ecological issues related to industrial development

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Ecological Issues Related to Industrial Development

Written by:weborglodge Edited by:Rebecca ScudderUpdated Sep 4, 2011 Related Guides:Pollution|Global Warming

Industrial development & ecological issues are at opposite ends in the spectrumregarding the health of the planet and its residents. While industrial development has

improved the quality of life for people, it has come at a great ecological price.

Habitat Loss

One of the most devastating effects of industrial development ishabitat loss. The lossesare sobering. According to the U.S. Geological Survey, over a half of the wetlands in thelower 48 states has been lost during the years spanning the 1780s through the 1980s.

Prairies have fared worse. Native prairies have suffered overwhelming losses both

globally and in the United States. The Iowa Prairie Network estimates that less than 0.1

percent of native Iowa prairie remains. The Nebraska Wildlife Federation places prairie

losses at 98 percent.

One the contributing factors was the invention of the self-scouring steel plow by John

Deere in 1837. This seemingly minor instance of industrial development made breaking

the prairie easier, allowing farmers to cut through the dense prairie plant root systems.

With some prairie plants having roots over 10 foot long, the invention of the plow was a

major breakthrough.

Habitat Fragmentation

Even if entire ecosystems are not lost, habitat fragmentation can negatively affect plant

and wildlife populations. Large tracts of habitat ensure the genetic viability of organisms.

Some species such as the upland sandpiper are area sensitive, preferring tracts of land

greater than 100 acres to meet its ecological needs. Industrial development fragments
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habitats, placing such animals at risk for extinction. It also creates habitat for invasive

plant and animal species that can further impact native populations.

Electronic Logbookswww.sjsoft.com

Software to Manage, Control and Log your Industrial Operating Processes Ads by Google

Pollution

Perhaps the greatest issue surrounding industrial development & ecological issues is

pollution. A 2007 study published in the journal, Human Ecology, estimated that up to

40 percent of all deaths worldwide are caused by environmental degradation from rising

populations and pollution.

Pollution degrades the air, water, and soil, causing long-term environmentaldamage.American Riverestimates that almost 40 percent of all American rivers and

streams are too polluted for to support recreational activities such as swimming or

fishing.

The primary source of this pollution is agricultural runoff, according to the U. S.

Environmental Protection Agency. Industrial development has meant the production of

pesticides and fertilizers which can have grave environmental impacts. Runoff can harm

both land and water resources.

Runoff into surface water such as lakes and streams can have far-reaching effects

including impairment of drinking water sources. While industrial development has

improved some aspects of life, it has created ecological issues on a disaster scale.

Global Warming

Global warmingor climate change represents one aspect of industrial development &

ecological issues unlike the planet has ever faced. Greenhouse gas emissions from

human-caused sources threaten the oceans and coastal areas.

Because of their role in atmospheric regulation, impacts on the oceans can have

cascading effects. The danger of global warming is that a reversal takes time and a

global effort. Unless action is taken promptly, it may be too late to undue the

devastation.
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Industrial development must address the ecological issues it causes by reducing

emissions and pollution of the environment. The lessons of the past must be used as

guidance for developing countries to avoid the mistakes of early industrial development.

Only through learning from history can the ecological issues the world has endured be

avoided.

Photo by George Bosela

References

Iowa Prairie Network:What Is Left of the Prairie? www.iowaprairienetwork.org

Nebraska Wildlife Federation:Tallgrass Prairie Project www.nebraskawildlife.org

D. Pimentel et al. Ecology of Increasing Diseases: Population Growth and

Environmental Degradation. Human Ecology, December 2007:35(6):653-668.

U.S. Geological Survey:Wetlands www.npwrc.usgs.gov
http://www.sxc.hu/photo/863426http://www.sxc.hu/photo/863426http://www.iowaprairienetwork.org/prairies/remaining.shtmlhttp://www.iowaprairienetwork.org/prairies/remaining.shtmlhttp://www.iowaprairienetwork.org/prairies/remaining.shtmlhttp://www.nebraskawildlife.org/conservation.htmlhttp://www.nebraskawildlife.org/conservation.htmlhttp://www.nebraskawildlife.org/conservation.htmlhttp://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/wetlands/wetloss/summary.htmhttp://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/wetlands/wetloss/summary.htmhttp://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/wetlands/wetloss/summary.htmhttp://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/wetlands/wetloss/summary.htmhttp://www.nebraskawildlife.org/conservation.htmlhttp://www.iowaprairienetwork.org/prairies/remaining.shtmlhttp://www.sxc.hu/photo/863426

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