Category: Environmental Issues

Abstract:

The introduction portion gives a brief explanation of what the Dead Zone is, how it’s caused, what it causes, and offers my hypothesis stating that this problem causes damage to the seafood industry that will worsen if it isn’t addressed. The research method consisted of reading through different scientific case studies found in the Academic Search Database to synthesize a conclusion of my own. The results covered 4 different case studies that focused on the effect of hypoxia in the shrimp market and the need for more field research/better measurements. The discussion portion includes the importance of why the Dead Zone still must be addressed even if there is a lack of correlation between it and the seafood industry. My research made me conclude that although the exact impact of the Dead Zone on the seafood industry is unclear, it’s still important to address the eutrophication and dead zone issue so that when research methods do improve, the impact isn’t worse than expected. I also concluded that the dead zone causes difficulties within the shrimp market.

Introduction:

I had never heard of the Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone until taking this class. Considering its massive size and the fact that there are other places in our oceans experiencing this same problem, I found it ridiculous that many ordinary people may not be aware of its existence, especially when humans are the main force in accelerating the factors contributing to the hypoxic zone. My goal for writing this report was to enlighten readers on this particular concern, how it could affect them, and why it’s important that it should be addressed.

There are a few things that readers must know before understanding this paper. The first is the definition of coastal hypoxia, which is characterized by low or depleted oxygen levels in water. It forms when high concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus cause a significant growth of oxygen-consuming algae in offshore waters. The term given to this increase in the supply rate of organic matter is eutrophication, which alters the hydrologic cycle, temperature, salinity, nutrient concentrations, and stratification of the water column, and can lead to higher primary production. This may seem like a good thing, but the result of a sudden increase in production is more carbon fixation by living organisms who eventually die and sink down; when they sink, carbon sinks and oxygen depletes. This forms a dead zone. Within a dead zone, organisms are either forced to migrate as a primary response (Purcell, 3), or they die due to conditions that could not support life. This can impact food chains, considering that some levels of the trophic pyramid are capable of fleeing (like larger fish), while others are not (like phytoplankton and benthic communities). The death of large amounts of organisms and the movement of others affects their home habitat and causes other food webs/ecosystems to suffer because new species are coming in. The formation of a dead zone seems to produce a wide array of chaos due to anthropogenic causes.

The Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone’s formation is largely credited to the Mississippi River, which dumps about 1.6 million metric tons of nitrogen into the body of water annually (Joyce, 2). Depending on the conditions of the region, like temperature, the zone fluctuates and can reach the size of New Jersey.

Given the scope of the Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone and the effect that hypoxic conditions have on ocean ecosystems, I hypothesized that its existence causes significant harm to the seafood industry and those involved in it (fishermen, distributors, consumers).

Methods:

Study Area:

I decided to focus on 4 studies that discuss this topic. When I set out to do my research, I found consistency in my sources surrounding the shrimp market in the Gulf of Mexico. This is significant for researchers because, despite a large portion of shrimp being farmed globally, the Gulf still contains a significant shrimp fishery that contributes to the seafood market. I realized that this would only answer a specific aspect of my hypothesis. However, by focusing on shrimp, I was able to keep my results consistent with a specific market.

Data Analysis:

I analyzed my data by comparing the findings of each study I read in order to make my own conclusion. Some of the results varied, but there was an overall correlation in conclusions over the topic.

Results:

Study 1: Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia, aka, THE DEAD ZONE:

This source presented me with the idea of hypoxic conditions leading to trophic cascades, which can make fishermen’s jobs harder. I came across the fact that fisheries are impacted by “direct mortality, forced migration, reduction in suitable habitat, increased susceptibility to predation, changes in food sources, and disruption of life cycles.” (Rabalais, 1). This aligns with the decreasing salinity in coastal marshes, loss of habitat, and increased fishing pressure. When hypoxia alters food webs by causing populations to change in size, commercial fisheries can be affected (see Figure #1).

Study 2: Gulf Shrimp Prices Reveal Hidden Economic Impact of Dead Zones.

The researchers in this study observed monthly trends in the price of Gulf brown shrimp from 1990 to 2010 and found that in hypoxic conditions, large shrimp prices spiked as fishermen put more effort into catching smaller shrimp. The tracking of this market is flawed, however, because fishermen often respond to changing conditions in the environment by moving locations. The link between hypoxia and economic loss in this study proved itself to be unclear because of this (Smith, 1).

Study 3: U.S. Shrimp Market Integration

The results of this case study yielded data similar to the last one. Observing the fluctuations in shrimp production since the 1990s, researchers confirmed that hypoxic conditions do have a negative impact on shrimp fisheries in the Gulf. However, due to the increase in imported shrimp and farming, it’s difficult to find a strong correlation between hypoxia and stress on the shrimp market. The study didn’t deny that hypoxia had the ability to influence prices before the 1990s, nor the fact that the fisheries in this region are affected by low oxygen conditions (Frank, 183).

Study 4: Hypoxia Effects on the spatial dynamics of the Northern Gulf of Mexico shrimp fishery

The data found in this case study presented that hypoxic conditions in the Gulf of Mexico can actually correlate with overfishing by increasing efforts into fisheries and altering the size distribution of caught shrimp. It also claims that fishermen’s responses to hypoxic conditions produce skewed data and further complicate the following of the link between hypoxia and the shrimp market (Martin, 113). (Fig 2)

Discussion

The second and third studies that I reviewed presented me with the idea that researchers are struggling to properly measure this topic. They both acknowledged that hypoxic conditions in the Gulf of Mexico have harmful impacts, but it’s hard to track their correlation with the shrimp market because of the different variables involved with measuring (fishermen moving to new locations or catching alternative species). The first study claimed that hypoxia can alter trophic levels in ecosystems which can have an indirect correlation to the shrimp market due to making shrimp catch more difficult to achieve for people involved in the business. The fourth study also supported this idea and even claimed that the results of hypoxic conditions in ocean environments can lead to overfishing practices. Over-exploitation of shrimp can result in long-term harm to the Gulf ecosystem as well as the fishery market and everyone involved (fishermen, distributors, restaurant owners, consumers).

The overall view of this research comes off as skewed- because of flawed measuring practices and the relative newness of this issue. However, it’s safe to say that since the Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone causes substantial harm to organisms we catch and consume, it puts stress on fishermen to increase their efforts to travel to different locations and raise the prices of shrimp.

My hypothesis was partially supported by my data. I expected to find the impact of hypoxia on the entire seafood industry, however, I was able to find data on an important market within it. I expected to find clear data on how the Gulf dead zone causes almost direct harm to the shrimp market. Yet, due to a wide array of variables regarding the measurement of these effects, I now understand that researchers have a long way to go in determining the concrete correlation between the Gulf of Mexico Dead Zone and the well-being of the seafood industry. However, just because research on the dead zone’s economic impact is somewhat unclear does not mean that hypoxia in the gulf is not a serious issue. The dead zone still has a notable impact on the seafood and tourism industry, and it also continues to cause harm to local populations of species living in that area. Therefore, Americans must still take sustainable actions to prevent this phenomenon from worsening. These include government officials working with farmers to promote effective/efficient use of fertilizers to slow the eutrophication problem, as well as better filtering of excess nutrients from waters that travel to the Gulf.

Summary/Conclusion Points:

1. It’s important that economists and politicians understand the hypoxia issue so that they can accurately track the market value of nutrient pollution flowing into our oceans.
2. Although there isn’t a crystal clear correlation between the seafood industry’s well-being and the Gulf Dead Zone, actions should be taken to prevent the hypoxic conditions from persisting so that when measurement methods improve, the state of this particular market isn’t worse than we thought.

