Preserving the Appalachian Culture

The biodiversity of the Appalachian region is very important to the ecosystem as well as to the people who inhabit the region, but the area is being threatened because of numerous human initiated causes. In order to preserve this area we must put an end to the method of clear-cut logging because the habitats in this area depend on its interconnected system. We must put an end to the method of mountain-top removal coal mining because of the result of useless flattened land, water contamination, etc. We must find an alternative to make dams more economically friendly in order to preserve the aquatic life in the rivers and streams in this area. We must change all of these human influences on nature and shift our attention to a more sustainable way of action in order to preserve and cherish the ecosystem.
From rainforest's and waterfalls to desserts and sand, from oceans and waves to mountains and mountaintops, from grasslands and prairies to the icebergs in Antarctica humans have put their foot onto just about every place imaginable on Earth. Planet Earth is thought of by some people to be what they call a “Gaia”. A Gaia is essentially a prospective view of the world as a living organism. In the Gaia view, it is believed that the Earth is relative to how the human body works. Like the human body, Earth has many vital “organs” that help make it possible for the Earth to function and remain habitable. These “organs” that I am talking about can be geographic features such as oceans, lakes, mountains, plains, volcanoes, rainforest's, etc. The veins in the human body are thought of to be like the rivers and streams that flow throughout various places on Earth giving life to these ecosystems. The idea is that these various geographical features make up an ecosystem that sustains itself and allows it to function properly on its own. Without these vital “organs” the world would not be habitable, just as the human body and its incapability of living, breathing, or operating without its functioning parts. Throughout the life of a human body, the body is exposed to many viruses and diseases that try to kill the body. The viruses and diseases can be correlated to the many disasters and human influences that our Earth’s ecosystems encounter. Although this is only a hypothesis that has yet to be proven a fact or by any means fictitious, what I have found in my research is that it could go one way or the other.
From looking at various sources, the summary of the arguments made were that there are many reasons why biodiversity needs to be sustained, in order for our world to keep revolving. The argument made most about ecosystems in terms of its sustainability is that species depend on the environment and likewise for the environment and its species, so we must help sustain it. But how accurate exactly is that statement? Can the ability of natural services be kept sustained even without some species, kind of like how some of our bodies can live without an appendix, kidney, lung, or half a pancreas? Is there anything we can do in order to save our ecosystems such as the human body has a natural reaction to fight diseases and viruses?
The Appalachian region has one of America’s most diverse forests. Broadcasted on PBS, the televisions series, Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People, author Chris Bolgiano states that “One acre of cove forests in the Smokey Mountains has more species of trees than in all of Europe. … (The cove forests have) hundreds of species of trees” –Chris Bolgiano (Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People). Since this area is so diverse in plant life, we owe it to ourselves to stop clear-cut logging in this region. Clear-cut logging is the practice of obtaining lumber by cutting down trees in large block segments. With the vast variety of trees and the amount of use that tree’s have to offer, it only makes sense to preserve and learn from them. Trees have many uses all the way from cosmetics to more practical uses such as for medicine. There is still so much research that could be done on trees alone that we must give ourselves a chance to find appropriate uses for them instead of tearing it all down. Who knows? Maybe they are the source for the cure of some cancers that has yet to be found. Among these reasons as to why the forests in the Appalachian region are important, clear-cut logging along with other forms of logging creates a disturbance to the environment in and around the area being cut. (Kiminski) The disturbance is bad for the environment because it doesn’t allow the smaller mammals to cater to their daily activities. Throughout the area of the Appalachian Mountains in eastern North America, there are 255 bird species, 78 mammal species, 58 reptile species, and 76 amphibian species; not to mention Kartesz and Meacham’s list of over 6,300 plant species in 10 states of the Appalachian region. (Pickering) Clear-cut logging of the Appalachian forests could drastically lower these numbers due to the annihilation of their habitats. There is a law that states that a company can only log 25 acres in a given area, but companies found that they could find a way around that law. They would log 25 acres and then leave a cushion of trees, then log another 25 acres. (Maywhoor)
Although the clear-cutting method is extensive, there are other practical solutions given that our society needs to cut down trees for the numerous uses that we cut them down for. Though we will forever continue to cut down trees for general use, lumbering companies must use better sustainable forest management in order to preserve the life within the forests. The only way an ecosystem and its inhabitants are ensured to survive is to make sure it stays connected to other ecosystems that surround it. This would decrease the possibilities of inbreeding, causing fewer fatal diseases caused from genetic disorders to occur. These interconnected ecosystems also provide numerous natural benefits as well including the cleansing of air and water, the reusing of nutrients, the renewal of soil, and the sustainability of its climate. (Pickering)
Not only is logging a hazardous disease caused by the human race, but the process of mountaintop removal has potentially just as much damage to the environment. Today, over half of the electricity used in homes is generated from burning coal. It is understandable that the demand for energy used these days’ makes it hard for one to weigh out the pros and cons of obtaining coal, which is why it makes sense to use coal as our main source of energy. (American Power) Because in today’s world it would be barbaric to live without flat screen televisions, top of the line computer systems, high-speed wireless Internet, high frequency stereo systems, blue-ray players, etc., mountaintop removal is one of the fastest and easiest ways to acquire the supply of our demand. Mountaintop removal is a type of mining that coal companies use to extract coal by means of blowing up the tops of mountains to get to the coal. There are many disastrous effects of extracting coal this way. Mountaintop removal buries head water streams, causes erosion and flooding, degrades water quality downstream, kills aquatic life, shakes walls and cracks of the foundation of homes, and wipes out huge portions of diverse ecosystems. (Reece,1-86) Understanding that our country is in need of this resource, we must at least move back to conventional ways of extracting coal, such as deep underground mining in order for us to stop the destruction of the neighboring ecosystems. This way we can maintain the jobs that are made from coal mining and also preserve our mountaintops.
The final virus instituted by humans to the environment that I would like to talk about is the placement of dams in our waterways. From past experience, researchers have found that due to dam building in the Appalachian Mountains, extinction among the regions aquatic groups are over 10 times more probable than extinction of terrestrial groups. (Pickering) The placement of dams results to a number of issues concerning the ecosystem. First, it doesn’t allow for free water flow downstream. This in turn doesn’t allow fish to migrate up down the dam. Another damage that this poses is that the dam blocks the flow of sediments in the water that helps hold up soil. Without these sediments in the soil, it could lead to mudslides and erosion of the embankment downstream. Another issue that the dam poses to the ecosystem is its reservoirs. Reservoirs build up water killing all the plants and habitats that were once land. On top of these two problems, the dam makes it hard for animals to find a way up or down the area that is dammed.
Although dams cause many environmental problems, it is understood that they are needed for many reasons. Dams can provide an alternative source of renewable energy, also known as hydroelectric power. Dams are also a means of flood control. When the raining season comes, the dam can control the amount of water flow downstream resulting in the control of flood situations. Among these proactive results to the placement of dams, they also provide year-round navigation, improved water quality and water supply, recreation, and economic growth. (TVA Website) Although dams are needed, we must change the system so it works with the environment, not the other way around. The reliance that aquatic species have on the steady flow of streams is numerous. Their reliance on the streams to migrate in order to spawn is crucial to their survival and without a system that can allow them to do so, one of our main sources of protein may be in danger.
Overall, the Appalachian Mountains have an enormous amount of life within its ecosystems. From the moths that are taking over the area to the trees that help with our nitrogen cycle; from the natural resources that can be found in this area to the dams that are built for multiple purposes, the Appalachian Mountains needs these functions to work together to sustain itself. All in all these factors are interconnected, making an “organ-like” effect that makes the world habitable. Just as I have said before, the body cannot live without its organs, just as the Earth cannot function without its “organs” (ecosystems).



