ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE (TOPIC 5)

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DEFORESTATION

- permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other uses.
- clearing, destructing or otherwise removal of trees through deliberate, natural and
accidental means.

- is the direct or
indirect human induced conversion of forested land to non-forested land.

Causes of Deforestation

1. Agricultural activities – one of the major factors affecting deforestation. Caused by

overgrowing demands for food products.
2. Logging – trees are chopped for supplies for making of different products such as
paper, matchsticks, furniture, charcoal, firewood, etc.
3. Urbanization – trees are chopped to make roads and more land for housing, buildings
and settlements.
4. Mining – Roads and highways are built to make way for trucks and other equipment
needed.
 5. Forest fires – hundred trees are lost each year due to forests fire. This happens due to
extreme warm summers and milder winters.

Effects of Deforestation

1. Climate imbalance – deforestation can lead to imbalance in the atmospheric

temperature further making conditions for ecology difficult.
2. Increase in Global Warming – with constant deforestation, the ratio of green house gas
has increased.
3. Soil Erosion – the shade of trees maintains the soils moisture. With the clearance of
tree cover, the soil is directly exposed to the sun making it dry.
4. Floods – when trees are cut down, the flow of water is disrupted and leads to floods in
some areas and droughts in other parts.
5. Wildlife extinction – various species are lost. They lose their habitats and forced to
move to new location. Some of them are even pushed to extinction.

Possible Solutions to Deforestation

1. Replanting – also known as reforestation. This is the process of restoration or

replanting of forests that have been reduced by fire or felling. It requires an ongoing
process and should not be viewed as one time thing.
2. Green business – this is concerned with re-use and recycling. It focuses on re-using
items, reducing artificial items and recycling more items, since papers, plastics and wood
products are linked to deforestation of forests.
3. Law and Regulation – efforts to stop human activities can be complemented by laws
and regulation at governmental and organizational level. Laws on timber, wood fuel,
farming and land use among other forest resources must be advanced and enforced to
limit deforestation.
4. Educative campaigns – initiating awareness makes it easy for people to detect causes,
effects and ways of counteracting deforestation. Making conscious efforts to share
information with people is an appropriate measure of standing up in union to combat the
clearing of forests.

SOIL EROSION

- the process of eroding or being eroded by wind, water, or other natural agent.
 - in earth science, erosion is the action of surface processes that removes soil, rock or
dissolved material from one location on the earths crust and then transport it to another
location.

Causes of Soil Erosion

1. Deforestation – cutting down of trees without planting new one.

- Trees and plant act as anchor and holds soil in place. When there are insufficient trees
and plants on surface, then soil become lose and rapidly moves away with wind, water
and glacial till.
2. Running water – water can be extremely effective erosional agent, especially when it
pours down as rainfall and forms water runoffs along flowing flowing paths.

3. Overgrazing – is one of the causes of erosion. Overgrazing reduces the usefulness and
productivity of the land. The livestock press the subsoil into fine soil which can be carried
easily by wind and water. Reduced soil depth, soil organic matter, and soil fertility affects
the lands future productivity.

4. Faulty method of Agriculture – the most outstanding are wrong ploughing, lack of crop
rotation and practice of shifting cultivation. If the field are ploughed along the slope, there
is no obstruction to the flow of water and the water washes away the top soil easily.
5. Over irrigation – soil erosion is generally greater from surface irrigation because water
flows over the soil during irrigation.
 6. Wind – wind erosion can be caused by a light wind that rolls soil particles along the
surface through to a strong wind that lifts a large volume of soil particles into the air to
create dust storms.

Effects of Soil Erosion

1. Loss of Arable land – lands used for crop production have been substantially affected
by soil erosion. Soil erosion eats away the top soil which is the fertile layer of the land
and also the component that supports the soil’s essential microorganisms and organic
matter.
2. Water pollution and clogging of waterways – soils eroded from agricultural lands
carry pesticides, heavy metals and fertilizers which are washed into streams and major
water ways. This leads to water pollution and damage to marine and freshwater habitats.
3. Sedimentation and Threats to Aquatic System – high soil sedimentation can be
catastrophic to the survival of aquatic life forms. Silt can smother the breeding grounds
of fish and equally lessens their food supply since the siltation reduces the biodiversity of
algal life and beneficial aquatic plants. Sediments may also enter the fish gills, affecting
their respiratory functions.
4. Air pollution – wind erosion pick up dust particles of the soil and throws them into the
air, causing air pollution. Some of the dust particles may contain harmful and toxic
particles such as petroleum and pesticides that can pose a severe health hazard when
inhaled or ingested.
5. Destruction of Infrastructure – soil erosion can affect infrastructural projects as dams,
drainages and embankments. The accumulation of soil sediments in dams/drainages
and along embankments can reduce their operational lifetime and efficiency. Also the silt
up can support plant life than can, in turn cause cracks and weaken the structures.
6. Desertification – Soil erosion is a major driver of desertification. It gradually transforms
a habitable land and the ASAL region into deserts. The transformations are worsened by
the destructive use of the land and deforestation that leaves the soil naked and open to
erosion.

