Man’s impact on ecosystem

Questions and answers:

1- Which human activity can cause air pollution? What are the negative effects of air pollution?

Air can be polluted when trees and fossil fuels are burnt. Air pollution harms organisms and can cause
acidic rain and global warming.

2- What are the causes of global warming? What can global warming lead to?

As more trees and fuels are burnt, more carbon dioxide is released into the temperature and the
greenhouse effect increases. As a result, the average temperature of the surface of the Earth increases.
This is known as global warming.

Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of the surface of the Earth caused by green
house gases (carbon dioxide etc) which trap the Sun’s heat on Earth. Global warming can lead to rising
sea level, drastic climate change, loss of habitats and extinction of species.

3- Explain why litter thrown on land can cause water pollution. What can litter do to aquatic
organism?

People who litter contribute to water pollution as well. Litter thrown on land can be washed into
drains and rivers by the rain. The litter makes the water dirty and harms seabirds and aquatic
organisms. Sea animals may swallow and choke on the plastic products such as plastic bags which
are washed into the sea. They may be strangled by rings, wires or nets that found their way into the
water.

4- Write down four types of water pollutions. What are their effects on the environment?

a- Untreated waste water is released directly into the lakes, rivers and seas. Waste water contains
pollutants such as poison and harmful organisms which can cause diseases. These pollutants can
kill aquatic organisms or affect organisms on land which food on the organism living in the
polluted water.
b- Oil from ships and oil tankers can spill onto the sea water and pollute the water. Oil poisons
and harms the aquatic organisms and sea birds. The fur of sea mammals and feathers of sea
birds can be damaged by the oil.
c- People who litter contribute to water pollution as well. Litter thrown on land can be washed
into drains and rivers by the rain. The litter makes the water dirty and harms seabirds and
aquatic organisms. Sea animals may swallow and choke on the plastic products such as plastic
bags which are washed into the sea. They may be strangled by rings, wires or nets that found
their way into the water.
d- Fertilizers are sometimes washed off farms and gardens into the rivers and lakes. The fertilizers
provide nourishment and encourage algae to grow in large quantities on the water surface. The
algae prevent sunlight from entering into water. This prevents water plant in the water from
carrying photosynthesis. These water plants are food for fish and other aquatic organisms. The
algae also deplete most of the dissolved oxygen in the water when die and decompose. As a
result, other aquatic organisms die.
 Man’s impact on ecosystem
5- Why do human beings clear forests? What are the negative effects of deforestation on the
environment?

Human beings clear forest in order to gain access to these natural resources or to free land for housing,
agricultural or industrial development.

The roots of plant help to hold the soil down. Once a forest is cleared, the soil can be easily washed
away by the rain or blown away by the wind. This is called soil erosion. Erosion can cause landslides.

Forest plays a very important role in maintaining the levels of carbon dioxide and oxygen gas in the air.
Deforestation leaves fewer plants to produce food and oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. The level of
carbon dioxide gas in the air will go up and the oxygen will go down if too many forests are cleared.

6- Over-fishing is an example of over-exploitation of natural resources. Write down two effects

of over-fishing on the environment. Suggest one way to stop over-fishing.

There are a number of communities around the world that rely on fish as their primary resource for
food. The growth of overfishing can cause serious threat to these communities, which are often located
in developing countries. Without the ability to catch their food, their populations can be threatened.

Setting up more protected marine areas in the ocean is an effort to help reduce the effects of
overfishing on some of the world’s most incredible reefs and marine structures.

7- Give two reasons why it is important to conserve environment.

By cleaning the forest and polluting the environment, we harm the environment and other organisms.
We will suffer a lot from the damage done to the environment. Therefore, we need to protect the
environment and keep it clean and green.

8- Write down one way in which (a) the individual; (b) organizations; (c) the government can
conserve the environment.

One way to keep the environment clean and green is for us to practice the 3 ‘R’s – reduce, reuse and
recycle.

a- We can reduce the use of disposable and materials that pollute the environment.
b- We should reuse whenever possible.
c- We should recycle wastes such as old newspapers and plastic and glass bottles.