INTRODUCTION

The story of the ecosystem on our planet has never been more crucial and relevant than it is today. In an era of climate change, desertification, sea level rise, acid rain, greenhouse effect, thinning ozone layer and widespread pollution, ecosystem quality is becoming more critical by the minute. The global forces of extraction and expansion are jeopardizing the very substance that supports life on our planet.

There is great truth to the adage that we are all downstream from one another. The midwestern United States is downstream from the coal-fired power plants of China. The rising tides inundating the Sundarban Islands of India are downstream from the carbon emissions of billions of cars around the world. And we are all literally downstream from the melting of the polar ice caps. How we manage our water resources has implications for many of the critical issues we facefrom women as primary water gatherers, subsistence farming, and the health and balance of wildlife systems, to water refugees, the health of children, and the spreading of disease. Unfortunately, these connections are not well understood by the general public, whose choices as individuals and as a collective can contribute to either the degradation or the conservation of our water.

Environment is defined as the surroundings in which the organism lives. The environment may be the physical environment, the chemical environment or the biological environment. Thus, the environment has two components - abiotic and biotic.

HUMAN ACTIVITIES THAT EFFECTS THE ECOSYSTEM

Human activities often affect whole ecosystems.With great advancements in the medical fields, modern farming techniques and better infrastructure, the worlds population has grown to over 6 billion today.

Conflicts, therefore, arise between the need to meet the immediate human demands in the short term and need to protect and conserve ecosystems from long-term damage.

Agriculture Open Burning Industrialization Urbanization Deforestation

 AGRICULTURE

Agriculture is the production of food and goods through farming and forestry. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of human civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and stratified societies. The study of agriculture is known as agricultural science.

Agriculture encompasses a wide variety of specialties and techniques, including ways to expand the lands suitable for plant raising, by digging water-channels and other forms of irrigation. Cultivation of crops on arable land and the pastoral herding of livestock on rangeland remain at the foundation of agriculture. In the past century there has been increasing concern to identify and quantify various forms of agriculture. In the developed world the range usually extends between sustainable agriculture (e.g. permaculture or organic agriculture) and intensive farming (e.g. industrial agriculture).

Modern agronomy, plant breeding, pesticides and fertilizers, and technological improvements have sharply increased yields from cultivation, and at the same time have caused widespread ecological damage and negative human health effects. Selective breeding and modern practices in animal husbandry such as intensive pig farming (and similar practices applied to the chicken) have similarly increased the output of meat, but have raised concerns about animal cruelty and the health effects of the antibiotics, growth hormones, and other chemicals commonly used in industrial meat production.

The major agricultural products can be broadly grouped into foods, fibers, fuels, and raw materials. In the 2000s, plants have been used to grow biofuels, biopharmaceuticals, bioplastics, and pharmaceuticals. Specific foods include cereals, vegetables, fruits, and meat. Fibers include cotton, wool, hemp, silk and flax. Raw materials include lumber and bamboo. Other useful materials are produced by plants, such as resins. Biofuels include methane from biomass, ethanol, and biodiesel. Cut flowers, nursery plants, tropical fish and birds for the pet trade are some of the ornamental products.

In 2007, about one third of the world's workers were employed in agriculture. The services sector has overtaken agriculture as the economic sector employing the most people worldwide. Despite the size of its workforce, agricultural production accounts for less than five percent of the gross world product (an aggregate of all gross domestic products).

OPEN BURNING

Open burning is defined as "the burning of any matter in such a manner that products of combustion resulting from the burning are emitted directly into the ambient (surrounding outside) air without passing through an adequate stack, duct or chimney." Generally, anytime you light a fire outdoors, you are open burning.

No person may conduct, cause or permit the conduct of a salvage operation by open burning, and the burning of refuse and other combustible material by open burning is generally restricted. However, there are some categories of permissible open burning; some of these are as follows:

Fires for the instruction and training of firefighting personnel. Fires set for the elimination of a fire hazard. Fires set for the removal of dangerous or hazardous material. Campfires and other fires for the outdoor preparation of food. Agricultural crop burning. Land clearing and right-of-way maintenance.

No burning of trade waste or materials that generate hazardous air pollutants such as rubber products (tires), tarpaper, asphalt shingles, plastics or treated wood products will be approved. Alternatives to burning must be investigated and the request to burn must be justified fully. Cost of alternative disposal is not sufficient justification by itself.