References:

1. Purcell, Kevin M., et al. “Fleet Behavior Is Responsive to a Large-Scale Environmental Disturbance: Hypoxia Effects on the Spatial Dynamics of the Northern Gulf of Mexico Shrimp Fishery.” PLoS ONE, vol. 12, no. 8, Aug. 2017, pp. 1–22. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0183032.
2. Joyce, Stephanie. “The Dead Zones: Oxygen-Starved Coastal Waters.” Environmental Health Perspectives, vol. 108, no. 3, 2000, doi:10.2307/3454426.
3. Rabalais, Nancy N., et al. “Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia, A.K.A. ‘The Dead Zone.’” Annual Review of Ecology & Systematics, vol. 33, Dec. 2002, p. 235. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1146/annual. Ecol Syst.33.010802.150513.
4. “Gulf Shrimp Prices Reveal Hidden Economic Impact of Dead Zones.” Gulf Shrimp Prices Reveal Hidden Economic Impact of Dead Zones | Nicholas School of the Environment, 30 Jan. 2017, nicholas.duke.edu/about/news/gulf-shrimp-prices-reveal-hidden-economic-impact-dead-zones.
5. Asche, Frank, et al. “U.S. Shrimp Market Integration.” Marine Resource Economics, vol. 27, no. 2, Summer 2012, pp. 181–192. EBSCOhost, doi:10.5950/0738-1360-27.2.181.
6. Smith, Martin D., et al. “Spatial-Dynamics of Hypoxia and Fisheries: The Case of Gulf of Mexico Brown Shrimp.” Marine Resource Economics, vol. 29, no. 2, June 2014, pp. 111–131. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1086/676826.

 Raising awareness of the impacts of microplastics as well as plastics in the ocean and educating people on what can be done to combat this should be a major part of trying to reduce the concentrations of plastics in the ocean. Using evidence from social sciences and psychological studies, to better understand the risk, social responsibilities, and cause of behaviors in the public and private sectors. Simplifying the complex and uncertain scientific findings into concise and easy-to-understand language that can be understood by target audiences be it persons in the private or public sectors. Take proper account of demographic differences, in determining what perceptions and behaviors different demographics exhibit regarding plastic production and pollution and targeting each accordingly.

Furthermore, the term ‘microplastics’ is very broad and used for any form of plastic less than 5mm in diameter, this is concerning because it does not specify microplastics in the Nano size range. Including particles in the Nano size range in further research could shed light on some of the current unknowns of microplastics. Extensively reviewing experiments in a lab, researching the potential effects and relevance of Nano-plastics in a simulated natural ecosystem. Nano-plastics might turn out to be a stressor to many marine animals, adding to other natural stressors that they are already subjected to such as trace metals, organic contaminants, and nanomaterials. There is a very large probability that the microplastics in the ocean today will eventually convert to Nano-plastics this is due to the current microplastics fragmenting and in turn increasing the concentration of nanoparticles and adding stress on an already delicate environment. In turn, further research should be devoted to focusing on the source of fragmenting, how fast Nano-plastics are formed as well as the density of Nano-plastics throughout our oceans. Knowing where large concentrations of Nano-plastics may give some insight into the sources they come from, not to mention the effect of the density of Nano-plastics on the environment.

Future research may also want to address the chemical and anatomical risk of ingesting microplastics at various depths. Director of Pews Protecting Coastal Wetlands and Coral Reefs Project states” Plastic waste can encourage the growth of pathogens in the ocean. According to a recent study, scientists concluded that corals that come into contact with plastic have an 89 percent chance of contracting disease, compared with a 4 percent likelihood for corals that do not.” In conducting these experiments examining the effects of plastics on marine animals is essential to gain a further understanding of just how badly they affect an ecosystem. Research such as comparing information from lab-based experiments of the concentration of chemicals with observations of their distribution in the tissue of marine organisms. Include how animal behavior and physiology for intended species altered, including commercial species that are used widely for human consumption. Take into account the amount of time the gut retains the chemicals as well as the gut environment to determine the level of risk. Making sure to include particle size and shape when determining the risk of damage. These are all viable means of researching just how much is affected by not only plastics but microplastics as well.

Evidently, there is no definitive answer to ridding the ocean of marine pollution, but there are several measures that could be taken to potentially combat the incessant dumping of trash into our oceans. Some steps that could be implemented include; preventative measures to avoid and prevent the generation of debris entering the oceans, mitigating measures addressing the ways in which litter is disposed of, removing measures primarily aiming to remove existing debris that is present in marine environments, and finally behavior-changing measures which work on influencing behaviors of the people to engage in activities that help reduce marine debris. The priority waste management focus should include strategies to prevent waste from being formed in the first place, a potential strategy for ensuring this is Extended Producer Responsibility or EPR. EPR is an approach that gives producers a significant amount of responsibility in the handling and disposal of products post-consumer. This should be a well-established strategy since it is a strategy to prevent waste at source, promote product design for the environment and support public recycling and materials management. Mitigating measures could include; the prohibition of certain types of waste dumped into seas or landfills, establishing rigid dumping regulations where dumping is allowed, as well as prohibition of waste that is dumped into sensitive marine areas such as reefs or estuaries. While being able to prevent waste from entering our oceans in the first place is of great importance, it is still very much worthwhile removing as much waste that is in our oceans as possible. Beach cleanups are usually the first thing to come to mind when talking about cleaning litter however, Fishing for Litter initiates have also begun to gain some traction, having fishers remove litter that they find and leave them on a bank for collection and disposal. In the end, it’s individuals who make a change, as such encouraging people to seek out ways to reduce marine pollution, is a necessity. The result is a populace that would start to see waste as a resource and opt for more eco-friendly products and be more waste conscious in their everyday lives. 

 Just imagine life without plastic around the world life would be different, most of the objects we use on our daily bases are all made of plastic, and we cannot live without it. But unfortunately, we people in the UAE are throwing plastic waste all over the UAE. Plastic pollution in the UAE is one of the most common toxic materials in the environment. People in deserts while camping use plastic water bottles to drink. After drinking water they have no place to throw the plastic bottle, so they just throw it in the sand. People at the beach throw plastic waste all over the place even in the water due to the lack of trash cans at the beach. The most plastic waste in the UAE is bottles of plastic water.

The Beach is most location with trash and debris everywhere because this is where people spend their free time with their families and friends. Many people bring food and beverages to enjoy their day with some snacks. Children bring their plastic toys to the beach to enjoy playing in the sand, but the problem is that many of these toys are washed away in the ocean because of the waves, and people throw their trash everywhere on the beach, which affects the life of many animals living there example: fish, birds, mammals, and other sea creatures. Why plastic is the most harmful material for animals? Plastic has something for everybody. It doesn’t simply look like nourishment; it scents, feels and even seems like sustenance. Our garbage comes in such a scope of shapes, sizes, and hues that it advances to a comparatively assorted cluster of creatures, and this is the issue. UAE has one of the highest rates of filtered water utilization on the planet with every occupant drinking an average of 250 liters of bottles of water per year. 80% of water bottles are not recycled or thrown in the trash in the region of UAE. 54% of the 120 marine mammal species are being threatened due to the release of toxins. One common marine living animal is the sea turtle. Sea turtles mistake plastic waste for a viable food source, sometimes causing blockages in their digestive system, and seagulls are also affected by plastic waste, they confuse themselves they think plastic debris is a type of prey for them. Most of the beaches and parks around the UAE are all supplied with trash cans and recycle bins, but it is because of the people, most of the population in the UAE are lazy to throw their trash away in the bin instead they go and throw it on the ground causing harm to the environment and causing pollution. Not only plastic debris affects animals in their environment, but it also affects us, humans, in many different ways. When plastic is left in the heat under the sun, especially in the UAE, plastic releases many different types of chemicals that are very toxic to the human body. Plastic can cause defects in birth, cancer, impaired immunity, and other health problems.

