Physical and Extreme Changes in Ecosystem – Reasons

Physical and Extreme Changes 

Introduction

Ecosystem 

An ecosystem is an area where biotic and abiotic components mutually interact with each other. The factors that cause changes in the ecosystem are called drivers, which will affect the lives inhabiting that ecosystem. 

 Waste management, food and water cycling, weather, interaction between organisms, recreation, pollination are some of the services provided by the ecosystem. 

Climate Change 

Unusual changes in temperature and weather patterns of the climate lead to climatic changes, which were natural, but for 2 centuries, human activities have been the main cause of these shifts. Burning fossil fuels by humans produces a large amount of heat-trapping gases that result in global warming and hence the higher temperature of the Earth. 

Climatic changes cause many unnatural phenomena like floods, drought, wildfires, sea level rising, ocean acidification, etc., that causes the change in ecosystem. 

Floods occur when the rainfall in a certain area exceeds the water absorption capacity of the land. Floods have a negative impact on ecosystems as they cause disturbances in the balance of an ecosystem 

Flood 

Floods cause drowning and habitat destruction of many wildlife. Many water-borne diseases like cholera are also spread by flood as they gather impurities from various places. 

Drying of Lake 

In normal conditions, the water in the lake evaporates due to temperature and that lost water is replaced by the water coming from the rivers. Now, when the climatic condition changes, the temperature becomes higher, and the rate of evaporation exceeds the rate of replacement of water by the river, due to which the level of water starts decreasing. This will end up in the drying of the lake. 

As we all know, the lake is an important part of nature and so many lives living near lakes are dependent on it. Drying up of lake will impact the people living near it and the aquatic organisms living in it. 

Drought and Wildfires 

Drought is caused when the climate of a certain area becomes drier than its normal climatic conditions. Drought results in shortages of water supply of all kinds. Global warming, deforestation, and climatic changes are the major causes of drought. Agricultural losses, economic losses and losses of human life are the major problems caused by drought. A drought can be overcome in a few days, or it can even last for a few years. 

Wildfire is a sudden unplanned fire caused due to lightning, human activities or volcanic eruption that results in the burning of natural areas such as forests and grasslands. Wildfires result in the increase of air pollution in that particular area and also results in habitat loss and the loss of wildlife in that area.