CORAL REEF DEGREDATION

Coral reef degradation is a significant problem throughout the world. Currently, 27% of the worlds reefs
have been affected. Of this, 11% have been completely lost as the other 16% of the reefs have been
damaged severely. With these declining rates, the diversity of both plants and animals that rely on the
reefs are rapidly decreasing as well. Some of the threats to the coral reefs include wave disruptions,
global warming, and human activity such as development along the coast, land-based pollution, and over
fishing. These threats impact the coral reefs ability to grow and reproduce, increase the chances of
disease in the coral, and eventually lead to a loss of the coral

SOIL ERROSION
Is a naturally occurring process that affects all landforms. In agriculture, soil erosion refers to the
wearing away of a field's topsoil by the natural physical forces of water and wind or through forces
associated with farming activities such as tillage.
Erosion, whether it is by water, wind or tillage, involves three distinct actions soil detachment,
movement and deposition. Topsoil, which is high in organic matter, fertility and soil life, is relocated
elsewhere "on-site" where it builds up over time or is carried "off-site" where it fills in drainage
channels. It reduces cropland productivity and contributes to the pollution of adjacent watercourses,
wetlands and lakes.
Soil erosion can be a slow process that continues relatively unnoticed or can occur at an alarming
rate, causing serious loss of topsoil. Soil compaction, low organic matter, loss of soil structure, poor
internal drainage, salinisation and soil acidity problems are other serious soil degradation conditions
that can accelerate the soil erosion process.

ILLEGAL MINING
Is the absence of land rights, mining license, exploration or mineral transportation permit or of any
document that could legitimize the on-going operations. Illegal mining can be operated on the surface or
underground.
Illegal mining can also be a subsistence activity, as is the case with artisanal mining, or it can belong to
large-scale organized crime, spearheaded by illegal mining syndicates. Despite strategic developments
towards "responsible mining", even big companies can be involved in (partially) illegal mineral digging and
extraction, if only on the financing side

OIL SPILL
Is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially marine areas, due to
human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is usually applied to marine oil spills, where oil is
released into the ocean or coastal waters, but spills may also occur on land. Oil spills may be due to
releases of crude oil from tankers, offshore platforms, drilling rigs and wells, as well as spills of refined
petroleum products (such as gasoline, diesel) and their by-products, heavier fuels used by large ships
such as bunker fuel, or the spill of any oily refuse or waste oil.
Oil spills penetrate into the structure of the plumage of birds and the fur of mammals, reducing its
insulating ability, and making them more vulnerable to temperature fluctuations and much less buoyant in
the water. Cleanup and recovery from an oil spill is difficult and depends upon many factors, including the
type of oil spilled, the temperature of the water (affecting evaporation and biodegradation), and the types
of shorelines and beaches involved. Spills may take weeks, months or even years to clean up.

FLASH FLOOD
Is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas: washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused
by heavy rain associated with a severe thunderstorm, hurricane, tropical storm, or meltwater from ice or
snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields. Flash floods may occur after the collapse of a
natural ice or debris dam, or a human structure such as a man-made dam
Flash floods can occur under several types of conditions. Flash flooding occurs when it rains rapidly on
saturated soil or dry soil that has poor absorption ability. The runoff collects in gullies and streams and, as
they join to form larger volumes, often forms a fast flowing front of water and debris.

POLLUTION
Is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause adverse change. Pollution can
take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat or light. Pollutants, the components
of pollution, can be either foreign substances/energies or naturally occurring contaminants. Pollution is
often classed as point source or nonpoint source pollution.
Point source pollution is any single identifiable source of pollution from which pollutants are discharged,
such as a pipe, ditch, ship or factory smokestack. Factories and sewage treatment plants are two common
types of point sources.
Non Point Source pollution is caused by rainfall or snowmelt moving over and through the ground. As the
runoff moves, it picks up and carries away natural and human-made pollutants, finally depositing them into
lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters and ground waters

DEFORESTATION
Is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other uses. Examples of
deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use. Tropical rainforests is
where the most concentrated deforestation occurs.
Deforestation has many negative effects on the environment. The most dramatic impact is a loss of habitat
for millions of species it also drives climate change. Forest soils are moist, but without protection from
sun-blocking tree cover they quickly dry out. Trees also help perpetuate the water cycle by returning water
vapor back into the atmosphere. Without trees to fill these roles, many former forest lands can quickly
become barren deserts. Removing trees deprives the forest of portions of its canopy, which blocks the
suns rays during the day and holds in heat at night.
This disruption leads to more extreme temperatures swings that can be harmful to plants and animals.
Trees also play a critical role in absorbing the greenhouse gases that fuel global warming. Fewer forests
means larger amounts of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphereand increased speed and severity
of global warming.

OVER FISHING
Is a form of overexploitation where fish stocks are reduced to below acceptable levels. Overfishing can
occur in water bodies of any sizes, such as ponds, rivers, lakes or oceans, and can result in resource
depletion, reduced biological growth rates and low biomass levels. Sustained overfishing can lead
to critical dispensation, where the fish population is no longer able to sustain itself. Some forms of
overfishing, for example the overfishing of sharks, has led to the upset of entire marine ecosystems.
The ability of a fishery to recover from overfishing depends on whether the ecosystem's conditions are
suitable for the recovery. Dramatic changes in species composition can result in an ecosystem shift,
where other equilibrium energy flows involve species compositions different from those that had been
present before the depletion of the original fish stock. For example, once trout have been overfished, carp
might take over in a way that makes it impossible for the trout to re-establish a breeding population.
Overfishing occurs when more fish are caught than the population can replace through natural
reproduction. Gathering as many fish as possible may seem like a profitable practice, but overfishing has
serious consequences. The results not only affect the balance of life in the oceans, but also the social and
economic well-being of the coastal communities who depend on fish for their way of life.

PROJECT IN MAPEH
(Environmental Health
Problems in the
Philippines)
Submitted By:
Ina Caryl C. Amosco