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Research a way humans are affecting an ecosystem.
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Humans affect ecosystems by polluting the environment. Our use of fossil fuels releases large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. These greenhouse gases trap heat and cause a rise in temperature. This contributes to climate change. Climate change can affect an environment. It can affect an environment so much that the environment becomes incapable of supporting life. Populations can die out, which leads to a huge impact on biodiversity.

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Human impact on ecosystems review (article) | Khan Academy

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SUMMARY: The population of humans are increasing. Therefore, the more humans there are, the more resources are being used. Humans constantly consume resources for their own needs, such as animals, fish, wood, and plants, which reduces the resources for other organisms. Humans also destroy natural landscapes. This displaces residing species, reducing available habitats and food sources.
LINK: https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-ecology/hs-human-impact-on-ecosystems/a/hs-human-impact-on-ecosystems-review

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Humans destroy natural landscapes through the mining of resources and urbanization. This is harmful to ecosystems as it disrupts the habitats and the different resources species depend on to survive. In other words, a certain species might rely on one food source. However, through the mining or urbanization humans cause, that food source might disappear, placing the certain species in a struggle to find food.
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-ecology/hs-human-impact-on-ecosystems/a/hs-human-impact-on-ecosystems-review

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Human population growth has grown to the point that there are 7.5 billion. In other words, humans are overpopulated. Needing more homes to live in is equal the increase in the amount of humans there are in the earth. This leads to deforestation, severely ruining an organism's home. More humans mean more amounts of food. More animals will be killed as a result. This has caused several extinctions, devastating the food chain/web. Sources on the earth is limited and with human overpopulation, there is not enough room to share with other organisms.
https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_sustainability/extinction/

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Humans are causing air pollution in ecosystems. Air pollution consists of chemicals that can harm plants and animals. We are causing this by the factories emissions from factories, cars, and planes. Additionally, when people smoke cigarettes, the smoke goes up into the air. When we cause air pollution to happen, we harm the wildlife. The air is not clean anymore which is bad for every organism to inhale.

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Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants. It also damages buildings. Pollutants in the air take many forms. They can be gases, solid particles, or liquid droplets.

Sources of Air Pollution

Pollution enters the Earth's atmosphere in many different ways. Most air pollution is created by people, taking the form of emissions from factories, cars, planes, or aerosol cans. Second-hand cigarette smoke is also considered air pollution. These man-made sources of pollution are called anthropogenic sources.

Some types of air pollution, such as smoke from wildfires or ash from volcanoes, occur naturally. These are called natural sources.

Air pollution is most common in large cities where emissions from many different sources are concentrated. Sometimes, mountains or tall buildings prevent air pollution from spreading out. This air pollution often appears as a cloud making the air murky. It is called smog. The word "smog" comes from combining the words "smoke" and "fog."

Large cities in poor and developing nations tend to have more air pollution than cities in developed nations. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), some of the worlds most polluted cities are Karachi, Pakistan; New Delhi, India; Beijing, China; Lima, Peru; and Cairo, Egypt. However, many developed nations also have air pollution problems. Los Angeles, California, is nicknamed Smog City.

Air pollution is usually thought of as smoke from large factories or exhaust from vehicles. But there are many types of indoor air pollution as well.

Heating a house by burning substances such as kerosene, wood, and coal can contaminate the air inside the house. Ash and smoke make breathing difficult, and they can stick to walls, food, and clothing.

Naturally-occurring radon gas, a cancer-causing material, can also build up in homes. Radon is released through the surface of the Earth. Inexpensive systems installed by professionals can reduce radon levels.

Some construction materials, including insulation, are also dangerous to people's health. In addition, ventilation, or air movement, in homes and rooms can lead to the spread of toxic mold. A single colony of mold may exist in a damp, cool place in a house, such as between walls. The mold's spores enter the air and spread throughout the house. People can become sick from breathing in the spores.
Indoor Air Pollution
Effects On Humans

People experience a wide range of health effects from being exposed to air pollution. Effects can be broken down into short-term effects and long-term effects.

Short-term effects, which are temporary, include illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchitis. They also include discomfort such as irritation to the nose, throat, eyes, or skin. Air pollution can also cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Bad smells made by factories, garbage, or sewer systems are considered air pollution, too. These odors are less serious but still unpleasant.

Long-term effects of air pollution can last for years or for an entire lifetime. They can even lead to a person's death. Long-term health effects from air pollution include heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases such as emphysema. Air pollution can also cause long-term damage to people's nerves, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. Some scientists suspect air pollutants cause birth defects. Nearly 2.5 million people die worldwide each year from the effects of outdoor or indoor air pollution.

People react differently to different types of air pollution. Young children and older adults, whose immune systems tend to be weaker, are often more sensitive to pollution. Conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and lung disease can be made worse by exposure to air pollution. The length of exposure and amount and type of pollutants are also factors.

Effects On The Environment

Like people, animals, and plants, entire ecosystems can suffer effects from air pollution. Haze, like smog, is a visible type of air pollution that obscures shapes and colors. Hazy air pollution can even muffle sounds.

Air pollution particles eventually fall back to Earth. Air pollution can directly contaminate the surface of bodies of water and soil. This can kill crops or reduce their yield. It can kill young trees and other plants.

Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide particles in the air, can create acid rain when they mix with water and oxygen in the atmosphere. These air pollutants come mostly from coal-fired power plants and motor vehicles. When acid rain falls to Earth, it damages plants by changing soil composition; degrades water quality in rivers, lakes and streams; damages crops; and can cause buildings and monuments to decay.

Like humans, animals can suffer health effects from exposure to air pollution. Birth defects, diseases, and lower reproductive rates have all been attributed to air pollution.

Global warming is an environmental phenomenon caused by natural and anthropogenic air pollution. It refers to rising air and ocean temperatures around the world. This temperature rise is at least partially caused by an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap heat energy in the Earths atmosphere. (Usually, more of Earths heat escapes into space.)

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that has had the biggest effect on global warming. Carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels (coal, gasoline, and natural gas). Humans have come to rely on fossil fuels to power cars and planes, heat homes, and run factories. Doing these things pollutes the air with carbon dioxide.

Other greenhouse gases emitted by natural and artificial sources also include methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases. Methane is a major emission from coal plants and agricultural processes. Nitrous oxide is a common emission from industrial factories, agriculture, and the burning of fossil fuels in cars. Fluorinated gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons, are emitted by industry. Fluorinated gases are often used instead of gases such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs have been outlawed in many places because they deplete the ozone layer.

Worldwide, many countries have taken steps to reduce or limit greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming. The Kyoto Protocol, first adopted in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997, is an agreement between 183 countries that they will work to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. The United States has not signed that treaty.

Regulation

In addition to the international Kyoto Protocol, most developed nations have adopted laws to regulate emissions and reduce air pollution. In the United States, debate is under way about a system called cap and trade to limit emissions. This system would cap, or place a limit, on the amount of pollution a company is allowed. Companies that exceeded their cap would have to pay. Companies that polluted less than their cap could trade or sell their remaining pollution allowance to other companies. Cap and trade would essentially pay companies to limit pollution.

In 2006 the World Health Organization issued new Air Quality Guidelines. The WHOs guidelines are tougher than most individual countries existing guidelines. The WHO guidelines aim to reduce air pollution-related deaths by 15 percent a year.

Reduction

Anybody can take steps to reduce air pollution. Millions of people every day make simple changes in their lives to do this. Taking public transportation instead of driving a car, or riding a bike instead of traveling in carbon dioxide-emitting vehicles are a couple of ways to reduce air pollution. Avoiding aerosol cans, recycling yard trimmings instead of burning them, and not smoking cigarettes are others. Global Warming

Fast Fact

Downwinders
The United States conducted tests of nuclear weapons at the Nevada Test Site in southern Nevada in the 1950s. These tests sent invisible radioactive particles into the atmosphere. These air pollution particles traveled with wind currents, eventually falling to Earth, sometimes hundreds of miles away in states including Idaho, Utah, Arizona, and Washington. These areas were considered to be "downwind" from the Nevada Test Site.

Decades later, people living in those downwind areascalled "downwinders"began developing cancer at above-normal rates. In 1990, the U.S. government passed the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. This law entitles some downwinders to payments of $50,000.

Fast Fact

London Smog
What has come to be known as the London Smog of 1952, or the Great Smog of 1952, was a four-day incident that sickened 100,000 people and caused as many as 12,000 deaths. Very cold weather in December 1952 led residents of London, England, to burn more coal to keep warm. Smoke and other pollutants became trapped by a thick fog that settled over the city. The polluted fog became so thick that people could only see a few meters in front of them.

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Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants. It also damages buildings.

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Humans affect the by clearing trees. This is called deforestation. Humans clear forests as space is needed to build buildings. Deforestation can effect many things such as the biodiversity of a species, the atmosphere, and the soil. Different species eat different foods, but if trees are being cut down, the food source decreases causing a decrease in diversity. Trees are able to remove carbon dioxide from the air, but is they are being cut down, the carbon dioxide levels will not decrease. Studies have shown that 17% of greenhouse gasses come from deforestation. Finally, soil is affected. When trees are cut down, soil is exposed to more sunlight. This increases the soil temperature and oxidizes the carbon in the soil to carbon dioxide.

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Deforestation is the clearing of forests to obtain lumber and provide space for either agricultural zones or urban development. As a result of massive global urbanization and agricultural development, deforestation is a major factor contributing to climate change. Deforestation alters not only nearby ecosystems -- communities of interacting organisms and their environments -- but also the atmosphere on a global level, with devastating results.

Biodiversity is the number of species in a given ecosystem. Since different species eat different foods and live in different types of habitats, a diverse set of vegetation can enable a greater variety of animals to live in an area. When forests are cleared to make space for large plantations growing one type of crop such as sugarcane or soy, wildlife diversity tends to plummet as species are displaced. However, if crops are introduced on a smaller scale and don't displace native species, they can actually increase diversity since they can act as a habitat for birds and herbivores.

Deforestation also affects nearby rivers, streams, and other water sources as nutrients from the soil are removed through leaching, which happens when water (e.g., from rain) removes soluble nutrients from the soil and carries them elsewhere. Water sources in deforested areas were shown to have higher nitrate levels, lower dissolved oxygen levels, and somewhat higher temperatures (from 20 to 23 degrees Celsius on average) than in forested areas. Water temperatures increase because the trees that provide cover from sunlight are cut down. All of these factors disrupt a river ecosystem because the species that live in the stream have adapted to conditions before the deforestation and may be negatively impacted by the sudden changes.

Deforestation affects not only a forest and its immediate surroundings but also the atmosphere, which in turn spreads across the biosphere -- all the planet's ecosystems and everything in them. According to a 2010 congressional study, 17 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions come from deforestation, from both burning trees and the resulting loss of photosynthesis, which removes carbon dioxide (a greenhouse gas) from the atmosphere. As trees are cut down and burnt, the carbon they contain is released into the atmosphere. Although the increased levels of carbon dioxide may stimulate forest growth, more data is needed to measure the long-term impact.

The soil that provides nutrients for vegetation in ecosystems is also affected by deforestation. Soil in deforested areas is exposed to more sunlight, which increases the soil temperature and oxidizes the carbon in the soil to carbon dioxide. Some of the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere comes from dead vegetation that decomposes in the ground. In heavily deforested areas, soil erosion and nutrient runoff are common after a rainfall. Soil erosion tends to be greater in drier, more mountainous areas, where there is less vegetation to prevent the movement of soil and to absorb the nutrients.

One possible indirect consequence of deforestation is the spread of diseases, including those originating from birds, such as avian flu. Climate change has already affected migration patterns, and infected birds may move to deforested areas that are more suitable habitats for them, spreading their diseases to the local bird populations. Diseases that are transmitted through insects, such as malaria and Lyme disease, are more common in open spaces with more sunlight exposure. These diseases infect not only birds and vertebrates found in these ecosystems, but also any humans that are exposed to these insects, either in the wild or in nearby urban areas.

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Deforestation is the clearing of forests to obtain lumber and provide space for either agricultural zones or urban development. As a result of massive global urbanization and agricultural development, deforestation is a major factor contributing to climate change. Deforestation alters not only nearby ecosystems -- ...

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Humans affect ecosystems by damaging the environment. Methods such as, overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation all can also result in  extinction of species, in addition to the harmed environment. By using a large amount of resources, humans are limiting the supplies of animals living in the ecosystems they take from.
Link:
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/topics/resource-library-human-impacts-environment/?q=&page=1&per_page=25

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One way that humans negatively affect ecosystems is through resource exploitation. Humans constantly use natural resources, preventing other organisms from using these resources for their own benefits.
Whether its trees, plants, or other organisms, humans are taking too much possession of these natural resources. Animals lose their habitats and food source, affecting the rest of their food web and ecosystem.

LINK:
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-ecology/hs-human-impact-on-ecosystems/a/hs-human-impact-on-ecosystems-review

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Humans affect ecosystems by overpopulating some places. Nature wasn't made for humans to over hunt animals like foxes and keep all it's prey alive leading to overpopulation.

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We as humans have become dependent on luxuries such as cars, houses, and even our cell phones. But what does our love for manufactured metallic and plastic goods do to the environment? Things like overconsumption, overfishing, deforestation are dramatically impacting our world.

Human activity can be directly attributed to the cause of hundreds of extinctions in the last two centuries, versus the millions of years that extinctions naturally occur. As we progress through the 21st century, humans have changed the world in unprecedented ways.

Human impact on the environment has become one of the main topics for university staff all over the world. While they search for the answer, the public needs to do its part. At least, you need to be aware of all the factors that contribute to this state and share the knowledge.

