Chapter 9 Endangered Ecosystem

9.1 Human Activities that Endanger the Ecosystem

 What is Deforestation?
The extensive removal of trees from forests.

Vast area of forests are cleared for agriculture, development and logging activities.

 Regulating worlds climate. Functioning as habitat of various flora and fauna. Housing plants which produce food and pharmaceutical products. Regulating the amount of Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen through photosynthesis. Serving as water catchment areas.

 How does it happen? When it rains for a long period of time during rainy seasons, the top layer of soil loosens and slides down. Thus, Landslide occurs.

 The loss of stability of soil is due to deforestation. Clearing of trees causes the loss of tree leaves to protect soil from the impact of raindrops. It also causes the loss of tree roots to hold the soil in place. Soil is exposed directly to the force of rain. Heavy rainfall easily washed away the top layer of soil, causing Soil Erosion.

 The eroded soil is carried by water and may be deposited into rivers. During heavy rains, rainwater flows quickly into river because there is not retention of water by plant roots, as well as water catchment areas. Due to silting in the rivers, the water flow becomes blocked. Hence, water flows inland and causes flash flood in low area. Flash Floods cause loss of lives and properties. Soil erosion also leads to depletion of minerals for the land. The land cannot be used for cultivation.

 Deforestation leads to the loss of habitats for many species of F&F. This will cause an increased rate of extinction of plants and animals. As a result, it reduces the biodiversity & the source of food and valuable medicines for humans.

 When many trees are destroyed, it reduces rainfall, transpiration rate and rate of using Carbon Dioxide during photosynthesis by plants. Clearing & burning of forests also release vast amount of greenhouse gases, e.g. Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere. Deforestation contributes 20%-30% of carbon dioxide in atmosphere every year. Carbon dioxide prevents heat from escaping the atmosphere. Thus, the level of carbon dioxide increases and global temperature also increases, which results Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming.

 When forests are cleared, the areas become hotter and drier causing Climatic Changes and changes in wind patterns.

 Excessive use of land for farming leads to infertile land. Use of inorganic fertilisers such as nitrates and phosphates leads to Eutrophication.

 BOFF leads to an increase in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. As a result, this leads to Greenhouse Effect and Global Warming.

BOFF and open burning can also cause Air Pollution.

 Industrial plants discharge industrial waste and heaved waste water causing Water Pollution and Thermal Pollution. Toxic gases released by industries contribute to Air Pollution.

Pollutions

 What is pollution?

An undesirable change in chemical, physical or biological characteristics of natural environment. Environment is polluted by pollutants.
Pollutants may be toxic substances e.g. Pesticides, or natural constituents of atmosphere e.g. Carbon Dioxide. They may affect the soil, rivers, seas, or the atmosphere.

 Occurs when pollutants are released into the air. Will affect human respiratory system, human lives and other living organisms.

THE SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION AND THE EFFECTS

Carbon monoxide

Reduces the ability of the blood to transport oxygen

Lead to brain damage and death

Carbon dioxide
Affects respiration Acid rain-damage buildings Greenhouse effect and global warming

THE SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION AND THE EFFECTS

Nitrogen Monoxide and Nitrogen dioxide Damages lung tissues Irritates eyes

Lowers the bodys defence

Affects enzymes functions Acid rain-reduces the pH of soil,lakes and rivers,destroys buildings

THE SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION AND THE EFFECTS

Sulphur dioxide Irritates and damages eyes, air passage and lungs Causes coughing and wheezing Affect function of enzymes Reduces the growth of plants

Causes acid rain

THE SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION AND THE EFFECTS

Fine particulate matter Irritates the eyes and respiratory tract Contributes to haze that can cause bronchitis asthma attack, conjunctivitis, sore throat and others. Can cause mutation Soot can dirty and darken buildings Deposits on leaves and darken the vegetable

THE SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION AND THE EFFECTS

Lead (combustion of fossil fuels) Reduce the sensitivity of the hands and feet coordination Retards mental development in children Disrupts bodys ability to produce new cells May damage kidneys

THE SOURCES OF AIR POLLUTION AND THE EFFECTS

Hydrocarbon affects growth Causes cancer

Causes mutation

Acid rain Causes

Combustion of fossil fuels produces sulphur oxide and oxides of nitrogen Forms acids when dissolve in water Acids fall as acid rain Oxide of nitrogen combine with water to form nitric acid Sulphur dioxide combines with water vapour to form sulphuric acid.

