Human Activities that Endanger an Ecosystem 1.

Burning of fossils fuels can cause air pollution, global warming and greenhouse effect. 2. Deforestation can cause landslide, flash flood, soil erosion, global warming, greenhouse effect, extinction of organism. 3. Besides that, excessive use of herbicides & fertilizers in agriculture leads to water pollution and eutrophication. 4. Uncontrolled development and industrialization leads to water, air and thermal pollution, greenhouse effect and thinning of ozone layer. Deforestation 1. Deforestation is extensive cutting down of trees from forest. 2. Millions of hectares of forest are cleared for their timber, and for urban development and agriculture. 3. The effects of deforestation: - soil erosion, landslide and flash flood  A land deforests and bare is exposed to the heavy rainfall. The rainfall softens and washes away the top layer of soil and causes soil erosion.  The top layer crumbles and causes landslide on steep hillsides  Prolonged silting in the rivers block water flow. The water then flows inland and causes flash flood. - Global warming and greenhouse effect  Deforestation disturbs the normal weather patterns and causes climatic changes - Extinction of organism  Deforestation causes the lost habitats for many species of organisms.

Excessive use of herbicides and fertilizers in agriculture 1. The herbicides & fertilizers in agriculture in farming helps to improve crop yields. 2. However, as nitrate and phosphate are very soluble in water, they are rapidly leached into the surrounding lakes and ponds. This leads to eutrophication (see water pollution). Burning of fossils fuels 1. Fossils fuels are fuels formed from partially rotten plants and animals many millions of years old. 2. The Burning of fossils fuels increases substantially the CO2 content in atmosphere. 3. This increases leads to global warming and the greenhouse effect. Uncontrolled development and industrialization 1. As human population increase, the amount of industrial and domestic wastes also increases. 2. Uncontrolled development of resources leads to the dumping of industrial and domestic wastes in landfills. The poisonous substances from the dumpsites flow to the ground and pollute surrounding water sources like rivers and ponds.

POLLUTION 1. Pollution is any undesirable change of the environment caused by the release of harmful substances from human activities. It threatens the health of the organisms in the environment. 2. Pollution are many harmful substances that have damaging effects on the environment

Air pollution Air pollution takes place when pollutants such as smoke, dust and so on. These pollutants endanger the health of man and other organisms. Pollutant Sulphur dioxide (SO2) y -colorless, pungent gas y -acidic Carbon monoxide(CO) y -toxic, colorless, odorless gas Sources y Factories y Combustion of fossils fuels in power station and vehicles engines y Volcanic gases y Factories y Vehicles exhaust fumes Effects y Causes asthmatic attacks y Acid rain damage leaf tissues

Nitrogen monoxide(NO) y Colorless, odorless, gas Nitrogen dioxide(NO2) y Brownish gas

y Combustion of fossil fuels y Motor vehicles exhaust

y Combines easily with haemoglobin and slow down the transport of oxygen to body cells y Prolonged exposure leads to brains damage and death y Cause bronchitis y Damage lungs tissues y Irritate eyes and throat

Acid rain: formation, effects and solution Formation of acid rain: Effects of acid rain: y Combustion of fossil fuels in y Increased acidity of the vehicle engines and power aquatic ecosystems kill stations produce huge planktons and other amounts of sulphur dioxide organisms & disrupts food and oxides of nitrogen in the chains atmosphere. y Release the ions of heavy y These gases react with water metals like lead which can vapour to form sulphuric acid contaminate the supply of and nitric acid drinking water y They fall to the earth as acid y Corrodes metals, and rain. stoneworks Water pollution 1. Water pollution is caused by industrial wastes, agriculture and domestic wastes discharged directly into rivers. Sources Effects of water pollution Solutions Fertilizers y Causes y controlled the use of From farm eutrophication. fertilizers Agricultural y this wastes and y Practiced biological wastes, herbicides herbicides can be pest controlled and pesticides in washed into rivers and y Use biodegradable vegetables farms & enter food chains in the herbicides. plantations water Household y Phosphate from y Use biodegradable detergents and detergents encourage detergents with low rubbish the growth of algae level of phosphates leading to eutrophication

