Environmental impacts that effect ecosystem stability and biodiversity

Biodiversity is defined as the number, and variety of living organisms in a given area, during a specific period of time. There are environmental impacts that can affect biodiversity and cause damage to ecosystems of all types.

Algal Bloom Harmful algal blooms can: Produce extremely dangerous toxins that can sicken or kill people and animals Create dead zones in the water Raise treatment costs for drinking water Hurt industries that depend on clean water When species that eat algae are overfished or reduced, algae will bloom

Deforestation Deforestation has a negative impact and causes a loss of habitat for millions of species. Eighty percent of Earth's land animals and plants live in forests. Many cannot survive the deforestation that destroys their homes. Deforestation also drives climate change.

Desertification Desertification is the process by which fertile land is transformed into desert , become drier, and is not able to support life. As populations grow and resources become scarce, scientist expect more desertification.

Overfishing Overfishing is a form of negative impact where fish stocks are reduced to below acceptable levels. Overfishing can occur in water bodies of any sizes, such as ponds, rivers, lakes or oceans, and can result in loss of resources, reduced growth rates and lowered biomass.

Oil Spills Oil spills frequently kill marine mammals such as whales, dolphins, seals and sea otters. Oil also coats the fur of otters and seals, leaving them vulnerable to hypothermia. oil spill can also cause damage by contaminating their food supply.

Greenhouse Effects Greenhouses gases like CO2. cause the gradual heating of Earth's atmosphere and surface, a process known as global warming. Too many greenhouse gases can cause the temperature to increase out of control.

Climate Change Sea levels are rising and oceans are becoming warmer. Longer, more intense droughts threaten crops, wildlife and freshwater supplies. From polar bears in the Arctic to marine turtles off the coast of Africa, our planet's diversity of life is at risk from the changing climate.

Invasive Species An invasive species can be any kind of living organism—an amphibian (like the cane toad), plant, insect, fish, fungus, bacteria, or even an organism's seeds or eggs—that is not native to an ecosystem and causes harm. They can harm the environment, the economy, or even human health.

Invasive Species Cont Invasive species can have a number of negative impacts like loss of habitat.  Some invaders can physically alter the habitat in addition to destruction. Other invasive species may not destroy habitat but can have an impact by killing large numbers of needed species.