Acid rain Solution

Use scrubbers to clean emissions from industrial plants Use catalytic converters to convert harmful emissions from exhaust pipes

Acid rain Effects

Corrodes metals, marble, rubber, plastics and other materials Leaching minerals such as calcium from the soil, causing infertile soil

Release ions of heavy metals such as lead which may contaminate the water
Destroys plant tissues and damages plant roots

Reduce the pH of the soil making it unsuitable for farming

Air Pollution Index (API)

Used as a measure of air quality Calculated based on concentrations of five particles and harmful gases in atmosphere.
API
0-50 51-100 101-200 201-300 301-500 Above 500

Status
Good Moderate Unhealthy Very unhealthy Hazardous Emergency

Water Pollution
Causes:

Discharging industrial, domestic and agricultural waste

Discharging sewage onto water source

Pollutants & Sources

Nitrates & Phosphates Pesticide & Herbicide Detergents Oil & Grease Suspended solids & rubbish Heavy metals Fertiliser from farm, agricultural run-off, sewage effluent Farms, agricultural run-off Domestic sewage Oil spills, industrial effluent Domestic wastes, industrial effluent Industrial plants Electronic factories Mining industries Factories which produce/ process paints, metals, ink Nuclear power station, research laboratory Untreated sewage, human faeces, animal wastes

Chemical & Radioactive waste substances Microorganisms

Eutrophication
What is Eutrophication?

- a natural process whereby an aquatic ecosystem becomes enriched with nutrients causing an excessive growth of aquatic plants.
Nutrients come from: Fertilisers

Sewage treatment
Animal wastes

Eutrophication
The increases nutrients in river, lakes and streams promote rapid growth of algae. Excessive growth of algae is called Algal Bloom.

How Algal blooms endanger the ecosystem 1

The densely populated algae cover the water surface and block sunlight. Unable to carry out photosynthesis, the aquatic plants die. When these plants die, aquatic animals lose their food sources and habitats. Hence, the food chain and ecosystem change Algae also reduces the level of dissolved oxygen in water

How Algal blooms endanger the ecosystem 2

When algae and other aquatic organisms die, decomposing organisms esp. saprophytic organisms use up oxygen to decompose the dead organic materials. This reduces the oxygen content in the water.

Eutrophication
Eutrophication increases the BOD value in water. Higher the BOD value, the more polluted the water as dissolved oxygen level decreases.

Eutrophication
Depletion in oxygen results in an increase in Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD) Eutrophication increases the BOD value in the water.

BOD refers to the amount of oxygen utilised by microorganisms to oxidise all organic matter in one litre of water.
The higher the BOD value, the more polluted the water as the dissolved oxygen level decreases.

Water Quality Index (WQI)

WQI is used by the Department of Environment to indicate the quality of water.
WQI Pollution level Class

92.8-100.0 76.6-92.8
52.5-96.6 29.7-52.5 < 29.7

Very clean Clean

Slightly polluted Polluted Very polluted

1 2
3 4 5

Thermal Pollution
Occurs when there is : an increase in temperature of water sources Excessive heat in the environment

Thermal Pollution Causes

Hot water discharged from industrial processes, cooling towers of power station and reactor plants- can increase river temperature by 10 Degree Celcius Radiation of heat from glass building

Thermal Pollution Effects

Reduce the level of dissolved oxygen in water. This affects the aquatic organisms. Cause some aquatic organisms to die because they can only survive in a certain temperature. Some also move away. This affects the food chain and also the entire ecosystem. Encourages Algae to grow rapidly which leads to high BOD value.

Noise Pollution
Occurs when our daily lives are disturbed by high level of noises. WHO recommends a noise level of not more that 55 dB (decibels).

When surrounding noise level reaches 80 dB or more it causes discomfort and affects the human health.

Noise Pollution Sources

Vehicles Jet planes Construction sites

Entertainment outlets
Machines

Noise Pollution Effects

Headache Emotional disturbance Mental disturbance

Deafness

Prepared by,

Chairyl Idee Shu.T