9.

1 Human Activities that Endangered an Ecosystem Pollution

Human activities, such as development, transportation and industrialisation, are essential to

fulfil human needs and to maintain human life. At the same time, however, these activities can
upset the balance of the natural environment and damage the ecosystem. Examples of human
activities that can endanger the ecosystem are:

 Deforestation
 Agricultural activities
 Mining activities
 Industrial activities
 Unplanned development

Deforestation

Deforestation is the permanent removal of trees from the forests. Deforestation is needed for
logging, agriculture, road developments, mining, the building of dams, etc. These have
nevertheless resulted in a rapid clearing of forests which has detrimental effects. The effects of
uncontrolled deforestation are:

Erosion and landslides

Forests act as a giant sponge which releases water slowly into rivers. Deforestation causes the
top soil to be exposed to rain and wind. This will lead in soil erosion and landslides at hill slopes
when there is heavy rain. The rivers can become silted with soil and this can cause flash floods.
Climatic changes
As trees undertake the process of photosynthesis which causes carbon dioxide to be absorbed
and oxygen to be released, deforestation leads to a decreased amount of carbon dioxide being
absorbed from the atmosphere. The increase of the carbon dioxide can produce the green
house effect and lead to global warming.

Damaging natural habitats

Deforestation destroys the natural habitats of numerous plants and animals. This leads to a
decrease in biodiversity and the loss of potential uses of plants for medicine.

Extinction
When the natural habitats of plants and animals are destroyed, the animals and plants can
become extinct and be lost forever.

Intensive Agricultural Practices

Intensive agricultural practices often involve the massive clearing of trees from the forests.
Such clearing is needed for commercialisation such as farming and the rearing of livestock. In
addition, pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers which are being used in the farming and rearing
of livestock can lead to soil and river pollution.
Industrialisation

Industrialisation is important to sustain human life. However, at the same time, industrialisation
requires the usage of a large amount of energy and other natural resources which are derived
from fossil fuel and metal ores. The demand for energy and natural resources requires mining
of the fossil fuel and metal ores which will lead to the destruction of the environment. 

The demand of energy also leads to the building of new dams resulting in the
deforestation of large areas of forests and flooding of large areas of land. The burning of fossil
fuel for energy generation also leads to the emissions of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and
nitrogen dioxide which are harmful to the environment.

A Growing Human Population

The growing human population has a detrimental effect on the ecosystem. This growth
increases the demand for food, homes and transportation. These demands in turn result in
more land being cleared for farming and livestock to cater for the increased demand on food.
More buildings are being built to cater for the increased need for accommodation. 

The increase of the human population also increases the amount of domestic and
industrial wastes. These wastes, if not managed properly, would cause pollution. In addition, an
increased human population also increases the demand for transportation. This leads to more
vehicles on the road and increased air pollution from the release of gases from the vehicles.
Pollution

Pollution can be defined as any undesirable change in the environment due to the release of
harmful substances following undesirable human activities. There are four types of pollution,
namely:

 Air pollution
 Water pollution
 Thermal pollution
 Noise pollution

Air Pollution

Air pollution is the change in the composition of air due to the presence of pollutants (gases or
particles) in high concentrations that can be harmful to life as well as to the environment.

Sources of Air Pollution

There are various sources of air pollution. Motor vehicles use fossil fuel which emits carbon
dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, dust, etc. Industries also use fossil fuel as their
source of energy. Open burning produces a great amount of smoke, dust and carbon dioxide.
This in turn can cause hazes and affect visibility and human health.
Effects of Air Pollution on Human Health

Air pollution is detrimental to human health. The continuous inhaling of polluted air can cause
various ailments such as bronchitis, emphysema and cancer of the lungs and silicosis. It also
affects the eyes, causing them to become irritated and leading to conjunctivitis and other
problems.

Effects of Air Pollution on Building

Air pollution also reacts with the structural components of buildings such as the brick works,
paint and the metal components.

Effects of Air Pollution on Plants

Air pollution also damages plants by oxidising the cellular components and enzymes of the
plants. The air pollution causes the leaves to turn yellow. This process is known as chlorosis (a
reduction in the amount of chlorophyll). Prolonged exposure to air pollution causes the plants
to weaken, be infected by diseases and eventually, the plants die.
The Formation of Acid Rain

The formation of acid rain involves various stages. In the first stage, the large amounts of
sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide released from factories and vehicles combine with
atmospheric water vapour/droplets. This combination produces sulphuric acid and nitric acid in
the water droplets. The presence of acid in the water droplets causes the pH to drop below
5.0. 