Plastic pollution is also affecting the weather in the UAE by a high percentage, and here’s how it affects the weather. In order to make plastic you need petroleum products, which are used in cars, and at the same time very harmful, to manufacture plastic. Factories need to emit the excess plastic, for example, extra useless parts get dumped mainly in the ocean here in the UAE, and smoke pollutes the air. The government of UAE released in 2015 that they were one of the most polluted countries in the world along with six more countries, and they had to come up with something. So they decided to add recycle bins all around the UAE, but there was no change, people kept throwing their trash everywhere, parks, oceans, and beaches. UAE government is still thinking about what to do, for now, they dump most of the plastic materials in the desert but still affects the life of animals that live in the desert. Camels get confused and eat plastic bags instead of natural leaves. So the government came up with an idea to help reduce plastic waste and prevent animals from dying because of plastic. They decided to supply groceries with biodegradable plates, these types of places prevent animals from dying if people throw these plates anywhere, but will still cause trash in the environment, but decrease the death rate of creatures dying because of plastic.

UAE had to come up with final solutions to reduce plastic waste, starting with fines. They decided to fine anyone who would throw plastic materials anywhere. Fines would be around 500 DHS to 600 DHS for just throwing a bottle on the ground. Second solution they came up with. That they should add more signs all over parks, beaches, and other public places, to reduce litter all over the place. They also decided to educate young kids, and teach them the side effects of throwing litter all over the place, so they can learn a new habit of throwing their trash away in bins or recycle bins. Plastic may cause pollution when it is not used correctly or even thrown away in the wrong places, but it also is used in good ways too. The good thing about plastic is that is resistant. Many plastic scraps can therefore be reused or used for different purposes. Before throwing plastic items, it is important to know if this plastic-type can be reused. Another solution is reducing the reuse of plastic. To efficiently reduce plastic pollution, there is an evident need to reduce plastic usage. It means changing our everyday behaviors and not using plastic when there is a better alternative to it and only using plastic when strictly necessary. Instead of cleaning oceans, UAE governments came up with these solutions. They thought to themselves that the best way to address plastic pollution is to change our mindsets and habits with this controversial but nonetheless very useful material: reuse, recycle, educate, and reduce.                                   

Have you ever looked into the sky at night and seen it so unclear, have you not wondered why the sky doesn’t look like the sky from New Hemisphere? Research states that it is due to pollution in the air. Pollution should be considered a threat to the world because it is adverse to the environment, air, and agriculture. Pollution is the introduction of harmful things into the environment. Harming the quality of air, water, and land.

A group of researchers states that pollution is bad for health but good for the planet. Pollution has been said to help stop global warming. It also states that plastic is one of the most “destructive materials” making it hard to get rid of it. It states that 32 percent of plastic is left out floating in the oceans. Mark Herrema has come up with the AirCarbon, which consists of 40 percent air and 60 percent oxygen. He states that it’s “No oil. No fossil fuel. Just air and captured carbon emission” that would later turn on to air combined. The AirCarbon is biodegradable, It moves oil and reduces carbon. Although the presented argument has a point. It is best to acknowledge what is the problem and that is pollution. Every year is something new and different, the number of degradation changes as well as the rating of the environment on the pollution.

Researchers are working on building things that use no oil and don’t pollute the earth more. Their inventions are being tested outside, people are unaware of what their inventions might contribute to the world. Just like Mark Herreman, stated that the AirCarbon is biodegradable and can change shape. What if it is not handled carefully and leaks to other places that it’s not supposed to be? What then? This could lead to water contamination if not handled properly. Since the AirCarbon is still being tested It’s not sure of its full use and capacity of it. There is more than one type of pollution in this world. Water pollution affects Americans the most. Not only because it uses freshwater the most but also the way it washes off when it rains. It carries its way out into the waterways. It also makes its way to groundwater where in some places it is there only freshwater source people have. The pollution in the water makes people sick and in danger. Some of the places with the most water contamination are sewage and industrial waste discharge. All the toxic substances degrade the water quality. Improper use of agricultural practices leads to soil and underwater degradation. Pollutants can be organic radioactive and so on. As had been said contamination of the Environment is one of the most serious problems the Earth is facing today. Environmental pollution is defined as an unpleasant change in the physical and biological components of the environment. One-third of the topsoil is already being used for degradation. This is due to improper agricultural, industrial, and deforestation the topsoil could be gone within a few years. This happens when chemical substances are introduced to the water. Eighty-four percent of lakes are contaminated for fishing, swimming, and aquatic life. Warming water is bad due to it holding less oxygen and harming aquatic wildlife. Just like spillage of chemicals is harming soil and water, it is also harming aquatic wildlife and its species. Water contamination of 1.2 trillion of untreated water is being discharged annually into American water. This means that it is being dumped in the environment polluting lakes, rivers, and oceans. The pollution of water is putting our health at risk, due to water being a “must” in life. Less than one percent of the earth’s freshwater is suitable for use. Even though the majority of the people have access to safe drinking water there have been found arsenic, copper, and lead in tap water which people use to cook. The WHO states that contaminated drinking water causes 502,000 diarrhea deaths each year. This is due to all borne pathogens that are in the contaminated area. Forty percent of Americans rely on groundwater, it’s their only freshwater source. This gets contaminated when pesticides and fertilizers get thrown and make their way into an aquifer making it unsuitable for human use. Groundwater can spread contaminating lakes, streams, and oceans as said before. Marine pollution begins on land, everything from the coast to inland. It all washes off to the ocean. Contaminates such as nutrients and metal are carried out and travel out to the ocean. Just like agriculture is the biggest consumer of freshwater, it is also the leading cause of degradation. Wetlands also give into contamination in groundwater and estuaries. According to The EPA, babies who drink contaminated water get seriously ill with blue-baby syndrome which is a condition where the baby’s skin turns blue and it’s hard for them to breathe. Water contamination also makes the food chain unbalanced due to the toxic chemicals killing fish and other aquatic Air pollution is the introduction of biological chemicals into the air causing people to get sick and damaging crops and other living organisms. To begin with, air pollution is sometimes visible and people can see it through the smoke, and sometimes it’s invisible for example at night. People can’t see it but can tell through the clarity of the sky when looking at the stars. Air pollution is dangerous both ways. It can make people’s eye burn without even seeing it.

Air pollution kills quickly. Breathing is part of life, so when people release deadly chemicals into the air it causes people to breathe in and die. In 1984, an accident at a pesticide plant released deadly chemicals and killed 8,000 people. Some air pollution is poisonous. Inhaling them increases the risk of health problems. Air pollution doesn’t only affect the outside, It affects in and outside of a facility.