Bibliographies:
1. Reece, Erik. Lost Mountain A Year in the Vanishing Wilderness Radical Strip Mining and the Devastation of Appalachia. New York: Riverhead Trade, 2007. Print.
2. Kiminski, Jeffrey A., Michelle L. Davis, Patrick D. Keyser, and Marcella Kelly. "Disturbance Effects on Small Mammal Species in a Managed Appalachian Forest." Disturbance Effects on Small Mammal Species in a Managed Appalachian Forest. 157.2 (2007): 385-97. EBSCO. Web. 28 Feb. 2010. .
3. Tennessee Valley Authority home page. Tennessee Valley Authority. Web. 12 Feb. 2010. .
4. Pickering, John, Roland Kays, Albert Meier, Susan Andrew, and Kay Yatskievych. "The Appalachians." Discover Life. P. R. Gil, R. A. Mittermeier, C. G. Mittermeier, J. Pilgrim, G. Fonseca, W. R. Konstant and T. Brooks, 6 Mar. 2006. Web. 07 Feb. 2010. .
5. "Issues and Policy." America's Power - Home. American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, 2007. Web. 08 Feb. 2010. .
6. Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People. By Jamie Ross. Dir. Ross Spears. Prod. Paul Wagner. Appalachiafilm.org/ APPALACHIA: A History of Mountains and People. National Science Foundation, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, The National Endowment for the Humanities, The Cherokee Preservation Foundation, Appalachian Regional Commission. Web. 7 Feb. 2010. .
7. Maywhoor, David. "Buckeye Forest Council." Buckeye Forest Council. Ohio University, Athens. 25 Jan. 2010. Lecture.

