Human Activities That Endanger An Ecosystem

Deforestation

The permanent removal of trees from the forest

• Soil Erosion

• Landslides

• Flash floods

• Loss of biodiversity

• Climate changes

• Increase of carbon dioxide

• Greenhouse effect

Overuse Of Land By Intensive Farming

One of the effect of the human activities towards nature.

• Eutrophication

In intensive farming, farmers often use inorganic fertilizers, which

contain nitrates and phosphates to improve crop production. When
we use it excessively, this highly soluble inorganic nutrients do not
remain in the soil for long and are quickly leached out, ending up in
surrounding rivers and lakes. This will lead to eutrophication.

• Increase In Domestic And Industrial Wastes

Dumping waste materials in landfills causes a great danger to living

organisms as toxic substances and other pollutants from the
dumpsite are easily absorbed into the ground and eventually end up
polluting nearby water sources.
Pollution
Pollution can be defined as undesirable changes in the physical,chemical
or biological characteristics of the natural environment,brought about when
harmful substances or energy are released by human activities.there are
four types of pollutions:

• Air

• Water

• Thermal

• Noise

Air Pollution
Factors that cause air pollution:

• Burning of fossil fuels

• Exhausts fumes from vehicles (soot,lead,carbon monoxide,oxide of

nitrogen,hydrocarbon)

• Burning of fossil fuels in the combustion engines of vehicles and

electrical power station

• Industrial plants and factories (carbon monoxide,oxide of nitrogen

and sulphur dioxide)
Water Pollution
Factors cause water pollution:

• Eutrophication

Occurs when inorganic nutrients and organic materials enter a river

or lake

• Algal Bloom

The enrichment of lakes in rivers which nutrients encourages

photosynthesizing organisms in the water,particularly algae,to grow
rapidly,resulting in a population explosion

• Depletion Of Oxygen

Lead by the death of plants and algae and subsequent decomposition

of these organisms by bacteria.

• Rapid Growth Of Organisms

Leads to the increase in biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)

Thermal Pollution
• For some species,sudden increase in temperature can cause instant
death

• This will affect the food chain and may disrupt the entire ecosystem

• For organisms like algae,an increase in temperature encourages

rapid growth which lead to a higher BOD value

Noise Pollution

Can contribute to a development of stress related problems such as:

• High blood pressure

• Coronary disease

• Ulcers

• Depression

• Headache
The Greenhouse
Effect And The
Thinning Of The
Ozone Layer
 The Greenhouse Effect
When the sunlight enters the Earth’s atmosphere,some of its solar
radiation is reflected back into space. As the Earth is warmed,heat in
the form of infrared radiation is radiated back into space. However
much of this heat does not escape from the atmosphere,but remains
trapped by the greenhouse gases.

At the same time, greenhouse gases also radiate heat in the form of
infrared radiation back to the Earth. In this respect, greenhouse gases
behave a lot like the greenhouse glass panels of a greenhouse which
traps heat and warm to greenhouse,hence the term greenhouse effect.
The greenhouse effect is an important natural process. Without it, the
Earth would be too cold for the survival of living organisms.
 The Contribution Of Pollutant

Other contributory pollutants include chlorofluorocarbons

(CFC),methane,nitrous oxide and ozone. Since the beginning of the
Industrial Revolution,the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide
has increase by nearly 30% while the concentration of methane has
more than doubled.

Scientist believe that the burning of fossil fuels and other human
activities such as deforestation and industrial production are the
primary reasons for the increased concentration of the atmospheric
carbon dioxide. As the concentration of greenhouse gases rises,the
greenhouse effects become more pronounced. As more heat is
trapped in the atmosphere, the Earth’s average temperature rises. This
is known as global warming.

Over the last 40 years,the Earth’s average temperature has increased

by about 0.2oc-0.3oc. in Malaysia,the temperature is rising at 0.18oc
every decade. In the absence of emission control policies, carbon
dioxide concentration are projected to be 30-150% higher than today’s
level and the Earth’s average temperature may rises between 1.5oc to
4.5oc by 2100.
 The Thinning Of The Ozone Layer

The thinning of the ozone layer has been recorded by the scientist
since the 1970s. in 1985,it was reported that the stratospheric ozone
concentration over the Antarctica had declined by 40% since 1977.

The atmosphere at this area is at a very low concentration,resulting in

the forming of ozone hole. An ozone hole also has appeared above the
arctic as well.consequently, ultraviolet radiation has since risen by 7%
in a decade in the northern hemisphere and in the southern
hemisphere,the incresed is 10%.

Factors Of Thinning Of The Ozone Layer

The thinning of the ozone layer is mainly cause by (CFC) in the
atmosphere.

What is chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)?

CFC are a group of chemical compounds tha tcontain chlorine,carbon

and fluorine. These gases are used as coolants in air conditioners and
refrigerators,as propellants in aerosol cans and as foaming agents in
the making of Styrofoam packing. Since these chemicals are stable,
the can persist in the environment for as long as 75 to 100 years.

Impact Of Global Warming And TheThinning

Of The Ozone Layer On The Ecosystem

• The average increase in the Earth’s temperature could change

weather patterns and agricultural output.
• There is also convincing evidence from the research carried out
by the scientists that links the melting of the polar ice caps to
global warming. This can cause the rise in sea levels.

• By absorbing most of the ultraviolet radiation,the ozone layer

shields living organisms on Earth from the damaging effects of
ultraviolet radiation. But when the ozone layer is keeping thinner
every years, this can cause incidence of skin cancer and
cataracts among the population.
 The Importance Of
The Proper
Management Of
Developments
Activities And
Ecosystem

The Need Of Development And The Effects Of An

Increased Population On The Ecosystem

• The people’s needs increase as the country’s population increase.

 Example:

Dams are constructed to provide electrical power to the whole

country

• Humans interfere with the balance of nature through the activities and
contaminate the environment with pollutant.

Managing Development Activities To Ensure A Balanced

Ecosystem

• Our demands for resources have to be balanced with the need to

sustain the resources themselves

• Development activities must take into consideration the

environmental impact.

Renewable resources

• To exploit the natural resources in a sustainable manner

• We have to establish a level of selective harvesting

• Small efforts save the future of ours and the next generation
MARA JUNIOR SCIENCE COLLEGE TAIPING
BIOLOGY ASSIGNMENT

NAME: Tengku Nasfatee

CLASS:413
COLLEGE #:10033
TEACHER:PUAN NOREHA