Biodiversity

Due to evolution, there is a great number of different organisms which fill

many different roles in ecosystems. The number of different organisms in an
ecosystem is called biodiversity. Increased biodiversity increases the stability
of the ecosystem. Biodiversity also ensures the availability of diverse genetic
material that may lead to future discoveries with significant value to
humans. As diversity is lost, potential sources of these materials for these
discoveries may be lost with it. A great diversity of species provides for
variations which increase the chance that at least some living things will
survive in the face of large changes in the environment.

Biodiversity
As a result of evolutionary processes, there is a diversity of organisms and a
diversity of roles in ecosystems. Biodiversity refers to the differences in
living things in an ecosystem. Increased biodiversity increases the stability of
the ecosystem as it provides for more genetic variation among species. A
great diversity of species increases the chance that at least some living
things will survive in the face of large changes in the environment.

The Need for Biodiversity

Human Influences on Biodiversity

When humans alter ecosystems either by removing specific organisms,

serious consequences may result. Human beings are part of the Earths

ecosystems. Human activities can, deliberately or accidentally, change the

equilibrium in ecosystems. Humans are destroying other species as a result
of population growth, consumption, and technology. Human destruction of
habitats through direct harvesting, pollution, atmospheric changes, and
other factors is especially threatening current global biodiversity.
An example of a human activity which has decreased biodiversity is the use
of monoculture in modern agricultural practices. Monoculture involves
planting one variety of a species over a huge area. This leaves this area
more vulnerable to predation or disease and the loss of many or all species.

Uses of Biodiversity
In addition to the aesthetic beauty added to the world by many
different organisms, biodiversity also ensures the availability of a rich

variety of genetic material that may lead to future agricultural or medical

discoveries with significant value to humankind. As diversity is lost, potential
sources of these materials may be lost with it.

Interrelationships
The Earth has limited resources to support the organisms that live on it.
Increasing human population numbers are putting great pressure on many of
these limited resources and deplete those resources which can not be
renewed. Many different natural processes occur within those ecosystems
influencing humans. Some of these processes include atmospheric quality.
soil generation and conservation, energy flow, the water cycle, waste
removal and recycling. Human activities are altering the equilibrium involved
in these natural processes and cycles. If these changes due to human
activities are not addressed, the stability of the world's ecosystems may
irreversibly affected.
Technological Developments
Human activities which have harmed ecosystems have resulted in a loss of
diversity in both living things and the nonliving environment. Examples of
these changes include land use, the cutting of vast areas of forest, and
pollution of the soil, air, and water. Another way humans have changed
ecosystems in a harmful way is by adding or removing specific organisms to
these ecosystems Our ever increasing demand for energy has impacted
ecosystems negatively as well. Many environmental risks are associated with
our use of fossil and nuclear fuels.
Many factors associated with human populations have influenced
environmental quality. These include population growth and distribution on
our planet, our use of resources, the ability of technology to solve

environmental problems, as well as the role of economic, political, ethical,

and cultural views in solving these problems.

Improvements

Individual choices and the actions of society can contribute to the

improvement of our environmental problems. Our choices which must
include an assessment of the risks, costs, benefits, and trade-offs of new
technologies and continued human expansion. All changes and proposed
improvements need to consider both the human and environmental impact
of the change.

Interrelationships
The Earth has limited to resources to support populations of humans and
other organisms. Our ever increasing human numbers is depleting many of
our planet's resources and placing severe stress on the natural processes
that renew many of our resources.
Ecosystem Processes
Natural ecosystems are involved in a wide variety of natural processes
influencing humans and other organisms. The activities of humans in the
environment are changing many of these natural processes in a harmful
fashion. Some of these natural processes and a brief description of a human
influence on these processes is indicated in the table which follows.

Human Influence on Some Ecosystem Processes

Ecosystem Process

Human Influence

Generation of Soils

Agricultural practices have exposed

soil to the weather resulting in great
loss of topsoil.

Control of the Water

Cycle

Removal of Wastes

The cutting of forests and other

human activities have allowed
increased uncontrolled runoff
leading to increased erosion and
flooding.
Untreated sewage wastes and runoff
from farms and feedlots have led to

increased water pollution.