Research Argument Outline

Thesis:
The biodiversity of the Appalachian region is very important to the ecosystem as well as to the people who inhabit the region, but the area is being threatened because of numerous human initiated causes. In order to preserve this area we must put an end to the method of clear-cut logging because the habitats in this area depend on its interconnected system. We must put an end to the method of mountain-top removal coal mining because of the result of useless flattened land, water contamination, etc. We must find an alternative to make dams more economically friendly in order to preserve the aquatic life in the rivers and streams in this area. We must change all of these human influences on nature and shift our attention to a more sustainable way of action in order to preserve and cherish the ecosystem.
Introduction:
From rainforests and waterfalls to desserts and sand, from oceans and waves to mountains and mountaintops, from grasslands and prairies to the icebergs in Antarctica humans have put their foot onto just about every place imaginable on Earth. Planet Earth is thought of by some people to be what they call a “Gaia”. A Gaia is essentially a prospective view of the world as a living organism. In the Gaia view, it is believed that the Earth is relative to how the human body works. Like the human body, Earth has many vital “organs” that help make it possible for the Earth to function and remain habitable. These “organs” that I am talking about can be geographic features such as oceans, lakes, mountains, plains, volcanoes, rainforests, etc. The veins in the human body are thought of to be like the rivers and streams that flow throughout various places on Earth giving life to these ecosystems. The idea is that these various geographical features make up an ecosystem that sustains itself and allows it to function properly on its own. Without these vital “organs” the world would not be habitable, just as the human body and its incapability of living, breathing, or operating without its functioning parts. Throughout the life of a human body, the body is exposed to many viruses and diseases that try to kill the body. The viruses and diseases can be correlated to the many disasters and human influences that our Earth’s ecosystems encounter. Although this is only a hypothesis that has yet to be proven a fact or by any means fictitious, what I have found in my research is that it could go one way or the other.
From looking at various sources, the summary of the arguments made were that there are many reasons why biodiversity needs to be sustained, in order for our world to keep revolving. The argument made most about ecosystems in terms of its sustainability is that species depend on the environment and likewise for the environment and its species, so we must help sustain it. But how accurate exactly is that statement? Can the ability of natural services be kept sustained even without some species, kind of like how some of our bodies can live without an appendix, kidney, lung, or half a pancreas?
Body:
1. Logging
a. Clear-cut logging is the practice of obtaining lumber by cutting down trees blocks at a time
b. Effects of clear-cutting are numerous.
c. Alternatives to clear cutting
d. The reliance of the interconnected trees that species have with the ecosystem is enormous.
2. Mountain-top Removal
a. Mountaintop removal is a type of mining that coal mining companies use to extract coal by means of blowing up the tops of mountains to get to the coal.
b. There are many effects that mountaintop removal has on the environment including the fact that it buries head water streams, causes erosion and flooding, degrades water quality downstream, kills aquatic life, shakes walls and cracks of foundation of homes, and wipes out huge portions of diverse ecosystems.
c. Deep underground mining is the best alternative to Mountain-top removal.
d. The reliance of coal as our main source of energy makes it hard for us to stop this malpractice but we must change the way we remove coal to a more eco-friendly manner.
3. Dams
a. Dams are a barrier often placed on a waterway with a primary purpose to control water for electricity as well as other purposes.
b. The effects of the placement of dams extend beyond the water. Such as destroying of habitats due from the reservoir, altered migration of animals and fish, and the flow of sediments downstream to hold the soil in place.
c. Though there isn’t much of an alternative to building dams, there a ways for people to correct some of the negative effects on dam placement.
d. Although dams are needed, we must change the system so it works with the environment, not the other way around. The reliance that aquatic species have on the steady flow of streams is numerous.
e.
Conclusion:
Overall, the Appalachian Mountains have an enormous amount of life within its ecosystems. From the moths that are taking over the area to the trees that help with our nitrogen cycle; from the natural resources that can be found in this area to the dams that are built for multiple purposes, the Appalachian Mountains needs these functions to work together to sustain itself. All in all these factors are interconnected, making an “organ-like” effect that makes the world habitable. Just as I have said before, the body cannot live without its organs, just as the Earth cannot function without its “organs” (ecosystems).



