MUZAFFAR SYAH SCIENCE SECONDARY SCHOOL AYER KEROH, MELAKA.

Chapter 4 Interdependence Among Living

Organisms And The Environment. 4.6 Maintaining The Balance Of Nature.
Group Members : Mardiha Binti Kamaruddin. Nurul Nadia Binti Ismail. Nur Emira Binti Ahmad Samsuri. Nurul Iman Faeza Binti Sulaiman.

MAINTAINING THE BALANCE OF NATURE.

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Human beings have a very close relationship with the ecosystem. Human beings are a part of the ecosystem that depend on living and non-living things for survival. Human beings interact with the ecosystem to obtain needs and to lead comfortable lives. Human beings obtain their needs in many ways. At the same time, they also disturb the balance of nature.

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Human activities bring about an imbalance and decline in the ecosystem. Human activities that destroy the balance of nature are: a) Forest/logging e) agriculture b) Industry f) construction c) Housing g) mining d) Fishing h) illegal hunting The large scale exploration of forests for agriculture, industry, settlement and infrastructure construction has resulted in the loss of wide forests tracts. Improperly planned conversion of forest areas have resulted in the destruction of habitats. Loss of natural habitats has threatened plants and animals with extinction.

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Human beings need a stable and productive ecosystem to ensure their survival. All our needs can only be obtained continuously, and over long period of time, if the ecosystem is stable and productive. Before starting on a project, we should carefully plan the project with full responsibility, so as to avoid adversely disturbing any member of the ecosystem, including ourselves.

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HUMANS ACTIVITIES AND ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THE ECOSYSTEM OR ENVIRONMENT.

1) Logging/mining/construction
Soil erosion. Sedimentation in rivers which causes floods. Destroys the habitats of many plant and animal species causing extinction. Disturbs the oxygen and carbon cycles.

2) Industry
Water pollution as a result of dumping of chemical wastes into river; this kills aquatic organisms. Air pollution as a result of releasing smoke, haze and acidic gases into the atmosphere.

3) Agriculture
The excessive use of pesticides and fertilisers pollutes the environment.

4) Rubbish disposal
Pollutes the environment.

5) Oil spills
Pollutes the sea and the coastal areas.

6) Hunting of animals
The extinction of animals.

 ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Humans activities cause pollution and have raised the following environmental issues: 1) the greenhouse effect 2) the thinning (depletion) of ozone layer 3) acid rain

1) The greenhouse effect

The greenhouse effect occurs because a layer of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere prevents a portion of the heat from escaping to outer space. The greenhouse effect raises the Earths temperature. This is known as global warming. This phenomenon causes changes in the weather and climate all over the world. Climatic change as a result of global warming causes the melting of icebergs in both poles. The sea level increases and this results in the flooding of low-lying coastal areas.

2) The thinning of the ozone layer

The ozone layer absorbs ultraviolet rays and prevents them from reaching the Earth. Chemicals such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are used in the manufacture of aerosol sprays, refrigerators and air conditioners. These chemicals are pollutants that break down ozone molecules in the ozone layer. As a result, the ozone layer has thinned. Ultraviolet rays that reach the Earth have adversely affected human health by causing skin cancer, cataracts an the immune system to function improperly.

3) Acid rain
Gases such as sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide dissolve in rainwater to form acid rain. Acid rain can: a) destroy the habitats of living things. b) lower the soil pH value and make it unsuitable for plants. River water that is polluted by acid rain is no longer suitable for aquatic organisms.

CONTROLLING ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION.

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Managing environmental pollution can save our Earth. The following are steps we can take to reduce environmental pollution: a) use unleaded petrol. a) make nuclear testing illegal. a) create special places to burn rubbish. a) tighten laws regarding the disposal of toxic waste from factories. a) fix catalytic converters on the exhaust pipes of vehicles to reduce the emission of harmful gases.

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stop the use of chlorofluorocarbons (cfcs) by replacing it with hydrochlorofluorocarbons (hcfs). fix equipment to clean the air by dissolving them into the atmosphere. create special places for the disposal of toxic chemical waste from factories. an ecosystem that is stable and productive supplies all our needs. therefore, we should be responsible to ensure that nature always remains in equilibrium.

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~ SAVE OUR EARTH!!! ~

~ THE END ~ -THANK YOU