UNIVERSITY OF RWANDA

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT

DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

ARCH1256 PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT

STUDY TOPIC: ECOLOGY AND ECOSYSTEM

NAMES:

MUDATSIKIRA FABRICE 222002441

TWIZEYIMANA PASCAL 222002994

MANZI HUBERT 222002121

TUYISHIMIRE OLIVE 222007998

DATE: Dec, 04th, 2022

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Table of Contents
ECOLOGY AND ECOSYSTEM AND INFLUENCES OF HUMAN INTERVENTION................................................3
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................................3
STUDIES.......................................................................................................................................................3
AGRICULTURE AND ITS INTERVENTION IN THE ECOSYSTEM...................................................................4
WETLANDS AND RIVERS WITH THEIR INTERVENTION IN THE ECOSYSTEM.............................................4
RIVERS AND THEIR INFLUENCE............................................................................................................4
WETLANDS AND THEIR INFLUENCES....................................................................................................4
SITE VISITING...............................................................................................................................................5
Site 1: NYABARONGO RIVER....................................................................................................................5
Site 2: FARM............................................................................................................................................8
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................................10
References.................................................................................................................................................10

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ECOLOGY AND ECOSYSTEM AND INFLUENCES OF HUMAN
INTERVENTION

INTRODUCTION
In reference to the topic of study, Ecology is defined as the study of both ecosystems and the
environment. The ecosystem is therefore the study of biotic and abiotic elements in the environment.
In the case study below, we are discussing human interaction with nature which as a result impact the
environment and the ecosystem. There exist different changes in the biophysical environment, and
natural resources alongside biodiversity as a result of man’s activities to the environment. There also
exist recent and current conditions based on both natural and human intervention as they are detailed
in the next session.

STUDIES
It has been confirmed that humans are the top most beings that walk upright, walk on feet and have the
ability to create and use different tools with advanced brain capabilities. Human activities such as
agriculture, construction sites, and wetlands do affect the ecosystem and the environment as some of
the studies have discussed;

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AGRICULTURE AND ITS INTERVENTION IN THE ECOSYSTEM
Agriculture has got a big impact on a wide range of ecosystems; these impacts include biodiversity
conservation, pollination, and water quality. In turn, also, the ecosystem has an impact on agriculture as
well. Agriculture has been the main driver of the change in the environment as it is a source of different
changes in land deformation and landforms together with pollutants. Species that enjoy their life
underground are destroyed during cultivation whereas on the contrary the other species benefit food
from the crops grown. Ocean overexploitation, nutrient overloading, and water scarcity are the
interconnected trends associated with agricultural activities that together affect the globe and the
ecosystem at large.

It can then be concluded that meeting the people’s demand and rise in production has caused the
ecosystem to be degraded.

WETLANDS AND RIVERS WITH THEIR INTERVENTION IN THE ECOSYSTEM

RIVERS AND THEIR INFLUENCE
The ecology of rivers defines the link between living organisms and their connection with the
environment. The river ecosystem has in common variability in the rate of water flow, many
different microhabitats, and unidirectional flowing water. In reference to the publication of 2014
about the interaction of water with the environment (Pūtaiao, 2014) rivers have got a great impact
on the ecosystem; it’s a home for different aquatic animals and also play a big role in the formation
of rainfall which is beneficial in the change of seasons and environment at large. Rivers also favor
the possibility of agricultural practices by providing water for irrigation and fertile soils for
cultivation around those rivers. In the case of overflooding, rivers cause mass wasting which leads to
landslides and earthquakes. Man in search of inhabitants and land for cultivation does change the
direction of rivers which may result in either negative or positive impacts on the human
environment and ecosystem at large.

WETLANDS AND THEIR INFLUENCES

It’s a confirmed fact nowadays that wetlands are like the master controller of the ecosystem,
particularly the environment; the wetlands prevent and protect against floods, filtration of the soil
and soil retention, climate change mitigation, and biodiversity conservation. However, wetlands are
vulnerable to degradation and loss due to human activities. These activities such as wetland
encroachment, swamp drainage, agricultural activities, road construction, and man’s search for a
settlement are causing a loss in biodiversity, prolonged sunshine, and famine in both humans and
other biotic and abiotic elements.

Conclusively, wetlands have been playing a crucial role in promoting and protecting ecosystems, and
it’s for such reasons that people should work hand in hand to achieve a common goal of having a
clean and biodiverse environment. (Tudor Racoviceanu, 2015)

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SITE VISITING
Site 1: NYABARONGO RIVER

Figure 1 Site visit at Nyabarongo River in Kigali city

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Rivers as part of the ecosystem, the human interventions have big influence on them cause in
everything that human beings do need water which came from those rivers. referring to NYABARONGO
river that we have visited and observed different human activities that are being carried out around and
inside the river can show different impacts on the river as result of human activities on the river. They
are both good and bad impacts of human interventions on the river.

Figure 2: NYABARONGOriver

Good impacts of human interventions to NYABARONGO river

 As a way of preserving the rivers, people around NYABARONGO river with government
corporation have planted different types of trees in order to prevent soil erosion around the
river which can destroy the orientation of the river. Not only that but those trees also help to
establish boundaries of the river so that no one can cross them to pollute the river.

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  Through the common work which is known as “UMUGANDA” that was introduced by Rwandan
government where Rwandans gather and do different activities and one of them is to clean the
rivers and its banks by collecting waste materials that are in the river, planting trees on the
banks of the river removing out of the river the erosion that had been brought by rain into the
river and other cleanliness activities.

Figure 3: fishing activities in NYABARONGO river

Negative impacts of human interventions to NYABARONGO river

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  Pollution as one of the main bad effects of human activities in the ecosystem. Different kind
of wastes are being directed into the rivers not only saying NYABARONGO but also in other
different rivers have the same case of this problem of pollution where different industries
direct their waste chemicals inside the rivers and plastics that have occupied the wide range
of the rivers and lakes which have negative impact on aquatic life.

Figure 4: showing pollution in river

Site 2: FARM
Farming has got a big impact on a wide range of ecosystems; these impacts include biodiversity
conservation, pollination, and water quality. In turn, also, the ecosystem has an impact on farming as
well. farming has been the main driver of the change in the environment as it is a source of different
changes in land deformation and landforms together with pollutants. Species that enjoy their life
underground are destroyed during grazing whereas on the contrary the other species benefit food from
the crops grown. Ocean overexploitation, nutrient overloading, and water scarcity are the
interconnected trends associated with agricultural activities that together affect the globe and the
ecosystem at large.

It can then be concluded that meeting the people’s demand and rise in production has caused the
ecosystem to be degraded.

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Figure 5: grazing up of soil on Gaseke farm near Kigali city

Farming, therefore, has got an impact on nature and the formation of the environment and ecosystem
at large.

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Conclusion
To sum up, we have seen that different human activities like agriculture, constructions and wetland
activities has an impact on ecosystem. The negative impact is that there is a loss of biodiversity and the
positive impact is that there are different activities done by humans to prevent the degradation of
natural features like rivers, lakes and wetlands. Those activities are like community works “ umuganda”
but these activities are not enough. In our visiting of the site we have found that some people are not
aware of the dangers of degrading ecosystem. So there should be put much effort in public sensitization
about the preservation of the ecosystem.

References
Pūtaiao, P. A. (2014). RIVER ECOSYSTEM. Science Learning Hub.

Tudor Racoviceanu, C. C. (2015). WETLANDS ECOSYSTEM SERVICES ASSESSMENT AND VALUATION –

LITERATURE REVIEW. Research gate.

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