The next stage is that rain is formed by these water droplets. This rain is acidic due to
the presence of the sulphuric and nitric acid. Acid rain produces an adverse effect on plants and
animals. It causes the destruction of the chlorophyll in the leaves. The leaves turn yellow and
the plants become devoid of sufficient nutrients and eventually die. The acidic rain leads to the
accumulation of minerals in rivers, lakes and ponds. This contamination causes the aquatic
plants and fish to be killed.

Water Pollution

Water is important to support life on earth. Without it, there will be no life on earth. Water
pollution can be harmful to living organisms. The growing human population has increased the
level of water pollution. The main source of water pollution is from domestic products such as
sewage and detergents. Agricultural activities, such as the excessive use of fertilisers and
pesticides, also contribute to water pollution. Industrial activities lead to the discharge of
industrial wastes which are also causes of water pollution.
Eutrophication

One of the main effects of water pollution is eutrophication. Eutrophication is a process where
the water in ponds or lakes becomes rich in dissolved nutrients (nitrates and phosphates)
produced from fertilisers or sewage. The high concentration of dissolved nutrients promotes
the growth of algae and blue green bacteria which cover up the surface of the ponds or rivers. 

As a result, sunlight is prevented from reaching the algae and aquatic plants at the
bottom of the water. Photosynthesis cannot take place and they die. The decomposition of
dead plants by the aerobic bacteria uses more oxygen in the water and reduces its
concentration. This in turn increases the biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). 

The BOD is an indication of the amount of dissolved oxygen in water. A lower BOD
indicates that a high amount of oxygen has dissolved in the water while a higher BOD indicates
that a low amount of oxygen has dissolved in the water. 

The BOD for clean water is less than 1 part per million (ppm; in highly polluted water
with human wastes, the BOD is between 200-400 ppm.

Thermal Pollution

Thermal pollution is the release of an excessive amount of heat into the environment. The
pollution occurs when the used air or water in a cooling system is returned to the environment.
The high temperature upsets the environment and endangers living organisms. The sources of
thermal pollution are the factories, nuclear reactors, electric power stations and tall glass
buildings. 

When factories, nuclear reactors, and electric power stations are built near rivers and
lakes, the water from these rivers and lakes are used in the cooling system. The hot used water
from the cooling system is returned to the rivers and lakes, causing their water temperature to
rise above the normal level. The high water temperature negatively affects the aquatic plants
and animals in the rivers and lakes.
Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is man-made noise that disrupts the environment. Excessive noise pollution is
harmful to living organisms. The sources of noise pollution are vehicles, aeroplanes and trains,
music, entertainment and drilling machines as well as noise caused by piling at construction
sites. 

Excessive and very loud noise can damage the ear drums as well as the cells in the inner
part of the ear leading to hearing loss and deafness. 

The threshold of the normal sound suitable for the ear is in the range of 40-60 decibels.
Sounds of higher decibels, such as the sound of a jet engine (> 125 decibels) and piling at
construction sites (>100 decibels) are not suitable for the ears and should be avoided.

9.2 The Greenhouse Effect and the Thinning of the Ozone

Layer

The Greenhouse Effect

It occurs whengreenhouse gases accumulates in the atmosphere to form a layer of
gases.Examples of greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, chlorofluorocarbon, nitrogen oxides,
methane and water vapour. These layer of gases trap th Sun’s heat around the world.
Therefore, this will lead to global warming.

Ozone Layer
Located in the atmosphere, it consists of ozone molecules which are made of three
oxygen atom. It acts as a protective shield that absorb the Sun’s harmful UV radiation.

The Thinning of the Ozone Layer

 The main cause is the increasing chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) in the air. CFC is a man made
gas used as refrigerant and propellants. CFC will release chlorine atoms when exposed to UV
radiation which can break down ozone molecules in chain reaction. This will cause the ozone
layer to become thinner.

9.3 The Importance of Proper Management of Development

Activities and the Ecosystem

The need for development and the effects of an increasing population on the
ecosystem

 The increasing in population cause the increase in development.

 Development interfere the balance in nature.
 Unplanned and unmanaged development cause environmental problems.
 Proper management of development activities are important.

The Importance of Proper Management of Development Activities

 Natural resource are non-renewable means once they have been used they cannot be
replaced.
 They need to be manage in proper ways to maintain balance in nature.
 Uncontrolled use of the natural resources will cause them to be used up.
 Carry out sustainable development to balance the demands and the needs for resources
with the need to conserve the resources.

Measures Taken in the Management of Development Activities

 Implementation of laws.
 Use of technology.
 Education on the management of resources.
 Preservation and conservation activities.
 The practice of biological control.