1. Overpopulation

Source: Diy13/iStock

Survival used to mean repopulating. That, however, is quickly becoming true for the opposite as we reach the maximum carrying capacity that our planet can sustain.

Overpopulation has grown into an epidemic since mortality rates have decreased, medicine has improved, and methods of industrial farming were introduced, thus keeping humans alive for much longer and increasing the total population.
SEE ALSO: WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY LOSS AND WHY IS IT A PROBLEM?
The effects of overpopulation are quite severe, with one of the most severe being the degradation of the environment.

Humans require space and lots of it whether it is for farmland or industries which also takes up tons of space. An increased population results in more clear-cutting, resulting in severely damaged ecosystems. Without enough trees to filter the air, CO₂ levels increase which carries the potential to damage every single organism on Earth.

Another issue is our dependency on coal and fossil fuels for energy, the larger the population, the more fossil fuels will be used. The use of fossil fuels (such as oil and coal) results in copious amounts of carbon dioxide into the air- threatening the extinction of thousands of species which adds to the effect that forest depletion already has.

Humanity continuously requires more space, which devastates ecosystems and increases CO₂ levels, further devastating the delicate environment. Although processed materials are necessary to power the cities, the previous assessment tells us that the planet can only sustain so much damage until it will begin to damage us.

2. Pollution

Source: zeljkosantrac/iStock

Pollution is everywhere. From the trash thrown out on the freeway, to the millions of metric tons of pollution pumped into the atmosphere every year- it's obvious, pollution and waste are inescapable.

Pollution is so bad that to date, 2.4 billion people do not have access to clean water sources. Humanity is continuously polluting indispensable resources like air, water, and soil which requires millions of years to replenish.

Air is arguably the most polluted with the US producing 147 million metric tons of air pollution each year alone.

In 1950, smog was so bad in LA that the ground-level ozone (atmospheric gas that is great in the atmosphere, not so much on the ground) surpassed 500 parts per billion volume (ppbv)- well above the National Ambient Air Quality Standard of 75 ppbv (6.6 times more to be precise).

People thought they were under foreign attack as the smog burned their eyes and left an odor of bleach in the air. That is when the devastating effect of aerosols was discovered.

While air quality in the US has slightly improved, the quality in developing countries continues to plummet as smog continuously blocks out the sun in a dense shroud of pollution. This is just one of the issues we have to tackle in the near future.

3. Global Warming

Global warming is arguably the greatest cause of impact on the environment. The largest of causes emanating through CO₂ levels from respiration to more detrimental causes like burning fossil fuels and deforestation.

At any rate, humans are consistently increasing CO₂ levels globally- every year. The highest level of CO₂ in recorded history before 1950 was about 300 parts per million. However, current measurements of CO₂ levels have exceeded above 400 PPM, abolishing every record dating back 400,000 years.

The increase of CO₂ emissions has contributed to the planet's average temperature increasing almost a whole degree.

As the temperature increases, arctic land ice and glaciers melt which causes the ocean levels to rise at a rate of 3.42mm per year, allowing more water to absorb more heat, which melts more ice, creating a positive feedback loop which will cause the oceans to rise 1-4 feet by 2100.
So what's the big deal?
4. Climate Change

Source: Sepp/iStock

Climate change is closely connected to the historical development of industry and technology. As global temperatures increase, Earth's weather patterns will drastically change. While some areas will experience longer growing seasons, others will become barren wastelands as water will deplete in vast areas, turning once floral regions into deserts.

The increase will impact weather patterns, promising more intense hurricanes in both size and frequency, as well as intensifying and prolonging droughts and heatwaves. But air pollution does not just affect the environment.

The evidence is mounting that poor air quality and rising temperatures are ruining delicate ecosystems, even leading to increased asthma and cancer rates in humans.

5. Genetic Modification

Source: simarik/iStock

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been a major contributor to the survival and prosperity of humans. GMO's are selected bred crops or crops that have had DNA directly implanted into it in order to give an advantage to the crop, whether that be to sustain colder temperatures, require less water, or yield more product.

But GMO's are not always intentional. For years humans have used glyphosate, a herbicide designed to eliminate weeds - the biggest threat to any plant. However, just as humans have a learning immune system, certain weeds have developed a resistance to 22 of 25 known herbicides, with 249 species of weeds completely immune according to the latest scientific report.

" Super weeds" threaten farming lands by chocking outcrops. One of the only solutions is to till the land, turning over the soil to kill the weeds and give an early advantage to the planted crops.

The disadvantage of tilling, however, is that it causes the soil to dry faster and kills off good bacteria, making its fertile lifespan significantly shorter. To replenish the depleted soil, fertilizer is used, which introduces a whole new set of problems to the environment and can be disastrous for local agriculture in the long run.

6. Ocean Acidification

is caused when CO₂ dissolves into the ocean bonding with seawater creating carbonic acid. The acid reduces the pH levels in the water, essentially changing the Ocean acidity by 30% in the last 200 years according to analysis - a level that the ocean has not been at in over 20 million years.

The acidity depletes the calcium concentrations, making it difficult for crustaceans to build their shell, leaving them vulnerable without their armor. Between the global temperature rise of one degree and the ocean acidification, scientists say a quarter of all coral reefs are considered damaged beyond repair, with two-thirds under serious threat. The death of coral reefs is a serious concern.

Coral reefs are home to 25% of aquatic life, many of which are responsible for the natural filtration of the ocean and production of necessary nutrients that are vital for life under the sea. However, acidification is not the only watery threat as there are other human activities causing severe changes. Things like plastic pollution and overfishing are wreaking havoc on our oceans.

7. Water Pollution

There are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean . Not only is garbage introduced into the oceans, but also the excessive amounts of fertilizer that finds its way into the ocean through rains, floods, winds, or dumped in excess right into the largest producer of the oxygen we have.

Fertilizer contains nitrogen, an element essential for the growth of plants- but that does not limit it to what it was intended for.

Phytoplankton and algae thrive off of nitrogen, causing excessive growth in what is known as " red tides" or "brown tides" in areas with high concentrations of nitrogen. The brown tide is caused by the rapid growth of billions of algae, which deplete water bodies of oxygen and cause the poison to accumulate in all life that consumes it, including fish and birds. But water pollution does not end there.

Year after year, millions of tons of garbage are dumped into the ocean. Since the garbage mainly consists of plastics, it is largely indissoluble. The garbage accumulates in large vortexes across the ocean.

Marine life, including the loggerhead sea turtles, are tricked into thinking they are eating food when really it is only a floating plastic bag or other poisonous plastic that will cause starvation or suffocation to any unfortunate animal that mistakenly ingests it.

8. Overfishing

Pollution is the number one threat to all aquatic life and is the lead cause of reduced biodiversity. This is really sad given that water and water life-forms are some of the most important natural resources at our disposal. But as mentioned above, overfishing is also damaging our oceans.

Fishing is not inherently bad for our ocean. But when not properly regulated, it can be detrimental to our oceans and people. O verfished stocks globally have tripled in half a century and today fully one-third of the world's assessed fisheries are currently pushed beyond their biological limits, says the WWF. Even more so billions of people rely on fish for protein.

9. Deforestation

Source: luoman/iStock

With an exponential expansion in human beings, more food, materials, and shelter are being manufactured at stupendous rates, mostly stemming from forestry.

Forests are cleared to make way for new humans, which in turn, makes more humans, you can see the problem. According to international data, an estimated 18 million acres of trees are clear-cut each year to make way for new development and wood products- that is just under half of all the trees on the planet since the industrial revolution began.

With trees being one of the largest producers of oxygen, clearly that is not a good thing for humans- and especially not for the animals that call the forest home.

With millions of different species that live in forests, deforestation is a major threat to their survival and a big conservation issue. It also increases greenhouse gases within the atmosphere which leads to further global warming. Such human activities need to stop if we wish to survive. Even more so, recent studies have attributed deforestation to the increase of wildfires in areas like Amazon. Wildfires are equally destructed even more so, displacing both people and entire species.

10. Acid Rain

When humans burn coal, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the atmosphere where they rise up and accumulate in the clouds until the clouds become saturated and rain acid, causing havoc on the ground beneath.

When the rain falls, it accumulates in water bodies which are especially harmful to lakes and small bodies of water. The ground surrounding the water soaks up the acid, depleting the soil of essential nutrients. Trees that absorb the acid accumulate toxins that damage leaves and slowly kills large areas of forest.

Acid rain has also been known to completely eliminate entire species of fish, causing a snowball effect of damage to the ecosystem that relies on diverse organisms to sustain the environment.

11. Ozone Depletion

Source: nito100/iStock

The ozone layer is renowned for its ability to absorb harmful UV rays that would otherwise be detrimental to the health of all walks of life. Without an ozone layer, walking outside would be unbearable.

Ozone is made up of three bonded oxygens that float up to the stratosphere where they absorb a substantial amount of UV radiation, protecting all life down below. However "ozone-depleting substances" (or ODS) primarily made up of chlorine and bromine find their way up to the stratosphere where they strip the O3 of oxygen, destroying its capabilities of absorbing UV light.

The human impact is devastating for plants that are extremely sensitive to UV light including wheat and barley, two indispensable crops to humans.

Although most chemicals that deplete the ozone layer have been banned, the chemicals that have already been released can take upwards of 80 years to reach the upper atmosphere, so it will be some time before our protective boundary will be fully functional again. Until then, slap on that sunscreen and be safe out there.

To the Future

It is imperative that we support the earth that we live on, but no matter what, the earth will live on. Human impacts the natural habitat in so many ways and we need to be aware of our personal environmental input.

Whether we live with it or not solely depends on the decisions and actions we make next. Mother nature is an unrelenting, unforgiving force, so it is probably best if we treat her well, and maybe, just maybe we can make up for the damage that has already been dealt with.

The best time to act, was yesterday, the best we can do is today, but if we wait for tomorrow, it may just be too late. Society needs to help itself in order to survive.

For more about our environment, be sure to stop by here.

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11 Devastating Ways Humans Impact the Environment

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We as humans have become dependent on luxuries such as cars, houses, and even our cell phones. But what does our love for manufactured metallic and plastic goods do to the environment? Things like overconsumption, overfishing, deforestation are dramatically impacting our world.

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Humans impact the ecosystem greatly. Humans impact overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels and deforestation. These changes create climate change, soil erosion, poor air quality and undrinkable water. These changes can impact all organisms on earth. Us humans, animals and plants.
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/topics/resource-library-human-impacts-environment/?q=&page=1&per_page=25

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There are approximately 7.6 billion humans in the world. That is a lot of people.  This means that there more resources needed for each human being. This could also result in negative affects like more pollution. Although there are a lot of people taking care of our environment, there are also a lot of people harming our environment. This could result in things like climate change, or  disposal of chemical substances. This could result to the decrease in population of animals in our world.
LINK:
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-ecology/hs-human-impact-on-ecosystems/a/hs-human-impact-on-ecosystems-review

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Climate change fluctuates over time from many factors, however, research has been shown that global temperatures have been rising from human activities. These activities include emissions of greenhouse gases, which traps heat traps heat in the atmosphere. Although some greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide are vital, the increasing industrialization and burning fossil fuels along with deforestation has caused too much concentrations of greenhouse gases.
https://2012books.lardbucket.org/books/sustainable-business-cases/s06-03-human-activity-impacts-on-ecos.html

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Burning fossil fuels emits a number of air pollutants that are harmful to both the environment and public health. Sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, primarily the result of burning coal, contribute to acid rain and the formation of harmful particulate matter. Climate change is being cause by the burning of fossil fuels this will make animals lose habitats and also make them have to change as they will not be evolved to help them live longer lives.

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Human have caused a lot of good things, but at the same time they made a ton of bad things for the ecosystem. Humans caused a lot of problem like water pollution, air pollution, overpopulation, plastic items, and more. These problem called over hunting has caused one giant species to go extinct, the woolly mammoth. the woolly mammoth was the biggest animal on land and has gone extinct due to humans hunting it way too quickly.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/history/why-did-the-woolly-mammoth-die-out.aspx
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/topics/resource-library-human-impacts-environment/?q=&page=1&per_page=25

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At the same time humans did

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Humans affect the ecosystem in many good and bad ways.  So of the bad things they do are chopping down forests, and cars burning off greenhouse gases.  Chopping down the forest can destroy the homes of animals living there.  Driving cars and burning off greenhouse gases can cause air pollution. Humans also help the ecosystem because they can clean up after themselves and they can plant trees. If they clean up after themselves they lower the amount of population they put our. Also by planting trees it can create homes for animals to live in.

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How humans effect the ecosystem in a negative way.
Human impact on the ecosystem is something done by humans and gives the affect at the ecosystem like chopping down forests,and cars burning off greenhouse gases.Humans can effect the ecosystem in a negative way ,by pollution, waste dumping, over hunting of animals,over fishing,industrial gases,energy use and not using biodegradable products.
Air pollution
Most of the time when you hear pollution being talked about you immediatly think of air pollution because it is the most commonly known form of pollution. Air pollution is caused by cars,factories and different types of gases.That causes the greenhouse effect.
How Humans Effect Our Ecosystem In Positive And Negative Ways
What's an ecosystem?
How humans affect our ecosystem in a good way
An ecosystem is ... Eco means life.
An ecosystem is a community of plants, animals and smaller organisms that live, feed,reproduce and interact in the same area of environment.
How can we Effect the ecosystem in a positive way?
Humans can affect an ecosystem in many complex ways. Some examples include addition nutrients
How humans effect our ecosystem in a positive way.
People can plant trees,clean rivers or pick up trash.Recycling can help by not producing as much waste. Or you could buy reusable bags and bottles.

Bibilography
http://www.ehow.com/facts_7357202_humans-impacted-ecosystem_.html:

"discovery education.ca." n.pag. discovery education. ca. Web. 7 Nov 2013.

