EDA3046 Notes
Chapter 1 Environmental Issues and Risks
Biodiversity:
All the variety of life that can be found on earth (plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms)
Threats:
1.) Loss of Habitat: 4.) Alien Species:
Plants and animals rely on habitats for food, Advantages = allows for better survival over
water and shelter indigenous species
Growing populations need land for agricultural, Threaten local species with extinction
industrial and urban development = habitats are Interbreeds with indigenous species
destroyed
5.) Wildlife Trade:
2.) Pollution of Soil, Water and the Illegal trade = A serious problem with little
Atmosphere control over it
Air pollution (Acid Rain)
Poison baits 6.) Poaching and Hunting:
Turtles eating plastic Often but not always linked to wildlife trade
3.) Industrial Agriculture and Forestry 7.) Government Policies:
Fewer varieties of crops Encourage urban development, agriculture &
Limiting the gene pool of certain species forestry
Monoculture = Less diverse Can destroy biodiversity
The Challenge:
Variety of life on earth forms a gene pool
This gene pool is the material on which natural selection takes
place
There is an ongoing process of natural selection
Biodiversity is important for our survival as a species
1
, EDA3046 Notes
DEFINITIONS:
Environment: Everything around us including the interaction & influence of political, social and
economic dimensions of life.
Environmental education: The holistic study of the total environment cultivating positive attitudes,
values and decision making skills. A process during which values are discovered and concepts
explained in order to develop skills and attitudes pertaining to an appreciation of the relationship
between man, his culture and his biophysical environment. Environmental education also includes the
practice of decision-making and the formulation of a personal code of conduct on matters affecting the
quality of the environment
Ecology: The interaction between living organisms and their environment, as well as the
interrelationship between living organisms.
Health hazards: Anything that is harmful or life threatening having a negative impact on the
environment. Eg: HIV/AIDS / Listeriosis
Biodiversity: The variety among living organisms and the ecological communities they live in.
Overpopulation: The population of living organisms is beyond the environments carrying capacity.
Urbanization: The migration of people from rural areas to urban areas because of unemployment,
health care etc.
Desertification: The depletion of our natural vegetation resulting in an increase of infertile soil,
because of natural and human factors.
Deforestation: The permanent destruction of indigenous forests and woodlands taking place all over
the world, due to overpopulation.
Pollution: The poisoning of the environment with anything that reduces its ability to support life.
Environmental literacy: The ability to observe and interpret the relative healthiness of the
environment systems and to take appropriate action to maintain these systems.
Holistic Environment: Environment is more than just nature. Everything around us is part of our
environment. We must decide how important it is for us to conserve it and whether we want to
conserve it. The space created by personalities, influences perceptions, attitudes and behaviour in the
environment. Aggression, love, helpfulness etc influence people’s attitudes towards environment and
others.
Global Warming: The gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere
Ecosystem: A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment
Habitat: An ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by particular species of animal, plant or
other type organism
Pesticides: Substances for destroying insects or other organisms harmful to other cultivated plants or
animals
2
Chapter 1 Environmental Issues and Risks
Biodiversity:
All the variety of life that can be found on earth (plants, animals, fungi and micro-organisms)
Threats:
1.) Loss of Habitat: 4.) Alien Species:
Plants and animals rely on habitats for food, Advantages = allows for better survival over
water and shelter indigenous species
Growing populations need land for agricultural, Threaten local species with extinction
industrial and urban development = habitats are Interbreeds with indigenous species
destroyed
5.) Wildlife Trade:
2.) Pollution of Soil, Water and the Illegal trade = A serious problem with little
Atmosphere control over it
Air pollution (Acid Rain)
Poison baits 6.) Poaching and Hunting:
Turtles eating plastic Often but not always linked to wildlife trade
3.) Industrial Agriculture and Forestry 7.) Government Policies:
Fewer varieties of crops Encourage urban development, agriculture &
Limiting the gene pool of certain species forestry
Monoculture = Less diverse Can destroy biodiversity
The Challenge:
Variety of life on earth forms a gene pool
This gene pool is the material on which natural selection takes
place
There is an ongoing process of natural selection
Biodiversity is important for our survival as a species
1
, EDA3046 Notes
DEFINITIONS:
Environment: Everything around us including the interaction & influence of political, social and
economic dimensions of life.
Environmental education: The holistic study of the total environment cultivating positive attitudes,
values and decision making skills. A process during which values are discovered and concepts
explained in order to develop skills and attitudes pertaining to an appreciation of the relationship
between man, his culture and his biophysical environment. Environmental education also includes the
practice of decision-making and the formulation of a personal code of conduct on matters affecting the
quality of the environment
Ecology: The interaction between living organisms and their environment, as well as the
interrelationship between living organisms.
Health hazards: Anything that is harmful or life threatening having a negative impact on the
environment. Eg: HIV/AIDS / Listeriosis
Biodiversity: The variety among living organisms and the ecological communities they live in.
Overpopulation: The population of living organisms is beyond the environments carrying capacity.
Urbanization: The migration of people from rural areas to urban areas because of unemployment,
health care etc.
Desertification: The depletion of our natural vegetation resulting in an increase of infertile soil,
because of natural and human factors.
Deforestation: The permanent destruction of indigenous forests and woodlands taking place all over
the world, due to overpopulation.
Pollution: The poisoning of the environment with anything that reduces its ability to support life.
Environmental literacy: The ability to observe and interpret the relative healthiness of the
environment systems and to take appropriate action to maintain these systems.
Holistic Environment: Environment is more than just nature. Everything around us is part of our
environment. We must decide how important it is for us to conserve it and whether we want to
conserve it. The space created by personalities, influences perceptions, attitudes and behaviour in the
environment. Aggression, love, helpfulness etc influence people’s attitudes towards environment and
others.
Global Warming: The gradual increase in the overall temperature of the earth’s atmosphere
Ecosystem: A biological community of interacting organisms and their physical environment
Habitat: An ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by particular species of animal, plant or
other type organism
Pesticides: Substances for destroying insects or other organisms harmful to other cultivated plants or
animals
2