The remains of Jill Scott, a 7-year-old girl, were found last week by the tree line of a farm in Texas. She had been dismembered and partially devoured. Jill Scott was the victim of feral hogs that had invaded the west and southwest. Invasive species such as the Burmese Python, European Starling, Lionfish, and Feral Hogs, have become a major environmental threat over the past few years. They have continued to harm our ecosystems and environments, and in some cases, they have been a threat to us humans physically as well. These invasive species should be stopped to prevent more damage since they are the most harmful and damaging environmental threat as they destroy environments and habitats, and they lead to the decline of other species, as well as harm us humans brutally.

Section 1:

All the Starlings in North America originally came from Europe. They were released in New York in 1890 and 1891 by an individual who wanted America to have every type of bird in Shakespeare’s plays. After many tries the first initial set of birds established themselves and the population took off. They are black birds with short tails, long and printed bills, and triangular wings. Starlings nest in holes or cavities just about anywhere, including tree cavities, birdhouses, and holes in buildings or cliff faces. Females lay about 7 eggs which hatch after 11 to 13 days of incubation. The young birds leave the nest when they are about 21 days old. Both of the parents help build the nest, incubate the eggs, and feed the hatchlings. Sometimes two batches of eggs are laid per season, but most of the production is from the first brood fledged. Although these birds are not always migratory, some will migrate up to several hundred miles, while some others chose to remain in the same area throughout the year. Young starlings are more likely to migrate than adults. They tend to migrate farther. Some female starlings who were not successful in getting a mate early in the mating season starlings developed a parasitic tactic. They would attempt to lay their eggs inside the nest of another female (all about birds).

European starlings may be the most common nuisance bird species in America. The release of 60 birds from Europe to New England in 1890 caused a major environmental disaster within about a century. The population of these birds is estimated to be somewhere between 750 million to a billion. Having such a huge population makes it possible to cause many millions of dollars worth of damages yearly just including the damages to agricultural operations. In about a week’s time, Starlings in flocks of about 4000 makes it possible to cause huge amounts of damage to revenue in large vineyards as they decimate blueberries, cherries, and even apples. These flocks also attract Black Birds and Cow Birds. Although they are similar in size and appearance, they are not the same species, but all three of them prefer flying in large flocks to prevent being hunted. European starlings have introduced species, and being introduced species, they are exempt from the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. In 2008 the US government poisoned, shot, and trapped 1.7 million of these birds, which is the most out of any nuisance species (falcon-force). Even after taking direct action from the government in order to decrease the population of the starlings, just a small amount of them could be exterminated.

Even though starlings are not a huge threat to anything individually, when they are together with their frightening numbers they can cause major damage to anything. Their droppings can cause components of steel buildings to degrade which will lead to catastrophic structural damage. You would think that such small animals could not actually harm us, humans, however, they do have their own way of doing so. These creatures are known for their bird strikes of aircraft which have caused major damage to the aircraft as well as at least one crash with fatalities (password). Commercial aircraft have no defense mechanisms against such attacks from these nuisance species, so these issues won’t decrease but increase as the bird population continues to increase.

There are a couple of methods that we can follow to control this pest. Exclusion is one of these methods. It involves a slight modification which is to change the ledge angle to 45 degrees and the installation of plastic netting on parts of buildings, which denies starlings access to roosting sites. Sanitation is also necessary because it reduces feeding sites and temporary water sources. Homeowners should keep gutters clean to prevent water pooling and trash covered in a sealed receptacle. Frightening is an effective method for dispersing starlings from roosts, small-scale fruit crops, and some other troublesome sites. It is useful around livestock operations that have warm temperatures all year round, and also in places where major concentrations of wintering starlings exist. In the center states, starlings are found at livestock facilities primarily during cold winter months when snow covers natural food sources. Around this time, baiting and other techniques are generally more effective than frightening. However, frightening starlings may cause birds to travel to other livestock facilities, a negative point that should be considered if disease transfer is a concern.

Another method of controlling and managing these birds involves the use of sound devices such as noise-making devices, which may be effective in dispersing starlings before they establish territory. Some organizations and groups such as Falcon Force, train falcons to hunt and suppress the species. As they cause over $1 billion of annual damage to the agricultural industry alone, they became a very important target for this organization. Their trained falcons are capable of managing thousands of starlings while they travel in large flocks. They modify nuisance bird behavior with the help of experienced Falcons, which is crucial to controlling these large flocks (falcon force).

We must get rid of this pest because they further negatively impact us humans as they not only destroy our crops, degrade our building’s infrastructures, and cause deadly plane crashes, but they are also a major medical concern. These starlings are a medical concern because more than 25 diseases and ectoparasites have been associated with them, their nests, and droppings. These diseases include encephalitis, histoplasmosis, Newcastle disease, chlamydiosis, and salmonellosis. The ectoparasites include primarily mite species which can bite humans or infest domestic animals, causing extreme discomfort (password). Starlings are also responsible for passing disease from one livestock facility to another. This greatly affects livestock producers. Multiple tests have shown that the transmissible gastroenteritis virus can pass through the digestive tract of a starling and be infectious in the starling’s feces. These diseases and ectoparasites have the ability to harm us, humans, directly, and with such a huge population that is increasing rapidly, the chances to come in contact with one or a few of these medical concerns also increase.

Section 2:

The Burmese python, being native to Southeast Asia, was taken to the United States as a pet trade. Burmese pythons are one of the longest snakes in the world. Other than invading the Everglades, they are known for the way they catch and eat their prey. The snake uses sharp backward-pointing teeth to snatch its prey, as it then wraps its body around the animal, squeezing harder with each breath until the animal suffocates. Elastic ligaments in their jaws give these ferocious predators the ability to swallow animals up to four or even five times as wide as their heads. Burmese pythons tend to spend the same time on the ground and in the trees when they are young. As they grow heavier and longer they tend to stay on the ground because the trees can’t hold their huge bodies anymore. They are also excellent swimmers and can stay submerged for up to 30 minutes, which makes them very dangerous not just on land but also on the water. Female pythons can lay up to 100 eggs per batch. They proceed to incubate them for about three months. To make sure that the eggs are kept warm, they contract or shiver, their muscles. When the eggs hatch they use their egg tooth to break out of their egg and the mother proceeds leaves. The newborn baby python will remain inside the egg until it finishes shedding its first skin, then it will hunt for its first food alone.

Their populations began to multiply from animals who were released or animals who had escaped from either captivity or from their owners. The python feeds on native species, some being endangered such as the Neotoma floridana smalli and the Key Largo woodrat. They also tend to compete with threatened native species like the indigo snake. Although these pythons don’t have a reputation for eating humans, they do eat just about any other kind of animal. They wield the ability to devour a huge range of wildlife animals from tiny songbirds to deer and alligators up to 7 feet long. The Everglade’s native predators struggle to compete with the Burmese python for food, habitat, and space. The population of several animals in South Florida has drastically declined due to the overwhelming dominance of the Burmese python. The natives of South Florida have noticed this due to a decline in the native animals that are used for the production of food or fabric. Burmese pythons further impact our economy in various ways. These pythons generate costs that come from damage to near property, equipment, habitat, crops, and major companies that rely on tourists or hunting. These undeniable impacts may multiply or pile on top of each other. For instance, the cost of the destructive activity costs associated with these animals in a natural area is measured by the number of acres damaged at the restoration price per acre. These damages multiply if the damage also lowers tourism, then the income generated from tourism is also lowered or in some cases lost. Other main impacts include the consumption of crops, other livestock, wildlife species, and companion animals such as dogs. Just like the European starling I previously mentioned in the section, this python is related to the spread of diseases that are harmful to numerous things including us humans. They spread pathogens that cause mortality or illness in humans, domesticated animals, livestock necessary to farmers, and also wildlife.