Bibliographies:
1. Reece, Erik. Lost Mountain A Year in the Vanishing Wilderness Radical Strip Mining and the Devastation ofAppalachia. New York: Riverhead Trade, 2007. Print.
2. Kiminski, Jeffrey A., Michelle L. Davis, Patrick D. Keyser, and Marcella Kelly. "Disturbance Effects on Small Mammal Species in a Managed Appalachian Forest." Disturbance Effects on Small Mammal Species in a Managed Appalachian Forest. 157.2 (2007): 385-97. EBSCO. Web. 28 Feb. 2010. .
3. Tennessee Valley Authority home page. Tennessee Valley Authority. Web. 12 Feb. 2010. .
4. Pickering, John, Roland Kays, Albert Meier, Susan Andrew, and Kay Yatskievych. "The Appalachians." Discover Life. P. R. Gil, R. A. Mittermeier, C. G. Mittermeier, J. Pilgrim, G. Fonseca, W. R. Konstant and T. Brooks, 6 Mar. 2006. Web. 07 Feb. 2010. .
5. "Issues and Policy." America's Power - Home. American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, 2007. Web. 08 Feb. 2010. .
6. Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People. By Jamie Ross. Dir. Ross Spears. Prod. Paul Wagner. Appalachiafilm.org/ APPALACHIA: A History of Mountains and People. National Science Foundation, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, The National Endowment for the Humanities, The Cherokee Preservation Foundation, Appalachian Regional Commission. Web. 7 Feb. 2010. .

Food Inc. Pages 3-27 and 41-64

The book "Fast Food Nation" came to be when author Eric Schlosser was doing an article for the Atlantic Monthly in the mid 1990's. The article was supposed to be on the immigrants that were invasive at the time and finding work in the field's of California's agriculture, when it hit him that the reality of how our food is made wasn't what he had thought it was. It is well known that in order for people to stay healthy, they needed to focus more on vegetables, fruits, and nuts as their source of daily intake. In order to beat the influences that fast food has on our society today, we must educate the young about what foods are healthy in our school systems. Schools need to start serving healthier foods. It is said that if we don't change our eating habits, obesity could be the next leading cause of death next to smoking. Food Inc. states that we are what we consume and we are what that consumes. Cattle are given low doses of growth hormones and antibiotics into their feed in order to stay disease free. We put these antibiotics into the feed because of the increase of many diseases that has occurred in food history. Diseases such as mad cow, which is found in cattles nervous system, has been found 3 times since December of 2003. Other diseases such as ecoli is found in cattle and other foods when cattle is fed corn or soybeans instead of hay. Since factory farmers strive to increase the annual output of product, they are able to do this by feeding them these hormones and antibiotics. Because the industrial food industry is interconnection with the people who make laws and regulations on food, the regulation policies tend to be on the low end of the spectrum.
People must demand where their food comes from and organically grown foods are a better choice when it comes to how your food is grown. There are three different classifications when you see "organic" in the stores. The first classification is the labeling, "100% organic" which is self explanatory. The second classification is "organic" which means 95% or more of the ingredients from start to store shelves use organic products. Finally, "made with organic" entails that 70% or more of the product uses organics up to the point its put on store shelves. There are many ways that food production practices are abused. These practices include battery cages, fast growth of birds, forced feeding for foie gras, gestation crates and veal crates, long distance transportation, and electric stunning of birds.
This section of the book introduces the reader to the realities of the food production industry. It gives the reader solid facts about how our food is more of an assembly line than growing food. It seems that the companies producing our food is more worried about how much money they gross rather than the quality of the food that is fed to our country. The way can control the people in the government on the inside is kind of scary because all they do is throw the people with higher authorities some money and they will eventually get what they want, lower quality standards.