By Chanelle Smoke
Thank you

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How Humans Effect Our Ecosystem In Positive And Negative Way

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How humans effect the ecosystem in a negative way.Human impact on the ecosystem is something done by humans and gives the affect at the ecosystem like chopping down forests,and cars burning off greenhouse gases.Humans can effect the ecosystem in a negative way ,by pollution, waste dumping, over hunting of animals,over fishing,industrial gases,energy use and not using biodegradable products.

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Humans have affected the ecosystem by air pollution.

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Humans are ruining the ecostystem because they are overkilling populations of animals and poluting clean air for making wastefull products. This causes decrease in population and increase in dangerous health factors
https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_sustainability/extinction/

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Humans can affect the environment in many different ways. By chopping down trees, global warming becomes significantly more of a risk, because trees absorb green house gasses. Chopping down trees can also lead to little vegetation in forests. Humans are also killing a large population of Animals for products for Humans. To add on there is lots of pollution in the environment since Humans started have created factory industries.

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Humans are affecting the environment in bad ways.  This is because they are polluting  the air with chemicals and particles that can harm humans and other organisms. Some of the ways they are polluting the air is cars, cigarette smoke,  factories, etc. To stop this there are regulations on factories called cap and trade which is giving a company on how much pollution they can do.
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/air-pollution/

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Cutting down trees is necessary to produce wood for construction, paper and other applications, but logging and other activities that kill trees can potentially lead to negative impacts on ecosystems and the environment as a whole.

Significance

*** Julia Milberger/iStock/Getty Images

Large scale tree cutting can lead to deforestation, a transformation of an area from forest to terrain with little vegetation. Plants create oxygen and absorb greenhouse gases. The destruction of trees may, therefore, encourage global warming. Changing temperatures can alter which organisms can survive in an ecosystem.

Effects

*** Manakin/iStock/Getty Images

Cutting trees can result in the loss of habitat for animal species, which can harm ecosystems. According to National Geographic, "70 percent of Earth's land animals and plants live in forests, and many cannot survive the deforestation that destroys their homes."

Considerations

*** Morley Read/iStock/Getty Images

Tropical forests like the Amazon rain forest promote a cycle of evaporation and rainfall. Loss of the rain forests could result in warmer and drier climates near the tropics, according to NASA, which could destroy ecosystems that many animal and plants depend on.

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The Effects of Cutting Down Trees on the Ecosystem

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Cutting down trees is necessary to produce wood for construction, paper and other applications, but logging and other activities that kill trees can potentially lead to negative impacts on ecosystems and the environment as a whole. *** Julia Milberger/iStock/Getty Images Large scale tree cutting can lead to deforestation, a transformation of an area from forest to terrain with little vegetation.

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In order to obtain lumber, humans clear forests. Sadly, overpopulation has increased demands of tree based products. Deforehttps://sciencing.com/deforestation-effects-ecosystems-8845.html

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Humans are cutting down trees that are home to so many animals. This is called deforestation. This affects animal populations because the animals can die without a home to help keep them safe.

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Human Activities that Affect the Ecosystem

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Humans interact with the world around us every day, but some of our actions are more harmful than others. As our population approaches 7 billion people, the effects of human activities on the ecosystem, including the water, air, land and the life that we share the world with, are almost immeasurable.

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Humans are affecting the ecosystem by removing habitats of certain animals, or destroying the once peaceful life of nature. They are causing more damage than helping as they are trying to "save" the animals.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com.au/nature/humans-are-still-destroying-wildlife-habitats-more-than-protecting-them.aspx

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The ozone layer is being destroyed. It protects us from the UV light of the Sun. Global warming is when greenhouse gases collect in the atmosphere and absorb sunlight and solar radiation that have bounced off the earth’s surface. It can destroy us. We as humans can switch to electric cars, build less factories, and be smarter about air pollution and ground pollution. Not only that but deforestation has to happen for these factories to be built. Many organisms lose their habitats and suffer. https://www.nrdc.org/stories/global-warming-101#warming

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Humans are putting plastic in the oceans. This is killing the ocean and the animal.

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New York, NY (United States); Van Nostrand Reinhold Publishing Co.

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Stream, lake, estuary, and ocean pollution, 2nd edition (Book) | OSTI.GOV

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This book, an updated version of the 1985 edition, contains thirteen chapters, beginning with a preface which provides the objective of the book. The primary objective is to offer a comprehensive survey of the biological, hydrological, mathematical, and biochemical aspects of stream, lake, estuary, and ocean pollution analysis. The book also contains ten appendices of useful tables and nomographs of pertinent data. This book provides a very good summary and review of stream, lake, estuary, and ocean pollution. This book is recommended for environmental engineering students, environmental consulting engineers, and regulatory personnel. It provides an excellent summary of the field of stream and lake analysis and modeling. Every chapter includes a significant number of questions and pertinent references. | OSTI.GOV

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In order to obtain lumber, humans must clear forests at fast unhealthy rates. Sadly, overpopulation has increased demands of tree based products. The demand for more trees has caused deforestation. Not only is deforestation affecting quality in air, it is also impacting water sources and carries from elsewhere. lastly, native species are losing their habitats and are affecting population size.

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Humans are affecting the ecosystem by contributing to air pollution, where unwanted chemicals enter the air and atmosphere. For example, humans use cars, airplanes, and motorcycles, which let out unwanted gases. These actions harm animals and damage the natural cycles that occur on Earth.
https://www.ducksters.com/science/environment/air_pollution.php

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Humans affect ecosystems by deforestation and forest degradation. Humans will chop down trees and entire forests for resources and space for agriculture. This leads to organisms losing their habitats and many organisms and species declining in population. The deforestation for agriculture creates and unlivable environment for the organisms that once lived there before. This destroys entire ecosystems and kills many populations.

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Deforestation and Forest Degradation | Threats | WWF

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Learn how you can help support WWF’s conservation work which addresses direct and indirect threats, including deforestation, in order to conserve biodiversity and reduce humanity’s ecological footprint.

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Humans are affecting the ecosystem by pollution because when we pollute all of the plastic goes into the oceans which is killing the animals that live their.Another way that us people are effecting the ecosystem is by global warming because when we use our car we are releasing something that is called CO2 which comes from burning fossil fuels which is affecting our plants ecosystem.

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Human Activities that Affect the Ecosystem

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Humans interact with the world around us every day, but some of our actions are more harmful than others. As our population approaches 7 billion people, the effects of human activities on the ecosystem, including the water, air, land and the life that we share the world with, are almost immeasurable.

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Humans are affecting the ecosystem by polluting the air. Air pollution harms the health of humans, plants, animals, and also damages buildings. Most air pollution is caused by humans, this can come from factories, cars, air plains, aerosol cans, and second hand smoking. this is most common in big cities. some short term effects are headache nausea, and irritation to nose, throat, eyes, and skin. long term can be heart disease, lung caner, and respiratory disease. Air pollution also harms plants and whole ecosystems. It can contaminate water, and soil, this can kill crops. This is also the cause of global warming. https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/air-pollution/

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One way in which humans affect the balance between biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem is when they pollute the air. This pollution, which enters the air in several ways, can be in the form of gases, liquids, or solids; pollution from humans can be from emissions released from factories, cars, planes, or even aerosol cans, and cigarette smoke is also considered pollution. Air pollution does not only affect humans, causing them health issues, but also takes a toll on the environment. Hazy air pollution is able to muffle sounds, create acid rain, contribute to global warming, and bring suffering to animals. To begin, human-caused air pollution particles always are brought back to Earth and land on surfaces of water and soil, disrupting crops’ growth and/or killing them and harming organisms who drink from the bodies of water. Clearly, the life of the plants and other organisms are being harmed, upsetting the ratio and balance of biotic and abiotic factors. The acid rain (resulting from air pollution) also creates changes in soil, damaging plants, and decreasing water quality. Again, the population of plants and other organisms will decrease from being impaired by the damaged resources that they consume. Therefore, humans’ air pollution disturbs the balance between biotic and abiotic factors in an ecosystem.

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Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants. It also damages buildings. Pollutants in the air take many forms. They can be gases, solid particles, or liquid droplets.

Sources of Air Pollution

Pollution enters the Earth's atmosphere in many different ways. Most air pollution is created by people, taking the form of emissions from factories, cars, planes, or aerosol cans. Second-hand cigarette smoke is also considered air pollution. These man-made sources of pollution are called anthropogenic sources.

Some types of air pollution, such as smoke from wildfires or ash from volcanoes, occur naturally. These are called natural sources.

Air pollution is most common in large cities where emissions from many different sources are concentrated. Sometimes, mountains or tall buildings prevent air pollution from spreading out. This air pollution often appears as a cloud making the air murky. It is called smog. The word "smog" comes from combining the words "smoke" and "fog."

Large cities in poor and developing nations tend to have more air pollution than cities in developed nations. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), some of the worlds most polluted cities are Karachi, Pakistan; New Delhi, India; Beijing, China; Lima, Peru; and Cairo, Egypt. However, many developed nations also have air pollution problems. Los Angeles, California, is nicknamed Smog City.

Air pollution is usually thought of as smoke from large factories or exhaust from vehicles. But there are many types of indoor air pollution as well.

Heating a house by burning substances such as kerosene, wood, and coal can contaminate the air inside the house. Ash and smoke make breathing difficult, and they can stick to walls, food, and clothing.

Naturally-occurring radon gas, a cancer-causing material, can also build up in homes. Radon is released through the surface of the Earth. Inexpensive systems installed by professionals can reduce radon levels.

Some construction materials, including insulation, are also dangerous to people's health. In addition, ventilation, or air movement, in homes and rooms can lead to the spread of toxic mold. A single colony of mold may exist in a damp, cool place in a house, such as between walls. The mold's spores enter the air and spread throughout the house. People can become sick from breathing in the spores.
Indoor Air Pollution
Effects On Humans

People experience a wide range of health effects from being exposed to air pollution. Effects can be broken down into short-term effects and long-term effects.

Short-term effects, which are temporary, include illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchitis. They also include discomfort such as irritation to the nose, throat, eyes, or skin. Air pollution can also cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Bad smells made by factories, garbage, or sewer systems are considered air pollution, too. These odors are less serious but still unpleasant.

Long-term effects of air pollution can last for years or for an entire lifetime. They can even lead to a person's death. Long-term health effects from air pollution include heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases such as emphysema. Air pollution can also cause long-term damage to people's nerves, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. Some scientists suspect air pollutants cause birth defects. Nearly 2.5 million people die worldwide each year from the effects of outdoor or indoor air pollution.

People react differently to different types of air pollution. Young children and older adults, whose immune systems tend to be weaker, are often more sensitive to pollution. Conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and lung disease can be made worse by exposure to air pollution. The length of exposure and amount and type of pollutants are also factors.

Effects On The Environment

Like people, animals, and plants, entire ecosystems can suffer effects from air pollution. Haze, like smog, is a visible type of air pollution that obscures shapes and colors. Hazy air pollution can even muffle sounds.

Air pollution particles eventually fall back to Earth. Air pollution can directly contaminate the surface of bodies of water and soil. This can kill crops or reduce their yield. It can kill young trees and other plants.

Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide particles in the air, can create acid rain when they mix with water and oxygen in the atmosphere. These air pollutants come mostly from coal-fired power plants and motor vehicles. When acid rain falls to Earth, it damages plants by changing soil composition; degrades water quality in rivers, lakes and streams; damages crops; and can cause buildings and monuments to decay.

Like humans, animals can suffer health effects from exposure to air pollution. Birth defects, diseases, and lower reproductive rates have all been attributed to air pollution.

Global warming is an environmental phenomenon caused by natural and anthropogenic air pollution. It refers to rising air and ocean temperatures around the world. This temperature rise is at least partially caused by an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap heat energy in the Earths atmosphere. (Usually, more of Earths heat escapes into space.)

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that has had the biggest effect on global warming. Carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels (coal, gasoline, and natural gas). Humans have come to rely on fossil fuels to power cars and planes, heat homes, and run factories. Doing these things pollutes the air with carbon dioxide.

Other greenhouse gases emitted by natural and artificial sources also include methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases. Methane is a major emission from coal plants and agricultural processes. Nitrous oxide is a common emission from industrial factories, agriculture, and the burning of fossil fuels in cars. Fluorinated gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons, are emitted by industry. Fluorinated gases are often used instead of gases such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs have been outlawed in many places because they deplete the ozone layer.

Worldwide, many countries have taken steps to reduce or limit greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming. The Kyoto Protocol, first adopted in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997, is an agreement between 183 countries that they will work to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. The United States has not signed that treaty.

Regulation

In addition to the international Kyoto Protocol, most developed nations have adopted laws to regulate emissions and reduce air pollution. In the United States, debate is under way about a system called cap and trade to limit emissions. This system would cap, or place a limit, on the amount of pollution a company is allowed. Companies that exceeded their cap would have to pay. Companies that polluted less than their cap could trade or sell their remaining pollution allowance to other companies. Cap and trade would essentially pay companies to limit pollution.

In 2006 the World Health Organization issued new Air Quality Guidelines. The WHOs guidelines are tougher than most individual countries existing guidelines. The WHO guidelines aim to reduce air pollution-related deaths by 15 percent a year.

Reduction

Anybody can take steps to reduce air pollution. Millions of people every day make simple changes in their lives to do this. Taking public transportation instead of driving a car, or riding a bike instead of traveling in carbon dioxide-emitting vehicles are a couple of ways to reduce air pollution. Avoiding aerosol cans, recycling yard trimmings instead of burning them, and not smoking cigarettes are others. Global Warming

Fast Fact

Downwinders
The United States conducted tests of nuclear weapons at the Nevada Test Site in southern Nevada in the 1950s. These tests sent invisible radioactive particles into the atmosphere. These air pollution particles traveled with wind currents, eventually falling to Earth, sometimes hundreds of miles away in states including Idaho, Utah, Arizona, and Washington. These areas were considered to be "downwind" from the Nevada Test Site.