Florida has resorted to launching a one-month “Python Challenge” that grants permission for anyone older than 18 to hunt the snakes on the state lands. The purpose of this mission is to raise public awareness about invasive species and how it too threatens Florida’s ecosystem and will continue to do so if not controlled. About 1000 people signed up from 20 different states to harvest the pythons. Florida is issuing a special temporary permit to snake hunters as well as offering large cash prizes for the most pythons killed as well as the most captured and the longest python. This event to capture and kill the species invading the Everglades began in January. The person to kill or capture the most in 30 days gets a $1,500 prize, while the person who gets the longest python will receive $1,000. I think that the person who gets the longest python should receive the larger prize knowing that those huge pythons can contain about 90 eggs. What sets this invasive species apart from the rest is its ability to successfully hunt every creature in its area. What helps the python do this is their camouflaging capabilities which, apart from being low to the ground, makes them exceptionally difficult to capture or for prey to notice them. There have been efforts to combat this by using dogs and thermal energy remote sensing by an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV). These pythons are such a common issue in Florida that there are procedures to follow when they encounter one. Upon encounter, you are to dial 1-88-IVE-GOT1. As for those who live near areas that may be around these pythons, it is suggested that excess debris is removed and landscaping be maintained in order to un-attract the pythons or to limit their movements.

Section 3:

Feral swine are basically the same species as pigs that are found on farms. These hogs are descendants of escaped or released pigs. As people fled for safety while the fight for Texas independence was going on, many pigs escaped or were released. It was not until the 1800s when hostilities between the United States and Mexico ended that farmers once again began bringing the animals back into Texas. The livestock included hogs that ranged freely. Plenty of hogs escaped, starting the feral population in the wild. Feral swine are called by a wide variety of names including wild boar, wild hog, razorback, and Russian or Eurasian boar. The name they go by doesn’t change the fact that these pigs are a dangerous, destructive, invasive species. In the early 1500s, Feral swine were brought to the US by early explorers and settlers primarily as a source of food. In those times, food wasn’t as easy to come by as it is now so if you didn’t produce your own from livestock, then you would either have to be rich or eat the bare minimum you could buy. The range of this destructive species is rapidly expanding and its populations are rising across the nation. These pigs often look very similar to domestic hogs, but they are thinner because instead of being raised for the purpose of selling their meat, they are in the wild eating what they find. Due to the extensive crossbreeding of their ancestors, feral swine have many variations in color and coat pattern. Some are found to have combinations of white, black, brown, and red coats. The young pigs are often striped or spotted, but lose this abnormal coloration as they grow older. These hogs breed at about eight to ten months of age, but if they are well-fed, they are about to breed at just 6 months of age. Out of all species on this planet, the female hog is one of the few to be known to eat young piglets. Young hogs are frequently born throughout the year with most being born in the early spring. They are accurately born with a one-to-one male-to-female sex ratio.

Feral swine destroy crops by eating them or by their rooting, trampling, and wallowing activities. The crops in the fields such as sugar cane, corn, wheat, oats, peanuts, and rice are commonly a target of feral swine. Farmers also tend to receive major damage to vegetable and fruit crops such as lettuce, melons, and pumpkins. As pigs continuously, they wreak nothing but havoc on the lands they inhabit. Wild pigs cause at least $1.5 billion in damages and control costs each year, according to a 2007 survey, mostly to agriculture(Scientific American). Not only can they damage pasture grasses and productive plant species, but they also often encourage the growth of undesired weed species. In most cases, diseases from wild hogs do not pose a significant threat to us humans. However, most diseases are transmitted to livestock and wildlife. Producers are forced to keep all livestock vaccinated, which cost a significant amount, especially where large feral hog populations are concentrated. Some diseases of wild hogs include but are not limited to pseudorabies, swine brucellosis, tuberculosis, bubonic plague, tularemia, hog cholera, foot and mouth disease, and anthrax. These diseases keep piling up and also include parasites such as kidney worms, stomach worms, roundworms, and whipworms. Liver flukes and trichinosis are also found in these wild boars. Even external parasites including dog ticks, fleas, and hog lice are added to the list of medical dangers that these hogs present(tpwd. texas). These viral diseases and bacteria can contaminate and infect us humans as well as our domesticated animals, let it be our dogs that we play with or the cows we use for meat and milk. These swine further impact us humans with rooting and wallowing activity increases erosion, this mostly occurs along waterways and in wetlands. This rooting and trampling are known to limit water infiltration and nutrient cycling. In large groups, hogs have the ability to deposit significant amounts of fecal material in areas, contaminating water sources, and resulting in increased disease and contamination risks for humans, wildlife, and much-needed livestock.

Feral hog populations can be managed by lethal or nonlethal methods. Nonlethal methods such as installing fencing to keep out pigs, using trained guard animals to protect livestock, and vaccinating animals to prevent diseases from spreading. Although in some situations nonlethal methods are the most appropriate and effective, in many cases, they are not a good option, either they do not work well or are too expensive. Resulting in the common use of lethal methods. Such methods include but are not limited to trapping, shooting, and hunting with dogs. As of now, there are no toxicants registered for use on these wild hogs in the United States, so poisoning is not yet an option.

The major focus of this paper was to provide information to those who need it, about the harsh reality of the world we live in. We, humans, have made countless mistakes. One of the most environmentally damaging mistakes has been to cause species to move and wreak havoc on other species who have the right to reside where they do. These invasive species should be stopped to prevent more damage as they not only destroy environments and habitats, but they also lead to the decline of other species as well as raise medical concerns for us humans. The evidence I found led me to the conclusion that even though there are some people trying to make a change for the better of our ecosystems, nothing will actually change if every human is aware of this issue. Nothing will change because we are ignorant and refuse to acknowledge our mistakes, especially if we don’t see that it affects us directly. For this exact reason, this paper will not only inform but open the eyes of those of us who are not aware of how much of a threat this subject is to us humans directly. In the near future, I hope to see a clear change in the management of this threat. I hope that people open their minds and realize how much their actions can impact not just themselves, but also everything around them, literally.      

A tropical cyclone is a rotating weather system with a middle lower than 1000hPa, this isolated circulation is characterised by powerful winds and its unique make-up of thunderstorms which cause heavy rain. Storms are named differently according to geographical location (typhoon, hurricane, tropical cyclone), but all consist of the same properties, with only the direction of rotation a movement differing between hemispheres. Continuing along the lines of geographical naming, the official name ‘tropical cyclone’ is derived from its formation in areas considered to have tropical weather patterns. The term ‘cyclone’ is derived from the cyclonic movement caused by the Coriolis force, due to this tropical cyclones generally do not form within 5° longitude of the equator. Cyclones are fed by evaporating water, therefore require water to form and sustain development.

Required Conditions

The conditions required for a cyclone to develop are categorized by 6 main points. Warm water is paramount for a tropical cyclone to begin formation water temperatures need to be upwards of 26.5°C over an extended period allowing sufficient evaporation to take place. Unstable upper air conditions can sometimes lead to cyclogenesis at lower water temperatures due to a change in dry and wet lapse rates which differ according to atmospheric pressure, these instabilities can be caused by differing wind patterns illustrated by. Upper atmospheric moisture also plays a part during cyclogenesis as temperatures can fall as low as -30°, this can result in convection and condensation in even the very dry atmospheric conditions. The Coriolis force must be present for cyclogenesis to begin, the low-pressure centre is required to be about 500km from the equator in order for the pressure gradient to begin creating winds that blow in a circular motion due to the Coriolis force. A low-level disturbance is imperative as even with perfect upper air conditions cyclogenesis can not happen without the correct surface focus. Vertical wind shear of less than 10m/s^(-1) aids the development of the tropical cyclone, higher vertical shear wind speeds can rip the cyclone apart before it can fully form. If all 6 of these points fall in line the likelihood of the formation of a tropical cyclone forming is high, also take into account that not all factors must be present and sometimes cyclones can form in unlikely conditions.

