The impact of human

activities on natural
Resources
CSEC Biology - Section A (Living Organisms in the
Environment)
Teacher/Tutor: Miss T. Bartley
 Our Resources are
beneficial
 A natural resource is anything from nature that
we can use for our benefit.
 These include: living organisms, water, land,
wood, fossil fuel, minerals, wind, sunlight.
 Renewable Resources
 A renewable resource is easily replaced in
nature.
Non-renewable Resources
 A non-renewable resource is used up faster than
it can be replaced.
 Oil, natural gas and coal are all non – renewable
resources.
 Human activities impact
natural resources
 Human beings find use for water, plants
animals minerals and fossil fuels.

 The overuse of renewable and non –

renewable resources have a negative
impact on these resources and limits the
global availability.
 Energy
 The burning of fossil fuels increases the
amount of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere and also leads to depletion of
fuel sources.
 Deforestation
 We cut down trees for timber to make furniture
and paper and paper products. Some of these
practices leave the forest floor bare and
increases the possibility for flooding due to soil
erosion. Some living organisms also lose their
habitat.
 Water Activities
 Saltwater and freshwater resources are
used for transportation by sea of cruise
ships or goods for industry, recreation,
cooking and hydro-energy generation.
 Fishing
 Animals from the marine environment are
hunted as food by other animals and
humans. Over-fishing can lead to a
reduction in animal numbers and human
activities lead to pollution of marine waters
and destruction of habitat.
 Pollution
Air Pollution
 The release of harmful substances that are difficult to
remove from the environment is called pollution.

 We pollute the air with many greenhouse gases such as

carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide,
methane and chlorofluorocarbons. They contribute to
global warming.
 Global Warming
 Global warming causes rise in global temperature and
changes in rainfall patterns. This can cause droughts in
some places, floods in others, erosion of beaches and
destruction of habitats.

 Global warming impacts the Caribbean negatively due to

erosion of beaches and coral reefs.
 As a result, less money is generated from tourism which
is a major product of many Caribbean countries.
 Water Pollution
 Nitrates from organic fertilizers, phosphates from detergents,
organic wastes and solid wastes are the main pollutants of
freshwater. Nitrates and phosphates accumulate and cause
eutrophication. Eutrophication decreases the amount of oxygen
present in the water.

 Marine waters are usually polluted by oil spills from oil rigs or from
ships during transfer across the sea. The oil can be harmful to plant
and animal life in the waters.
 Solid waste Pollution
 The sea may also be polluted by solid waste from land due to bad
sanitary practices of humans. When people dump garbage into
gullies and drains these have the potential to enter the sea.

 Solid non – biodegradable waste may accumulate in the marine

environment and cause physical damage to plant life.

 Organic waste matter from untreated sewage and factory effluents

can also pollute the coastal waters of many countries. Many
chemicals may become absorbed into the tissues of aquatic animals
and hence move up the food chain via consumers of these animals.

 Pesticides used by farmers are harmless in small amounts.

However these can remain on plants and enter the food chain and
accumulate in body tissue when these plants are eaten repeatedly
by animals and humans.
 Food for thought
 How will pollution of the marine and
wetland ecosystems in our Caribbean
states impact the organisms in these
habitats? What effect will this activity
eventually have on the tourism product
and hence the economy?