Human Impact on Ecosystems

Overview

Human activities have significantly impacted the environment over the last 50 years.
Daily human actions affect ecosystems, contributing to the extinction of nearly 1000 plant and animal species in the last century.
Ecosystems provide essential services like water filtration, carbon absorption, and food production.

Ecosystem Services:
1. Support Services: Recycle life-essential compounds, form soils, produce oxygen.
2. Provisioning Services: Provide raw materials like food, water, fiber, and fuel.
3. Regulating Services: Decompose waste, filter air and water, regulate climate.
4. Cultural Services: Offer recreational, aesthetic, and educational opportunities.
Economical valuation of ecosystem services equates to $46 trillion/year, nearly 70% of the global economy's output.

Deforestation:
- Clear-cutting around 8,000 hectares of rainforest daily affects ecosystem stability.
- Leads to erosion, loss of water regulation, and affects marine ecosystems.
Desertification:
- Driven by deforestation, overgrazing, and over-irrigation.
- Leads to salinization of soil, expanding deserts like the Gobi Desert.
Climate Change:
- Reduced forests and increased fossil fuel use drive global warming.
- Results in habitat loss, changes in species distribution, and increased fires.
Introduction of Invasive Species:
- Non-native species, like kudzu and cane toads, disrupt local ecosystems.
Overharvesting:
- Overfishing and exterminating predators reduce ecosystem diversity.

The next episode will explore pollution, its sources, and mitigation strategies.

Human activities are interconnected and can lead to cascading effects on biodiversity and ecosystems.
Encouragement to engage and learn more through provided resources and community interaction.