Preview

Habitat Destruction

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1597 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Habitat Destruction
Habitat Destruction

Overview

In this new age of technology and advances in every possible field of study, many people forget about the environment. Some will just throw their trash all over the place with no concern for the possible consequences. Of course, there are many consequences, but only one comes to my mind. That is the demolition of species' homes or habitat destruction. Habitat destruction or habitat loss is the altering or elimination of the conditions that plants and animals need to survive. "The primary threat to the world's biodiversity is habitat destruction" (Okey p.1). Prairies have been greatly affected. The "loss of prairie habitat ranges from 20 to >99 percent depending on the region" (Benedict, Freeman, & Genoways, p.161). Habitat destruction can be caused by many things. These include:
The introduction of alien (exotic) and domesticated species
Pest and Predator control
The collection of animals for pets and research
Pollution
Ecological factors
Loss of keystone species
Overexploitation
Disease
Limited distribution
Many of these causes could be prevented fairly easily. If people today would just follow some simple rules, none of these would be as big as they are now.

The Introduction of Alien (Exotic) and Domesticated Species Introducing exotic species has been a highly debated issue. Why should we bring another animal or plant into a region to eradicate another species? That's the question that people have been asking for ages. Of course, there are positives to bringing in another species, but many times, there are just as many negatives. Also, these species can be introduced accidentally or intentionally. The new organism may cause no obvious problems and eventually, it will be considered "native" to the area. For example, corals are "perhaps the oldest animals on the planet, and these long-lived corals have evolved in one of the Earth's most stable environments" (Eichenberg, p.2). If a new type of fish were to be put into the

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Millions of Americans have owned or currently care for a pet of some sort. These animals also include those of an exotic origin. The ownership of such animals is generally deemed as unusual or bizarre. Some would argue that exotic animals are not fit to be in the possession of a common person due to the belief that they are unmanageable and pose harm to the owner. Although, this is merely a stereotype produced by those who are in opposition to keeping uncommon pets. The ability to own exotic animals as pets should be maintained and recognized as acceptable.…

    • 676 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In the next period, materials and shapes of amulets were believed to bring good luck to the owners. Therefore, a joy of adorning one’s body, beliefs in omens, and the purposes are all significantly correlated with jewelry crafting.…

    • 132 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Module One Quiz

    • 433 Words
    • 2 Pages

    There are two ways that humans disrupt the proper functioning of ecosystems. One is by altering the structure of natural landscapes. Tearing down trees, which can be homes to different wildlife species, can do this. Another way humans disrupt the functioning of ecosystems is by altering soil composition.…

    • 433 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Dinosaur Extinction

    • 376 Words
    • 2 Pages

    For over 150 million years, dinosaurs dominated Earth. They were incredibly successful-so successful in fact that all of the other animal groups had no choice but to play a secondary role in nature. 65 million years ago, however, every species of dinosaur went extinct as well mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, pterosaurs, ammonites, and many families of brachiopods and sea sponges. Also, many shark species as well as most vegetation did not survive(“Dinosaur Extinction”). What could have possibly killed off the dominant animal group of the time? The answer to this question is still unclear but there are many hypotheses that attempt to explain this extinction event. To find out exactly how this happened, evidence must be gathered not only from fossils…

    • 376 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The invasion of non-native species is one of the United Nation’s top five environmental concerns; however the term invasive species is one which many people do not fully understand. It is a term used in the media, by governments and ecologists, to indicate to the public that a new species has entered an area, and usually very little is said afterwards, however many people do not realise the severity and long term effects of invasive species in their area and worldwide. Unfortunately this attitude is what makes the problem worse.…

    • 774 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    In many opinions, invasive species becoming introduced to a different environment is not deemed acceptable. With many situations incorporating these species, they are sought to be pests, only trying to make lives difficult for others. Many also have come to believe, from experience, that these insidious species cause harm to the environment of which they are newly exposed to. The businesses and/or government agencies that bring invasive species to a new environment must consider many measures before transferring and following through with brings the species forth to a new location. With careful considerations of transportation, other natural predators, the actual environment and the sole purpose, the business and/or government agency must vigilantly take into consideration the actions it is about to partake in.…

    • 681 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    When a new species is introduced, there is a possibility of the species replacing another species or throwing off the natural balance in ecosystems. There are invasive plants, called water hyacinth, that float on top of water that steals sunlight from underwater plants. With the water hyacinth stealing all the sunlight, these underwater plants die. These underwater plants were food sources and hiding spots for fish. Now these fish must find a substitute food source or die, and predators are much harder to hide from.…

