Major Environmental Issues
Environmental Issue Explanation of Issue Major Negative Effects
and Major on Environment
Causes/Examples
Climate Change/Global Greenhouse effect:
Warming Gases in earths atmosphere
keep the planet warm
allowing life to exist
Increases in g.h.
Gases such as carbon
dioxide & methane
from burning fossil
fuels
Deforestation (lowers
carbon dioxide
uptake)
Acid Precipitation Rain, snow, fog, etc.
with a pH of 5 or less
Burning fossil fuels
releases nitrogen
oxides & sulfur
dioxide
In the atmosphere,
these turn into nitric
acid
Ozone Depletion Ozone in the
stratosphere protects
life on earth from the
suns harmful rays
It was discovered to -increase in skin cancer
be getting thinner in -damage to plant tissue
1985
Man-made chemicals
called CFCs destroy
ozone molecules
These chemicals were
used as coolants,
propellants, and in
foams
Man-made increases
in these gases is
causing the planet to
warm quickly
Climate change:
precipitation &
temperature patterns
changing, migrating
biomes, increase in
severe weather,
melting of polar ice
caps, increase in
severe weather
Causes loss of life in
aquatic ecosystems
Damages vegetation
Reacts with nutrients
in the soil making
them unavailable to
plants
More UV radiation
hitting the earth
causes higher rates of
mutation:
Bioaccumulation/
Biomagnification of Certain
Pollutants
Threats to Biodiversity
1. Habitat destruction
2. Introducing non-native
3. Hunting organisms to
Introduction of
Non-Native/Invasive Species
Involves substances DDT causes birds to
that do not break lay eggs with fragile
down such as certain shells so eggs would
pesticides & heavy break when sat on
metals
When ingested, these
harmful substances
accumulate in animal
fat tissues
They move up the
food web & can be
found in the greatest
amount in organisms
at the top of the food
chain
DDT was the 1st
modern insecticide it
was cheap, lasted a
long time, killed many
different insects
Ways human actions
threaten biodiversity:
species
extinction
One of the most 24 rabbits turned
important threats to loose in 1859 in
biodiversity that come Australia, reproduced
from harmless plants at such a rapid rate
& animals that they have taken over
transport into new much of the continent
habitats
New habitats may not
have predators &
parasites that control
the invasive species
so their populations
increase rapidly