Environmental Issues Causes and Effects
Greenhouse Effect Cause: Water vapor, Carbon Dioxide (CO2), methane, and other gases trap heat that radiates off the Earth’s surface Effect: Heat is retained by the Earth’s atmosphere to maintain global temperatures Cause: Water vapor, Carbon Dioxide (CO2), methane, and other gases trap heat that radiates off the Earth’s surface Effect: Heat is retained by the Earth’s atmosphere to maintain global temperatures
Deforestation Cause: Wood used to make products from houses to paper Wood burned for fuel Needed for farmland Effect: Less Oxygen (O2) made by plants and more Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Erosion of soil --> loss of nutrients Loss of habitats Cause: Wood used to make products from houses to paper Wood burned for fuel Needed for farmland Effect: Less Oxygen (O2) made by plants and more Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Erosion of soil --> loss of nutrients Loss of habitats
Global Climate Change Cause: Excessive addition of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), and other green house gases such as methane, due to human activities increase greenhouse effect Combustion of fossil fuels, cutting down trees Effect: Increase of average temp. of biosphere .5 Celsius over past 120 years Ice caps melting Sea Levels rise Weather disturbances and droughts Loss of diversity Cause: Excessive addition of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), and other green house gases such as methane, due to human activities increase greenhouse effect Combustion of fossil fuels, cutting down trees Effect: Increase of average temp. of biosphere .5 Celsius over past 120 years Ice caps melting Sea Levels rise Weather disturbances and droughts Loss of diversity
Pollution Cause: Toxic compounds accumulate in tissues of organisms Pesticides (DDT) Individuals not putting trash/etc in the proper receptacles Effect: Threaten biodiversity Organisms get caught in trash Plastic rings from pop cans, etc Passed through food chain Birds’ eggs become fragile -->threatened extinction Cause: Toxic compounds accumulate in tissues of organisms Pesticides (DDT) Individuals not putting trash/etc in the proper receptacles Effect: Threaten biodiversity Organisms get caught in trash Plastic rings from pop cans, etc Passed through food chain Birds’ eggs become fragile -->threatened extinction
Acid Rain Cause: Combustion of fossil fuels releases acidic gases These gases combine with water vapor forming sulfuric acid and nitric acid Cause: Combustion of fossil fuels releases acidic gases These gases combine with water vapor forming sulfuric acid and nitric acid Effect: Acid rain can kill plants, change soil chemistry, release toxins Chemical weathering of buildings and other structures Effect: Acid rain can kill plants, change soil chemistry, release toxins Chemical weathering of buildings and other structures
Ozone Depletion Cause: Hole forming in the protective layer around earth due to Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) CFCs, found in aerosol cans as propellants, to break down Ozone (O3) into Oxygen (O2) Effect: Hole is increasing Higher than normal exposure to UV rays Increases cancer, sunburn, increased disease and damage to producers Cause: Hole forming in the protective layer around earth due to Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) CFCs, found in aerosol cans as propellants, to break down Ozone (O3) into Oxygen (O2) Effect: Hole is increasing Higher than normal exposure to UV rays Increases cancer, sunburn, increased disease and damage to producers
Endangered Species Cause: Altering habitats, hunting, toxic compounds introduced into food webs, introduction of foreign species into new environments Effect: Population sizes can decreased to the point of being threatened, endangered or extinct Loss of genetic diversity Whole food web affected Cause: Altering habitats, hunting, toxic compounds introduced into food webs, introduction of foreign species into new environments Effect: Population sizes can decreased to the point of being threatened, endangered or extinct Loss of genetic diversity Whole food web affected