Regardless of whether or not the burning is permissible under the rules or whether a variance to open burn has been issued, all open burning must comply with all of the conditions contained in Subsection 33-15-04.2. Some of these conditions are as follows:

No public nuisance is or will be created. No occupied building may be impacted by air contaminants from the burning. No traffic hazards can be created. The burning must be attended and supervised at all times.

INDUSTRIALIZATION

Industrialisation is the process of social and economic change whereby a human group is transformed from a pre-industrial society into an industrial one. It is a part of a wider modernisation process, where social change and economic development are closely related with technological innovation, particularly with the development of large-scale energy and metallurgy production. It is the extensive organization of an economy for the purpose of manufacturing.

Industrialisation also introduces a form of philosophical change where people obtain a different attitude towards their perception of nature, and a sociological process of ubiquitous rationalisation. There is considerable literature on the factors facilitating industrial modernisation and enterprise development. Key positive factors identified by researchers have ranged from favourable political-legal environments for industry and commerce, through abundant natural resources of various kinds, to plentiful supplies of relatively low-cost, skilled and adaptable labour.

One survey of countries in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America and the Caribbean in the late 20th century found that high levels of structural differentiation, functional specialisation, and autonomy of economic systems from government were likely to contribute greatly to industrial-commercial growth and prosperity. Amongst other things, relatively open trading systems with zero or low duties on goods imports tended to stimulate industrial costefficiency and innovation across the board. Free and flexible labour and other markets also helped raise general business-economic performance levels, as did rapid popular learning capabilities.

Positive work ethics in populations at large combined with skills in quickly utilising new technologies and scientific discoveries were likely to boost production and income levels and as the latter rose, markets for consumer goods and services of all kinds tended to expand and provide a further stimulus to industrial investment and economic growth. By the end of the century, East Asia was one of the most economically successful regions of the world with free market countries such as Hong Kong being widely seen as models for other, less developed countries around the world to emulate. The first country to industrialize was Great Britain during the Industrial Revolution.

URBANIZATION

Urbanization is the physical growth of urban areas as a result of global change. Urbanization is also defined by the United Nations as movement of people from rural to urban areas with population growth equating to urban migration. The United Nations projected that half of the world's population would live in urban areas at the end of 2008. Urbanization is closely linked to modernization, industrialization, and the sociological process of rationalization.

As more and more people leave villages and farms to live in cities, urban growth results. The rapid growth of cities like Chicago in the late 19th century and Shanghai a century later can be attributed largely to people from rural communities migrating there. This kind of growth is especially commonplace in developing countries.

The rapid urbanization of the worlds population over the twentieth century is described in the 2005 Revision of the UN World Urbanization Prospects report. The global proportion of urban population rose dramatically from 13% (220 million) in 1900, to 29% (732 million) in 1950, to 49% (3.2 billion) in 2005. The same report projected that the figure is likely to rise to 60% (4.9 billion) by 2030. However, French economist Philippe Bocquier, writing in THE FUTURIST magazine, has calculated that "the proportion of the world population living in cities and towns in the year 2030 would be roughly 50%, substantially less than the 60% forecast by the United Nations (UN), because the messiness of rapid urbanization is unsustainable. Both Bocquier and the UN see more people flocking to cities, but Bocquier sees many of them likely to leave upon discovering that theres no work for them and no place to live." Urbanization is not always attributed to high density. In Manila, the cost of living has forced residents to live in low quality slums and shanty towns.

DEFORESTATION

Deforestation is the clearance of naturally occurring forests by the processes of people's logging and/or burning of trees in a forested area.

Environmental issues effect every life on this planet from the smallest parasite to the human race. The reason for this is simple. A single disruption in the Earths delicate balance can mean certain destruction of the very place that cradles the lives of many species. What is not so simple is finding alternatives to the now dangerous and confronting acts of planet degradation that have been afflicted on the planet over recent years. One such issue that requires consideration is deforestation. Trees have been or are being cut down at increasingly high rates. If this is not stopped many unfavorable side effects could result.

Deforestation occurs because of many reasons: trees or derived charcoal are used as or sold for fuel or a commodity to be used by humans, while cleared land is used by humans as pasture for livestock, plantations of commodities, and settlements. People's removal of trees without sufficient reforestation has resulted in damage to habitat, biodiversity loss and aridity. It has adverse impacts on biosequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Deforested regions typically incur significant adverse soil erosion and frequently degrade into wasteland.

