Human Impacts on the Environment

Pollution

Invasive and Exotic Species

Loss of Biodiversity

Deforestation

Climate Change

Agriculture

Less tree cover, so more sunlight

Loss of habitat and/or microecosystems

Disrupts carbon cycle

Rising sea levels destroys intertidal ecosystems

Modifies abiotic factors of precipitation, which can lead to reclassification of biomes

Rising ocean temperatures bleaching corals

Soil degradation from overuse of resources

Divert natural water sources (e.g. Aral Sea)

Replace ecosystems with fields of one species (e.g. cow, wheat, etc.)

Causes

Effects

Bring in exotic diseases that native species are unprepared for

Create an environment where more invasive species can infect ecosystem

Compete with native species for food

Bought as pets

Niches need to be replaced because a native species went extinct

Species riding on mass transportation (i.e. airplanes, boats)

Case Study: Humans

Spread from Africa to all the continents minus Antarctica

Destroy all natural ecosystems in the way of their metropolises and other artificial ecosystems

Use lots of natural resources, driving species to extinction

Air

Acid rain from sulphates from air pollution

Methane released from decomposition of human fecal matter

Burning fossil fuels disrupting carbon cycle

Water

Land

Great Pacific Garbage Patch

Oil spills

Chemical runoff

Landfills and waste management

War (cf. Zone Rouge in France)

Radioactive waste from nuclear power plants