Euthrophication Eutrophication is the adding of high nutrient content into water bodies Causes of eutrophication: High quantity of nutrient from: y Untreated sewage y Leaching of fertilizers mainly nitrates & and phosphate y Liquid manures washed out of farmyards Effects of eutrophication: y Low amount of oxygen in water causes death of fish and other aquatic organisms y High amount of nitrates in water may be dangerous to human babies

Noise pollution 1. Noise pollution occurs when high levels of noise disturb the peace of the environment. 2. World Health Organization (WHO)states that the noise level of residential of neighbourhood should ideally be less than 56 decibel (db)

Thermal pollution Thermal pollution is the production and release of excessive heat into the environment Causes Effects y Hot water from Rise in temperature of water power stations and factories is released into nearby ponds and rivers y excess heat liberated into the lakes and rivers raises the water temperature by 5-10oC Solution Control or stop the quantity of hot water Release from power station and factories into still-flowing rivers and lakes

The greenhouse effect and the thinning of the ozone layer The greenhouse effect 1. The greenhouse effect is the phenomenon of the over warming of the earth due to the increasing amount of greenhouse gases. 2. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere behave like the glass panes in a greenhouse which trap and warm the house. 3. Examples of these gases include CO2, CH4, CFCs and N2O.

The thinning of the ozone layer 1. The ozone layer is natural layer of ozone gas in the stratosphere about 15-25 kilometers above the surface of the earth. 2. The layer has a high concentration of slightly bluish ozone gas molecules (O3). It absorbs the ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. 3. The ozone layer acts as a natural shield to protect all living organisms on earth from the harmful effects of UV radiation.

The Importance of Proper Management of Development Activities and the Ecosystem. The need for development and the effects of an increasing population on the ecosystem. 1. Development is needed to improve the standard of living and to meet the requirements of an increasing population. 2. These activities have led to some interference with the balance nature. Oftentimes, they pollute the environment. 3. These environmental problems endanger our life and the ecosystem. 4. Therefore, every economic development project should be manage in a sustainable way in order to lessen the negative impact of development on the environment.

Measures taken in the management of development activities i. Implementation of laws 1. The government has enacted the following laws to protect our environment: (a) The environmental quality Act, 1974 & 1985 (i) it is the main legislation which regulates the prevention and control of pollution and the improvement of the environment. (b) The pesticide act, 1974 (c) The protection of wildlife act, 1972 (d) The national forestry act, 1984

ii. Use of technology 1. In a recent 2008 report, International Assessment for Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD) suggested the use of sustainable agro-ecological farming to meet the global food demand. This method can simultaneously reduce environmental problems like the toxicity threat from the intensive chemical usage in the form of fertilizers and pesticides. 2. Other application of technology methods include the following: (a) Electrostatic precipitator (b) Biogas technology (c) Recycle wastes (d) Drive hydrogen fuel-celled vehicles (e) Oil disintegration bacteria iii. Preservation and conservation of the ecosystem 1. Preservation of the environmental refers to the step taken to maintain the environment as close to its natural state as possible. 2. Conservation is the continuous wise management of the environment to minimize or reduce the damage to the environment. 3. Mangrove swamps along the coastline must be protect and conserve for the following reasons. (a) Prevent coastal erosion (b) Help in flood control nutrient retention (c) Act as a useful breaker a tsunami (d) Rich source of food, fuel, building materials and scaffolding iv. Education on the management of resources 1. Environmental education has been implement for the pupils schools for this purpose.

v. The practice of biological pest control 1. Biological pest control is the use of natural predators to control the population pests 2. Examples in Biological pest control: (a) Use of Cactoblastic caterpillar larvae to control the prickly pear cactus. 3. The effects of pesticides may affect the hold food chain and stay in the environment for a long time vi. The efficient use of energy 1. The increased efficiency in energy usage helps to reduce energy wastage and conserve it.

Management of the ecosystem 1. The management of the ecosystem involves the task of balancing human demands on the ecosystem with the need to maintain natural resources. 2. Proper management of the ecosystem involves the need to; (a) Preserve the flora and fauna of the ecosystems. (b) Maintain a clean and healthy ecosystem to reduce health problems among man.