The marine habitat destruction and loss is where the marine environment or the ecological set up is unable to support life due to degradation. This is a process that is contributed by various natural and human activities. Most countries have had the opportunity to stock marine animals and plants. Countries such as North and South…
Soil is the part of the earth’s surface comprised of disintegrated rock and humus that provides the medium for plant growth. The development of soil takes time, between hundreds and thousands of years, and consists of diverse materials which are both inorganic and organic. The inorganic materials are the non-living aspects of the soil such…
The soil formation process depends upon the presence of new soil material which is either acquired by denudation or deposition. Denudation is the abrasion of present rock material by the action of ice, water or wind. Deposition is the accumulation of new materials that have been eroded from another place such as river gravels or…
Environmental degradation comes about due to erosion and decline of the quality of the natural environment. It is caused directly or indirectly by anthropogenic activities that extract various environmental resources at a faster rate than they are replaced, and thus depleting them. On this regard, degradation means damage or reduction in quality of environmental features,…
Natural resources refer to the things that exist freely in nature for human use and don’t necessarily need the action of mankind for their generation or production. The key aspect of natural resources is that they dictate the survival of humans and other life forms on earth. These resources include land, rocks, forests (vegetation), water…
Rainforests are the forests characterized with tall trees, relatively warm climates and a great degree of rain on an annual basis. Most rainforests have an annual rainfall in the ranges of 250 to 450 centimeters (98 to 177 inches). In ecological explanation, rainforests are defined as “multi-storied closed, broad leaved forest vegetation with a continuous…
This short, informational list creates new awareness on the need to protect your local coral reefs, whether they are simply visible as small rock pools or part of the listed natural wonders of the world. In all cases, the protection of these natural habitats of small flora and fauna, barely visible or unseen, is vital…
The oxygen cycle elaborates how oxygen circulates in various forms through nature. Oxygen occurs freely in the air, trapped in the earth crust as chemical compounds, or dissolved in water. Oxygen in the atmosphere is about 21%, and it is the second most abundant gas after nitrogen. It is mostly utilized by living organisms, especially…
Ecosystem is the interconnectedness of organisms including animals, plants, and microbes with each other and their non-living environment. Examples of the non-living aspects of the environment include climate, soil, water, sun, earth, rocks, atmosphere, temperature, and humidity. In an ecosystem, every living organism has an ecological niche. Hence, what makes an ecosystem is the complex…
There are various types of pollution i.e. air, water, land, noise, industrial, soil, light, thermal etc. and they are categorized based on the region of the environment which they negatively impact, contributing to the multiple causes of pollution. Accordingly, each and every type of pollution has its own distinguishing causes and environmental effects. Understanding pollution…
Biomagnification stands for Biological Magnification, which means the increase of contaminated substances or toxic chemicals that take place in the food chains. These substances often arise from intoxicated or contaminated environments. The contaminants include heavy metals namely mercury, arsenic, pesticides such as DDT, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) compounds which are then taken up by organisms…
Eutrophication is characterized by dense algal and plant growth owing to increased concentration of chemical nutrients needed for photosynthesis. It mainly arises from the oversupply of phosphate and nitrate nutrients. As such, increased levels of chemical nutrients from animal waste, fertilizers and sewage often give rise to eutrophication when washed into nearby surface waters by…
Landforms are the natural properties and shapes prevalent on the earth’s surface. These basically consist of the solid parts of the planet which start from the mountains and end in the ridges in the ocean. That means, everything in between are different types of landforms. With diverse physical characteristics, landforms are spread throughout the planet….
Biomes are a group of ecosystems sharing the same characteristics and are well adapted to the prevailing abiotic factors. Any earth surface that has got a very large ecological system characterized by dominant forms of plant and animal life forms adapted to the prevailing climate and other environmental factors is termed as a biome. Biomes…
Water scarcity or water crisis or water shortage is the deficiency of adequate water resources that can meet the water demands for a particular region. Whenever there is a lack of access to potable and fresh water for drinking and sanitation, the situation means that the water is scarce. Water scarcity thus pertains to a…