7.3.3

Human Activities

Test yourself

Human Activities

Human activities have contributed to a severe decline in biodiversity. Two examples are peat bog destruction and deforestation:

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Peat

  • Peat is a deposit of partially decayed plant matter, which accumulates in bogs.
  • Here, carbon remains in the plants instead of being released into the atmosphere.
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Peat bog destruction

  • The destruction of peat bogs has become more common, resulting in the burning or decay of peat.
  • This releases the stored carbon into the atmosphere in the form of the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.
  • Another negative impact of peat bog destruction is the loss of biodiversity within the habitat.
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Reasons for peat bog destruction

  • Peat bogs are being destroyed for the following reasons:
    • To free up land for farming, which requires the bogs to be drained. This draining process stimulates peat decay.
    • To burn the peat for fuel.
    • To sell the peat to gardeners as garden compost.
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Deforestation

  • Deforestation is the cutting, clearing and removal of forests in order to free up land for biofuels (fuels derived from living matter) as well as cattle and rice fields.
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Negative consequences of deforestation

  • The burning of trees and decomposition of wood increases the rate of carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere.
  • As less photosynthesis is taking place, less carbon dioxide can be removed from the atmosphere.
  • Deforestation destroys habitats.
    • This causes biodiversity and the provision of ecosystem services to be lost.
  • Forests are often chopped down to be replaced by agriculture, with the purpose of growing rice or farming cattle.
    • These activities produce methane, which is a greenhouse gas.

Jump to other topics

1Cell Biology

1.1What's in Cells?

1.2Cell Division

1.3Transport in Cells

2Organisation

2.1Principles of Organisation

2.2Enzymes

2.3Circulatory System

2.4Non-Communicable Diseases

2.5Plant Tissues, Organs & Systems

3Infection & Response

4Bioenergetics

5Homeostasis & Response

5.1Homeostasis

5.2The Human Nervous System

5.3Hormonal Coordination in Humans

5.4Plant Hormones

6Inheritance, Variation & Evolution

7Ecology

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