Humans have been an active part of the park since an approximated 12,000 years ago. They left stories through disaster, and continued that trait even into the 20th century. Without the people, culture, and nature all working together, the park could not be what it is today.
For more info on historic places at the park visit: http://www.nps.gov/cuva/historyculture/places.htm
For more info on people that helped shape the area visit: http://www.nps.gov/cuva/historyculture/people.htm
(Websites will open in a new window)
For more info on historic places at the park visit: http://www.nps.gov/cuva/historyculture/places.htm
For more info on people that helped shape the area visit: http://www.nps.gov/cuva/historyculture/people.htm
(Websites will open in a new window)
Humans also have a direct impact on the carbon cycle in the area. Being in the midst of such urban places as it is, the burning of fossil fuels from nearby work areas directly adds carbon emissions into the cycle. (22) Also, with the encroachment of humans into their land, many organisms find themselves, if not already gone, in danger of extinction, as is the case for the Indiana Bat. (14) (15) With the loss of biodiversity, less organisms in an environment will be capable of fixing/removing the carbon in the atmosphere or land. Also, with the added effect of the Green House Effect, temperatures are increasing due to trapped rays into the atmosphere, and increased temperature has an effect of increasing the rate of decomposition in soil, and thus increases the amount of carbon dioxide from plants back into the atmosphere. It can also have a positive effect though, for plants. With the increased amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, stomata in plants can be open for less/same amount of time as before, but they will get more carbon dioxide in that they normally would have, and that will increase their rates of photosynthesis. (30) Overall however, from humans simply being in the vicinity of this park, its carbon cycle has been affected greatly.