Position Statement on Research Argument

The biodiversity of the Appalachian region is very important to the ecosystem as well as to the people who inhabit the region, but the area is being threatened because of numerous human initiated causes. In order to preserve this area we must put an end to the method of clear-cut logging because the habitats in this area depend on its interconnected system. We must put an end to the method of mountain-top removal coal mining because of the result of useless flattened land, water contamination, etc. We must find an alternative to make dams more economically friendly in order to preserve the aquatic life in the rivers and streams in this area. We must change all of these human influences on nature and shift our attention to a more sustainable way of action in order to preserve and cherish the ecosystem.

Food Inc. Pages 183-218

In the first part of the section I read, Joel Salatin argues that the only effective way to deal with the problem of how our food is grown, is to opt out of the system. A couple question that he addresses give the readers a reason why this can be possible. Without the industrial food production industry, it is possible to feed the entire world. Up until recent centuries, the human population has been able to do this up until the revolution of the fast food industry. Another question he addressed was if locally grown foods were safe to eat. Indeed, he found that they are if not just as safe, then they are more safe given that they do not use chemicals to feed or process the food. He presents the idea of opting out of contributing to the industry just as an alternative, like he relates to the home-schooling option presented up through high school. He states that opting out consists of four basic ideas and things to do. The first one is to rediscover our kitchens. Since fast food and pre-packaged foods have come around, families have lost touch with their kitchens and the skills needed to cook.The second idea is to buy locally. Buying from farmers markets and locally owned grocery stores can support your community as well as straying from buying chemically and genetically altered foods. Another idea is to eat seasonally. Eating seasonally can take away from long transported foods that contain preservatives that keep them ready to eat. Lastly, it is good to plant a garden. Planting a garden allows consumers to know what exactly is done to the food and it ensures natural freshness rather than using chemicals.
One can stay away from buying foods that have been genetically or chemically altered by asking a series of different question that allows the buyer to know what, where, and how the food came to be. These questions should be asked to your farmer or local grocery. Was the animal raised on a pasture? Was it fed grass? How was the animal finished? Was it given antibiotics? Were steroids, hormones, or growth promoters used? How much time does it spend outdoors daily? How was it raised? Where did they live? These questions let you know lots about if the animals were treated correctly and if chemicals were used to make the process faster.
Nutrition is key. The nutrition guidelines to live by are to eat less, move more, eat fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, and to avoid too much junk food. If someone were to follow these guidelines, it would not ensure a healthy body. It also depends on the persons genetic makeup and habits such as smoking and drinking. A sign of obesity in the United States can be correlated to the amount of calories that are made available to society. The more production of foods are in the United States, the more of a supply there is. The more of a supply allows the consumer to buy more and consume more, making the intake of calories higher. Organics do have some benefits that are better than non-organics. Organic peaches and pears contain more vitamin C and E, whereas organic berries contain more antioxidants. Dairy products can be avoided all together given that the person eats a supplementary amount of fruits, vegetables, and grains. Fish is a good source of fatty omega 3 proteins and is needed in the body. The amount of sugar and sodas that are consumed can also correlate with the obesity in America.
This section of the book was very interesting and filled with facts and different comparisons with things other than food. The section was interesting to me because I liked reading about nutrition of the body and how to stay healthy. The book does a pretty good job of this so I don't mind reading about it. The part where it talked about rebelling against the Industrial food industry was kind of ridiculous at first but then he actually made it seem feasible to do.

