Environmental Science

Topic 8: Human Impact in the Environment

The impact of human activities has had on biodiversity shows negative and positive impact on
natural ecosystem.

Negative Impact

A negative impact on the environment refers to any activity or change—natural or human-induced

—that causes harm or degradation to the natural world. These impacts can disrupt ecosystems,
reduce biodiversity, pollute natural resources, and contribute to climate change.

Negative Impact

Here are some key examples of negative human impacts on the environment:

Examples of Negative Environmental Impacts:

1. Pollution
o Air pollution (from vehicles, factories, etc.) contributes to respiratory problems,
ozone depletion, acid rain and climate change.
o Water pollution (from industrial waste, oil spills, or sewage, agricultural runoff)
harms aquatic life, bioaccumulation and contaminates drinking water.
o Soil pollution (from pesticides, heavy metals, overgrazing, over-farming,
deforestation, chemical use) reduces soil fertility and affects plant and animal
health, erosion and desertification.
2. Deforestation
Causes: Logging, agriculture, urban development.
Impact:
o Leads to loss of biodiversity.
o Disrupts the carbon cycle and contributes to global warming.
o Causes soil erosion and disrupts water cycles.
o Increased greenhouse gases.
3. Climate Change
o Caused by greenhouse gas emissions (e.g., CO₂, CH₄).
o Leads to rising temperatures, extreme weather events, melting glaciers, and sea
level rise.
4. Loss of Biodiversity
o Caused by habitat destruction, pollution, overhunting, and climate change.
o Disrupts ecosystems and weakens their ability to recover from environmental
stresses.
5. Overuse of Natural Resources
o Unsustainable mining, fishing, logging, and agriculture deplete resources and harm
ecosystems.
6. Waste Accumulation
o Plastic and non-biodegradable waste pollutes land and water.
o Improper waste disposal spreads disease and toxins.
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7. Overpopulation
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 Cause: High birth rates and resource consumption.

  Impact: Strain on natural resources, habitat loss, pollution increase.

8. Overfishing

 Cause: Unsustainable fishing practices.

 Impact: Collapse of fish populations, disruption of marine ecosystems.

8. Plastic and Solid Waste Pollution

 Cause: Improper waste disposal, single-use plastics.

 Impact: Ocean pollution, harm to wildlife, long-term environmental contamination.

9. Loss of Biodiversity

Cause: Habitat destruction, pollution, hunting, introduction of invasive species.

Impact: Ecosystem imbalance, extinction of species, reduced resilience to changes.

10. Urbanization

 Cause: Expansion of cities and infrastructure.

 Impact: Habitat fragmentation, increased pollution, heat island effect.

Why It Matters:

Negative environmental impacts can threaten human health, reduce food and water security, and
jeopardize the survival of countless plant and animal species. Addressing these issues through
sustainable practices is critical to preserving life on Earth.

Positive Impact

A positive impact on the environment refers to any action or effect that benefits the natural world,
helps maintain ecological balance, or reduces harm to ecosystems. These actions help protect
natural resources, improve biodiversity, reduce pollution, and ensure sustainability for future
generations.

Examples of Positive Environmental Impacts:

1. Planting Trees
o Increases oxygen levels
o Absorbs carbon dioxide
o Prevents soil erosion and provides habitat for wildlife
2. Recycling and Reusing
o Reduces waste in landfills
o Conserves raw materials and energy
o Lowers pollution from production processes
3. Using Renewable Energy
o Solar, wind, and hydropower produce clean energy
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o Reduces reliance on fossil fuels and lowers greenhouse gas emissions

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4. Conserving Water
o Protects freshwater ecosystems
 o Ensures sustainable water supply
o Reduces energy use for water treatment
5. Protecting Wildlife and Habitats
o Preserves biodiversity
o Maintains healthy ecosystems
o Prevents species extinction
6. Practicing Sustainable Agriculture
o Reduces pesticide and chemical runoff
o Protects soil health
o Conserves water and reduce deforestation

A positive environmental impact contributes to the health and sustainability of the Earth, helping to
reverse or prevent damage caused by human activities.

Effects of Technology

Technology is a double-edged sword—its impact on the environment depends on how it is

developed, used, and managed. Sustainable and eco-friendly technological practices can
significantly reduce environmental damage while improving quality of life.

Negative Effects of Technology on the Environment

1. Pollution
o Air pollution from factories, vehicles, and power plants.
o Water pollution from industrial waste and electronic waste (e-waste).
o Soil contamination due to improper disposal of tech-related chemicals.
2. Resource Depletion
o Excessive mining for minerals like lithium, cobalt, and rare earth elements for
electronics and batteries.
o Overconsumption of fossil fuels for powering technology.
3. E-waste Generation
o Old and obsolete devices are discarded, creating large amounts of toxic waste.
o Often ends up in landfills or is burned, releasing harmful chemicals.
4. Energy Consumption
o High energy use by data centers, cryptocurrency mining, and constant device
charging increases greenhouse gas emissions.
5. Deforestation and Habitat Destruction
o Construction of tech infrastructure (e.g., cell towers, roads, factories) can lead to the
loss of biodiversity.

