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Human Impact On Ecosystems Reading Comprehension

Human activities can negatively and positively impact ecosystems. Negatively, pollution like air pollution from vehicles or acid rain from emissions can harm plants and destroy forests. Litter can entrap or poison wildlife. Overharvesting resources disrupts habitats and food webs. Positively, humans can conserve ecosystems by reducing pollution and waste, recycling, planting trees, and protecting green spaces.

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1K views1 page

Human Impact On Ecosystems Reading Comprehension

Human activities can negatively and positively impact ecosystems. Negatively, pollution like air pollution from vehicles or acid rain from emissions can harm plants and destroy forests. Litter can entrap or poison wildlife. Overharvesting resources disrupts habitats and food webs. Positively, humans can conserve ecosystems by reducing pollution and waste, recycling, planting trees, and protecting green spaces.

Uploaded by

Denilson JC
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Human Impact on Ecosystems

Humans can have many effects, both positive and negative, on their environment and the ecosystems
which exist within it. Some of these human actions can directly affect the ecosystem, whereas others
can be indirect.
Human Actions with Negative Consequences
Remember
Unfortunately, the negative impacts that human action can have on
an ecosystem occur much more easily and readily than the positive
An ecosystem is the
effects. There are many destructive human actions carried out every environment and all the
day, which many people will not even notice. living things within it.
Anything that affects the
Pollution exists in many forms: air pollution, litter or water pollution. environment and the habitat
Air can be polluted by large amounts of particles released from where an organism lives,
vehicle exhaust fumes and other emissions. These particles can block will affect the organism.
or reduce the sunlight reaching plants and this affects their ability to This can have a knock on
photosynthesise and grow. effect to the food webs and
Some air pollutants, such as sulphur dioxide, can lead to acid rain if feeding relationships too.
the chemical gases dissolve in the water vapour, which can completely
destroy whole forests and environments.

Human litter, particularly food containers, can


be very enticing to curious animals. Animals can
become trapped in litter and die, or consume it and
then become unable to digest it.

Humans require a lot of resources from the


environment, such as wood for fuel and building
material. Removing this from the environment
can be damaging to the ecosystem through loss
of habitat and even directly removing the food
source of some animals which feed on the foliage of
A forest destroyed by acid rain the trees.

Food webs and the relationships between organisms can be affected


directly by humans when they present direct competition for a prey.
This can be through intensive fishing or hunting and poaching
of animals.
Human Actions with Positive Consequences
Humans can help to conserve and protect the environment and their
ecosystems through activities such as recycling, litter picking and
careful disposal of waste. Also through reduced use of vehicles and
electricity. Other activities which can eventually have a big impact
are planting trees and protecting green spaces locally.

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