Decades later, people living in those downwind areascalled "downwinders"began developing cancer at above-normal rates. In 1990, the U.S. government passed the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. This law entitles some downwinders to payments of $50,000.

Fast Fact

London Smog
What has come to be known as the London Smog of 1952, or the Great Smog of 1952, was a four-day incident that sickened 100,000 people and caused as many as 12,000 deaths. Very cold weather in December 1952 led residents of London, England, to burn more coal to keep warm. Smoke and other pollutants became trapped by a thick fog that settled over the city. The polluted fog became so thick that people could only see a few meters in front of them.

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# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants. It also damages buildings.

# data[].attributes.body
Humans have affected ecosystems by cutting down and demolishing forests. We then put buildings and other architectures such as roads and highways, which kills off many of the organisms in the forests ecosystem. https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/24338

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Humans are polluting the ecosystem in a bad way. They are ruining the world because they are polluting the air with gas and changing the the temperature of this world slowly with global warming.

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Many ways human beings affect the physical environment: overpopulation, waste, fossil fuel consumption and deforestation. Changes such as these have caused climate change, soil erosion, poor air quality and water that is drinkable. Such negative impacts can have an impact on human actions and may cause mass migration or combat for clean water.

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Human Impacts on the Environment | National Geographic Society

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Humans impact the physical environment in many ways: overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation. Changes like these have triggered climate change, soil erosion, poor air quality, and undrinkable water. These negative impacts can affect human behavior and can prompt mass migrations or battles over clean water.

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https://interestingengineering.com/10-ways-humans-impact-the-environment
A way humans affect the ecosystem is by polluting the environment and overall global warming. Global warming not only affects humans, but is affecting animals everywhere. This is shown through polar bear losing their habitats due to the increase in heat. Arctic land ice and glaciers melt which causes the ocean levels which is why polar bears are losing their habitats.

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Humans are affecting the environment  in multiple ways. One way is by polluting the air. They pollute the air with factories releasing smoke and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.  Cigarette smoke is another way humans affect the environment. Both wild and home fires contribute to air pollution.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants. It also damages buildings. Pollutants in the air take many forms. They can be gases, solid particles, or liquid droplets.

Sources of Air Pollution

Pollution enters the Earth's atmosphere in many different ways. Most air pollution is created by people, taking the form of emissions from factories, cars, planes, or aerosol cans. Second-hand cigarette smoke is also considered air pollution. These man-made sources of pollution are called anthropogenic sources.

Some types of air pollution, such as smoke from wildfires or ash from volcanoes, occur naturally. These are called natural sources.

Air pollution is most common in large cities where emissions from many different sources are concentrated. Sometimes, mountains or tall buildings prevent air pollution from spreading out. This air pollution often appears as a cloud making the air murky. It is called smog. The word "smog" comes from combining the words "smoke" and "fog."

Large cities in poor and developing nations tend to have more air pollution than cities in developed nations. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), some of the worlds most polluted cities are Karachi, Pakistan; New Delhi, India; Beijing, China; Lima, Peru; and Cairo, Egypt. However, many developed nations also have air pollution problems. Los Angeles, California, is nicknamed Smog City.

Air pollution is usually thought of as smoke from large factories or exhaust from vehicles. But there are many types of indoor air pollution as well.

Heating a house by burning substances such as kerosene, wood, and coal can contaminate the air inside the house. Ash and smoke make breathing difficult, and they can stick to walls, food, and clothing.

Naturally-occurring radon gas, a cancer-causing material, can also build up in homes. Radon is released through the surface of the Earth. Inexpensive systems installed by professionals can reduce radon levels.

Some construction materials, including insulation, are also dangerous to people's health. In addition, ventilation, or air movement, in homes and rooms can lead to the spread of toxic mold. A single colony of mold may exist in a damp, cool place in a house, such as between walls. The mold's spores enter the air and spread throughout the house. People can become sick from breathing in the spores.
Indoor Air Pollution
Effects On Humans

People experience a wide range of health effects from being exposed to air pollution. Effects can be broken down into short-term effects and long-term effects.

Short-term effects, which are temporary, include illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchitis. They also include discomfort such as irritation to the nose, throat, eyes, or skin. Air pollution can also cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Bad smells made by factories, garbage, or sewer systems are considered air pollution, too. These odors are less serious but still unpleasant.

Long-term effects of air pollution can last for years or for an entire lifetime. They can even lead to a person's death. Long-term health effects from air pollution include heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases such as emphysema. Air pollution can also cause long-term damage to people's nerves, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. Some scientists suspect air pollutants cause birth defects. Nearly 2.5 million people die worldwide each year from the effects of outdoor or indoor air pollution.

People react differently to different types of air pollution. Young children and older adults, whose immune systems tend to be weaker, are often more sensitive to pollution. Conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and lung disease can be made worse by exposure to air pollution. The length of exposure and amount and type of pollutants are also factors.

Effects On The Environment

Like people, animals, and plants, entire ecosystems can suffer effects from air pollution. Haze, like smog, is a visible type of air pollution that obscures shapes and colors. Hazy air pollution can even muffle sounds.

Air pollution particles eventually fall back to Earth. Air pollution can directly contaminate the surface of bodies of water and soil. This can kill crops or reduce their yield. It can kill young trees and other plants.

Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide particles in the air, can create acid rain when they mix with water and oxygen in the atmosphere. These air pollutants come mostly from coal-fired power plants and motor vehicles. When acid rain falls to Earth, it damages plants by changing soil composition; degrades water quality in rivers, lakes and streams; damages crops; and can cause buildings and monuments to decay.

Like humans, animals can suffer health effects from exposure to air pollution. Birth defects, diseases, and lower reproductive rates have all been attributed to air pollution.

Global warming is an environmental phenomenon caused by natural and anthropogenic air pollution. It refers to rising air and ocean temperatures around the world. This temperature rise is at least partially caused by an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap heat energy in the Earths atmosphere. (Usually, more of Earths heat escapes into space.)

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that has had the biggest effect on global warming. Carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels (coal, gasoline, and natural gas). Humans have come to rely on fossil fuels to power cars and planes, heat homes, and run factories. Doing these things pollutes the air with carbon dioxide.

Other greenhouse gases emitted by natural and artificial sources also include methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases. Methane is a major emission from coal plants and agricultural processes. Nitrous oxide is a common emission from industrial factories, agriculture, and the burning of fossil fuels in cars. Fluorinated gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons, are emitted by industry. Fluorinated gases are often used instead of gases such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs have been outlawed in many places because they deplete the ozone layer.

Worldwide, many countries have taken steps to reduce or limit greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming. The Kyoto Protocol, first adopted in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997, is an agreement between 183 countries that they will work to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. The United States has not signed that treaty.

Regulation

In addition to the international Kyoto Protocol, most developed nations have adopted laws to regulate emissions and reduce air pollution. In the United States, debate is under way about a system called cap and trade to limit emissions. This system would cap, or place a limit, on the amount of pollution a company is allowed. Companies that exceeded their cap would have to pay. Companies that polluted less than their cap could trade or sell their remaining pollution allowance to other companies. Cap and trade would essentially pay companies to limit pollution.

In 2006 the World Health Organization issued new Air Quality Guidelines. The WHOs guidelines are tougher than most individual countries existing guidelines. The WHO guidelines aim to reduce air pollution-related deaths by 15 percent a year.

Reduction

Anybody can take steps to reduce air pollution. Millions of people every day make simple changes in their lives to do this. Taking public transportation instead of driving a car, or riding a bike instead of traveling in carbon dioxide-emitting vehicles are a couple of ways to reduce air pollution. Avoiding aerosol cans, recycling yard trimmings instead of burning them, and not smoking cigarettes are others. Global Warming

Fast Fact

Downwinders
The United States conducted tests of nuclear weapons at the Nevada Test Site in southern Nevada in the 1950s. These tests sent invisible radioactive particles into the atmosphere. These air pollution particles traveled with wind currents, eventually falling to Earth, sometimes hundreds of miles away in states including Idaho, Utah, Arizona, and Washington. These areas were considered to be "downwind" from the Nevada Test Site.

Decades later, people living in those downwind areascalled "downwinders"began developing cancer at above-normal rates. In 1990, the U.S. government passed the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. This law entitles some downwinders to payments of $50,000.

Fast Fact

London Smog
What has come to be known as the London Smog of 1952, or the Great Smog of 1952, was a four-day incident that sickened 100,000 people and caused as many as 12,000 deaths. Very cold weather in December 1952 led residents of London, England, to burn more coal to keep warm. Smoke and other pollutants became trapped by a thick fog that settled over the city. The polluted fog became so thick that people could only see a few meters in front of them.

For information on user permissions, please read our Terms of Service. If you have questions about how to cite anything on our website in your project or classroom presentation, please contact your teacher. They will best know the preferred format. When you reach out to them, you will need the page title, URL, and the date you accessed the resource.

Media

If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. If no button appears, you cannot download or save the media.

Text

Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service.

Interactives

Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. You cannot download interactives.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants. It also damages buildings.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/air-pollution/Humans are polluting the ecosystem in a bad way. They are ruining the world because they are polluting the air with gas and changing the the temperature of this world slowly with global warming.

# data[].attributes.body
Humans are affecting ecosystems by overusing and depleting many of the Earth's natural resources or food sources. Some examples of these acts are deforestation, burning of fossil fuels, and over fishing. These acts have caused an unbalance in the ecosystem where certain populations of animals have dwindled in terms of population because of shortages in food and natural resources. One example of this was in 1996 where the U.K. spent over $2.6 billion dollars in agricultural damage from human interactions such as erosion and greenhouse gases. As a result of this damage, crops have decreased in producing numbers causing many plots to be infertile.
https://www.greenfacts.org/en/ecosystems/millennium-assessment-3/3-human-wellbeing-poverty.htm

# data[].attributes.body
Humans affect ecosystems in several negative ways. Overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation. As the human population grows, they use more and more resources. Taking away the things that the animals need for themselves.  The more the human population grows the more the animal population decreases.
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/topics/resource-library-human-impacts-environment/?q=&page=1&per_page=25

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Humans are a threat to the ecosystem because of their continuing increase in population which cause humans to use more resources and leads to decrease in the availability to the resources for other organisms, also many due to the need to feed the large population of humans, the population of producers and  other consumers are decreasing due to being used as food in large amounts, more than that because of the large population humans are continuing reform the habitats of other organisms into the habitats in which they could live which would again lead to a decrease in the population of some organisms and it would also cause a decrease in some of abiotic factors which stand in the way of human development, the example of that is the cutting down of forests. Humans also carelessly pollute their own environment, they pollute air, oceans, and the surface with the ongoing wastes left by their ongoing development which ruins the habitats of many organisms and causes a decrease in their chances of survival. Again due to being on the top of the food chain, and having a large population, humans are also damaging the food chain by significantly decreasing the populations of organisms that they use for food. Humans don't bring any benefits to the ecosystem in which they live, they are blindly destroying their own world for no reason that would give them an excuse.

https://onlinedegrees.kent.edu/geography/geographic-information-science/community/human-impact-on-the-environment

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Humans have done good to the world but have cause air pollution along with polluting water. which does damage to are plant and the living things on it including
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/air-pollution/

# data[].attributes.body
Humans on the planet have changed many ecosystems in different ways, one of these ways humans have been messing up natural ecosystems is with the white and black rhino species, due to many poachers, the rhino species have both had their numbers dwindled down to the mere thousands, this has changed the African savanna's ecosystem drastically because with the lack of rhinos and other animals of that class, certain species numbers such as the lion, have been decreasing due to lack of prey they can eat.
https://www.veterans4wildlife.org/rhino-poaching?gclid=CjwKCAiA44LzBRB-EiwA-jJipIVYT9iJccIJKY8FvJOBGnF39G44zE8DFtbjAtqxMv8Qpve3jtMP0BoCr_UQAvD_BwE

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Humans are affecting many ecosystems in many ways. One of the ecosystems they are impacting is the Amazons Rain forest. Humans are doing a lot of commercial agriculture and deforestation, which means that a lot of forests and trees are being destroyed for human's economical benefit. The organisms that live in these forests are suffering because of the shortages of the already limited resources. Since plants are producers and they are being destroyed by humans, the whole food chain is being disrupted because the flow of energy is being disrupted (producers are suffering, so all the parts of the food web/chain are being affected).
https://rainforests.mongabay.com/0803.htm

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Humans effect the Ecosystem as they change the outcome of situations. For example, if a person is standing near pigeons they will fly away which may then alert a hawk which will hastily devour the pigeons.

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Humans have changed many ecosystems around the world in multiple ways. One of the ways is by deforestation,  humans have destroyed a tenth of Earths wilderness in the last 25 years. If humans keep this up they could not only destroy who forests but they could kill thousands of animals that live in them and ruin multiple ecosystems.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/08/humans-have-destroyed-a-tenth-of-earths-wilderness-in-25-years-study

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Humans are affecting the ecosystem by polluting the environment. To give an example, air pollutants, such as sulfur may lead to excess amounts of acid in lakes and streams, and can damage trees and forests. Nitrogen in the atmosphere can harm fish and other aquatic life when deposited on surface waters. Also, humans are affecting the balance of biotic and abiotic factors by making negative impacts on the environment such as overpopulation. This can make changes in animal's habitat and the population which could lead to extinction.
https://www.epa.gov/eco-research/ecosystems-and-air-quality
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/topics/resource-library-human-impacts-environment/

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Humans have changed multiple ecosystems of the world. One way they affect the ecosystem is by fishing. The population of Tunas, the "Apex predator" of the ocean are dwindling. This can cause their prey to grow in populations, and change the population of other species down the food chain drastically.
https://www.reference.com/science/humans-affect-ecosystem-7683adecdf93f824

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Humans are affecting biodiversity by harming organisms and their habitats. Humans use about 40,00 species in different ways without even noticing! Humans harm so many organisms through pollution and over-use of many products that many animals are going extinct. When one species goes extinct it affects the whole food chain, and there might not be one if we keep doing damage.

