Human Impact
Human Impact on Freshwater Biomes
Intro...Fresh water ecosystems are very fragile. Fresh water biomes only make up only one percent of our earth surface and provide a disproportionate home for number of species. We depend on freshwater ecosystems for our survival, but our impact on them can be devastating.
Pollution RunoffFreshwater ecosystems near urban areas face threats from runoff pollution. Industrial dumping, particle pollution from combustion engines, and agricultural fertilizers and pesticides und up in rivers and streams. These types of pollution can fall into the freshwater directly, or through rain. Toxic pollutants can kill an entire ecosystem entirely but even the small amounts of less lethal compounds have a huge effect on the wildlife. These types of compounds can cause genetic mutations in the life cycle of the fish, amphibians and other wildlife and causing birth defects that can destroy a population over longer amounts of time. In the end, runoff from agricultural and urban areas hurt water quality.
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Habitat DestructionWe can alter and destroy freshwater habitats by our irrigation projects. Irrigation projects can change the reduce the amount of available water for the organisms, and alter the amount of natural flow throw the aquifer. Another way we destroy our freshwater habitats is through hydroelectric damns. Damns create reservoirs while limiting the amount of water able to flow downstream. This has a double effect as it changes the ecosystems in the reservoir(more water in an area that has not that amount of water before) and down stream(less water downstream).
Other Threats...Draining of wetlands for development depletes habitats: Wetland habitats are among the most productive habitats in the world. Due to urbanization and agricultural developments however, we have lost over fifty percent of our wetlands nationwide. Upper Newport Bay is a wetland in California which is now a preserve to help and maintain the bountiful diversity of the ecosystem.
Overexploitation and pollution threaten groundwater supplies: Invasion of exotic species can harm native animals and plants: For example, the quagga mussel. In the 1990s a new invasive specie was found in many of the Great Lakes. The quagga mussel has the possibility of outpacing the highly invasive zebra mussel and possibly causing even more damage. global warming may lead to devastating floods and droughts. |
OveruseWater overuse is a very important factor to our impact on our freshwater biomes. The same waterways that feed and care for wildlife ecosystems also the waterways that help maintain urban life. When water consumption outstrips the natural regeneration of these waterways it can negatively affect the ecosystem. Reducing the amount of water in lakes, and other reservoirs. This can put pressure on the existing aquatic populations, as it reduces the amount of living space available and in other cases overuse can dry up streams and ponds entirely
Waste WaterWaste water can damage a freshwater ecosystem very quickly. Municipal sewage and livestock operations release only treated water back into the environment under normal circumstances but system failures and floods can release untreated water back into the water cycle. Depending on the toxicity of the spill, it can kill an entire freshwater ecosystem or just alter the nutrient balance. This imbalance can start algae blooms which take up all the oxygen available in the freshwater which can kill of many, if not all the organisms. These algae blooms can also spur the development of toxic organisms such as cyanobacteria. This can be deadly to wildlife and even affect humans.
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Solutions and the Cuyahoga River...
Restricting the construction of dams
Provide incentives for farming business to reduce the use of pesticides
Regulate water withdrawal for human use
Please watch this video
Provide incentives for farming business to reduce the use of pesticides
Regulate water withdrawal for human use
Please watch this video