Stages of Development

The development and decline of a tropical cyclone are characterised by four main stages: the formative, immature, mature, and decaying or degenerative stages. Each stage has a specific name, whereas only the third stage is named a tropical cyclone. In the first stage, the formative stage (tropical depression), atmospheric pressure begins to decrease but is still above 1000hPa, winds circulate around the developing low pressure, winds can reach 64km/h, and large spirals of cumulonimbus clouds form around the centre. In the second stage, the immature stage (tropical storm), pressure must fall below 1000hPa in the centre of the storm, isobars for a more circular shape, an eye and eyewall begin to form a defining centre, wind speed is between 65km/h and 117km/h and are fastest near to the eye, the storm also contains an active quadrant. In the third stage, the mature stage (tropical cyclone, pressure in the eye dips below 980hPa and remains constant, wind speed is now at a minimum of 118km/h, cumulonimbus clouds for a clear eye and eyewall visibly show the eye. And in the fourth stage, the degenerating stage, pressure begins to increase again, the size and area covered begin to decrease, wind speed begins to fall, and heavy rain still falls, but the tight wall of cloud begins to break apart. A tropical cyclone can dissipate at any stage if one of the required development criteria is lost, this can be caused by the storm’s location or it is passing over land among other reasons. Tropical cyclones that have reached the fourth stage are able to regenerate if the necessary conditions are reintroduced to the storm. The regeneration of a tropical cyclone in the fourth stage leads to it regaining tropical cyclone status.

Impact of Settlements

Tropical cyclones’ strength of rain and wind makes them a serious danger to human settlements. Countries like Madagascar and Mozambique are lashed by tropical cyclones every year and require large amounts of money to deal with this fact. The high wind that accompanies tropical cyclones is dangerous for underdeveloped countries as infrastructure is not built strongly enough to withstand the extreme force imparted on it by the wind. Countries like Mozambique, which lack the resources to reinforce against tropical cyclones, run the risk of getting into an endless cycle of repairing and having buildings, businesses and homes destroyed. However, not only the east coast of Africa is battered every year, but also the east coast of the United States, the west coast of Australia, and western Southeast Asia. These more developed countries lose more money to tropical cyclones every year than the African countries, but have a much faster recovery time, leading to less hampering of development. Displacement of people out of areas that are badly affected by tropical cyclones is less prevalent. For example, Madagascar is more developed on the eastern side of the nation, which is more heavily affected than the west side. In general, people’s settlement has adapted to deal with the threat of tropical cyclones, which provides some protection against the threat, but many lives are still lost each year, between drownings, disease outbreaks, infrastructure failures, and lack of attention to injuries sustained during cyclonic events. Tropical cyclones have caused an estimated 1.33 million deaths since the start of the 20th century and affected more than 629 million people in this time.

Strategies for Dealing with Cyclones

The severity of tropical cyclones means that strategies for dealing with them become more important every year, strategies that can save lives as well as costs. Some of these strategies are easily implemented by private individuals, while others are nationwide initiatives orchestrated by governments. These strategies are the adaption that was previously mentioned, preventing displacement of people. Household strategies are employed by people to reduce damage and danger levels to the lowest level possible. The following are some important ones: cut and prune all trees on your property year-round; have a designated location for loose items that lie around your house (preferably a sheltered area); protect and reinforce windows and doors with plywood; devise an evacuation plan. In less developed countries, the aforementioned may be adapted to suit the different socio-economic environments and local conventions. The governmental level of preparedness and strategies for dealing with tropical cyclones is on a very large scale and in some cases can cost millions of dollars. There are often ‘acts’ implemented by governments in order to help deal with the dangers of tropical cyclones, these acts often set aside money in annual budgets to help with tropical cyclone relief and post-cyclone rebuilding. Governments will often end up needing to appeal for foreign aid when faced with extreme cyclonic events. Issues in terms of preparedness usually arise when a country is in a weakened economic state or when storms do not follow predicted paths and impact an area unexpectedly. Without the aforementioned strategies, dealing with tropical cyclones would be exponentially more difficult, leading to the eventual economic decline of a country.

Conclusion

With the facts listed throughout this essay, it is clear the severity of tropical cyclones and showing easily why they are one of the deadliest natural disasters and extreme weather events which can occur. Their close monitoring and prediction are massively important, and it is also of the utmost importance that in the event of a tropical cyclone the people of a nation are provided with the support they require.

Coastal erosion is caused by the action and impacts of wind and water which is usually caused by the waves and the current. This can either be a rapid onset or slow onset. Rapid onsets will usually happen over a period of days or weeks, an example of this is the 12 Apostles along The Great Ocean Road, it has been just over a millennia (100 decades) and 4 of the Apostles have collapsed and fallen into the water. Slow onsets will usually happen over a period of years and decades, and an example of this is along the New South Wales Coast there is constant erosion ever since 1857. Coastal erosion can happen anywhere at any time along coastal areas where the coastline gets destroyed by the wind and waves.

Coastal erosion is impacting the Australian coastline, this is mainly caused by the rising sea level and climate change. 50% of the Australian coastline is prone to change. 80% of the Australian population live near the coast which means that many properties can become damaged and some even inhabitable. In Sydney, NSW many houses nearly $4 million got damaged just before they went on auction, this was many because they were built only 10 steps away from the Pacific Ocean, and the houses have now become inhabitable. Coastal erosion is making big changes to the Australian coastline as sea levels mix with storm surges the cause of erosion starts to happen faster and more often. Australians need to start looking out for where they want to buy a house next as if they buy it too close to the water there may not be habitable within the next few years.

Coastal erosion is impacting Indonesia. Indonesia has more than 17,500 islands which means there is a total shoreline of approximately 80,000km. Coastal erosion has damaged many tourist infrastructures in Tegal Regency and has been since 1994. In Demak, coastal erosion has led to having to relocate the settlement and to lots of damage to the aquaculture because of this about 200 families have had to move and 3000000 meters squared of fishponds have sunk. In Semarang City, the past 100 years have been nonstop erosion which has threatened many facilities and caused extensive loss of coastal land. Coastal erosion is impacting Indonesia by taking away a lot of the land on which they grow food and in lots of places they go to catch fish.

The Australian Government is managing the issue of coastal erosion by starting a project called Coastal Compartments Project. Coastal Compartments Project puts all the beaches on the Australian map in 3 different sections. Firstly, the Primary level is based on the influence of large platforms such as ports which take regional planning. Secondly, the Secondary level is based on more medium landforms and focuses on more smaller engineering things with just local planning. Lastly, at the Tertiary level, the individual beaches only have small projects such as sea walls and groins. In Busselton, they have had to put big groins in the sand to stop the water from flowing up to the beach houses. The government is trying to stop the flow of water from getting up the sand and moving all the sediment as then the water can’t get to the houses.