    • 852 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Pandas, tigers, lions, parrots, monkeys, spiders, cheetahs, and snakes are cute and amazing pets that people have.Instead of a cute cat or dog.In fact 3.7 million exotic animals kill their owners for having them as a pet or get a very bad disease and pay to much for just a huge or tiny animal instead for a cute dog, cat, hamster or bird.Exotic animals can kill, bring disease, and are to expensive to buy for people.For example, animals are bad for the human environment. All of them should be in their homes instead with us.This is how many animals become endangered or extinct.…

    • 538 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    It is dangerous for exotic animals to own them as pets. They require certain environments that we as humans cannot provide them properly. The needs of animlas are hard for us to understand and that can lead to malnutrition and inadecuate exersize. It is very expense not only to buy exotic animals, but to also feed them. PAWS, an organization designed for helping animals says“Exotic animals still possess innate social and physical needs, and require mental stimulation that cannot be provided…

    • 986 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Destruction Of Wilderness

    • 301 Words
    • 2 Pages

    In the late nineteenth century is was very difficult for Americans to preserve wilderness and to sustain human prosperity. As American population grows, and its needs and expectations put greater pressure on the environment. As the industry continued to develop this was destroying its natural resources’. Farmers were draining the nutrients from the soil, miner’s workers were destroying the topsoil, which was causing the soil to wear away, forests were decreasing, wildlife was becoming extinct, and rivers, lakes and air was be polluted all of this was destroying the wilderness. As the population continue to increase the need for fertile soil, clean water, clean air, and wildlife will be in high demand and highly necessary to human prosperity.…

    • 301 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    By the definition for introduced species is "a species removed from its home range and established in a new and foreign location." (Oceanography: An Invitation pg.524). For example, at the time missionaries where traveling they occasionally leave seeds that grow into mustard plants since they grow fast. Additionally these plants help the missionaries find places they came from. However, these mustard plants have side effect of spreading everywhere, thus becoming an invasive species. Also, since these plants have no animals to feed on them they are able to freely thrive without any danger. This reduces biodiversity of other important plants and grasses that live in estuaries such as salt bush, cord grass, etc.. This in turn effects marine organisms that eat regional plants since these plants become scarce causing the ability for marine organisms to be able to feed themselves and making their chances of reproducing less…

    • 680 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Many invasive species were introduced into other ecosystems when the industrial and human transportation industries took off. Many invasive species were introduced through trading, travel and tourism, transport, release of ballast waters from ships, escape from fish farms, openings of canals and waterways, use of live bait, escape from aquariums or water gardens, escape from live food fish trade, recreational boating and movement of equipment and gear, gardening, seed mixtures, escaped pets, and fire wood. Many present day invasive species were introduced through human imprudence and negligence, like the spiny water flea, big head, silver, and black carp, sea lamprey, round goby, fanwort, bass, pike, and zebra mussels. However, many introductions of invasive species were intentional.…

    • 1072 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Invasive Animals

    • 651 Words
    • 3 Pages

    What are Invasive Animals? An invasive species is a plant, fungus, or animal species that is not native to a specific location (an introduced species), and which has a tendency to spread to a degree believed to cause damage to the environment, human economy or human health(https://en.wikipedia.org/). When an invasive species moves into a new environment , it changes the food pattern, growth production, and the environment conditions. An animal wasn’t made to adjust to every environment, so when they come into a new place. For example, Zebra Mussels, Sea Lamprey, and LionFish are all animals that has made a huge impact into the new environment they settle into now. Zebra Mussels,…

    • 651 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Anthropogenic habitat fragmentation has affected, and will continue to affect the dynamics of populations for most organism types that are subjected to it. From the physical structures we construct for the conveniences of humankind to the deterioration of continuity in our forests and other vast ecosystems that we have exploited to support urbanization and development of land, we are changing the ways in which organisms can use the landscapes to which they have evolved. By creating barriers and inhospitable divisions in the landscape we effectively divide single populations into subpopulations and often reduce or eliminate the mixing of individuals between these subpopulations. While fragmentation happens through many natural processes that the earth is subjected to, these natural divisions seem to happen very slowly relative to the rate of anthropogenic fragmentation. At a slow enough rate of fragmentation organisms should be able to adjust and adapt. This may not be so when land can be…

    • 729 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Hi Stephanie, I can recall reading an article reviving species that are extinct. The process was called de extinction and there was pros and cons with species going extinct. While the endangered species propose a threat to loss of habitat, it can also cause contamination of water and spread of invasive species. Although, the process to me seems very strange and…

    • 62 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays