ECOSYSTEM DESTRUCTION

An ecosystem is a system of living and nonliving components that interact with one another and with their surroundings or a biological community of organisms that interact with one another and their physical environment.

Ecosystem destruction refers to the deterioration of the ecosystem through the depletion of natural resources such as water, air, and soil. It is defined by the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction as the loss of the environment’s capacity to meet ecological and social goals and requirements. Any disturbance or change to the environment perceived to be harmful or undesirable is also considered to be the destruction of the ecosystem. The destruction of the ecosystem can lead to global warming, water shortage, extinction of species, and other impacts that affect every living thing on the planet. Causes of destruction of ecosystem include:

1.     Environmental Pollution

2.     Climate change

3.     Land clearing

4.     Resource exploitation

5.     Population decline

Environmental pollution: The introduction of dangerous elements into the environment, which can degrade the quality of the air, water, and land, is referred to as environmental pollution. Pollutants can be naturally occurring, such as volcanic ash, or caused by human activities, such as waste or factory runoff.

Pollution may have a negative impact on ecosystems. Among these impacts are:

      i.         Disrupting the ecosystem's equilibrium and energy flow

     ii.         Poisoning organisms and creating quick and damaging environmental changes

   iii.         Certain species are stressed, making them more sensitive to disease and seasonal circumstances such as drought and cold, and limiting their capacity to react and live.

   iv.         Changing nutrient cycles and reducing biodiversity.

     v.         Climate change  threatens ecosystems all across the world.

 

 

 

Source:https://www.insightsonindia.com/wpcontent/uploads/2022/03/environment_polution.png

 

Land clearing: The process of removing trees, bushes, and other vegetation from a plot of land is known as land clearing. This is usually done so that the land may be used for a variety of reasons, such as agriculture, urban development, and other human activities.

Land clearing techniques include physical work, bulldozing, and the use of chemical herbicides.

MONDAY, 12 AUG 2019 By Mark Howden, Director of the Climate Change Institute at the Australian National University

Emissions from land use, largely agriculture, forestry and land clearing, make up some 22% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Counting the entire food chain (including fertilizer, transport, processing, and sale) takes this contribution up to 29%. This shows that land clearing is a major destruction and a threat to our ecosystem.

 

Resources exploitation: The use of natural resources for economic expansion, which can result in environmental damage, is referred to as resource exploitation. This can happen as a result of natural resource depletion, such as fossil fuels and subsurface minerals, or as a result of unsustainable consumption rates of renewable resources, such as food, water, forests, and animals.

According to the most complete environmental count of mine and farming, extractive sectors are responsible for half of global carbon emissions and more than 80% of biodiversity loss.

While this is critical for food, fuel, and minerals, a UN Environment research cautions that the rising material weight of the world's economy is putting a more severe amount of stress on the climate and natural life-support systems than previously imagined.

According to the Global Resources Outlook, which was issued in Nairobi on Tuesday, resources are being drained from the globe three times faster than they were in 1970, despite the fact that the population has only doubled in that time.

Each year, the globe uses more than 92 billion tonnes of materials, including biomass (primarily food), metals, fossil fuels, and chemicals.

 

Brazil, Peru, Colombia, Bolivia, Venezuela, Suriname, Guyana, and French Guiana are all part of the Amazon Rainforest.

Deforestation has devastated around one million square kilometers of Amazon rainforest since 1978. Among the causes of this devastation are logging, mining, and agriculture. The decline of the Amazon rainforest has a huge influence on global climate because it serves as a major carbon sink.

 

Nigeria's Niger Delta

Oil has been widely exploited in the Niger Delta, causing substantial environmental harm. Oil spills destroys aquatic habitats and endangers aquatic life, while gas flaring pollutes the air. Residents of local and industrial communities have been exposed to severe health risks and many people losing their jobs.

 

The Appalachian Mountains are located in the United States.

The Appalachian Mountains have been severely mined for coal, which has resulted in serious environmental impact. Mining for mountaintop removal has ruined entire ecosystems, and mining waste has poisoned streams.

 

EFFECTS OF ECOSYSTEM DESTRUCTION

 

The degradation of ecosystems can have serious consequences for the environment and human health. Here are five of the consequences of environmental destruction:

Destruction of habitat: Habitat degradation can result in biodiversity loss, which can have serious ecological consequences. Reduced biodiversity reduces ecosystem production and the quality of ecosystem services.

The loss of genes and individuals endangers a species' long-term existence because mates become rare and the chances of inbreeding increase when closely related survivors’ mate. The loss of whole populations raises the likelihood that a species will go extinct. 

Climate change: The loss of ecosystems leads to climate change, which can have serious consequences for ecosystems. Climate change that has already happened will undoubtedly have resulted in some ecological damage and biodiversity loss.

 Climate change has an impact on ecosystem functioning, and major disruptions can occur in life-sustaining ecosystem products and services.

Longer-term climatic changes have an impact on the sustainability and health of ecosystems, influencing modifications in the distribution of plants, diseases, animals, and even human settlements.

 

Water pollution: Ecosystem damage may result in water pollution, which can have serious consequences for human health and aquatic life. Pollution can occur as a result of chemical runoff or waste, or from energy sources (noise and light pollution).

 Poor water quality can lead to health issues such as diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid fever.

 

Soil erosion: The destruction of top vegetative layer can result in soil erosion, which can have serious consequences for agriculture and food security. Soil erosion can impair soil fertility, resulting in poorer agricultural yields and food shortages.

Biodiversity loss: Ecosystem damage can result in biodiversity loss, which is crucial for sustaining a healthy ecosystem.

This has long-term implications for the ecosystem and human well-being.

In conclusion it is critical to take action to avert additional devastation and to encourage sustainable behaviors. Reducing pollution, safeguarding forests and other natural ecosystems, and supporting sustainable agricultural and fishing techniques are all examples.

It is also critical to create public awareness about the necessity of environmental preservation and the effects of ecosystem damage.

We can assure a healthy and sustainable future for ourselves and future generations by taking action to safeguard the environment.

REFERENCES

 

1.     Pollution - National Geographic Society

 

2.     Environmental Pollution - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

 

3.     What Is Land Clearing and When Is It Necessary? - Sikes Concrete

 

4.     UN climate change report: land clearing and farming contribute a third of the world's greenhouse gases

 

5.     Resource extraction responsible for half world’s carbon emissions | Greenhouse gas emissions The Guardian

 

6.      Amazon Destruction - The Rainforest - Mongabay

 

7.     Powerful Pictures of Earth Being Destroyed - Business Insider