).
Guidelines on human activities that would conserve Everglades
Further research should be conducted to implement drainage systems that would help in conserving the ecosystem.
More environmental awareness should be conducted in the area to enable people to help in conserving the ecosystem.
If research shows that the plantations are depleting phosphorus then it should be halted to avoid depletion of abiotic factors that support the ecosystem.
References
U.S. Geological Survey. (1999). Florida Everglades. Circular 1182. U.S. Geological Survey. Web.
National Park Service. (2010). Everglades: Nature and Science. nps.gov. Web.
Harti, G., Hoffman M., & Fleming M. (2005). Chernobyl: The True Scale of The Accident. World Health Organization. Web.
Nine Planets. (2011). A multimedia Tour of the Solar System: One Star, Eight Planets, and More. Nine Planets.org. Web.