Influence of man on ecology and environment UPSC | Environmental Geography | Physical geography

What does means Influence of man on ecology and the environment?

We already know that ecology is the study of the interrelationship between the biotic and abiotic and within biotic components. We also know that environment means surrounding things around us that are the atmosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere. So, the influences of man on ecology and the environment mean influences of man's action on the relationship between the different components of the environment and components of the environment itself.

For example,

• Impact of human action in vegetation and soil relations.
• Impact of humans on the food web and food chain.
• Impact of human actions on the atmosphere

Early, the human was deterministic and they adopted prevailing environmental conditions. Now, human is able to alter the physical environment to suit themselves. The amazing development of Science and Technology enables humans to exploit and change the environment and its relation. 

The following are the influences of man on ecology and the environment;

Modification of lands and landforms:

• Deforestation
• Land degradation
• Erosion and desertification
• Dam buildings generate pressure on land.
• Urbanization
• Development of cultural landscape
• Modification in Hydrological cycle and hydrosphere:
• Changing water cycle pattern
• Drought and flood
• Increasing Cyclonic activity

Modification of the atmosphere:

• Increasing greenhouse gases.
• Acid rain
• Air pollution
• Dust

Modification of the biosphere and ecological imbalance:

• Reducing biodiversity due to habitat loss and the introduction of alien species.
• Extinction of species
• Eutrophication due to uncontrolled fertilizer enrichment in the lakes or water leads to increased productivity beyond desired levels.

 In the ecosystem, Human is in the top position which is the apex consumer. For a healthy and sustainable ecosystem, the biomass pyramid should be upright with a much broader base and narrow top, but with the rapid increase of human population, the biological pyramid of the ecosystem got wider at the top without considerable widening of the base( producer); this tending is unsuitable. However, human is an intellectual animals; they can manage human actions to conserve the environment. We will study the management and conservation of ecology and the environment in the next articles.

You may like also:

• Man's impact on the Ecosystem | impact of man on the ecosystem
• पारिस्थितिकी तंत्र पर मनुष्य का प्रभाव 

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