Darwin: The Secret Life of a Reluctant Revolutionist By: Dr. David Quamer

Dr. Quamer's presentation about Darwin and his theories was awesome to say the least. In this lecture at Blackburn he addressed many questions but the focal question of this lecture was, Was Darwin Wrong? He started by saying that it has been 200 years since his birth and 150 years since his mose popular work, "The Origin of Species". He then stated that our of all the theories out there about how we as humans came to be, the only one that made the most sense was the theory of evolution, which Darwin with the help of Alfred Russell Wallace came up with. From there, he expained that the theory's purpose was not to attempt to expain life on Earth but the theory was supposed to explain life after the beginning of human existence. There were three main points that he had pointed out about Darwin's theory. The points were inheritance, variation, and reproduction. Inheritance suggests that offspring look like their parents. Variation suggests that offspring varies from their parents. Finally reproduction, where this lead to the idea of natural selection. He then expained that life on Earth is crowded and there are too many individuals for mates, food, etc. Because of this it leads to natural selection of the best offspring while the others die off.
Due to two of Darwin's characteristic traits that he had, he delayed the release of his theory. These two traits were caution and honesty. Caution because he waited 21 years before releasing the "Origin of Species". Honesty because he was devoted to science and rationality rather than other views such as religion. Alfred Russell Wallace co-discovered the theory because Darwin waited so long to release his idea. On July 1, 1858, Darwin and his colleague read the idea outloud in a Society meeting that they belonged to. People didn't think much of it and disregarded the idea as a big idea. Then Darwin began to write notes in his little book where he talked about a cat on an island and a cat in the city. Here he was getting to the point that if a cat breeded on an island secluded from mainland cats, it would eventually adapt and have distinct differences from mainland cats once brought back to the mainland.
Dr. Quamaer also talked about many other things about Darwin. Including his personal life with his wife and arguments against himself on his own theory. He also weighed out religious belief and decided that he didn't beleive it. Darwin ended up dying at age 73 of heart disease where his death was one where he suffered pain and nausea. People wanted to know if Darwin was afraid of death and his answer would be that he wasn't.
This lecture was very good and it about convinced me to buy the book, "Origin of Species" just to read more about the subject. And I probably would have bought it if I had an extra couple bucks in my pocket at the time. FYI, the sugar cookies and punch that they served after the lecture were REALLY good!

