How We Affect the Ecosystem

• Use of fossil fuel


  • Fossil fuel as a non-renewable natural resource that takes million of years to be formed, so it is used at a faster rate than it is formed.
  • Increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration
  • Combustion of carbon-containing compound in fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
  • Increase rate of combustion releases more carbon dioxide than carbon dioxide stored during fossil fuel formation.
• Deforestation

  • Clearing of extension area of forests for more land space to have agriculture and housing, and materials such as timber to make products.
  • Unsustainable usage of forest resources
  • Forests are cleared at a faster rate than they grow and regenerate.
  • Increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. Since there is a decrease in number of trees to remove carbon dioxide through photosynthesis, this reduces carbon store in plant parts
  • Combustion as a way for deforestation releases the stored carbon as carbon dioxide
• Global warming

  1. Rise in global temperatures due to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that traps heat
  2. Increasing temperature can result in extreme weather events, increased frequencies of drought and flooding.
  3. Climate change. Climate change is the changes in temperature and weather patterns over a long period of time.
• Global Warming

  1. Rising sea levels due to melting of ice caps may cause flooding in low-lying areas
  2. Increasing seawater temperature can result in coral bleaching and death of corals. Corals have algae in their cells to photosynthesize and provide nutrients for the corals. Heat stress can result in the algae being expelled, thus losing the source of nutrients. It can also death of other organisms relying on the coral reef for habitat and food