TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page    –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         i

Certification –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         ii

Dedication   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iii
Acknowledgements         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         iv

Table of Contents   –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         vi

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 Introduction –         –         –         –         –         –         –         1

CHAPTER TWO

2.1     Anthropogenic Activities –         –         –         –         –         –         5

2.1.1  Overharvesting or Over exploitation    –         –         –         –         5

2.1.2  Deforestation         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         7

2.1.3  Hunting       –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         8

2.1.4  Pollution      –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         9

2.2     Ecosystem dysfunction and Human Health    –         –         –         11

2.3     Biodiversity and Human Health –         –         –         –         –         12

CHAPTER THREE

3.1     Effect of Anthropogenic Activities       –         –         –         –         15

3.1.1  Habitat loss  –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         15

3.1.2  Climate change      –         –         –         –         –         –         –         17

3.2     Ecosystem functioning    –         –         –         –         –         –         20

3.3     Measures to Control Anthropogenically induced

Ecosystem Dysfunction   –         –         –         –         –         –         21

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0     Summary and Conclusion          –         –         –         –         –         26

4.1     Summary     –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         26

4.2     Conclusion  –         –         –         –         –         –         –         –         27

References

CHAPTER ONE

1.0     Introduction

The term ecosystem (biome) refers to a geographical area where every living (biotic) organisms and non-living (abiotic) interact together to form a bubble of life. These organisms tend to establish complex relationships and continually interact with their physical environment for survival. There are two primary types of an ecosystem in which all other types may fall into: terrestrial or aquatic. The terrestrial ecosystem encompasses all land related ecosystems such as forests, grassland, deserts, and tundra ecosystems. On the other hand, aquatic ecosystem encompasses all water-related ecosystems such as freshwater and marine ecosystems. The ecosystems have been supplying range services of great importance to human well-being, health, livelihood and survival (TEEB Synthesis, 2010).

Biodiversity includes assemblage of plants, animals and the micro-organisms; their genetic variability expressed in the varieties and populations; their habitats, ecosystems and natural areas, the mosaic of which gives richness to the natural environment. Biodiversity or biological resources provide food, clothing, housing, medicine and spiritual nourishment to human beings (Ashok, 2016). Humans depend on the living world for the resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is having adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change. The loss to biodiversity is mainly due to habitat destruction, over-harvesting, pollution and inappropriate as well as indiscriminate development and overexploitation of natural resources (Prakash, 2017; Kumar and Verma, 2017).

The natural environment has been significantly affected by anthropogenic activities (Goudie, 2013). Between 1700s and 2000s, agricultural land area quintupled and the extent of natural vegetation was globally reduced by half (Scanlon et al., 2007; Pongratz et al., 2008). Furthermore many scientists argue that the recent rise in CO₂ levels in the atmosphere is mainly due to anthropogenic activities (Ghosh and Brand, 2003; Prakash, 2021). Burning fossil fuels like coal and petroleum is the main cause of increased CO₂ The global warming and climate change are imparting an insurmountable challenge for entire biota including humans. The climate change is mainly due to global warming and the main cause of global warming is enhanced greenhouse effect due to over anthropogenic activities (Verma, 2021). Non-systematic anthropogenic activities are the major culprits for these unfavourable changes. Biodiversity loss can result from a number of human activities, including habitat conversion and destruction; over-exploitation of species; disconnected patches of original vegetation; and air and water pollution.

Human activities and population growth threaten biodiversity in almost every corner of our planet. Local threats to species richness include land use changes, pollution, resource exploitation and invasive species. Conservation of biodiversity is a useful tool for managing natural resources and environment. Humanity impacts the planet’s biodiversity in multiple ways, both deliberate and accidental. The biggest threat to biodiversity to date has been the way humans have reshaped natural habitats to make way for farmland, or to obtain natural resources, but as climate change worsens it will have a growing impact on ecosystems. The main direct cause of biodiversity loss is land use change (primarily for large-scale food production) which drives an estimated 30% of biodiversity decline globally. Second is overexploitation (overfishing, overhunting and overharvesting) for things like food, medicines and timber which drives around 20%. Climate change is the third most significant direct driver of biodiversity loss, which together with pollution accounts for 14%. Invasive alien species account for 11% (TRS, 2021). Thus, the major threats to biodiversity are human activities and loss of habitat, overharvesting, deforestation, increasing wild trade, introduction of exotic species and climate change. In addition, the impact of anthropogenic activities on the environment can vary with time and from one region to another.