pollution of the natural environment

• FPO

  • Factor: Human activities such as pollution 
  • Process: Through oil spills, dumping or releasing untreated sewage into the environment 
  • Outcome: This has affected cultural services such as tourism as the water is polluted and the habitats of coral reefs have been destroyed. Supporting services such as fishes are affected and there has been a significant loss in biodiversity.
• Example

  • The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. This disaster occurred when an offshore drilling rig operated by British Petroleum exploded in the Gulf of Mexico, releasing approximately 4.9 million barrels of crude oil into the ocean over 87 days. The oil spread across the water, reaching the coastlines of several states, including Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida