Biology Assignment

Topic:
Environmental Degradation Due To Human Beings

Submitted To:
Dr. Faisal Mahmood
Submitted By:
Maleeha Iqbal (2653)

Hafiza Saman (2657)

Ayesha Ghazanfar (2660)

Rohina Tabassum (2690)

Kinza Sagheer (2698)

BS (Environmental Sciences), Second Semester

Government College University, Faisalabad

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 Environmental Degradation Due To Human Beings

Definition:

Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment by depletion of resources such as

water, air and soil; the destruction of ecosystems and extinction of species. It is defined as: “Any alteration or
disturbance to the environment seemed to be undesirable”

Environmental degradation is one of the ten threats officially cautioned by the High Level Threat Panel of
the United States. Human impact on the environment includes impact on biodiversity and other resources.

Human Activities

The human activities which cause environmental degradation are following:

(1) Burning of fossil fuels:

One of the major causes that lead to the environmental degradation is the release of carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere produced by human activities due to coal burning power plants and burning of fossil fuels. Fossil fuel
burning severely damages our environment.

(2) Agriculture Practices:

The environmental impact of agriculture based on the wide variety of agriculture practices employed
around the world, such as fertilizers and pesticides. About 2.5 million tons of pesticides are used yearly in developed
and developing countries, which severely affect the environment and cause air pollution.

(3) Fishing:

The impact of fishing on our environment can be divided in to the issues that include the availability of fish
to be caught, such as overfishing, and the issues in result of overfishing. There is a growing gap between the
availability of fish and humanity’s desire to catch them, a problem that gets worse as the world population grows.
Overfishing could result in decline in fish population or loss in biodiversity.

(4) Energy Industry:

Energy production and consumption severely damaged to our environment. Consumption of fossil fuel
resources such as coal and oil leads to global warming and climate change. Petroleum demand is projected to grow
20% in next six years.

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(5) Topsoil loss:

The industrialization during the last 150 years, specifically the enormous use of fossil fuel powered farm
machinery for plowing, has resulted in severe top soil loss. Soils are currently lost at the rate of inches per decade
while it takes hundreds of years for one inch of new topsoil to form. In the United States, 90% of the cropland is
losing topsoil at a rate faster than is being formed. Worldwide, about one third of arable land has been lost due to
erosion of soil.

(6) Coal Mining:

The impact of mining on environment includes erosion, formation of sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, and
contamination of soil, ground water and surface water by leakage of chemicals from mining processes. Besides
creating environmental damage, the contaminations resulting from leakage of chemicals also affect the health of the
local population.

Mining companies in some countries are mandatory to follow environmental and rehabilitation codes,
warranting that the area mined is returned to close to its original state. Some mining methods may have major
environmental and public health effects. It causes noise pollution, air pollution, toxicity and climate change.

(7) Nuclear power:

The environmental impact of nuclear power results from the nuclear fuel cycle processes including mining,
processing, transporting and storing fuel and radioactive fuel waste. Released radioisotopes cause a health danger to
human populations, animals and plants as radioactive particles move in organisms through various transmission
routes.

Radiation is a carcinogen and causes various effects on living organisms and systems. The environmental
impacts of nuclear power plant releases such as the Chernobyl disaster, the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster and
the Three Mile Island accident, among others, carry on indefinitely and cause toxicity in the atmosphere.

(8) Aviation:

The environmental impact of aviation take place because aircraft engines discharge particulates, noise and
gases which leads to the climate change and global warming. Despite emission reductions from automobiles and
more fuel-efficient and less polluting turbo fan and turbo engines, the rapid growth of air travel in current years
contributes to an increase in total pollution attributable to aviation. Worldwide, greenhouse gas emissions from
aviation increased by 87% between 1990 and 2006.

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(9) Shipping:

The environmental impact of shipping consists of greenhouse gas emissions and oil pollution. Carbon
dioxide emissions from shipping is projected to be 4 to 5 percent of the global total, and estimated by the
International Maritime Organization (IMO) to increase by up to 72 percent by 2020 if no action is taken. Most
commonly associated with ship pollution is oil spill. Oil spill causes death of marine life.

(10) Species Extinction:

Human’s influence on biodiversity is significant; humans have initiated the extinction of many species,
including the dodo and, possibly large mega faunal species during the last ice age. Though most experts comes to an
understanding that human beings have enhanced the rate of species extinction, the exact degree of this impact is
unknown, perhaps 100 to 1000 times the normal experienced rate of extinction. Some authors have hypothesized
that without human interference the biodiversity of this planet would continue to grow at a gigantic rate.

(11) Urbanization:

Urbanization refers to universal increase in population and the expanse of industrialization of a settlement.
It includes rise in the number and magnitude of cities. Due to unrestrained urbanization in the world, environmental
degradation has been occurring very rapidly and causing many problems like land insecurity, decreasing water
quality, too much air pollution, noise and the difficulties of waste disposal.

The urbanization effect the environmental components mainly climate, biosphere, land and water
resources. A circumstance study of urbanization in India and metropolitan cities have been accepted leading to
conclude on the existing causes of damage to the environment due to urbanization and protective measures to have a
check on them.

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(12) Deforestation:

Deforestation severely degraded our environment. Large scale deforestation causing in biodiversity
depletion, soil infertility and increased soil erosion at the river banks as well as significant changes in the climate of
that area. Scientists admitted that no revival efforts were being made to confirm sustained usage of the species. It
was suggested that alternative energy sources such as used engine oil, electricity, coal and gas should be adopted to
avoid deforestation to restrict further environmental degradation and probable extinction of the favored species
which are already endangered.

(13) Industrialization:

The quick industrial growth has resulted in water pollution, air pollution, and hazardous wastes which
cause environmental problems in many areas of the developing world. Industrial emissions along with the vehicle
exhausts cause air pollution, while absorptions of heavy metals and ammonia loads are often high enough to cause

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major fish kills downriver, from industrial wastes. Industrial wastes are often thrown away on unplanted or public
lands, in rivers, lakes and streams which cause water pollution.

(14) Clearing of Land Areas:

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 Land clearing terminates the plants and local ecosystems along with the elimination of food and habitat on
which other native species rely. Clearing permits weeds and the animals to spread, increase the greenhouse gas
emissions and can lead to soil degradation, such as erosion and salinity, which in turn can disturb the water quality.
The extinction of 20 different mammal, 12 bird and 97 plant species is considered in result of land clearing.
It has also been observed that past clearing of native vegetation contributed to higher temperatures, decreased
rainfall and more extreme droughts. The removal of vegetation damages the climate by removing shade and
reducing humidity. It also contributes to global climate change by shrinking the capacity of the vegetation to grip
carbon dioxide.

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References:

 www.inderscience.com/info/inarticle.php?artid=33499

 www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ind/ijbaaf/2010/00000002/.../art00003

 www.ask.com/.../What-are-the-human-activities-that-causes-environment

 www.scribd.com/doc/.../Introduction-to-Environmental-Degradation