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Humans affect biodiversity on many levels and it is important to realize these effects on an individual, societal, and government level and attempt to minimize them in order to ensure a future for humanity.
Agriculture
Many individuals do not think about the damage they are causing on biodiversity. However, it is important as humans to realize the impact we have on biodiversity because without it, there would be no human existence.If no changes are made in the ways humans use resources on earth, there will continue to be a degradation of biodiversity until human lives can no longer be sustained.Humans affect biodiversity by their population numbers, use of land, and their lifestyles, causing damage to habitats for species. It is important for humans to realize how their actions affect biodiversity and the importance of maintaining what biodiversity is left on the earth. Through proper education, and by demanding that governments make decisions to preserve biodiversity, the human population will be able to sustain life on earth longer.

Biodiversity is the term that is given to describe the variety of life on earth and the natural patterns it forms. It is the result of evolution, natural processes, and human influence. (Secretariat, 2000)Biodiversity involves diversity of genes within a species, of species within ecosystems, and of ecosystems in the biosphere (Frequently, 2005).Biodiversity is not determined by only one factor, but rather many factors that differ spatially and temporally (, 2005).

Although many humans may not realize how important biodiversity is to them, it is clear that without it humans would not be able to exist. Each day humans use 40,000 species, most of which go totally unnoticed ( Eldredge, 2000). Even though only a minority of humans realize it, biodiversity provides humans with food, water, oxygen, energy, detoxification of waste, stabilization of earth's climate, medicine, opportunities for recreation and tourism, and many more things (Secretariat, 2000). Simply put, there would be no population of humans without biodiversity.

The most obvious indicator of biodiversity is the number of species on the planet. Currently there are 1.75 million species that have been identified; however, some speculate that there are at least 10 million living species on earth (, 2000). To look at the loss of biodiversity, the number of extinctions of species should be examined. Rates of extinction are currently up to 40,000 species per year (that's 100 per day or 4 per hour) ( , 2000).This rate is 50 -100 times the natural rate of extinction and is expected to increase in the coming years ( , 2002). The extinction rate is of great concern because once a species is extinct, there is no chance of ever getting that species back on the planet.

Three main problems that cause species extinction are: habitat loss, degradation, and fragmentation ( , 2005). Habitat loss is described as the complete destruction of a habitat. An example of habitat loss would be logging of a forest. Habitat degradation is when a habitat diminishes to a point where it can no longer support biological communities (, 2005). An example of this would be habitats that are polluted by industry.Habitat fragmentation is described as a habitat that is broken into smaller discontinuous segments of land for development ( 2005). An example of this would be putting a road in the middle of a habitat. All three of these problems that result in species extinction are directly related to human influence.,

There is no clear way of determining the total impact that humans are making on biodiversity; however, it is obvious that many actions by humans are causing a decrease in biodiversity. To determine the total impact that humans are making on a given environment, the area of productive land and water needed to produce the item that is being consumed and the need to account for the waste being generated by humanity must all be taken into account according to management and production practices in use during that time (

Human activity has substantially changed one-third to one-half of the world's surface ( 2005). In the next 50 years it is expected that humans will seriously impact 50-90 percent of land in developing countries. This is a result of growth in population and in over consumption of natural resources (, 2005). The population of humans is, what many consider, the root of the biodiversity problem , 2000). The number of humans on earth, as of July 2005, is at 6.4 billion ( , 2005). The increase in human inhabitants causes a problem because with it comes a need to convert natural habitats to land for human consumption.

One way that the humans have been able to sustain their growth is by converting natural habitats to fields where foods can be produced. At least 23 percent of the earth's land is being used for agriculture (31 percent of all land is there is a direct relationship between the loss of forests to the increase in cropland ( , 1996). Internationally, there is half a hectare of tropical forest disappearing to farmland every second. One of the potential dangers of decreasing the amount of natural habitats remaining is that species will no longer be present on earth. This directly affects agriculture because many of the species that are being destroyed for croplands may have been used for genetically enhancing crop products ( , 2005). In this manner, the increase in agricultural land actually harms our agricultural future.

Human actions have also played a role in climate change, which is also causing great danger for biodiversity.The change in climate is due to increased atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, which causes increased land and ocean temperatures, and changes in precipitation and sea level rise. With the change in climate also comes a change in species. Climate affects the timing of reproduction and migration, the length of growing seasons, species distributions and population size, and the frequency of pest and disease outbreaks. It is also expected that the change in climate in the 21 st century will have a much higher rate than the past 10,000 years and create an even bigger impact on biodiversity (, 2005). It is expected that 80 percent of biologically rich regions will suffer great losses of plant and animal species because of global warming. The rate of change of habitats is expected to increase up to ten times due to global warming ( Sherbinin, 2002).

Biodiversity affects everyone to varying degrees. People that live in poverty depend heavily upon nature to provide them with resources to live. In third world countries logging has become a common activity of the poor. It is a huge problem in many developing countries because it is destroying natural habitats, yet it seems to be one of the only ways that people can make enough money to support their families. The New York Times recently ran an article about individuals in illegally cutting down trees in order to make enough money for food. One individual states, "We have no money to raise our families. We have nowhere to run, nothing else to do. So we have to cut the trees to feed our families." However, even when the individuals cut down trees and sell the wood they still do not always have enough money to support their families. The current rate of deforestation in is 2.8 percent and 23 species that are found in their forests are considered endangered. (

The degradation of the environment will affect both poor and industrialized nations. However, The developing nations will be the ones that are affected the most by the degradation of the environment by increasing poverty, reducing labor productivity, and exacerbating the current economic social crisis ( , 2005). Developing nations do not have the resources to help their citizens find an alternative to use nature for survival.

Educating individuals in developing countries about the need to preserve biodiversity is a must for ensuring human survival. Educating locals on the impact people are making on the environment and showing people how they can live in equilibrium with nature, will help preserve biodiversity without causing further oppression. Many times individuals do not realize that there are alternative ways of obtaining money that do not put the environment into jeopardy. For example, in the case in , if the locals were to obtain honey from beehives found in the forests they would be able to make more money than they would by selling wood (

General education in developing countries is very important to biodiversity even if it does not focus directly on sustainable living. There have been significant studies that have shown that educating and empowering women lead to a decrease in birthrates which would make a huge impact on population growth, especially since developing nations have a higher birthrate compared to industrialized nations. Simply educating individuals, all individuals, not just impoverished ones, about their impacts on biodiversity is a step in the right direction. (

Although there are actions individuals can make that can assist in helping the biodiversity problem, it is important for governments to take actions that will provide a larger scale effect on saving biodiversity. The George W. Bush administration is not known for protecting the environment. President Bush has eliminated the rule, which was a rule that kept logging and roads from being present in 60 million acres of national forests. Bush has also cut 42 million acres of critical habitat from the 83 million acres that are needed for threatened and endangered species. There has been a great decrease in the amount of designated wilderness in the . Bush designated 530,000 acres as wilderness areas compared to 9.5 million under the administration, 10.6 million acres under the Reagan administration, and 66.3 million acres under the Carter administration. There has also been a decrease in the number of species that were added to the endangered species list; Bush has added 31 species, Reagan 253, Bush Senior 228, and

Bush made another decision against the environment by not ratifying the protocol. The Kyoto protocol is a treaty that agrees to manage climate change on earth by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses from entering the atmosphere or to employ emissions trading (when governments provide an incentive for individuals to reduce the amount of emissions) ( Kyoto, 2005). Al Gore signed the protocol in 1998, however this agreement was not binding until it was ratified ( did not support the signing of the agreement because they thought it "would result in serious harm to the economy of the did not ratify the agreement and has no intention of doing so at this time ( , 2005). Bush stated that he didn't agree with the treaty because it did not include every nation, especially ones that were releasing great amounts of greenhouse gasses, for example has agreed to reduce their carbon intensity to 18 percent by 2012; however, this is actually an increase in overall emissions (

Some local governments are not in agreement with the ' decision not to sign the protocol. The northeastern states in the United States (Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont with Pennsylvania, Maryland, District of Columbia, and Eastern Canadian Provinces observing) decided that there needed to be a reduction of emissions and created the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, RGGI. The goal of RGGI is to bringing the northeast region of the together to discuss a regional cap-and-trade program that deals with carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses emissions that are released from their power plants. The cap and trade program works by allowing a certain amount of emissions from each company, but if a company has been able to limit its emissions and has not reached the maximum level allowed, they are able to sell the permits for the emissions to companies who cannot keep within their maximum allowance for emissions ( , 2005).RGGI will cap the program by taking the average emission between the years of 2000 to 2004 and not allowing a greater amount than this average to occur from 2009 to 2015. Through the years 2015 to 2020 the RGGI wishes to start the reduction of emissions by 10 percent (

Although there is much evidence that the Bush administration does not truly care about the environment, they have made a few contributions that are beneficial to the environment. Bush has made a debt for nature swap, which is when a country's debt is redeemed by supplying land reserves and salaries for people to monitor and protect reserves ( , 1996). There are two ways in which debt for nature swaps can occur. The first way is through bilateral debt swap, which occurs between the two governments. The second way is through commercial debt swap, this occurs when a nongovernmental organization purchases the debt at a discount from the creditor government. The nongovernmental organization then organizes the conservation project with the debtor government. ( , 2002)

Biodiversity is an issue that affects everyone and therefore everyone should be aware of their effect on biodiversity. As biodiversity decreases on earth, so do the chances of human survival. Therefore, it is important to educate people on living in equilibrium with the environment. It is also important to make sure that the government is making laws that will ensure biodiversity for the future and not focus on shortsighted economics. If humans become extinct, it will likely be a result of their own action or lack of action. Hopefully humans will realize this before it is too late.

Retrieved , from Convention of Biological Diversity website: http://www.biodiv.org/programmes/cross-cutting/climate/default.asp.

and Mid-Atlantic from Space web site: Effects : Habitat Degradation, Loss, and Fragmentation . Retrieve , from http://chesapeake.towson.edu/landscape/impervious/all_habitat.asp.

, from Union of Concerned Scientists website: http://www.ucsusa.org/global _environment/archive/page.cfm?pageID=387.

. Retrieved , from United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change web site: http://unfccc.int/essential_background/kyoto_protocol/status_of_ratification/items/2613.php.

, from Global Methodology for Mapping Human Impacts on the Biosphere website: Mapping Human Impacts On the Biosphere. Retrieved http://www.globio.info/impacts/.

Secretariat of Convention of Biological Diversity. (2000). Sustaining Life on Earth: How the Convention on Biological Diversity Promotes Nature and Human Well-being [Brochure] .

, from BBC News website: US States Plan to Cut Emissions. (2005). Retrieved http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/4180426.stm.

M., N. B. Schulz, D. Deumling, A. C. Linares, M. Jenkins, V. Kapos, C. Monfreda, J. Loh, N. Myers, R. Norgaard, and J. Randers Wackernagel, . (2002).Tracking the Ecological Overshoot of the Human Economy. , 99(14), 9266-9271

, G., E. Cousin, R. Perks, and . (2005). Rewriting the Rules: The Bush Administration's First Term Environmental Record. : Natural Resources Defense Council

(2005). Retrieved , from Central Intelligence Agency web site: http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2119rank.html.

(2002) from WWF web site: Debt for Nature Swaps.. Retrieved http://www.worldwildlife.org/conservationfinance/swaps/sld001.htm.

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Humans affect biodiversity on many levels and it is important to realize these effects on an individual, societal, and government level and attempt to minimize them in order to ensure a future for humanity. Agriculture Many individuals do not think about the damage they are causing on biodiversity.

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In this article it shows us how humans are harming the ecosystem by over population, global warming, pollution, water pollution and much more. Being over populated is a bad thing because more food resources would be needed and less amount of space. Pollution can effect any organism if they don't have clean and fresh oxygen. Global warming can effect seasons and animals and eventually humans.

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We as humans have become dependent on luxuries such as cars, houses, and even our cell phones. But what does our love for manufactured metallic and plastic goods do to the environment? Things like overconsumption, overfishing, deforestation are dramatically impacting our world.

Human activity can be directly attributed to the cause of hundreds of extinctions in the last two centuries, versus the millions of years that extinctions naturally occur. As we progress through the 21st century, humans have changed the world in unprecedented ways.

Human impact on the environment has become one of the main topics for university staff all over the world. While they search for the answer, the public needs to do its part. At least, you need to be aware of all the factors that contribute to this state and share the knowledge.

1. Overpopulation

Source: Diy13/iStock

Survival used to mean repopulating. That, however, is quickly becoming true for the opposite as we reach the maximum carrying capacity that our planet can sustain.

Overpopulation has grown into an epidemic since mortality rates have decreased, medicine has improved, and methods of industrial farming were introduced, thus keeping humans alive for much longer and increasing the total population.
SEE ALSO: WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY LOSS AND WHY IS IT A PROBLEM?
The effects of overpopulation are quite severe, with one of the most severe being the degradation of the environment.

Humans require space and lots of it whether it is for farmland or industries which also takes up tons of space. An increased population results in more clear-cutting, resulting in severely damaged ecosystems. Without enough trees to filter the air, CO₂ levels increase which carries the potential to damage every single organism on Earth.

