Question
1)What are some ways people have affected biogeochemical cycles in your area? Provide an example.
2)Read Chapter 7, then search the web for examples of environmental pollution incidents that involve a biogeochemical cycle. Summarize and share one example that you find. What harm did the incident cause?
3)Identify an invasive species in your area. What are some environmental and economic impacts from this species?
Answer
Question 1
What are some ways people have affected biogeochemical cycles in your area?
A biological cycle is a pathway by which a chemical substance moves through both biotic and abiotic compartments of the universe. In one way or another, human activities affect biogeochemical cycles. A good example of these activities includes burning of fossils thus transferring carbon iv oxide from lithosphere to the atmosphere (Davidson, 2007). Such activities accelerate the rate of biogeochemical cycles. Moreover, adding of fertilizers to the soil has also increased the levels of nitrogen and phosphorous in our soils. This activity leads to over-fertilization of aquatic life when excess amounts are carried to the nearby streams.
Question 2
Examples of environmental pollution incidents that involve a biogeochemical cycle
Coastal pollution and its impact have resulted in acceleration of biogeochemical cycles including the enrichment of enclosed water with organic matters leading to eutrophication. Moreover, these activities lead pollution by chemicals and sedimentation due to land-based activities or sea level rise due to the global change. Examples of activities that lead to pollution include oil marine transportation, and offshore oil and gas production. This kind of pollution leads to losing of aquatic life and may also lead to global warming.
Question 3
Identify an invasive species in your area. What are some environmental and economic impacts from this species?
Marine Invasive species are plants and animals that evolve in one location but later in life they are introduced through a variety of means into another location. In most cases, they use the oceans to move about the earth. Killer algae are an example of an invasive plant that originated from India and had spread all over the world (Davidson, 2007). The plant replaces the native plants and deprives marine life of food and habitat. This leads to an imbalance in the ecosystem since most of the aquatic life will not be supported in such areas. Decrease in marine life especially fish may lead to economic signification especially if the country wholly depends on the fish for economic gain.
References
Davidson, E. A. (2007). Environmental science: nutrients in synergy. Nature, 449(7165), , 1000-1001.
SCI/256 Ecosystem Paper: Lake Tillery in Uwharrie Mountains, NC
