Biology Infographic

CITY

HUMAN IMPACT ON BIODIVERSITY

Markiewicz, E.Ramírez, E.Arias, C.

EXAMPLES

EXAMPLES

EXAMPLES

PICTURES

culture

biodiversity

Cultural ecology

DEFINITIONS

Spain

Mexico

Russia

EXTRA INFO

Tundra

WETLANDS

desert

VIABLE ACTIONS TO:

PREVENT FURTHER DAMAGE

CORRECT CAUSED DAMAGE

DESCRIPTIONS AND HUMAN IMPACT

Tundra ecosystems are some of Earth´s coldest and harshest ecosystems.

Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil or is near all year.

Deserts are areas with varying temperature that receive very little precipitation.

Climate change is one of the biggest human-caused impacts in all tundra ecosystems.

REFERENCES

Human exploitation of desertic territory and resources has deeply affected this ecosystem,

humans are extremely dependent of wetlands but they are beeing afected by climate change produced by humans

Establishing global challenges such as the Bonn Challenge to restore forests in which anyone can donate or participate.

LONG TERM

(3 TO 5 YEARS)

MEDIUM TERM

(1 TO 2 YEARS)

Encouraging people to shop locally to cut down on imported produce that industrialize farming.

Creation of international treaties such as the Ramsar Covention that promote the wise use of ecosystems.

The implementation of mandatory reusable products by customers in businesses such as cloth supermarket bags.

Promoting homemade compost in which all individual food waste can nurture local natural areas inside urban neighborhoods.

Replacing invasive plant species in local ecosystems with native organisms as to return its original balance.

SHORT TERM

(IMMEDIATE)

Cultural ecology is the study of the role that culture has in relation to human behaviour as a response to the natural or social environment in which they are in, it also studies the interactions and relationships regarding economy, social organization and survival between humans.

The term biodiversity refers to every single organism in an ecosystem including types of plants and animals and it is importance for human life on earth.

The word culture is used to describe the interactions between a group of people of similar beliefs and customs, in a way that they form their own way of life that is distinct from other groups, thus making each one unique.

Tundra ecosystems are located in cold and windy areas, these characteristics make it hard for large plants to survive. "Tundra lands are covered with snow for much of the year, but summer brings bursts of wildflowers (Nunez, 2019)". Small animals present in Tundra ecosystems, such as the Siberian Chipmunk or Eutamias sibiricus and Eurasian flying squirrels, scientifically known as Pteromys volans often feed on the small plants like Eriophorum angustifolium or cottongrass. Reindeer also live in Tundra ecosystems and are often herded by local inhabitants, they are also known as Rangifer tarandus.

Wetlands, as it's name says it is a land covered in water, it could be salty or fresh. Especifically they are the edge of a pond, river or ocean. Their presence is fundamental to humans because of the big ecosystems they are and humans would have to spend more money in water treatment

Deserts exist in different parts of the world, being large zones concentrated in single areas. "Far from being barren wastelands, deserts are biologically rich habitats with a vast array of animals and plants that have adapted to the harsh conditions there." (Nunez, 2020) Some examples of fauna include camels (camellus), the desert tortoise (gopherus agassizii), or the fennec fox (vulpes zerda). Plants in the desert have characteristics that allow them to survive this climate, such as long roots that hydrate by using underground water, or cacti, which have special means to store water.

Climate change affects hydrology of wetland ecosystems mostly though changes in precipitation and temperature and it has grown considerably over the past decade, including change in base flows; altered hydrology (depth and hydroperiod); increased heat stress in wildlife; extended range and activity of some pest and disease vectors; increased flooding, landslide, avalanche, and mudslide damage; increased soil erosion; increased flood runoff resulting in a decrease in recharge of some floodplain aquifers; decreased water resource quantity and quality; increased risk of fires; increased coastal erosion and damage to coastal buildings and infrastructure; increased damage to coastal ecosystems such as coral reefs and mangroves and increased tropical cyclone activity. Under currently predicted future climate scenarios, the spread of exotics will probably be enhanced, which could increase pressure on watersheds and ecosystems

In the past 50 years, the pollution caused by fossil fuel burning have been key factors that attributed to climate change. The overall warming of Earth´s temperature, as well changes in rain pattern and humidity can mainly be seen in snowy areas such as tundras in Siberia and other high latitude areas. “A record-breaking heatwave in Siberia would have been almost impossible without human-caused climate change (Rowlatt, 2020)”. Climate change has caused the thawing of permafrost which releases greenhouse gas emissions. The change in water sources near tundras also changed common practices of local inhabitants. "Warmer tundras could also see increased risk of wildfires and drought (Nunez, 2019)". Climate change also affects tundra area´s soil and destroy nutrients being protected by a layer of ice and snow. Agriculture in tundras now needs to be mostly industrialized and small populations living in them need to import their food.

Deserts are, in general, quite vulnerable. This is due to the fact that they lack precipitation, which means that, in case of alteration, it would take years, maybe decades, for the ecosystem to recover. While climate change is already an issue, as the melted glaciers cause an imbalance with the water the biome receives, the issue at hand is human civilization, seeing how there have been many edifications bordering deserts. According to the WWF (2018), this can lead to land degradation, sterility, social erosion, and a loss in biodiversity as a whole. While there are actions being taken by this same organization, there is no denying that damage has been done, and we must protect what we have left of this ecosystem.

