Human activities that threaten an ecosystem

Human activities often affect the whole ecosystems. With great

advancements in the medical field, modern farming technique and better
infrastructure, the world’s population has grown to over 6 billion today.
Conflicts, therefore arise between the need to meet the immediate human
demands in the short term and the need to protect and conserve ecosystems
from long-term damage. Many of the problems related to the environment are
the results of human activities and human interference with the ecosystems.
Some human activities that have undesirable effects on the environment are
shown in the table below.

Human activities
that have
undesirable effects
on the environment

Overuse of Dumping of
Burning of fossil
Deforestation fertilisers in domestic and
fuels
inintensive farming industrial waste

soil erosion eutrophication water pollution air pollution

Deforestation
The rapid destruction of woodlands or the removal of trees from forests
is known as deforestation. Every year, vast areas of forests are cleared to make
way for agriculture and development. It has been estimated that more than 50
million acres of rainforests are destroyed or seriously degraded every year.

Effects:
Soil erosion
Soil erosion is the removal and thinning of the soil layer due to the physical and
climatic processes, such as high rainfalls. The absence of plant root systems
makes the soil structure unstable. When there are heavy rains for a long period
of time, the top layer of the soil crumbles. The eroded soil is then carried by
moving water and deposited at the bottom of rivers.
Overuse of fertilisers in intensive farming
Excessive use of land for intensive farming decreases the space and
resources available for other species. In intensive farming, farmers often use
inorganic fertilisers, which contain nitrates, phosphates and potassium ions, to
improve crop yields. Since nitrate and ammonium ions are highly soluble, they
do not remain in the soil for long and are quickly leached into the surrounding
river and lakes.

Effects:
Eutrophication
Dumping of domestic and industrial waste
An increase in human population generates an increase in both domestic and
industrial waste.

Effects:
Water pollution
Great danger to living organisms as toxic substances and other pollutants from
the dumpsites leak into the ground and eventually pollute the nearby water
sources.
Burning of fossil fuels
The burning of fossil fuels adds about 75% of carbon dioxide to the
atmosphere. An increase in carbon dioxide level is associated with the
greenhouse effect and global warming.

Effects:
 The greenhouse effect
 Global warming
 Air pollution
Air pollution
1. Air pollution is caused by the presence of pollutants in the air which are
harmful to life and the environment.
2. Sources of pollution are as follows:
a) Burning
- Rubbish
- Forest
- Solid waste

b) Factories and industries

- Burning of fossil fuels such as petroleum, diesel and gas in factories and
power stations.
- Agricultural industries that use agrochemicals such as fertilizers,
pesticides, insecticides and herbicides.

c) Motor vehicles
- Release harmful gases in car exhaust fumes.

3. Burning of fossil fuels produces gases such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen
dioxide. Burning of rubbish and emission of smoke and fumes from car
exhausts and chimneys in factories produce carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide
and soot (unburnt carbon particles).

4. Increase in carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) in the atmosphere will trap

the Sun’s radiation and retain it as heat in the Earth’s atmosphere. This
contributes to the greenhouse effect.

5. This will cause an increase in the Earth’s temperature.

Source of pollution:
(a) Pollutant: Dust and soot
-Cement factories, quarries, sawmills, burning of rubbish and motor vehicles.
(b) Pollutant: Carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen
dioxide
-Burning of fossil fuels and rubbish
-Car exhaust fumes.
(c) Pollutant: Lead
-Car exhaust fumes which contain lead
(d) Pollutant: Agrochemical substances
-Activities of agricultural industry
(e) Pollutant: Radioactive radiations
-Nuclear power stations
(f) Pollutant: Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)
-Aerosol and foam industries