Another issue is our dependency on coal and fossil fuels for energy, the larger the population, the more fossil fuels will be used. The use of fossil fuels (such as oil and coal) results in copious amounts of carbon dioxide into the air- threatening the extinction of thousands of species which adds to the effect that forest depletion already has.

Humanity continuously requires more space, which devastates ecosystems and increases CO₂ levels, further devastating the delicate environment. Although processed materials are necessary to power the cities, the previous assessment tells us that the planet can only sustain so much damage until it will begin to damage us.

2. Pollution

Source: zeljkosantrac/iStock

Pollution is everywhere. From the trash thrown out on the freeway, to the millions of metric tons of pollution pumped into the atmosphere every year- it's obvious, pollution and waste are inescapable.

Pollution is so bad that to date, 2.4 billion people do not have access to clean water sources. Humanity is continuously polluting indispensable resources like air, water, and soil which requires millions of years to replenish.

Air is arguably the most polluted with the US producing 147 million metric tons of air pollution each year alone.

In 1950, smog was so bad in LA that the ground-level ozone (atmospheric gas that is great in the atmosphere, not so much on the ground) surpassed 500 parts per billion volume (ppbv)- well above the National Ambient Air Quality Standard of 75 ppbv (6.6 times more to be precise).

People thought they were under foreign attack as the smog burned their eyes and left an odor of bleach in the air. That is when the devastating effect of aerosols was discovered.

While air quality in the US has slightly improved, the quality in developing countries continues to plummet as smog continuously blocks out the sun in a dense shroud of pollution. This is just one of the issues we have to tackle in the near future.

3. Global Warming

Global warming is arguably the greatest cause of impact on the environment. The largest of causes emanating through CO₂ levels from respiration to more detrimental causes like burning fossil fuels and deforestation.

At any rate, humans are consistently increasing CO₂ levels globally- every year. The highest level of CO₂ in recorded history before 1950 was about 300 parts per million. However, current measurements of CO₂ levels have exceeded above 400 PPM, abolishing every record dating back 400,000 years.

The increase of CO₂ emissions has contributed to the planet's average temperature increasing almost a whole degree.

As the temperature increases, arctic land ice and glaciers melt which causes the ocean levels to rise at a rate of 3.42mm per year, allowing more water to absorb more heat, which melts more ice, creating a positive feedback loop which will cause the oceans to rise 1-4 feet by 2100.
So what's the big deal?
4. Climate Change

Source: Sepp/iStock

Climate change is closely connected to the historical development of industry and technology. As global temperatures increase, Earth's weather patterns will drastically change. While some areas will experience longer growing seasons, others will become barren wastelands as water will deplete in vast areas, turning once floral regions into deserts.

The increase will impact weather patterns, promising more intense hurricanes in both size and frequency, as well as intensifying and prolonging droughts and heatwaves. But air pollution does not just affect the environment.

The evidence is mounting that poor air quality and rising temperatures are ruining delicate ecosystems, even leading to increased asthma and cancer rates in humans.

5. Genetic Modification

Source: simarik/iStock

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been a major contributor to the survival and prosperity of humans. GMO's are selected bred crops or crops that have had DNA directly implanted into it in order to give an advantage to the crop, whether that be to sustain colder temperatures, require less water, or yield more product.

But GMO's are not always intentional. For years humans have used glyphosate, a herbicide designed to eliminate weeds - the biggest threat to any plant. However, just as humans have a learning immune system, certain weeds have developed a resistance to 22 of 25 known herbicides, with 249 species of weeds completely immune according to the latest scientific report.

" Super weeds" threaten farming lands by chocking outcrops. One of the only solutions is to till the land, turning over the soil to kill the weeds and give an early advantage to the planted crops.

The disadvantage of tilling, however, is that it causes the soil to dry faster and kills off good bacteria, making its fertile lifespan significantly shorter. To replenish the depleted soil, fertilizer is used, which introduces a whole new set of problems to the environment and can be disastrous for local agriculture in the long run.

6. Ocean Acidification

is caused when CO₂ dissolves into the ocean bonding with seawater creating carbonic acid. The acid reduces the pH levels in the water, essentially changing the Ocean acidity by 30% in the last 200 years according to analysis - a level that the ocean has not been at in over 20 million years.

The acidity depletes the calcium concentrations, making it difficult for crustaceans to build their shell, leaving them vulnerable without their armor. Between the global temperature rise of one degree and the ocean acidification, scientists say a quarter of all coral reefs are considered damaged beyond repair, with two-thirds under serious threat. The death of coral reefs is a serious concern.

Coral reefs are home to 25% of aquatic life, many of which are responsible for the natural filtration of the ocean and production of necessary nutrients that are vital for life under the sea. However, acidification is not the only watery threat as there are other human activities causing severe changes. Things like plastic pollution and overfishing are wreaking havoc on our oceans.

7. Water Pollution

There are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean . Not only is garbage introduced into the oceans, but also the excessive amounts of fertilizer that finds its way into the ocean through rains, floods, winds, or dumped in excess right into the largest producer of the oxygen we have.

Fertilizer contains nitrogen, an element essential for the growth of plants- but that does not limit it to what it was intended for.

Phytoplankton and algae thrive off of nitrogen, causing excessive growth in what is known as " red tides" or "brown tides" in areas with high concentrations of nitrogen. The brown tide is caused by the rapid growth of billions of algae, which deplete water bodies of oxygen and cause the poison to accumulate in all life that consumes it, including fish and birds. But water pollution does not end there.

Year after year, millions of tons of garbage are dumped into the ocean. Since the garbage mainly consists of plastics, it is largely indissoluble. The garbage accumulates in large vortexes across the ocean.

Marine life, including the loggerhead sea turtles, are tricked into thinking they are eating food when really it is only a floating plastic bag or other poisonous plastic that will cause starvation or suffocation to any unfortunate animal that mistakenly ingests it.

8. Overfishing

Pollution is the number one threat to all aquatic life and is the lead cause of reduced biodiversity. This is really sad given that water and water life-forms are some of the most important natural resources at our disposal. But as mentioned above, overfishing is also damaging our oceans.

Fishing is not inherently bad for our ocean. But when not properly regulated, it can be detrimental to our oceans and people. O verfished stocks globally have tripled in half a century and today fully one-third of the world's assessed fisheries are currently pushed beyond their biological limits, says the WWF. Even more so billions of people rely on fish for protein.

9. Deforestation

Source: luoman/iStock

With an exponential expansion in human beings, more food, materials, and shelter are being manufactured at stupendous rates, mostly stemming from forestry.

Forests are cleared to make way for new humans, which in turn, makes more humans, you can see the problem. According to international data, an estimated 18 million acres of trees are clear-cut each year to make way for new development and wood products- that is just under half of all the trees on the planet since the industrial revolution began.

With trees being one of the largest producers of oxygen, clearly that is not a good thing for humans- and especially not for the animals that call the forest home.

With millions of different species that live in forests, deforestation is a major threat to their survival and a big conservation issue. It also increases greenhouse gases within the atmosphere which leads to further global warming. Such human activities need to stop if we wish to survive. Even more so, recent studies have attributed deforestation to the increase of wildfires in areas like Amazon. Wildfires are equally destructed even more so, displacing both people and entire species.

10. Acid Rain

When humans burn coal, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the atmosphere where they rise up and accumulate in the clouds until the clouds become saturated and rain acid, causing havoc on the ground beneath.

When the rain falls, it accumulates in water bodies which are especially harmful to lakes and small bodies of water. The ground surrounding the water soaks up the acid, depleting the soil of essential nutrients. Trees that absorb the acid accumulate toxins that damage leaves and slowly kills large areas of forest.

Acid rain has also been known to completely eliminate entire species of fish, causing a snowball effect of damage to the ecosystem that relies on diverse organisms to sustain the environment.

11. Ozone Depletion

Source: nito100/iStock

The ozone layer is renowned for its ability to absorb harmful UV rays that would otherwise be detrimental to the health of all walks of life. Without an ozone layer, walking outside would be unbearable.

Ozone is made up of three bonded oxygens that float up to the stratosphere where they absorb a substantial amount of UV radiation, protecting all life down below. However "ozone-depleting substances" (or ODS) primarily made up of chlorine and bromine find their way up to the stratosphere where they strip the O3 of oxygen, destroying its capabilities of absorbing UV light.

The human impact is devastating for plants that are extremely sensitive to UV light including wheat and barley, two indispensable crops to humans.

Although most chemicals that deplete the ozone layer have been banned, the chemicals that have already been released can take upwards of 80 years to reach the upper atmosphere, so it will be some time before our protective boundary will be fully functional again. Until then, slap on that sunscreen and be safe out there.

To the Future

It is imperative that we support the earth that we live on, but no matter what, the earth will live on. Human impacts the natural habitat in so many ways and we need to be aware of our personal environmental input.

Whether we live with it or not solely depends on the decisions and actions we make next. Mother nature is an unrelenting, unforgiving force, so it is probably best if we treat her well, and maybe, just maybe we can make up for the damage that has already been dealt with.

The best time to act, was yesterday, the best we can do is today, but if we wait for tomorrow, it may just be too late. Society needs to help itself in order to survive.

For more about our environment, be sure to stop by here.

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11 Devastating Ways Humans Impact the Environment

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We as humans have become dependent on luxuries such as cars, houses, and even our cell phones. But what does our love for manufactured metallic and plastic goods do to the environment? Things like overconsumption, overfishing, deforestation are dramatically impacting our world.

# data[].attributes.body
Human impact on the ecosystem is something done by humans and gives the affect at the ecosystem like chopping down forests,and cars burning off greenhouse gases.Humans can effect the ecosystem in a negative way ,by pollution, waste dumping, over hunting of animals,over fishing,industrial gases,energy use and not using biodegradable products. Most of the time when you hear pollution being talked about you immediatly think of air pollution because it is the most commonly known form of pollution. Air pollution is caused by cars,factories and different types of gases.That causes the greenhouse effect.

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How humans effect the ecosystem in a negative way.
Human impact on the ecosystem is something done by humans and gives the affect at the ecosystem like chopping down forests,and cars burning off greenhouse gases.Humans can effect the ecosystem in a negative way ,by pollution, waste dumping, over hunting of animals,over fishing,industrial gases,energy use and not using biodegradable products.
Air pollution
Most of the time when you hear pollution being talked about you immediatly think of air pollution because it is the most commonly known form of pollution. Air pollution is caused by cars,factories and different types of gases.That causes the greenhouse effect.
How Humans Effect Our Ecosystem In Positive And Negative Ways
What's an ecosystem?
How humans affect our ecosystem in a good way
An ecosystem is ... Eco means life.
An ecosystem is a community of plants, animals and smaller organisms that live, feed,reproduce and interact in the same area of environment.
How can we Effect the ecosystem in a positive way?
Humans can affect an ecosystem in many complex ways. Some examples include addition nutrients
How humans effect our ecosystem in a positive way.
People can plant trees,clean rivers or pick up trash.Recycling can help by not producing as much waste. Or you could buy reusable bags and bottles.

Bibilography
http://www.ehow.com/facts_7357202_humans-impacted-ecosystem_.html:

"discovery education.ca." n.pag. discovery education. ca. Web. 7 Nov 2013.

By Chanelle Smoke
Thank you

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How Humans Effect Our Ecosystem In Positive And Negative Way

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
How humans effect the ecosystem in a negative way.Human impact on the ecosystem is something done by humans and gives the affect at the ecosystem like chopping down forests,and cars burning off greenhouse gases.Humans can effect the ecosystem in a negative way ,by pollution, waste dumping, over hunting of animals,over fishing,industrial gases,energy use and not using biodegradable products.

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Humans are affecting the ecosystem by air pollution. Air pollution will affect the health of humans, animals, and plants. Air pollution was created when factories, cars, planes and aerosol cans. These things realise a harmful chemical in the air and damaging the earth. The most air pollution is from large cities and if it gets really bad, fogs of smoke start to appear all over the city. The pollution is making the animals hard for them to breath.
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/air-pollution/

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Humans have impacted the ecosystem for they are responsible for global warming. Global warming is the problem that allows CO2 levels to rise as well as increasing the planet's average temperature/
Humans are causing this by committing deforestation as well as excessively burning fossil fuels. This leads to glaciers and a big of the arctic to melt. Ridding of living space for polar bears, therefore increasing their population. This in turn can lead to overpopulation when it comes to the polar bears' prey.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
We as humans have become dependent on luxuries such as cars, houses, and even our cell phones. But what does our love for manufactured metallic and plastic goods do to the environment? Things like overconsumption, overfishing, deforestation are dramatically impacting our world.

Human activity can be directly attributed to the cause of hundreds of extinctions in the last two centuries, versus the millions of years that extinctions naturally occur. As we progress through the 21st century, humans have changed the world in unprecedented ways.

Human impact on the environment has become one of the main topics for university staff all over the world. While they search for the answer, the public needs to do its part. At least, you need to be aware of all the factors that contribute to this state and share the knowledge.

1. Overpopulation

Source: Diy13/iStock

Survival used to mean repopulating. That, however, is quickly becoming true for the opposite as we reach the maximum carrying capacity that our planet can sustain.

Overpopulation has grown into an epidemic since mortality rates have decreased, medicine has improved, and methods of industrial farming were introduced, thus keeping humans alive for much longer and increasing the total population.
SEE ALSO: WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY LOSS AND WHY IS IT A PROBLEM?
The effects of overpopulation are quite severe, with one of the most severe being the degradation of the environment.

Humans require space and lots of it whether it is for farmland or industries which also takes up tons of space. An increased population results in more clear-cutting, resulting in severely damaged ecosystems. Without enough trees to filter the air, CO₂ levels increase which carries the potential to damage every single organism on Earth.