Alvarez-Uria, Pilar & Herrero, Luis M. & Tejero, Pilar & Leiva, José & Fernández-Galiano, Eladio & Beltrán, Domingo & Lobo, Jorge & Zavala, Miguel & Alvarez, Ana M. & Guaita García, Noelia & Zárate, Lucía & Fernández, Isidro & Barroso, Alberto. (2012). Biodiversity in Spain. The basis for sustainability in the face of global change. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280528829_Biodiversity_in_Spain_The_basis_for_sustainability_in_the_face_of_global_change/citation/download Briones, O. (2020). Secuestro de carbono en los desiertos de México. Retrieved October 28, 2020 from: https://www.inecol.mx/inecol/index.php/es/2013-06-05-10-34-10/17-ciencia-hoy/1002-secuestro-de-carbono-en-los-desiertos-de-mexico Crate, S. (1992, March 01). At Home in Siberia. Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/home-siberia Elfer, E. (2016, December 15). Traditional Agriculture in Siberia. Retrieved October 26, 2020, from https://smallfarmersjournal.com/traditional-agriculture-in-siberia/ Estrada-Ruiz, E. (2013). Floras tropicales cretácicas del norte de México y su relación con floras del centro-sur de América del Norte. Retrieved October 28, 2020 from: http://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1405-27682013000200003 France-Presse, A. (2017, October 19). World's deepest lake crippled by putrid algae, poaching and pollution. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/oct/19/lake-baikal-russia-crippled-algae-fish-poaching-pollution green Facts. (s. f.). Water availability information for Spain. Recuperado 28 de octubre de 2020, de https://www.greenfacts.org/en/water-resources/figtableboxes/aquastat164.htm greene, G. E. G. (2017, 21 septiembre). Types of soil in Spain. garden guides. https://www.gardenguides.com/130657-types-soil-spain.html Kramer, A. (2019, July 25). As the Chinese Cut Down Siberia's Forests, Tensions With Russians Rise. Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/25/world/europe/russia-china-siberia-logging.html LCLUC. (2016). Boreal deforestation of Far Eastern Siberia. Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://lcluc.umd.edu/hotspot/boreal-deforestation-far-eastern-siberia Meyer, M. (2020). Mexico. Retrieved October 28, 2020 from: https://www.britannica.com/place/Mexico Rowlatt, J. (2020, July 15). Climate change: Siberian heatwave 'clear evidence' of warming. Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-53415297 Science X. (2017, August 04). Russia's Lake Baikal 'extremely polluted', Putin warns. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://phys.org/news/2017-08-russia-lake-baikal-extremely-polluted.html Spanish Rural Property. (2019, March 08). Growing Asparagus in Andalucia. Retrieved October 29, 2020, from http://spanishruralpropertyforsale.com/asparagus-malaga-grow/ Stewart, J. (1990, June 30). 'The great lake is in great peril': Siberia's sacred sea, bigger than Belgium and older than any other lake, Baikal is threatened by pollution from industry and agriculture. Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://www.newscientist.com/article/mg12617234-600-the-great-lake-is-in-great-peril-siberias-sacred-sea-bigger-than-belgium-and-older-than-any-other-lake-baikal-is-threatened-by-pollution-from-industry-and-agriculture/ Pereltsvaig, A. (2016, October 23). Indigenous Languages of Siberia: An Overview. Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://www.languagesoftheworld.info/russia-ukraine-and-the-caucasus/indigenous-languages-siberia-overview.html Pl@ntUse. (2018). Asparagus officinalis (PROTA). Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://uses.plantnet-project.org/en/Asparagus_officinalis_(PROTA) The Moscow Times. (2020, October 27). Russian Scientists Ring the Alarm on Lake Baikal's Pollutants. Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://www.themoscowtimes.com/2019/04/01/russian-scientists-ring-the-alarm-on-lake-baikals-pollutants-a65038 Tiempo de Michoacán. (2019). El gobierno de Trump destruye los Gigantes del Desierto (Sonora), en su afán de construir el muro fronterizo. Retrieved October 27, 2020 from: https://www.tiempodemichoacan.com/el-gobierno-de-trump-destruye-los-gigantes-del-desierto-sonora-en-su-afan-de-construir-el-muro-fronterizo/ United Nations. (s. f.). Understanding the ecosystems of Spain’s Doñana National Park. UN Environment. Recuperado 28 de octubre de 2020, de https://www.unenvironment.org/es/node/23942 USDA. (2008). Soils of Mexico. Retrieved October 28, 2020, from https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/16/nrcs143_016018.pdf Warner, K., & Warner-Merl, N. K. (1998, February 02). Air Pollution in Siberia. A Volume and Risk-Weighted Analysis of a Siberian Pollution Database, by N.K. Warner-Merl. Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://ideas.repec.org/p/wop/iasawp/ir98059.html World Wild Live Organization. (n.d.). Wetlands | Habitats | WWF. World Wildlife Fund. Retrieved November 13, 2020, from https://www.worldwildlife.org/habitats/wetlands WWF. (2018). Deserts. Retrieved November 12, 2020 from: https://www.worldwildlife.org/habitats/deserts Xiaoci, D. (2017). Water firm slams critics of planned factory in Russia. Retrieved October 27, 2020, from https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1045048.shtml Zafra, I. (2020, February 03). Why Spain's farmers are up in arms. Retrieved October 29, 2020, from https://english.elpais.com/economy_and_business/2020-02-03/why-spains-farmers-are-up-in-arms.html

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