Research Exploration Essay w/Bibliographies

From rainforests and waterfalls to desserts and sand, from oceans and waves to mountains and mountaintops, from grasslands and prairies to the icebergs in Antarctica humans have put their foot onto just about every place imaginable on Earth. Planet Earth is thought of by some people to be what they call a “Gaia”. A Gaia is essentially a prospective view of the world as a living organism. In the Gaia view, it is believed that the Earth is relative to how the human body works. Like the human body, Earth has many vital “organs” that help make it possible for the Earth to function and remain habitable. These “organs” that I am talking about can be geographic features such as oceans, lakes, mountains, plains, volcanoes, rainforests, etc. The veins in the human body are thought of to be like the rivers and streams that flow throughout various places on Earth. The idea is that these various geographical features make up an ecosystem that sustains itself and allows it to function properly on its own. With out these vital “organs” the world would not be habitable, just as the human body and its incapability of living, breathing, or operating without its functioning parts. Although this is only a hypothesis that has yet to be proven a fact or by any means fictitious, what I have found in my research is that it could go one way or the other.
The diversity of our ecosystems is valuable for more reasons than one. First of all, many species depend on one another; whether it’s within the nitrogen cycle where soil, bacteria, and plants work together to produce many products that help out tremendously; or bees that provide the service of flower pollination; the dependency of species as food sources; or nature and its dependency on itself in order to regenerate ecosystems. Along with the dependence on one another, our diverse ecosystems offer many natural services including but not limited to its own natural water purifier. Everyday biologists and scientists learn more about what our ecosystems have to offer as well as the importance to preserve it. Though the biodiversity of our ecosystems are not often thought about in our everyday lives, it actually has plenty to do with our everyday lives. If someone were to put an economic value on the situation at hand, one would find that the biodiversity of our ecosystems are more important than to the naked eye.
From looking at various sources, the summary of the arguments made were that there are many reasons why biodiversity needs to be sustained, in order for our world to keep revolving. The argument made most about ecosystems in terms of its sustainability is that species depend on the environment and likewise for the environment and its species, so we must help sustain it. But how accurate exactly is that statement? Can the ability of natural services be kept sustained even without some species, kind of like how some of our bodies can live without an appendix, kidney, lung, or half a pancreas?
The Appalachian Mountains consists of three major sections; the northern, central, and southern section. The northern section starts in Quebec and New Brunswick, Canada going south down the eastern coast of Northern America to its southern point ending in Alabama. The Appalachian Mountains has over 500 protected areas including the Great Smokey Mountains National Park (Pickering). According to statistics in 2002, the Appalachian Mountains are homes to an estimated 22 million people and are expected to grow within the next decade (Pickering). Covering most of the eastern coast of our country it is important to understand the many uses that this mountain range has to offer.
The Appalachian region has one of America’s most diverse forests. Broadcasted on PBS, the televisions series, Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People, author Chris Bolgiano states that “One acre of cove forests in the Smokey Mountains has more species of trees than in all of Europe. … (The cove forests have) hundreds of species of trees” –Chris Bolgiano (Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People). Throughout the area of the Appalachian Mountains in eastern North America, there are 255 bird species, 78 mammal species, 58 reptile species, and 76 amphibian species; not to mention Kartesz and Meacham’s list of over 6,300 plant species in 10 states of the Appalachian region. Of these plant species, 27% are exotic species, meaning that they were non-native species; 76 are native species, and 6 species that are listed as extinct (Pickering).
Although this is one of the most diverse regions in North America, there are many pressures from human activity that refrain this area from becoming more diverse than it could. Relocation into these areas, building of dams, pollution, logging, coal mining, natural gas extraction, and recreational uses such as hunting are all direct pressures that affect this mountains biodiversity (Pickering). Many organizations are involved in making it known to the general public that these areas have a significant purpose. The Southern Appalachian Biodiversity Institute, also known as SABI for short, is one of these organizations aimed to educate the uneducated about this topic. Along with direct pressures, there are also indirect pressures as well. These pressures include uncontrolled fires, threats of invasive species such as the kudzu vines that can be found in Kentucky and in many other states south of Ohio (Pickering).
Due to population growth, people have had to expand their living accommodations by making cities bigger, ultimately leading to the invasion into the regions natural areas. Hiding away in these natural areas is privately owned lands that are the only areas big enough to become the heart of the new wilderness areas. Next to these big areas are smaller areas that provide as a perfect spot for breeding of species and recolonization. Without these areas that are laid out for breeding and recolonization, it would make the plant and animal population isolated and they would ultimately suffer repercussions. The only way an ecosystem and its inhabitants are ensured to survive is to make sure it stays connected to other ecosystems that surround it. These interconnected ecosystems provide numerous natural benefits including the cleansing of air and water, the reusing of nutrients, the renewal of soil, and the sustainability of its climate. (Pickering)
As of right now, America’s dependence on coal is very demanding. Today, over half of the electricity used in homes is generated from burning coal. The reason for this is that there is no other source of energy out there that is as abundant and affordable to the common person. Coal is so abundant in America, that in we actually have more coal here than the Middle East has oil. The demand for energy used these days’ makes it hard for one to weigh out the pros and cons of obtaining coal, which is why it makes sense to use coal as our main source of energy. (American Power)
Though environmentalists beg to differ, coal companies have made tremendous steps at attempting to make coal cleaner. Coal companies have spent well over $50 billion in commitment to making coal burning give off fewer emissions. Since the $50 billion investment, coal burning gives off 70% less emissions per unit of energy generated. (AmericanPower)
Another problem that people pose to the diversity of the natural environment, especially the aquatic biodiversity, is dams and water quality issues. From past experience, researchers have found that due to dam building in the Appalachian Mountains, extinction among the regions aquatic groups are over 10 times more probable than extinction of terrestrial groups. According to the Veves et al. list in 1997, there were a total of 74 aquatic species have gone extinct and 17 of those species became extinct due to damming in Alabama. To add to that list, there are over 50 mussel species that was added to the endangered species list. In 1999, Etnier found that 40% of fish put in danger were due to pollution and siltation while 32% of fish were put in danger by dams and other human impacts on the flow of rivers and streams. (Pickering)
Possibly the greatest threat to the biodiversity of the Appalachian region is the attack of the invasive species. Flora species in this area such as the American elm, dogwood, butternut, hemlocks, and beech are all trying to overcome this attack. Among these invasive species is the gypsy moth, which was introduced to control a pest problem. The gypsy moth is now taking over 300 species of moths that are native to this area. (Pickering)


Bibliographies:

