Human influences on ecosystems

Topics

Choose a topic to revise

Sample objectives

What this unit covers

• Food supply: Explain how humans have enhanced food production through various methods, including: (a) using agricultural machinery to cultivate larger areas and increase efficiency, (b) applying chemical fertilizers to boost crop yields, (c) utilizing insecticides to enhance both quality and yield, (d) employing herbicides to minimize weed competition, and (e) practicing selective breeding to enhance production in crops and livestock.
• Food supply: Discuss the pros and cons of cultivating large-scale monocultures of crops.
• Habitat destruction: Biodiversity refers to the variety of different species present in a specific area.
• Habitat destruction: Identify the causes of habitat destruction, which include: (a) the need for more land for housing, agriculture, and livestock (b) the extraction of natural resources (c) pollution in freshwater and marine environments.
• Pollution: Explain how untreated sewage and excess fertilizers impact aquatic ecosystems.
• Pollution: Explain the impact of non-biodegradable plastics on both aquatic and land ecosystems.
• Conservation: A sustainable resource is one that is replenished at the same rate it is extracted from the environment, ensuring it does not deplete.
• Conservation: Some resources can be preserved and managed in a sustainable manner, specifically forests and fish populations.