Some industries and nuclear plants
have added thermal pollution to the
environment. The release of some
gases from the burning of fossil
fuels may be slowly increasing the
Earth's temperature.
(Greenhouse Effect).

Energy Flow

Nutrient Recycling

The use of packaging material which

does not break down, burning of
refuse, and the placing of materials
in landfills prevents the return of
some useful materials to the
environment.

Some Detrimental Human Activities

Humans are part of the Earth's ecosystem. Human activities can
either deliberately or inadvertently alter the balance of an
ecosystem. This destruction of habitat, whether accidental or
intentional, is threatening the stability of the planet's ecosystems. If
these human influences are not addressed, the stability of many
ecosystems may be irreversibly affected. Some of the ways that
humans damage and destroy ecosystems are indicated in the table
below.

Some Ways Humans Adversely Influence Ecosystems

Human Influence

Effect on Ecosystems

Our increasing numbers are using

Population growth excessive amounts of the Earth's limited
resources.
Overconsumption
Advancing

Industrialized societies are using more

resources per person from our planet than
people from poor nations.
Often we introduce technology without

Technologies

knowing how it will influence the

environment

Direct Harvesting

This has resulted in a large loss of

rainforest and the many products
associated with its biodiversity.

Pollution

Land, air, water, and nuclear pollution have

had many adverse influences on
ecosystems.

Atmospheric
Changes

These include the addition of Greenhouse

gases mostly due to the burning of fossil
fuels and depletion of our stratospheric
ozone layer.
Other pollutants also have negative effects
on living things.

Technological Developments
Human technologies which degrade the environment result in a loss of
diversity in the living and nonliving environment.Biodiversity refers to the
differences in living things in an ecosystem. Many of our technologies and
resource use practices have resulted in an irreversible loss of biodiversity.
Some examples of human activities which have negatively influenced other
organisms include our land use practices and pollution. Excessive land use
decreases the space and resources available to other species on the planet.
Air, soil, and water pollution changes the composition of these environmental
resources, making them harmful and unusable for other species and
sometimes ourselves.
Endangered Species
Endangered speciesare those species which are threatened with
destruction due to habitat destruction or other factors.Animals which were

once endangered but are presently successfully reproducing and

increasing their numbers are the bison, gray wolves and egrets.
Other endangered animals which are currently responding to
conservation efforts and beginning to make a comeback are the
whooping crane, bald eagle, and peregrine falcon. Even with these
successes, the future of many endangered species remains in doubt.

Exotic Species
The importation of some organisms have caused problems for native
organisms. Organisms which are imported into an area from another
region are called exotic species. Many examples of this are found
world-wide. Some common examples of exotic species having
negative effects would include the rabbits and deer which were
imported into Australia. These exotic species won the competition
with many native herbivorous marsupials and became nuisance
species. The starling was brought into the United States from
Europe. The starling has out competed many of our native
songbirds. We also have alien invasive species which have caused
problems in New York State. These include the plants such as the
Water Chestnut, Eurasian Water milfoil, and Purple Loosestrife and
animals such as the Alewife and Zebra Mussel.

The Purple Loosestrife

Purple loosestrife is a plant native to
Europe. It was brought to North America
in the early 1800's by immigrants who
valued its beautiful purple flowers. It is
now a serious pest of wetlands. Once
purple loosestrife enters a wetland, it takes
over. Common native wetland plants, such
as cattails, cannot compete with purple
loosestrife. Once these native plants are
choked out, the wildlife that depends on
them for food and shelter are also
eliminated.

Use of Fossil Fuels

Fossil fuels are becoming rapidly depleted. The use of these fuels
are adding to out air pollution problems. The search and demand for
additional fossil fuel resources also impact ecosystems in a negative
way. Industrialization has brought an increased demand for and use
of energy.
One of the ways the increased burning of fossil fuels has had a
harmful influence of the environment is by causing an increased
incidence of acid precipitation.

How does Acid Precipitation occur?

Most acid rain influencing New York State is caused by sulfur

dioxide and nitrogen dioxide pollution from the burning of fossil
fuels in the Western and Midwestern United States. These gases
combine with water vapor in the atmosphere and fall back to the
earth over New York and the Eastern United States as acid
precipitation.