Another issue is our dependency on coal and fossil fuels for energy, the larger the population, the more fossil fuels will be used. The use of fossil fuels (such as oil and coal) results in copious amounts of carbon dioxide into the air- threatening the extinction of thousands of species which adds to the effect that forest depletion already has.

Humanity continuously requires more space, which devastates ecosystems and increases CO₂ levels, further devastating the delicate environment. Although processed materials are necessary to power the cities, the previous assessment tells us that the planet can only sustain so much damage until it will begin to damage us.

2. Pollution

Source: zeljkosantrac/iStock

Pollution is everywhere. From the trash thrown out on the freeway, to the millions of metric tons of pollution pumped into the atmosphere every year- it's obvious, pollution and waste are inescapable.

Pollution is so bad that to date, 2.4 billion people do not have access to clean water sources. Humanity is continuously polluting indispensable resources like air, water, and soil which requires millions of years to replenish.

Air is arguably the most polluted with the US producing 147 million metric tons of air pollution each year alone.

In 1950, smog was so bad in LA that the ground-level ozone (atmospheric gas that is great in the atmosphere, not so much on the ground) surpassed 500 parts per billion volume (ppbv)- well above the National Ambient Air Quality Standard of 75 ppbv (6.6 times more to be precise).

People thought they were under foreign attack as the smog burned their eyes and left an odor of bleach in the air. That is when the devastating effect of aerosols was discovered.

While air quality in the US has slightly improved, the quality in developing countries continues to plummet as smog continuously blocks out the sun in a dense shroud of pollution. This is just one of the issues we have to tackle in the near future.

3. Global Warming

Global warming is arguably the greatest cause of impact on the environment. The largest of causes emanating through CO₂ levels from respiration to more detrimental causes like burning fossil fuels and deforestation.

At any rate, humans are consistently increasing CO₂ levels globally- every year. The highest level of CO₂ in recorded history before 1950 was about 300 parts per million. However, current measurements of CO₂ levels have exceeded above 400 PPM, abolishing every record dating back 400,000 years.

The increase of CO₂ emissions has contributed to the planet's average temperature increasing almost a whole degree.

As the temperature increases, arctic land ice and glaciers melt which causes the ocean levels to rise at a rate of 3.42mm per year, allowing more water to absorb more heat, which melts more ice, creating a positive feedback loop which will cause the oceans to rise 1-4 feet by 2100.
So what's the big deal?
4. Climate Change

Source: Sepp/iStock

Climate change is closely connected to the historical development of industry and technology. As global temperatures increase, Earth's weather patterns will drastically change. While some areas will experience longer growing seasons, others will become barren wastelands as water will deplete in vast areas, turning once floral regions into deserts.

The increase will impact weather patterns, promising more intense hurricanes in both size and frequency, as well as intensifying and prolonging droughts and heatwaves. But air pollution does not just affect the environment.

The evidence is mounting that poor air quality and rising temperatures are ruining delicate ecosystems, even leading to increased asthma and cancer rates in humans.

5. Genetic Modification

Source: simarik/iStock

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) have been a major contributor to the survival and prosperity of humans. GMO's are selected bred crops or crops that have had DNA directly implanted into it in order to give an advantage to the crop, whether that be to sustain colder temperatures, require less water, or yield more product.

But GMO's are not always intentional. For years humans have used glyphosate, a herbicide designed to eliminate weeds - the biggest threat to any plant. However, just as humans have a learning immune system, certain weeds have developed a resistance to 22 of 25 known herbicides, with 249 species of weeds completely immune according to the latest scientific report.

" Super weeds" threaten farming lands by chocking outcrops. One of the only solutions is to till the land, turning over the soil to kill the weeds and give an early advantage to the planted crops.

The disadvantage of tilling, however, is that it causes the soil to dry faster and kills off good bacteria, making its fertile lifespan significantly shorter. To replenish the depleted soil, fertilizer is used, which introduces a whole new set of problems to the environment and can be disastrous for local agriculture in the long run.

6. Ocean Acidification

is caused when CO₂ dissolves into the ocean bonding with seawater creating carbonic acid. The acid reduces the pH levels in the water, essentially changing the Ocean acidity by 30% in the last 200 years according to analysis - a level that the ocean has not been at in over 20 million years.

The acidity depletes the calcium concentrations, making it difficult for crustaceans to build their shell, leaving them vulnerable without their armor. Between the global temperature rise of one degree and the ocean acidification, scientists say a quarter of all coral reefs are considered damaged beyond repair, with two-thirds under serious threat. The death of coral reefs is a serious concern.

Coral reefs are home to 25% of aquatic life, many of which are responsible for the natural filtration of the ocean and production of necessary nutrients that are vital for life under the sea. However, acidification is not the only watery threat as there are other human activities causing severe changes. Things like plastic pollution and overfishing are wreaking havoc on our oceans.

7. Water Pollution

There are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic debris in the ocean . Not only is garbage introduced into the oceans, but also the excessive amounts of fertilizer that finds its way into the ocean through rains, floods, winds, or dumped in excess right into the largest producer of the oxygen we have.

Fertilizer contains nitrogen, an element essential for the growth of plants- but that does not limit it to what it was intended for.

Phytoplankton and algae thrive off of nitrogen, causing excessive growth in what is known as " red tides" or "brown tides" in areas with high concentrations of nitrogen. The brown tide is caused by the rapid growth of billions of algae, which deplete water bodies of oxygen and cause the poison to accumulate in all life that consumes it, including fish and birds. But water pollution does not end there.

Year after year, millions of tons of garbage are dumped into the ocean. Since the garbage mainly consists of plastics, it is largely indissoluble. The garbage accumulates in large vortexes across the ocean.

Marine life, including the loggerhead sea turtles, are tricked into thinking they are eating food when really it is only a floating plastic bag or other poisonous plastic that will cause starvation or suffocation to any unfortunate animal that mistakenly ingests it.

8. Overfishing

Pollution is the number one threat to all aquatic life and is the lead cause of reduced biodiversity. This is really sad given that water and water life-forms are some of the most important natural resources at our disposal. But as mentioned above, overfishing is also damaging our oceans.

Fishing is not inherently bad for our ocean. But when not properly regulated, it can be detrimental to our oceans and people. O verfished stocks globally have tripled in half a century and today fully one-third of the world's assessed fisheries are currently pushed beyond their biological limits, says the WWF. Even more so billions of people rely on fish for protein.

9. Deforestation

Source: luoman/iStock

With an exponential expansion in human beings, more food, materials, and shelter are being manufactured at stupendous rates, mostly stemming from forestry.

Forests are cleared to make way for new humans, which in turn, makes more humans, you can see the problem. According to international data, an estimated 18 million acres of trees are clear-cut each year to make way for new development and wood products- that is just under half of all the trees on the planet since the industrial revolution began.

With trees being one of the largest producers of oxygen, clearly that is not a good thing for humans- and especially not for the animals that call the forest home.

With millions of different species that live in forests, deforestation is a major threat to their survival and a big conservation issue. It also increases greenhouse gases within the atmosphere which leads to further global warming. Such human activities need to stop if we wish to survive. Even more so, recent studies have attributed deforestation to the increase of wildfires in areas like Amazon. Wildfires are equally destructed even more so, displacing both people and entire species.

10. Acid Rain

When humans burn coal, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the atmosphere where they rise up and accumulate in the clouds until the clouds become saturated and rain acid, causing havoc on the ground beneath.

When the rain falls, it accumulates in water bodies which are especially harmful to lakes and small bodies of water. The ground surrounding the water soaks up the acid, depleting the soil of essential nutrients. Trees that absorb the acid accumulate toxins that damage leaves and slowly kills large areas of forest.

Acid rain has also been known to completely eliminate entire species of fish, causing a snowball effect of damage to the ecosystem that relies on diverse organisms to sustain the environment.

11. Ozone Depletion

Source: nito100/iStock

The ozone layer is renowned for its ability to absorb harmful UV rays that would otherwise be detrimental to the health of all walks of life. Without an ozone layer, walking outside would be unbearable.

Ozone is made up of three bonded oxygens that float up to the stratosphere where they absorb a substantial amount of UV radiation, protecting all life down below. However "ozone-depleting substances" (or ODS) primarily made up of chlorine and bromine find their way up to the stratosphere where they strip the O3 of oxygen, destroying its capabilities of absorbing UV light.

The human impact is devastating for plants that are extremely sensitive to UV light including wheat and barley, two indispensable crops to humans.

Although most chemicals that deplete the ozone layer have been banned, the chemicals that have already been released can take upwards of 80 years to reach the upper atmosphere, so it will be some time before our protective boundary will be fully functional again. Until then, slap on that sunscreen and be safe out there.

To the Future

It is imperative that we support the earth that we live on, but no matter what, the earth will live on. Human impacts the natural habitat in so many ways and we need to be aware of our personal environmental input.

Whether we live with it or not solely depends on the decisions and actions we make next. Mother nature is an unrelenting, unforgiving force, so it is probably best if we treat her well, and maybe, just maybe we can make up for the damage that has already been dealt with.

The best time to act, was yesterday, the best we can do is today, but if we wait for tomorrow, it may just be too late. Society needs to help itself in order to survive.

For more about our environment, be sure to stop by here.

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11 Devastating Ways Humans Impact the Environment

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We as humans have become dependent on luxuries such as cars, houses, and even our cell phones. But what does our love for manufactured metallic and plastic goods do to the environment? Things like overconsumption, overfishing, deforestation are dramatically impacting our world.

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Humans are affecting the ecosystem because they are polluting the air around them. Air pollution is often common in large cities, this is because it is where  emissions from many different sources are concentrated. When people heat up their homes they are causing the air inside there home to be contaminated. This also, just ends up impacting the humans negatively because they have to deal with many health effects that are caused because of the polluted air.
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/air-pollution/

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Humans are destroying the ecosystem through mining for resources like fossil fuels, which  is detrimental toward the ecosystem. Another way is pollution and it causes huge amounts of harm toward the environment.  Humans also exploit the natural resources which causes harm toward other species because humans are taking up all of the natural resources. Also human activity is causing a negative change in the biosphere which is very harmful toward the ecosystem and other species.
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-ecology/hs-human-impact-on-ecosystems/a/hs-human-impact-on-ecosystems-review

# data[].attributes.body
Humans are affecting the ecosystem rapidly through air pollution. Air pollution consists of harmful particles/chemicals that puts humans, animals, and plants into risks. Vehicles, factories, aerosol cans, and cigarettes are all examples of air pollution causes. Toxic substances are released into the air, which kills plants and changes soil, degrades water quality in bodies of water, puts humans/animals in health risks (diseases, breathing problems, cancer, birth defects, etc.)
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/air-pollution/

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humans are affecting the environment is a negative way by pollution by vehicles and factories and also plastic in our oceans, killing tons of animals, but also just disgusting in general.

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Many ways human beings affect the physical environment are overpopulation, waste, burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Changes of this kind have caused climate change, soil erosion, poor air quality and water that is drinkable.
Link: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/topics/resource-library-human-impacts-environment/?q=&page=1&per_page=25

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Burning fossil fuels pollutes the air, which is harmful for both humans and the environment. Sulfur dioxide emission contribute to acid rain and harmful particle matter. Climate change is caused by burning fossil fuels and takes away the habitats of animals.

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The population of humans constantly increases. This means that the more humans there are, the more resources are being used. Humans destroy natural landscapes. This displaces residing species and reduces available habitats and food sources. Humans also consume resources for their own needs. This includes wood, plants, animals, and fish This reduces the resources for other organisms.

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Human impact on ecosystems review (article) | Khan Academy

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If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website.

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The population of humans have been increasing rapidly every year, the rate of the growth getting faster as well. This threatens biodiversity, when the human population increases it reduces species richness. Humans also destroy landscapes, which reduces and urbanizes areas. We also produce pollution, caused from the disposal of chemical substances. Humans can also introduce a new species into a ecosystem, intentionally or unintentionally. Humans also use resources, which results in resource exploitation.
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/high-school-biology/hs-ecology/hs-human-impact-on-ecosystems/a/hs-human-impact-on-ecosystems-review

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Air pollution is affecting the environment (like the arctic) which harms other living things. Humans pollute air with daily activities such as driving, smoking, and people also work in factories. Pollutants are in forms of gases, solid particles, or liquid droplets. Air pollution can also kill crops which could also affect humans because humans breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide while plants breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen. Humans have a mutuality relationship with plants.
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/encyclopedia/air-pollution/

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Humans are affecting ecosystems with pollution, specifically air pollution. Air pollution harms the health of the organisms in ecosystems. Air pollution can directly contaminate plants. Air pollution can cause severe health effects to animals. Air pollution has also caused birth defects, diseases, and low reproductive rates. Humans cause air pollution by using second-hand cigarette smoke or causing emissions from factories or planes. Wildfire smoke and ash smoke from volcanoes occur naturally, though.

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Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants. It also damages buildings. Pollutants in the air take many forms. They can be gases, solid particles, or liquid droplets.

Sources of Air Pollution

Pollution enters the Earth's atmosphere in many different ways. Most air pollution is created by people, taking the form of emissions from factories, cars, planes, or aerosol cans. Second-hand cigarette smoke is also considered air pollution. These man-made sources of pollution are called anthropogenic sources.

Some types of air pollution, such as smoke from wildfires or ash from volcanoes, occur naturally. These are called natural sources.

Air pollution is most common in large cities where emissions from many different sources are concentrated. Sometimes, mountains or tall buildings prevent air pollution from spreading out. This air pollution often appears as a cloud making the air murky. It is called smog. The word "smog" comes from combining the words "smoke" and "fog."