Disregard or ignorance of intrinsic value, lack of ascribed value, lax forest management and deficient environmental law are some of the factors that allow deforestation to occur on a large scale. In many countries, deforestation is an ongoing issue that is causing extinction, changes to

climatic conditions, desertification, and displacement of indigenous people. Logging was the major cause of global deforestation.

EFFECTS OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES

The Human Activities all over the world made by mankind had gave many impact to the mother nature. The negative effects of hasty, unplanned development and the mismanagement of the ecosystems result in various environmental problems such as air and water pollution, the greenhouse effect, global warming, and the depletion of natural resources.These problems bring about negative effects that increasingly threaten the economic resources health and survival of ecosystems.Some human activities that have undesirable effects in the environment.

Many of the problems related to the environment are the results of human activities and human interference with the ecosystems.

Pollution Greenhouse Effect Thinning Ozone Layer

POLLUTION

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into an environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances, or energy, such as noise, heat, or light. Pollutants, the elements of pollution, can be foreign substances or energies, or naturally occurring; when naturally occurring, they are considered contaminants when they exceed natural levels. Pollution is often classed as point source or nonpoint source pollution.

Pollution comes from both natural and manmade sources. Pollution can also be the consequence of a natural disaster. For example, hurricanes often involve water contamination from sewage, and petrochemical spills from ruptured boats or automobiles. Larger scale and environmental damage is not uncommon when coastal oil rigs or refineries are involved. Some sources of pollution, such as nuclear power plants or oil tankers, can produce widespread and potentially hazardous releases when accidents occur.

Adverse air quality can kill many organisms including humans. Ozone pollution can cause respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, throat inflammation, chest pain, and congestion. Water pollution causes approximately 14,000 deaths per day, mostly due to contamination of drinking water by untreated sewage in developing countries. An estimated 700 million Indians have no access to a proper toilet, and 1,000 Indian children die of diarrhoeal sickness every day. Nearly 500 million Chinese lack access to safe drinking water. 656,000 people die prematurely each year in China because of air pollution. In India, air pollution is believed to cause 527,700

fatalities a year. Studies have estimated that the number of people killed annually in the US could be over 50,000.

Oil spills can cause skin irritations and rashes. Noise pollution induces hearing loss, high blood pressure, stress, and sleep disturbance. Mercury has been linked to developmental deficits in children and neurologic symptoms. Older people are majorly exposed to diseases induced by air pollution. Those with heart or lung disorders are under additional risk. Children and infants are also at serious risk. Lead and other heavy metals have been shown to cause neurological problems. Chemical and radioactive substances can cause cancer and as well as birth defects.

GREENHOUSE EFFECT

The greenhouse effect is the heating of the surface of a planet or moon due to the presence of an atmosphere containing gases that absorb and emit infrared radiation. Thus, greenhouse gases trap heat within the surface-troposphere system. This mechanism is fundamentally different from that of an actual greenhouse, which works by isolating warm air inside the structure so that heat is not lost by convection. The greenhouse effect was discovered by Joseph Fourier in 1824, first reliably experimented on by John Tyndall in 1858, and first reported quantitatively by Svante Arrhenius in 1896.

The black body temperature of the Earth is 5.5 C. Since the Earth's surface reflects about 28% of incoming sunlight, the planet's mean temperature would be far lower, about -18 or -19 C. Along with the added contribution of the greenhouse effect, it is instead much higher, roughly 14 C. Global warming, a recent warming of the Earth's surface and lower atmosphere, is believed to be the result of an enhanced greenhouse effect mostly due to human-produced increases in atmospheric greenhouse gases. This human induced part is referred to as anthropogenic global warming (AGW).

The Earth receives energy from the Sun mostly in the form of visible light and nearby wavelengths. About 50% of the sun's energy is absorbed at the Earth's surface. Like all bodies with a temperature above absolute zero the Earth's surface radiates energy in the infrared range. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere absorb most of the infrared radiation emitted by the surface and pass the absorbed heat to other atmospheric gases through molecular collisions. The greenhouse gases also radiate in the infrared range. Radiation is emitted both upward, with part

escaping to space, and downward toward Earth's surface. The surface and lower atmosphere are warmed by the part of the energy that is radiated downward, making our life on earth possible.