1. Appalachia: A History of Mountains and People. By Jamie Ross. Dir. Ross Spears. Prod. Paul Wagner. Appalachiafilm.org/ APPALACHIA: A History of Mountains and People. National Science Foundation, The Arthur Vining Davis Foundations, The National Endowment for the Humanities, The Cherokee Preservation Foundation, Appalachian Regional Commission. Web. 7 Feb. 2010. .
2. Pickering, John, Roland Kays, Albert Meier, Susan Andrew, and Kay Yatskievych. "The Appalachians." Discover Life. P. R. Gil, R. A. Mittermeier, C. G. Mittermeier, J. Pilgrim, G. Fonseca, W. R. Konstant and T. Brooks, 6 Mar. 2006. Web. 07 Feb. 2010. .
3. Whitty, Julia, and Michael McCarthy. "Animal Extinction- The Greatest Threat to Mankind." Animal Extinction- The Greatest Threat to Mankind (2007). The Independent. 30 Apr. 2007. Web. 7 Feb. 2010. .
4. "Issues and Policy." America's Power - Home. American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, 2007. Web. 08 Feb. 2010. .

Paraphrasing Blog

The amount of medicines given to animals on factory farms are estimated to be above 70 percent, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists. In order to keep the animals healthy, the farmers must routinely feed pigs, chickens, and cattle their antibiotics. Because these drugs help these animals grow at a faster rate, the use of antibiotics help keep our supply well kept.(Michael Pollan, 2007)

From “Our Decrepit Food Factories” by Michael Pollan
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/16/magazine/16wwln-lede-t.html?_r=2&oref=slogin

Research Prospectus: Introduction and Bibliographies

From rainforests and waterfalls to desserts and sand, from oceans and waves to mountains and mountaintops, from grasslands and prairies to the icebergs in Antarctica humans have put their foot onto just about every place imaginable on Earth. Planet Earth is thought of by some people to be what they call a “Gaia”. A Gaia is essentially a prospective view of the world as a living organism. In the Gaia view, it is believed that the Earth is relative to how the human body works. Like the human body, Earth has many vital “organs” that help make it possible for the Earth to function and remain habitable. These “organs” that I am talking about can be oceans, lakes, mountains, plains, volcanoes, rainforests, etc. The veins in the human body are thought of to be like the rivers and streams that flow throughout various places on Earth. The idea is that these various landforms and flows of water make up an ecosystem that sustains itself and allows it to function properly on its own. With out these vital “organs” the world would not be habitable just as the human body and its incapability of living, breathing, or operating without its functioning parts.
In this paper I will dig into various questions that I raised when I was thinking about this global issue. Questions such as, what is biodiversity and what does it have to do with me? Why is it important to conserve biodiversity within ecosystems? What does the biodiversity of ecosystems have to offer? What will happen if the biodiversity of ecosystems are destroyed beyond where it can be recovered? Who is helping us keep our ecosystems stay as diverse as possible? Who is out to destroy biodiversity? Finally, How can we change our livelihoods in order to preserve these diverse ecosystems?
The diversity of our ecosystems is valuable for more reasons than one. First of all, many species depend on one another; whether it’s within the nitrogen cycle where soil, bacteria, and plants work together to produce many products that help out tremendously; or bees that provide the service of flower pollination; the dependency of species as food sources; or nature and its dependency on itself in order to regenerate ecosystems. Along with the dependence on one another, our diverse ecosystems offer many natural services including but not limited to its own natural water purifier. Everyday biologists and scientists learn more about what our ecosystems have to offer as well as the importance to preserve it. Though the biodiversity of our ecosystems are not often thought about in our everyday lives, it actually has plenty to do with our everyday lives. If someone were to put an economic value on the situation at hand, one would find that the biodiversity of our ecosystems are more important than to the naked eye.
Most people would say that there are many reasons why biodiversity needs to be sustained, in order for our world to keep revolving. The argument made most about the ecosystems is that species depend on the environment and likewise for the environment so we must help sustain it, but how accurate exactly is that statement? Can the ability of natural services be kept sustained even without some species, like how some of our bodies can live without an appendix, kidney, lung, or half a pancreas?

Bibliography:
1. Shah, Anup. "Why is Biodiverity Important? Who Cares?" GlobalIssues.org. Anup Shah, 18 Nov. 2009. Web. 25 Jan. 2010. .
2. Ridder, Ben. "Questioning the Ecosystem Services Argument for." Biodiversity and Conservation 7.4 (1998): 781-90. Springer link. Springer Netherlands, 23 Jan. 2008. Web. 1 Feb. 2010. .