NATURE CONSERVATION

BFC 10202
Chapter 3A:
Impacts of Human Activities on the Natural
Environment
RECAP OF PREVIOUS LECTURE

Physical Components

Lithosphere – Rocks and Soils

Hydrosphere - Water

Atmosphere - Air
 Biosphere Formation

Biosphere – Combined portions of the entire planet where life

exist Include land, water, atmosphere
Level of Organization
Exponential growth of human
population began in the 1800s
Human population Density
World population percentage

• Highest population is
China (18.5%)

• Followed by India (17.9%)

 Malaysia population

• According to the Statistics Department, it is projected that Malaysia’s population will

grow to 38.6 million in 2040.

• The Malaysian population will at most be 65 million in 2100.

Malaysia Ethnicity
Population
Human population growth issue
● China & Mexico and India face more environment stress with
the highest population
● Population growth rates are high in poor areas, whereas
resources consumption and well-being are low
● Factors human population growth:
a. Migration : the relocation of humans
b. Developments
c. Innovation in agriculture increased food supply
● Managing population growth
a. Family planning
b. Development and population – economic development,
education
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
 Environmental Problem: POLLUTION

What is pollution? Where does it come from?

Any addition to air, water, soil, or food that

threatens the health, survival, or activities of
humans or other living organisms

The particular chemical or form of energy that

causes such harm is called pollutant

Most pollutants are solid, liquid, or gaseous by-

products or wastes produced when resource is
extracted, processed, made into products, or used

Pollution can also take the form of unwanted

energy emissions, such as excessive heat, noise
or radiation
 Pollution Sources

 A point source of pollution is a single identifiable source of air, water, thermal, noise or
light pollution

 Nonpoint source (NPS) pollution is a term used to describe pollution resulting from
many diffuse sources

 generally results from land runoff, precipitation, atmospheric deposition, drainage,

seepage or hydrologic modification.
Air Pollution from Industries and vehicles River pollution from rubbish dumping

Oil spill pollution harm animals and

environment Direct discharges waste into the river
 Soil Pollution

Defined as the build-up in soils of persistent toxic compounds,

chemical, salts, radioactive materials, or disease causing agents,
which have adverse effects on human, plant growth, and animal health

The wars hit the Earth are one of the immediate causes of soil pollution

Many countries found the necessity to improve their living standards

After the WWII (1945), may countries suffered from food shortage and this
facilitated the introduction of fertilizers and other agricultural chemicals
Sources of Soil Pollution

Rupture of underground storage

tanks (i.e. septic tanks, etc.)

Application of pesticides

Percolation of contaminated surface

water to subsurface strata

Oil and fuel dumping

Leaching of wastes from landfills

Direct discharge of industrial wastes

to the soil
Sources of Soil Pollution
Sources of Soil Pollution
 Example of Soil Pollution
Acids rain destroy building and pH of soils Leaching of wastes from landfills

Oil and fuels dumping

Direct discharge industrial wastes to soil
 Soil Pollution from Agricultural
Activities: Pesticides and Fertilizer
 Soil Pollution from Agricultural
Activities: Pesticides and Fertilizer
 DDT Products

Insect spray for agriculture activities with DDT

DDT had been ban DDT to kills weeds in lawn

Lindane and DDT are suspected to be in use in the farms and plantations of Cameron
Higlands. The use of lindane was discontinued after January 2000. Therefore, the
use of lindane and DDT is illegal.
 Effect DDT on Bird Eggs

Accumulation of DDT in many birds

causes reproductive difficulties.

Eggs have thinner shells that break

easily

Some eggs may not hatch at all.

 Arsenic Products

Brown rice, white rice, rice breakfast cereals and

organic rice baby cereals, all contain concerning levels
of arsenic that is a known carcinogen, harming the
human body. Besides rice products, arsenic can be
found in fruits, vegetables, conventionally raised
chickens and water.

Medicine and lotion contains arsenic

Researcher and students exposed to arsenic when do

experiment and research activities
Effect Arsenic on Human
Health

Arsenic keratosis on the palms of patient

who ingested arsenic from contaminated
well over prolonged period

Long-term intake of high concentrations of

arsenic from drinking water gives rise to a
number of health problems, particularly
skin disorders and internal cancer
 Impacts of Soil Pollution
Disruption of the food chain
Reduction of soil fertility and
soil erosion
Toxic to groundwater and
water supply
Economic losses
Alter plant metabolism,
reducing crop yields
Radical chemistry changes,
manifested in the alteration of
metabolism of endemic
microorganisms and arthropods
resident in a given soil
environment
 Water Pollution
Contamination of water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans, and ground water
by human activities
Types of Water Pollution
 Water Pollution Categories

Point source pollution

• Contaminants that enter a waterway through a discrete

conveyance, such as ditch or pipe (sewerage
treatment plant, factory, etc.)

Non-point source pollution

• Diffuse contamination that does not originate from a

single discrete source. It is often accumulative effect of
small amounts of contaminants gathered from a large
area

Ground water pollution

• Groundwater contamination; contamination of aquifers

Source of Water Contamination
 Groundwater is one of the world's most important natural resources
 Groundwater provides 97% of the Earth's drinkable water
 Water enters the ground from many sources, include rainfall and melting snow,
water from irrigated lawns and farm fields, leakage from rivers high in the
mountains, or irrigation canals.
 • Pathogens
• Chemical
• Macroscopic
Causes of pollutant
Water
Contamination • Thermal pollutant
 Pathogens

Coliform bacteria Oocysts of Cryptosporidium Giardia lamblia

Salmonella sp. Novovirus Helminths are parasitic worms

Pathogens in Water
 Chemicals contaminants

Detergents

Disinfection by-products found in chemically disinfected

drinking water, such as chloroform

Food processing waste (i.e. fats and greases)

Insecticides and herbicides

Petroleum hydrocarbons (i.e. gasoline, diesel fuel, jet

fuels, fuel oil)

Lubricants (motor oil)

Chemical waste industrial by-products

 Chemicals contaminants

Fuel combustion by-products

Tree and bush debris from logging operations

Volatile organic compounds (industrial solvents,

chlorinated solvents

Acidity caused by industrial discharges (sulfur dioxide

from power plants)

Ammonia from food processing waste and heavy metals

Fertilizers containing nitrates and phosphates

Silt (sediment) in runoff from construction sites, logging,

slash and burn practices or land clearing sites
Chemicals contaminants
 Macroscopic Pollutant

• Large, floatable visible items polluting waters (marine

debris) found in open sea
• Trash (i.e. paper, plastic, food waste)
• Nurdles (small ubiquitous waterborne pellets)
• Shipwrecks (Large derelict ships)
Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Something to ponder??
 Thermal Pollution

Rise or fall in the temperature of a natural body

of water caused by human influence

Common cause: use of water as a coolant by

power plants and industrial manufacturers

Also caused by the release of very cold water

from the base of reservoirs into warm rivers
 Thermal Pollution Source

Nuclear Coal Fire

Power Station Power Station

Industrial Domestic
Effluents Sewage
Key Health Problem Caused by
Water Pollution
Key Problem Caused by Thermal Pollution
and Global Warming on Coral Reefs
Coral Bleaching
Key Problem Caused by Thermal Pollution
and Global Warming on Coral Reefs
 • Introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or
biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to
humans or other living organisms, or damages
Definition natural atmosphere, into the atmosphere

• Air pollution is a major global environmental

problem-risk to our health and food security.

• It is estimated to cause about 3.7 million premature

deaths worldwide and destroys enough crops to
feed millions of people every year