Large cities in poor and developing nations tend to have more air pollution than cities in developed nations. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), some of the worlds most polluted cities are Karachi, Pakistan; New Delhi, India; Beijing, China; Lima, Peru; and Cairo, Egypt. However, many developed nations also have air pollution problems. Los Angeles, California, is nicknamed Smog City.

Air pollution is usually thought of as smoke from large factories or exhaust from vehicles. But there are many types of indoor air pollution as well.

Heating a house by burning substances such as kerosene, wood, and coal can contaminate the air inside the house. Ash and smoke make breathing difficult, and they can stick to walls, food, and clothing.

Naturally-occurring radon gas, a cancer-causing material, can also build up in homes. Radon is released through the surface of the Earth. Inexpensive systems installed by professionals can reduce radon levels.

Some construction materials, including insulation, are also dangerous to people's health. In addition, ventilation, or air movement, in homes and rooms can lead to the spread of toxic mold. A single colony of mold may exist in a damp, cool place in a house, such as between walls. The mold's spores enter the air and spread throughout the house. People can become sick from breathing in the spores.
Indoor Air Pollution
Effects On Humans

People experience a wide range of health effects from being exposed to air pollution. Effects can be broken down into short-term effects and long-term effects.

Short-term effects, which are temporary, include illnesses such as pneumonia or bronchitis. They also include discomfort such as irritation to the nose, throat, eyes, or skin. Air pollution can also cause headaches, dizziness, and nausea. Bad smells made by factories, garbage, or sewer systems are considered air pollution, too. These odors are less serious but still unpleasant.

Long-term effects of air pollution can last for years or for an entire lifetime. They can even lead to a person's death. Long-term health effects from air pollution include heart disease, lung cancer, and respiratory diseases such as emphysema. Air pollution can also cause long-term damage to people's nerves, brain, kidneys, liver, and other organs. Some scientists suspect air pollutants cause birth defects. Nearly 2.5 million people die worldwide each year from the effects of outdoor or indoor air pollution.

People react differently to different types of air pollution. Young children and older adults, whose immune systems tend to be weaker, are often more sensitive to pollution. Conditions such as asthma, heart disease, and lung disease can be made worse by exposure to air pollution. The length of exposure and amount and type of pollutants are also factors.

Effects On The Environment

Like people, animals, and plants, entire ecosystems can suffer effects from air pollution. Haze, like smog, is a visible type of air pollution that obscures shapes and colors. Hazy air pollution can even muffle sounds.

Air pollution particles eventually fall back to Earth. Air pollution can directly contaminate the surface of bodies of water and soil. This can kill crops or reduce their yield. It can kill young trees and other plants.

Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide particles in the air, can create acid rain when they mix with water and oxygen in the atmosphere. These air pollutants come mostly from coal-fired power plants and motor vehicles. When acid rain falls to Earth, it damages plants by changing soil composition; degrades water quality in rivers, lakes and streams; damages crops; and can cause buildings and monuments to decay.

Like humans, animals can suffer health effects from exposure to air pollution. Birth defects, diseases, and lower reproductive rates have all been attributed to air pollution.

Global warming is an environmental phenomenon caused by natural and anthropogenic air pollution. It refers to rising air and ocean temperatures around the world. This temperature rise is at least partially caused by an increase in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases trap heat energy in the Earths atmosphere. (Usually, more of Earths heat escapes into space.)

Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that has had the biggest effect on global warming. Carbon dioxide is emitted into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels (coal, gasoline, and natural gas). Humans have come to rely on fossil fuels to power cars and planes, heat homes, and run factories. Doing these things pollutes the air with carbon dioxide.

Other greenhouse gases emitted by natural and artificial sources also include methane, nitrous oxide, and fluorinated gases. Methane is a major emission from coal plants and agricultural processes. Nitrous oxide is a common emission from industrial factories, agriculture, and the burning of fossil fuels in cars. Fluorinated gases, such as hydrofluorocarbons, are emitted by industry. Fluorinated gases are often used instead of gases such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). CFCs have been outlawed in many places because they deplete the ozone layer.

Worldwide, many countries have taken steps to reduce or limit greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming. The Kyoto Protocol, first adopted in Kyoto, Japan, in 1997, is an agreement between 183 countries that they will work to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions. The United States has not signed that treaty.

Regulation

In addition to the international Kyoto Protocol, most developed nations have adopted laws to regulate emissions and reduce air pollution. In the United States, debate is under way about a system called cap and trade to limit emissions. This system would cap, or place a limit, on the amount of pollution a company is allowed. Companies that exceeded their cap would have to pay. Companies that polluted less than their cap could trade or sell their remaining pollution allowance to other companies. Cap and trade would essentially pay companies to limit pollution.

In 2006 the World Health Organization issued new Air Quality Guidelines. The WHOs guidelines are tougher than most individual countries existing guidelines. The WHO guidelines aim to reduce air pollution-related deaths by 15 percent a year.

Reduction

Anybody can take steps to reduce air pollution. Millions of people every day make simple changes in their lives to do this. Taking public transportation instead of driving a car, or riding a bike instead of traveling in carbon dioxide-emitting vehicles are a couple of ways to reduce air pollution. Avoiding aerosol cans, recycling yard trimmings instead of burning them, and not smoking cigarettes are others. Global Warming

Fast Fact

Downwinders
The United States conducted tests of nuclear weapons at the Nevada Test Site in southern Nevada in the 1950s. These tests sent invisible radioactive particles into the atmosphere. These air pollution particles traveled with wind currents, eventually falling to Earth, sometimes hundreds of miles away in states including Idaho, Utah, Arizona, and Washington. These areas were considered to be "downwind" from the Nevada Test Site.

Decades later, people living in those downwind areascalled "downwinders"began developing cancer at above-normal rates. In 1990, the U.S. government passed the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act. This law entitles some downwinders to payments of $50,000.

Fast Fact

London Smog
What has come to be known as the London Smog of 1952, or the Great Smog of 1952, was a four-day incident that sickened 100,000 people and caused as many as 12,000 deaths. Very cold weather in December 1952 led residents of London, England, to burn more coal to keep warm. Smoke and other pollutants became trapped by a thick fog that settled over the city. The polluted fog became so thick that people could only see a few meters in front of them.

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Air pollution consists of chemicals or particles in the air that can harm the health of humans, animals, and plants. It also damages buildings.

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Humans are affected by the ecosystems because there are many people. 

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Humans are affected by the ecosystems because there are many people. 

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Anwar

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At the same time humans do wonderful things to the environment, they also affect the environment in some body ways like overpopulation,pollution,burning fossil fuels and deforestation. Those problems can evolute to even more worse problems as for example climate change or poor air quality

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Human Impacts on the Environment | National Geographic Society

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Humans impact the physical environment in many ways: overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation. Changes like these have triggered climate change, soil erosion, poor air quality, and undrinkable water. These negative impacts can affect human behavior and can prompt mass migrations or battles over clean water.

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The way that a human acts can affect the ecosystem, this can include water, air, land, and life. Humans are the cause of pollution, this can be on land, in the water and in the sky. There is global warming, this happens from the burning of fossil fuels. Because of this, it is trapping heat in the atmosphere, it is supposed to go into the space, but with all of that excessive heat, it is melting ice glaciers from the arctic and from the sea level to rise. These are all negative things that would have happened of our Ecosystem because of us.

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Human Activities that Affect the Ecosystem

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Humans interact with the world around us every day, but some of our actions are more harmful than others. As our population approaches 7 billion people, the effects of human activities on the ecosystem, including the water, air, land and the life that we share the world with, are almost immeasurable.

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Humans negatively impact the environment by pollution. Pollution is everywhere, and it's destroying nature and the beauty of Earth. Animals are consuming the plastics and dying from it. We are running out of places to put all this plastic and pollution. If this isn't stopped there will be no solution /going back later. https://interestingengineering.com/10-ways-humans-impact-the-environment

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One way humans affect ecosystems around the planet is the destruction of coral reefs. Acts that humans pursue effect the reefs negatively: overfishing, cruise ships, acidification of the marine waters, etc. These acts are ones that humans do without second thought. However, destroying the coral reefs effects so many species globally. It is predicted that by 2050, one-fourth of the reef species will go extinct. The reefs provide shelter and ground for many species, without their habitat they will no longer produce the essential materials that support biodiverse ecosystems. Humans pursue these acts without a second thought even though it is so disruptive to so many species and their home.

https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/various-human-activities-that-affect-ecosystem.php

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Overpopulation is a common way that humans affect the environment. Although it is often overlooked, overpopulation of humans has lead to the Earth being stripped of it's food and water supply. Although new health and technological advancements allow humans to live longer, it also means that humans will overpopulate the planet and can put multiple ecosystems at danger. Not only that, but overpopulation can make pollution and other problems even worse. The size of the human population will and already has a significant impact on Earth.

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Human activity has had an effect on the environment for thousands of years, from the time of our very earliest ancestors. Since Homo sapiens first walked the earth, we have been modifying the environment around us through agriculture, travel and eventually through urbanization and commercial networks. At this point in earth's physical history, our impact on the environment is so substantial that scientists believe "pristine nature," or ecosystems untouched by human intervention, no longer exist. ¹

In ways both positive and negative-and likely in more ways than you'd even think-human civilization and technology have affected our earth, altering our planet forever. Consider these five tangible impacts our species has had on the environment, and whether you're one who will advance their effects or intercede to halt them.

1. The Population Bomb

Human overpopulation has been affecting the environment for hundreds of years and a concern for scientists since at least 1798, when Thomas Malthus first published his finding that, without significant and ongoing technological innovation, the human population would almost certainly outstrip the planet's food supply. In 1968, this concern was again raised in Stanford professor R. Paul Ehrlich's book "The Population Bomb." ²

Accommodating population growth has been a root cause for much of the impact we've had on our environment. Since Malthus first noted his grave concerns, technological advances have created a new double-edged sword: health and abundance. Our food supply today can support more lives than ever, and advances in medical science have led to increasingly longer lifespans. But this reality has the profound side effect of reducing population turnover and leading to its rapid expansion. So as our quality of life and life expectancy improve, the challenges wrought by overpopulation accelerate as well. ³

2. Agriculture, Domesticated Animals and Genetic Modification

The demand to feed a growing human population has facilitated notable advances in agriculture, which was the first major human innovation to enable our survival as a species. Early agriculture allowed hunter-gatherer cultures to settle an area and cultivate their own food. This immediately impacted the environment by transplanting non-native species to new areas, and by prioritizing the cultivation of certain plants and animals over others. And more recently, advances in genetic modification have raised concerns about the environmental impact of newly developed crops. ⁴

In particular, the domestication of livestock and other species, including dogs and cats, by early humans affected the environment by altering the land in significant ways. Grazing animals contributed to environmental change by depleting native grasses and contributing to soil erosion. And we now know that the rapid expansion of cattle populations to meet human dietary demands has contributed substantially to changes in the composition of gases within the atmosphere. ⁵

The industrialization of agriculture in the last several centuries has exacerbated these effects, but it has also prompted a subsequent wave of counter-movements, which seek to undo the negative effects of human intervention. People today are increasingly aware of the impact vast factory farms have on the environment, and seek to return to smaller farms and even urban gardens. As "eating local" rises in popularity, urban land is being reclaimed for traditional agriculture and the environment is once again altered due to human labor. ⁶

3. Deforestation...and Reforestation

Growing populations have to be housed, which means they seek more space to build homes and cities. This often involves clearing forests to make room for urban and suburban development, as well as to provide building materials. Currently, it is estimated that 18 million acres of trees are clear-cut every year to create space for development and to be used in wood products. ⁷

Deforestation has many effects, including decreasing oxygen levels (and increasing greenhouse gases), elevated risk of soil erosion and the destruction of animal habitats. But as is the case with industrial agriculture, some groups have endeavored to create a positive counter-impact to deforestation's detrimental effects on the environment. Reforestation efforts seek to replace as much forest land as possible every year, and it is currently estimated that about 40 percent of the trees removed each year are being replaced. ⁸

4. Pollution

Human activities affect the environment by contributing to air pollution, or the emission of harmful substances into the air. While it can be difficult to understand which pollutants are associated with specific effects on the environment or public health, it is generally accepted that air pollution can indeed cause public health problems and also harm plant and animal life. ⁹

Pollution isn't just limited to the air. It can affect soil or waterways and can come from human waste, industrial chemicals and other sources. These toxins can exert tremendous effects on the natural world, leading to environmental degradation and problems like acid rain and harmful algal blooms in the ocean.

Environmental protection laws on the local and federal level have been enacted as a means to stem the ecological damage caused by pollution, and some communities have engaged in ongoing conversations aimed toward promoting sustainable, low-impact living.

5. Global Warming and Climate Change

Among the most critically impactful ways that humans have affected the environment is our extraction and consumption of fossil fuels and their attendant CO2 emissions. Recent studies indicate that CO2 emissions contribute to the deterioration of the earth's ozone layer, which may, in turn, contribute to global climate change; this is especially true when emissions are combined with the loss of the carbon-sink effect of forest lands (due to deforestation) and existing particulate matter in the air. ¹⁰ Though the scale and impact of such climate change are up for debate, the scientific community has reached a consensus that human activity does have some degree of impact on the global climate.

Human Impact on the Environment is a Double-edged Sword

The expansion of human population and the requirements of our growing human family place strenuous demands on our environment. Through human intervention, we have altered our ecosystem forever. However, though some of these changes may be negative, humans also have the power to correct our mistakes and change our environment for the better.

Discover how you can contribute to a thriving future for our planet. Explore the online Master of Geographic Information Science from Kent State University, and find your opportunity to work toward the renewal of the earth's ecosystem, from its forest grounds to its water resources and farmlands.

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Learn how everyday human activity is affecting the environment. And how we can correct our past mistakes and make the environment a better place. More here.