University of Minnesota Moment: Earth Land Surface Transformation

Transcription

[Announcer]: I'm Rick Moore with the University of Minnesota Moment. News reports abound that the world's climate is changing and that forests and many animal species are disappearing at an alarming rate. Steven Manson, a U of M professor of geography, is taking a closer look at the phenomenon. Data he is gathering not only document, but also suggest reasons for the transformation of our environment.

[Manson]: When you look at the last say, couple hundred of years, of human habitation of the Earth, we've seen this situation where there's virtually no land surface on the Earth that has been untouched by humans. And currently we modify about 50% of the surface of the Earth, whether it's obvious things such as agriculture or building cities, or less-intensive ways such as logging and things like those temporary extractions.

[Moore]: One of Manson's studies looks at the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. His newer research will examine the metropolitan area of the Twin Cities.

[Manson]: So, arguably here in the Twin Cities, if we were take a little bit closer look at how we zone properties, do we want to have houses on very large lots, or do we want to have houses on smaller lots, tighter clusters? And these land-use decisions will have different effects on say runoff into lakes, or how much land cover is available for certain types of bird species or butterflies, or what have you. And, the very same decisions are made by the farmers in Mexico.