Some Problems Associated With Acid Precipitation

Destruction of limestone and marble monuments due to

increased chemical weathering

Acidification of aquatic ecosystems destroying the life in

them

Damage forests and other plants in a variety of ways

Our increased burning of fossil fuels and the release of excess

carbon dioxide to the atmosphere associated with their combustion
is also contributing to the Greenhouse Effect or global warming.
It is believed the increase in level of carbon dioxide and some other
gases is not allowing much infrared or heat radiation to escape the
planet into outer space. This is causing our planet to slowly warm
The graphs in the table below show the link between increasing
earth carbon dioxide levels and the increase in global average
temperatures.

Relationship Between
Global Temperature and Carbon Dioxide Levels

Some Consequences of Global Warming

Rising sea levels and coastal flooding

Changed precipitation patterns which may result in

droughts in some regions and increased levels of crop
failure

An increase in insect borne diseases in temperate regions

such as New York State as milder winters fail to kill the
disease carrying insects. (The increase in the incidence of
West Nile virus may be an example of this.)

Ozone Depletion
CFC's(chloroflurocarbons) are very active chemicals associated with
certain human manufacturing processes and products. This CFC
pollution from refrigerants and plastics are destroying our thin ozone
shield high up in our atmosphere or in the stratosphere. This layer of
ozone normally shields us from excessive incoming ultraviolet
radiation. Some consequences of this ever increasing ozone
depletion appear to be an increased incidence of skin cancers and
cataracts in the human population.
Nuclear Energy
While nuclear energy avoids many of the pollution drawbacks
associated with the increased burning of fossil fuels, there are many
risks associated with the use of nuclear fuels for energy.
Environmental dangers exist in reference to obtaining, using, and
storing the wastes from these fuels. Many of the waste products of
used nuclear fuel stay in the environment for thousands of years
and release radiation which is harmful to humans or other living
things. Additionally, the water used to cool many nuclear reactors
must be released eventually to the environment. The thermal
pollution associated with this released heat into the water is
potentially dangerous to the aquatic life in the area where this hot
water is released.

Other Factors Influencing Environmental Quality

Many different factors besides industry and resource use have
influences on environmental quality. Some factors include
population growth and distribution, resource use, the capacity of
technology to solve environmental problems, as well as economic,
cultural, political, and ethical views.

Some Examples of Political or Cultural Views Influencing

Environmental Quality

Wealthy people in the developed world tend to have fewer

children.

Some countries like China have laws concerning the

number of children a couple may have without penalty.

In some countries such as many in Latin America,

families tend to be larger as birth control violates religious
and societal norms.

In some poor cultures in third world countries, having

many children is seen as a means of having economic
security in old age.

Through a greater awareness of ecological principles and application

of these principles to our natural environment, humans can help
assure there will be suitable environments for succeeding
generations of life on our planet.
Individuals in our societies will always have to make decisions on
proposals involving the introduction of new technologies. Individuals
in these societies need to make decisions which will assess the risks,
benefits, trade-offs, and costs of these new technologies. The
economic rewards of these technologies must be properly balanced
with any adverse consequences these new technologies may have

on the environment. It may be impossible to completely assess the

consequences of introducing a new technology, but critical
questions in reference to its introduction must be asked.
While the overall impact of humans on the planet's ecosystems have
been negative, humans have done many things to improve the
overall quality for living things in ecosystems we have damaged or
destroyed. Activities having possible adverse effects on the
environment in New York State are subject to review by SEQR(State
Environmental Quality Review Act). Some other ways in which
humans have attempted to minimize negative impacts or improve
the ecosystems we are all a part of are listed in the table which
follows.

Some Positive Influences of Humans on the Ecosystem

Sustaining endangered species by using habitat protection

methods such as wildlife refuges and national parks.

Passing wildlife management laws, such as game laws

and catch restrictions.

Adding lime to Adirondack lakes in an effort to neutralize

their
acid pollution so the original living things in these lakes
can be reintroduced.

Design new products which meet basic needs without

generating pollution.

Inspection of all materials before entering the country to

prevent pest introduction.

Increased use of biodegradable packaging materials

which will recycle themselves quickly to the environment.

Use fuels which contain less pollutants, such as low sulfur

coal and oil.

Remove pollutants by using such devices as afterburners

or catalytic converters before they enter the air.