Human Activities That Affect

The Ecosystem
1. Deforestation

Humans have always cut down trees throughout

history. However, they now have the resources of
multimillion-dollar equipment that drastically increases
the rate of tree removal. The worlds rainforests are being
destroyed at a rate of 78 million acres per year, resulting
in vegetation degradation, nutrient imbalance, flooding
and animal displacement. Trees also act as a natural air
filter in the carbon cycle by taking in carbon dioxide and
releasing oxygen, so deforestation contributes to global
warming. Some estimates indicate that canopy forest
species will be reduced by 35 percent by 2040 if
deforestation continues at the same rate. Deforestation,
illegal logging, fossil fuel, land clearing. But a lot of the
things that waver the natural cycle of the ecosystems are

contributed to harmful gasses being released into the air,

via industrial activity.

2. Pollution

Vehicles, trains and planes emit toxic gases that

include carcinogenic particles and irritants, creating air

pollution. Humans have also dumped large amounts of

pesticides, such as organophosphates, onto crops that
migrate into groundwater and bodies of water, poisoning
ecosystems. Plants and animals die from exposure to
pollutants such as excess nutrients from chemical
fertilizers and other harmful chemicals. Pollution is
increasing around the world and results in loss of
biodiversity causing severe damage to self-sustaining
ecosystems. Animals are affected by pollution. Have you
heard of Fish Kill and Red Tide? Fish kill occurs when
the concentration of organic nutrients in bodies of water
drastically increases due to domestic wastes and
chemicals.

3.Fish Kill and Red Tide

Fish kills occurs when the concentration of organic

nutrients in bodies of water drastically increases due to
domestic wastes and chemicals. Red Tide is also a
dangerous occurrence in the aquatic ecosystem. Fishes

and shell foods from the water area declared as Red Tide
area is poisonous.

We affect the ecosystem in many different ways. Here are

a few examples and scenarios:
*We destroy about 150 acres of forest, every minute. You
can only imagine how much damage this alone does to
our planet.
*Because of our technology, we create a lot of waste.
Some of it comes in the form of radioactive materials,
some come in the form of other non-recyclable/slowrecyclable material like plastic and aluminum discarded
into nature every second and another form is the many
tons of hazardous materials we pump into the atmosphere
every second.
*Because of our activities, about 16 species go extinct
every day, never to be seen again.
*Because of all the fishing we do, a lot of aquatic life
forms are being killed off, either because we catch and eat
them, or because we catch and eat their natural food
which is/will produce a reaction that will destroy all
aquatic life since it's extremely delicate and a lot of the
species depend on each other to survive.
***The case on Global Warming still needs to be
researched more thoroughly. As of now, it is unclear if we
are causing it or not, evidence is pointing towards us NOT

being the cause of global warming. If we are indeed the

cause (which is of course speculation at this point), then
we are also responsible for transforming thousands, if not
millions of acres of habitable land to desert every day and
we would also be responsible for the melting the polar
caps.
These were a few examples and they were extremely
over-simplified since your question is extremely broad and
would need an answer consisting of a few million words to
fully address. I hope I have given you enough information.
These were a few examples and they were extremely
over-simplified since your question is extremely broad and
would need an answer consisting of a few million words to
fully address. I hope I have given you enough information.
Deforestation, Illegal logging, Fossil fuel, Land clearing.
But a lot of the things that waver the natural cycle of the
ecosystems are contributed to harmful gasses being
released into the air, via industrial activity.

Project in Science

Submitted By:

Kayla Marie H. Yater

VI-Mars

Submitted To:
Teacher Evalor B. So