Positive Effects of Technology on the Environment

1. Environmental Monitoring and Conservation

o Use of satellites, sensors, and drones to track deforestation, pollution, and climate
change.
o Helps in wildlife conservation and disaster management.
2. Clean and Renewable Energy
o Advances in solar panels, wind turbines, and energy storage reduce reliance on fossil
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fuels.
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o Smart grids improve energy efficiency.

 3. Green Technology
o Development of eco-friendly products and biodegradable materials.
o Innovations in water purification, recycling, and sustainable farming.
4. Reduced Paper Use
o Digital communication reduces the need for printing and paper, saving trees.
5. Sustainable Urban Planning
o Smart cities use technology to improve transportation, reduce waste, and manage
energy use more efficiently.

Biodiversity

 It is the variety of life and the variation at every level of biological organization from genes to
species to ecosystem.
 This exhibits the variability of living organisms from all of its origin, whether marine,
terrestrial and other forms in the ecological parameters which they are part, includes the
miscellaneous of every species in the ecosystem.
 It increases the stability of the ecosystem.
 It is the variety of living organism considered at these levels:
1. Genetic diversity – is the genetic variety of species both among individuals within a
given population and among separate geographically separate population.
- the variation in genes within a particular species or total number of genetic
characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species.
2. Species diversity – the diversity that includes all the different species on earth.
- refers to the variety and abundance of different species within a particular
region or ecosystem.
3. Ecosystem diversity -the variety of interactions within and among different
ecosystems.
- refers to the variety of ecosystems in a given region or on the entire Earth. It
includes the different habitats, biological communities, and ecological
processes, as well as the variation within individual ecosystems.

Loss of Biodiversity

 Refers to the decline or disappearance of biological diversity.

 Losing biodiversity weakens ecosystems, making them more vulnerable to environmental
changes and less able to support life — including human life.

Causes of Biodiversity Loss

1. Habitat Change. The species habitat has been changed from environmental land of
agriculture to commercial, industrial and / or residential.
2. Deforestation. The greatest problem forest is facing today. It contributes to the loss of
biodiversity due to the temporary or permanent dissipation of forest for other uses. Extreme
loss of forest tress may lead to an increase in global temperature.
3. Climate Change. This affect biodiversity and ecosystem when species change in distribution,
population, sizes and migration.
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4. Industrialization. It brings an increased demand use of technological development that

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depleted the environment.

 5. Global Warming. Is the excessive burning of fossil fuels that has caused concentration of
carbon dioxide and methane emission in the air to such high levels that it causes greenhouse
effect. It is the effect of trapping solar radiation in earth’s atmosphere in the form of heat.
6. Ozone Depletion. The declining of ozone in the stratosphere and the thinning of the layer
develops as every chlorofluorocarbon and other similar chlorine and bromine-containing
compounds attack the ozone layer.
7. Toxins. These originated from the industry that have gotten into the food chain. It is when
livestock and poultry feed contain antibiotics and hormones to accelerate animal growth but
has side effects to humans who eat the meat.
8. Eutrophication. Human activities can greatly accelerate the process of eutrophication (a
process in which a lake receives sufficiently large inputs of sediment, organic materials and
inorganic nutrients from its surroundings to support dense communities; murky to poor light
penetration) because nutrients are carried into lakes from farms, feedlots, sewage and even
fertilized suburban laws.
9. Open-Ocean Pollution. There are different threats to this kind of pollution such as depleting
coastal resources, diminishing coral reefs, overfishing and other waste materials and
contaminants in the ocean.
10. Over Population. It increases destruction of natural habitats as people convert natural
environments to commercial and residential land. Moreover, over population demands for
large consumption of resources by people which harms the environment.

Habitat Destruction

It is the process by which a natural habitat becomes incapable of supporting the species that live
there. As a result, the organisms that once lived in the habitat are displaced or die out, leading to a
loss of biodiversity.

Common causes of habitat destruction include:

 Deforestation (cutting down forests)

 Urbanization (building cities and infrastructure)
 Agricultural expansion (clearing land for farming)
 Mining and industrial activities
 Pollution
 Climate change

Effects of habitat destruction:

 Loss of plant and animal species (extinction)

 Disruption of ecosystems and food chains
 Decreased biodiversity
 Soil erosion and water cycle disruption

Habitat destruction is a major environmental issue that threatens the balance of ecosystems
and the survival of many species, including humans.

Conservation Biology
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It is a multidisciplinary scientific field focused on understanding and protecting Earth's biodiversity. It

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aims to prevent the extinction of species, preserve genetic diversity, and maintain healthy
ecosystems.
Key Aspects of Conservation Biology:

1. Biodiversity Protection – Identifying and protecting species, habitats, and ecosystems that
are at risk.
2. Threat Assessment – Studying threats like habitat destruction, climate change, pollution,
invasive species, and overexploitation.
3. Restoration Ecology – Rehabilitating degraded ecosystems and reintroducing endangered
species into their natural habitats.
4. Sustainable Use – Promoting the responsible use of natural resources to ensure long-term
ecosystem health.
5. Policy and Education – Influencing conservation laws, management strategies, and public
awareness.

Disciplines Involved:

 Ecology
 Genetics
 Environmental science
 Wildlife biology
 Sociology and economics (for human dimensions of conservation)

Conservation biology combines science and practical efforts to ensure that natural ecosystems and
species continue to thrive for future generations.

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