Types of Erosion:

1. Wind Erosion – is the removal soil particles by the force and kinetic energy of the wind.
These soil particles are transported and deposited when the wind energy drops.
 Cause of Wind Erosion:
o Wind erosion can happen anywhere and anytime the wind blows. Wind erosion
can occur in any area where the soil or sand is not compacted or is of a finely
granulated nature. Not only does wind erosion damaged the land by drying out
soil and reducing the nutrients of the land, it can also cause air pollution.
Effects of Wind Erosion:
o reduce capacity of soil to store nutrients
o burry oasis and forms sand dunes
o covers crops by sand and damaged them
o can move fertile soil away from desire area.
2. Water Erosion – is caused by the kinetic energy of rain falling on the soil surface and by
the mechanical force of runoff.
Cause of Water Erosion:
o infiltration, surface detention, overland flow velocity and subsurface water flow
are important soil erosion components of the hydrological cycle. The different
types of flow and their velocities may be turbulent or laminar, steady or unsteady,
uniform or non-uniform and influence the extent of erosion.
Effect of Water Erosion
o when rain water falls it causes soil or water erosion. Rainwater sweeps away the
topsoil, which exposes the layers beneath it to the natural elements, and
increases carbon dioxide release. This is a slow process that develops over time
and is not always harmful to ecosystems. However, the process can happen very
quickly and cause negative effects on various aspects of the ecosystem.

AIR POLLUTION

- is the introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause

harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural
environment or built environment, into the atmosphere.

Types of Air Pollution:

- there are several types of air pollution, mainly indoor air pollution and outdoor air
pollution. These include smog, acid rain, green house effect and hole in the ozone layer.
- one type of air pollution is the release of particles into the air.
- another type of pollution is the release of poisonous gases
 Outdoor Air Pollution:

o Smog – is a type of large scale outdoor pollution. It is caused by chemical

reactions between pollutants derived from different sources.
o Acid rain – it is caused when a pollutant combines with droplets of water in the
air.
o Green house effect – it generally comes from the build up of carbon gas in the
atmosphere.
o Hole in the ozone layer – is another result of air pollution. Chemicals released
by our activities affect the stratosphere.
Indoor Air Pollution
o it is more dangerous than the outdoor pollution, because we do everything in
enclosed environments where air circulation may be restricted.
Sources of Indoor Air Pollution
1. Tobacco smoke
2. cooking and heating appliances
3. vapores from building materials.

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

Solid waste – is the unwanted or useless solid materials generated from combined residential,
industrial and commercial activities in a given area.

Solid waste management – is the process of collection, transportation, and disposal of solid
waste in a systematic, economic and hygienic manner.

- is the process of collecting, treating, and disposing of solid material that is discarded
because it is of no longer use.

Classification of Solid Waste

- solid wastes are classified as:

Based on their sources of origin:
o Residential waste
o commercial waste
o institutional waste
o municipal waste
 o industrial waste
o agricultural waste
Based on physical nature
o garbage
o ashes
o combustible and non-combustible wastes
o demolition and construction waste
o hazardous waste

Methods for the treatments of the solid waste:

1. Open dumps – refer to uncovered areas that are used to dump solid waste of all kinds.
The waste is untreated and not segregated. It is the breeding ground for flies, rats and
other insects that spread disease. The rainwater run-off from these dumps contaminates
nearby land and water, thereby spreading disease. In some countries, open dumps are
being phase out.
2. Landfills – refer to the ground that has been filled in with soil and rocks instead of waste
materials, so that it can be used for a specific purpose, such as for building houses.
Landfill is also known as a dump or tip, is a site for disposal o waste materials by burial.
3. Sanitary landfills – are designed to greatly reduce or eliminate the risks that waste
disposal may pose to the public health and environmental quality.
4. Composting – is the biological decomposition of organic waste under controlled aerobic
condition.
5. Anaerobic digestion – is a regulated version of the natural events of landfill, in that it
results in the controlled release of methane-rich biogas, which offers the potential for a
very real form of energy from waste.
6. Vermicomposting – is a simple biotechnological process of composting, in which
certain species of earthworms are used to enhance the process of waste conversion and
produce a better end product.

POPULATION GROWTH

Population – refers to a group of organisms of the same kind or species living in the same
place at the same time. A population may increase or decrease due to birth, death, immigration
and migration.
Population growth – is the change in a population over time, and can be quantified as the
change in the number of individuals of any species in a population using per unit time for
measurement.

Problems on Population Growth

1. Food shortage – if there are more people, more food supply is needed. When there is
food shortage, this means there is not enough food supply to sustain the needs of the
people.
2. Water shortage – for more people, naturally more water is needed. In a place where the
population is big, there is water problem.
3. Housing problem – there are only few families who own their houses and lots. At times,
in crowded areas, people build their houses along the railroads, river banks and even
along sidewalks. These people are called informal settlers.
4. Unemployment – too many people compete with one another for the limited jobs that
are available. Unfortunately, the government cannot provide enough jobs for every job
applicant. Many applicants end up under employed working in jobs way below their
educational qualifications and attainment.
5. Peace and Order – due to big population, unemployment, hunger, homelessness,
sickness and frustrations, many people resort to illegal and criminal acts just to survive.
This leads to a rise in criminality that endangers the peace and security of the country.
6. Health problems – malnutrition due to lack of food and food nutrients. Unsanitary
surroundings due to indiscriminate garbage disposal. Poor hygiene and poor health.
Presence of diseases like bronchitis among babies, diarrhea and tuberculosis.
7. Garbage problem – when there are many people producing garbage, we need more
space for garbage. Rotting garbage gives off poisonous gas called methane. This adds
to air pollution. Heaps of garbage that easily decay are biodegradable and those that do
not are non-biodegradable like pieces of plastics or plastic bags. Plastic materials
clogging in esteros and canals contribute to flooding.
8. Pollution – in crowded communities, many people are prone to polluted air,
contaminated water and noisy environment. As the population grows, more industries
and factories are built. These give off harmful gases and chemicals like nitrogen oxide,
carbon monoxide, and lead. Water is also polluted in crowded communities.

https://www.slideshare.net/NicoleAngeliquePangilinan/deforestation-causes-effects-and-solution
https://www.slideshare.net/TaseerBaloch1/soil-erosion-142274781

https://www.slideshare.net/Haddies/solid-waste-management-55730939

https://www.slideshare.net/israela14/population-growth-35652168