The Indonesian Government is managing the issue of coastal erosion by constructing sea walls and sea dikes. A sea dike is basically like a ditch whereas a sea wall is a horizontal concrete slope that stops the waves from going up. In Java, they have decided that they will try and reclaim the eroded land by trapping the sediment using dams, this is because they want to get their mangroves recolonized to help protect the coastline against erosion. Indonesia is a very sustainable place as they rather do things with their hands instead of using machinery which means that a lot of workers would have lost their jobs when the fishponds in Demak sunk because of all the water.

The human-environment interplay theme addresses how human beings work mutually and How they work in their surroundings. There are three quintessential areas that the theme elements out; which are how human beings count numbers on their surroundings (dependency), how the Surroundings modifications human beings (adaptation), and how human beings alter the environment (modification), (Sen Nag, 2017)

Explaining the essential areas further; dependency explores the methods in which Humans are based on nature for their needs and requirements, for example; timber for fires. Adjustment relates to how human beings alter themselves, their society, and their Behaviour to remain in a new putting with new challenges such as sporting piles of garb in Low-temperature areas. (Rosenberg M, 2019). Modification appears in how human beings Were successful to alter the inserting for their blissful living. According to Boehm R.G and Peterson J.F (1994). Although the amendment is an excellent thing it is moreover the motive of most world issues Such as world warming and excessive standings of pollution.

Although human-environment interactions are without a doubt useful for humans, it is no longer possible to skip over their far-reaching influences on the environment. Humans make use of quite a few natural belongings like oil, gas, wood, metals, and rocks to meet their needs. These sources assist them to continue to be to inform the story and make it most important for them to proceed to be in a range of conditions. Humans try for ingredients and water, which serves as one of the greatest human-environment interactions.

In addition, human beings, in addition, choose electrical energy for a variety of features which consists of industrial as well as domestic. For instance, the improvement of buildings, digital devices, transport services, and unique crucial factors of our social existence select energy.

As the population of the world continues to grow, the demand for these natural sources is in addition soaring. Moreover, socio-economic enhancement in addition will make higher the utilization of reachable resources. To meet their needs, human beings have been constantly extracting this non-renewable property at an alarming rate.

This is one of the largest horrible influences on human-environment interaction. It would now now no longer be flawed to replicate onconsideration on it as the unparalleled misuse of natural resources. Humans no longer truly cut down bushes at large scale, then again they in addition don’t bother to replant timber or allow them to boost back.

For instance, world areas like America, Ethiopia, Brazil, India, and Congo, destroyed a most necessary component of their forests. The apparent rationale for this brutal act is to get trees for pinnacle fee points and extend the land for agriculture.

Deforestation casts drastic influences on the environment. The forest is home to a range of plant and animal species. By reducing trees, we are clearly depriving these species of their home. A big difference in animals and vegetation is on the verge of their extinction, on the other hand, we are doing no outstanding barring persevering with our activities.

Apart from this, turning forests into agricultural land minimizes biodiversity. This hassle of the surroundings is equally clearly beneficial for human beings as desirable as the ecosystem. Trees serve the intent of purifying the air we breathe and alter the temperature to make us at ease at the equal time as dwelling in in any other case harsh nearby climate conditions.

Soil erosion is any specific bother associated with deforestation. Trees act as a binding agent for the soil. On the contrary, deforestation exposes soil to negative climate stipulations like heavy rain and storm. As a result, soil erosion begins offevolved to begin, leaving our water channels stuffed with mud and particles.

Dumping of waste components into rivers, at beaches, and shut to vegetation is a serious hazard to marine existence and animals dwelling on the land. Besides, dumping and littering add unfavorable factors to the air that we breathe. Hence, we are not affecting the surroundings only, however additionally setting our very personal lives at risk.

Litter additionally interferes with the drift of water, inflicting river tributaries to flood the surrounding area. Especially, the wrong dumping of plastic substances serves as a continuous hazard for the shut-through inhabitants.

Dumping additionally destroys the herbal landscape. It pollutes the air, water, and land, making it tough for human beings and other residing creatures to survive. The thousands of dumped waste fabrics serve as a breeding internet site online for more than a few dangerous microorganisms and viruses, spreading epidemic diseases in the surrounding areas.

Humans have invented matters to make their lives greater comfortable. A revolution in the self-discipline of transportation has made humans run out of time quicker and cowl longer distances. In addition to the benefits of using a great transportation gadget, There is also a massive disadvantage. Cars, buses, and planes are the principal contributors to the devastation that human beings have precipitated on the environment. These transport facilities are accountable for greater than 13 greenhouse gas emissions every day. Air pollution, which is the give-up result of such emissions, has contributed to the spread of a number of deadly diseases.

Considering the reality that humans rely on the environment, journey organizations acquired here up with the notion to mix tourism and they want to defend the environment. The key points of ecotourism consist of the building of ecological awareness and a respectful mindset to the neighborhood culture.

In addition, this is now not definitely an outstanding way to decrease the environmental harm precipitated by the resource of normal vacationers then again also to help the human beings living in a certain area. Madagascar’s government, for instance, managed to minimize its 81% poverty price by advertising ecotourism.

Recycling is a vital part of the fantastic interactions between humans and the environment. An charming reality is nature recycles the whole element which consist of useless animals or fallen leaves. By bringing them back into the soil to enhance higher trees and plants. That’s why human interactions with the surroundings comply with this example. And rebuilding historical merchandise into new products. Unfortunately, the recycling business enterprise desires a lot of improvement. According to a search carried out via the Guardian, the United States solely recycles 35% of municipal waste, which is about ninety-one million tons. At the equal time, the united states produce greater than 250 million tons per year. But nevertheless, the high-quality truth is that the recycling enterprise is nevertheless growing. For example, the United States has managed to double its paper recycling charge in the previous 20 years.

Water is of extremely good significance to the entire human civilization. And we cannot live besides water. That is why higher and extra nations are developing and implementing techniques such as rainwater harvesting, watershed management, and drip irrigation. It additionally cracked down on the dumping of industrial and household waste into rivers and oceans. Including beginning a number of cleansing projects Thanks to this position, water and air pollution can be averted even in industrialized countries such as China.

National parks and specific zones ensure the safety of various animals and plants from human influence. Nevertheless, such places turn out to be vacation attractions where you can enjoy nature barring destroying it. How does human-environment interaction have an effect on your life? Although you already know the reply to the query ‘How do human beings engage with their environment?’, You cannot imagine the effect of this interaction on your life. The reality is, we are established on nature as tons as it depends upon us. In case you live in a region the place people don’t care about the neighborhood environment. You may go thru from quite a number of diseases. For example, your health can also be damaged by contaminated air or water. Statistics exhibit that 9 out of 10 human beings internationally breathe polluted air, which reasons serious ailments such as lung cancers and asthma.

Meanwhile, If you strive to comply with eco-friendly recommendations and keep away from contributing to the environmental impact. You will see that your life is altering for the better. Remember that your food, clothing, and even your normally happening condition rely upon the environment in which you live. Recent lookup indicates that personnel in inexperienced licensed offices have 6.4 percent greater sleep fine rankings compared to working in an absolutely different environment. Bad success as you can see There are many ways that people have interacted negatively with their environment. And each approach can also have an impact on your lifestyle one day. And if you want to cease all negative results You must recognize nature and reduce the use of non-renewable resources.

Unfortunately, as you can see, there are many terrible ways humans have interacted with the environment, and every one of them can have an effect on your life one day. And if you pick out to stop any negative consequences, you have to typically respect nature and decrease the use of non-renewable resources. Nature has furnished us with an environment full of belongings that can simplify our lives.

However, human beings have destroyed the wonderful stability and broken the ecosystem. The extremely good information is that there is a possibility to prevent environmental failures and only keep fine human-environment interactions. Of course, we can alter the planet we stay on. However, we need to no longer neglect about the penalties of such changes. Never forget that we are responsible for the nature and future of the Earth. And if you do no longer desire our civilization to face total destruction, you must strive to live in concord with nature.

The Andes or Andean Mountains are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The Andes also has the 2nd most elevated highest peak of any mountain range, only behind the Himalayas. The range’s elevation throughout the mountains is an average of about 4,000 m. The Andes mountain range was formed over 45 million years ago. They were formed by tectonic activity whereby the Earth is uplifted as one plate (oceanic crust) lifts another plate (continental crust) by going under it and creating this giant mountain range. This process did not happen overnight, as researchers claim that uplift started about 25 million years ago, with the process still continuing to the present day!

The range is 7,000 km long and 200 to 700 km wide, with an average height of around 4000 m, it occupies more than 2,500,000 km2. On the Pacific coastline, there is mainly sandy land no wider than 80km, extending from the volcanic mountain ranges to the Pacific coastline. Areas, where rivers provide enough water, develop very productive oases, and the main cities and harbors are placed there. The climate on the coast is arid with high temperatures and very little rainfall. The Andes Mountains observe a cool-to-cold climate with rainy summers and very dry winters. The eastern lowlands present an equatorial climate with hot weather and rain distributed all year long. The temperatures of the biomes around the Andes Mountains vary from place to place. In Colombia, it is wet and warm, with an average temperature of 17°C. In Ecuador, it is very warm in the deserts, with an average temperature of 20°C, and stays that temperature throughout Peru, until you get to Bolivia. The climate of the Andes is known to change drastically in rather short distances. Rainforests exist just miles away from the snow-covered peak of Cotopaxi. The mountains have a large effect on the temperatures of nearby areas. The landscape in the central Andes Mountains, near the border between Chile and Argentina, is dominated by volcanoes and associated landforms. In the Andes, there are about 600 different species of mammals, 600 species of reptiles, 1,700 birds, and 400 fish. Some of these include chinchilla, alpaca, llama, spectacled bear, wood lizards, Andean condor, antpitta, Andean goose, Andean catfish, and Orestias. There are also tons of different plants that you can find there, but the three most common are Polylepis (tree), cactus, and wild potatoes.

The Andes extend from north to south through seven South American countries: Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Argentina. The latitude of the Andes is -32.338200, and the longitude is -70.051575. The southern section is rainy and cool, the central section is dry, and the northern sections are typically rainy and warm.

The oldest-known evidence of humans living at extremely high altitudes has been unearthed in the Peruvian Andes, archaeologists say. The evidence includes a rock shelter with traces of Ice Age campfires, rock art, and an open-air workshop with stone tools and fragments that are located nearly 14,700 feet (4,500 meters) above sea level and were occupied roughly 12,000 years ago. The discovery suggests that ancient people in South America were living at extremely high altitudes just 2,000 years after humans first reached the continent. In terms of European conquest, the Andes were likely first discovered by the conquistador Francisco Pizarro, who conquered the Inca Empire in modern Peru in 1532. Before that, the first Amerindians were traced back 12,000 years ago. The oldest human remains found in the Americas were found on the west coast of Peru, near the Andes.

The Andes play a vital part in national economies, providing large agricultural areas, mineral resources, water for agriculture, hydroelectricity, domestic use, and some of the largest business centers in South America. However, some of the region’s poorest areas are also located in the mountains. The region is highly diverse in terms of landscape, biodiversity including agro‐biodiversity, languages, peoples, and cultures. The Andes, covering 33% of the area of the Andean countries, are vital for the livelihoods of the majority of the region’s population and the countries’ economies. However, increasing pressure, fueled by growing population numbers, changes in land use, unsustainable exploitation of resources, and climate change, could have negative impacts on the ecosystem. There is no one who has ownership over the Andes, it is also a tourist attraction. There is a dispute in the Andes about the overpopulation in that area and the lack of resources that comes with this overpopulation. To achieve sustainable development, policy action is required, regarding the protection of water resources, responsible mining practices, and adaptation to climate change.

The future of the Andes is looking bright as its people are asking for certain policies to be applied to help them sustain themselves. Some of these policies include: protecting mountain ecosystems to safeguard water supplies, promoting agricultural production in mountain areas by building on local knowledge and local native products while improving food security and protecting biodiversity, implementing climate change adaptation actions for mountain regions across regional, national, and local policies, and transforming current mining methods with responsible mining codes. As explained in the previous paragraph, overpopulation is lowering sustainability in the Andes. Also, something noted in the earlier paragraphs, the tectonic movement in the plates has been going on for about 25 million years, and this process still continues to this very day.

Yakushima Island

The Kagoshima Prefecture is home to Yakushima Island, a small sub-tropical paradise in which over 1,900 species of exotic fauna and flora reside. The island inhabits an opaque, thriving rainforest that covers this mountainous land. The island is extremely well preserved, being a natural site, it is able to provide an extremely protective home to all who inhabit it.

The island holds much aesthetic and natural importance, it obtains much beauty from the incredible Sugi cedar trees (some being over 1000 years old) to the Sika deer which inhabit the island. The island’s incredible flurry of wildlife means it must be protected. Another reason why the island is so significant to the Japanese people is because of the varying landscape it exhibits. The make-up of the island contains mountains over 2000 meters high, but it also contains waterfalls that lead to pools of clear water that people kayak and swim in during warmer months. The ocean surrounding the island contains loggerhead turtles that crawl onto the shores to lay their eggs in the sand. The displays of vast flora and fauna, and an exotic landscape make the island significant to the Japanese people.

The reason as to why the site is being preserved is not only because of the island’s aesthetic presence, but due to the incredible wildlife inhabiting the island which is able to be studied and used for scientific purposes. The animals such as deer, monkeys, turtles, birds, and even butterflies can be studied and observed for patterns in breeding, behavior, migration, and much more. The way the animals interact is also observed, as monkeys have been seen sharing food, grooming and even riding deer. Small discreet samples of the flora can also be taken and studied for chemicals within the plants.

Currently, the island is in an incredibly stable state, but the main threats which present themselves to Yakushima island are mainland animals and creatures invading the island and species native to the island overpopulating the land. The island is extremely pristine and none of the creatures have many predators or in most cases, no predators at all. There is a big risk of overpopulating the island with native species and as most of the species are herbivores, they will destroy the island’s flora. This will leave them with nothing to eat and they will starve. If this scenario plays out the creatures on the island will wipe themselves out. On the other hand, if they introduce new species to the island, these species will not have any predators either, so they will kill all the native species and then overpopulate the island. The current state of the island is rather stable but in the long term, there are various threats that may occur in the future.

At the moment, not much action is being taken to protect the island. Most of the island is a national forest, therefore it is owned by the national government. The island does have a few pieces of legislation protecting it to make sure it stays pristine. These pieces of legislation have been written to keep activities on the island to a minimum, this is the reason why the island is untouched. Human acts on the island are monitored closely and not very often are many people on the land, this keeps it in good condition.

If I was tasked with managing the threats to the site, I would definitely keep human activities to a minimum, as they are now. I would take advantage of the potential overpopulation and relocate small numbers of the species to other parts of Japan in which the animals may be lacking or endangered. This would keep the overpopulation under control and aid other parts of the country which need help repopulating the land.