THINNING OZONE LAYER

The distribution of ozone in ionosphere, mesosphere and stratosphere is being depleted. The concentration of ozone is gradually reducing. As the content of ozone is highest in ionosphere and the air itself being very thin, the depletion is negligible in ionosphere. But in mesosphere and stratosphere the air is thicker and ozone content is less. The depletion of ozone is of higher order in these layers. The so called hole in ozone layers simply means that above some continents (specifically Antarctica, Asia and parts of South America) the mesosphere and stratosphere have lost their original level of ozone content.

The depletion of ozone layer is a global phenomena both in terms of cause and effect. The geographical limits of countries are not barriers to either dispersal of gases in layers of atmosphere or depletion of gases. The causes for depletion may arise in any country. The effects (in terms of depletion) may arise in any other country. The effects (in terms of ozone depletion) need not be exactly above the country causing the depletion.

It is now established that chloroflouro carbon (CFC) chemicals evolved from various refrigerants, coolants and propellants are the primary reasons for depletion of ozone. CFC are a group of chlorine bearing gases of low specific gravity. They rise to stratosphere and mesosphere. Due to ionising solar radiation in these layers, (which is the primary reason for production of ozone) fresh chlorine gas is produced from CFCs. This nascent chlorine gas has the capacity to react with ozone and bring down the level of ozone substantially.

The concept of ozone depletion is new. But study of international ozone trendis being made since 1988, when international ozone commission was established. Extensive ozone assessment facilities were established under International Middle Atmospheric Programme (IMAP) in India to study ozone along with number of other green house gases.

STEPS TO MAINTAIN A BALANCED ECOSYSTEM

The Human Activities all over the world made by mankind had gave many impact to the mother nature. The negative effects of hasty, unplanned development and the mismanagement of the ecosystems result in various environmental problems such as air and water pollution, the greenhouse effect, global warming, and the depletion of natural resources. These problems bring about negative effects that increasingly threaten the economic resources health and survival.

1. The need of development and the effects of an increasing population on the ecosystem: Population of the world always increase, so do their needs The needs for more food supplies, water, home has led to development These development involves deforestation, the building more dams, and production of more domestic and industrial waste The unmanaged and unplanned development leads to a pollution of environment To reduces the negative effects of developments, human must have efforts to manage the environment properly 2. The importance of proper management of development activities Way to balance the needs for resources with the needs to conserve the natural resources To make a sustainable development without jeopardizing or depleting the natural resources Ensure that short-term gains be balance with the long-term effects on the environment To exploit natural resources in a sustainable way, so these resources can be replenish and renewed for future generations to continue to use them To minimize the negative effects of development towards the environment 3. Measures taken in the management of development activities Implementations of laws Uses of technology Education on the management of resources Preservation and conservation of soil The practice of biological control The use of renewable energy The efficient use of technology 4. Implimentations of laws Many laws and regulations are designed to control pollution which affects the quality of lands, air and water. Examples of the acts:

o o o o o o o o

The Environment Quality Act, 1974, 1989 Motor Vehicle Noise Regulations, 1987 Scheduled Wastes Treatment and Disposal Facilities Regulations, 1989 Clean Air Regulations, Amendment 2000 The National Forestry Act, 1984 The Pesticides Act, 1974 The Fisheries Act, 1985 The Protection of Wildlife Act, 1972

5. Uses of technology Install catalytic converters in vehicle to clean un exhaust emissions and convert harmful gases released to less harmful gases Use unleaded petrol to reduce the emissions of leads into environment Treat sewage in sewage treatment plants before its discharged into the environment Use microorganisms to clean up the environment Develop hydrogen-based fuel-cell vehicle to reduce the burning of fossil fuels 6. Education on the management of resources The public must be educated on the concept of the 4R: o RECYCLE means collecting segregating waste according to the types of materials and turning this waste into new products o REUSE means use things such as old plastics containers and bottles again instead of throwing them away o REDUCE means cutting down on the use of materials which are nonbiodegradable o RENEW means to use materials such as bottles and plastic containers after they are cleaned 7. Recycling is important because: Fewer landfills will be needed to dispose of rubbish It cuts down the use of resources, for example fewer trees will be cut down to make paper and furniture It saves energy, for example less energy is needed to melt down scrap metal and use it again than to extract it from the ore

8. Preservation and conservation Preservations involves efforts to protect an ecosystem Conservations involves efforts to return an affected ecosystem to its natural equiblirium and keep them good