The Anthropogenic Impacts On Biodiversity Environmental Sciences Essay

The Anthropogenic Impacts On Biodiversity Environmental Sciences Essay Introduction Anthropocentrism or being Anthropogenic in nature refers to the way of thinking that regards humans as the source of all value and is predominantly concerned with human interests. (Carter, N, 2003, p. 14) Biodiversity is the abundance of different species and ecosystems in nature making it the earths most valuable resource. Biodiversity is of very much importance as it boosts the productivity of the ecosystem where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play. In other words, there would be no population of humans without biodiversity but the irony is that, the biodiversity is decreasing at an alarming rate due to the various human activities which is also referred as the biodiversity crisis. The three main factors impacting the biodiversity as a whole may be listed as: population growth, overconsumption and technology. This essay will describe how and where the biodiversity has been impacted at very great extents because of the above mentioned factors. Population growth of the humans can be considered as the root of the problem of the loss of biodiversity. According to Ehrlich (The Population Bomb, 1968 as cited in Cahn, A and OBrien, R, 1996), the human population has been doubling every 37 years and if this continued for the next 900 years, then the world population will be nothing less than sixty million billion people implying that there will be about 100 persons for each square yard of the Earths surface, land and sea. The human population now is at 6 billion; with an annual global growth rate of 1.8%, three more people that are added to the earth every second. (Quebec biodiversity, 1994) The simple fact that the countries are not able to feed their populations shows that they are overpopulated. With such high rates of increase in human inhabitants, the problem of the need to convert the natural habitats to land for human consumption becomes obvious. This ultimately results in five primary processes of degradation namely: over harvesting, habitat fragmentation, habitat destruction, alien species introduction and pollution. (Biodiversity and Human Health, 2001) It is the anthropogenic nature of the humans to rule the environment by spreading to new habitats in order to find newer food sources. The innovative man has always been discovering various types of technologies right from the technology of the spear and arrow to the modern technology of the harpoon, gun-powder and the drift nets helping him to over harvest on the various species. According to the Fisheries Agency, Japan consumes about 60,000 tons of fish a year, mainly the three blue fin tuna species which is more than 75% of the worlds annual catch and also other countries, such as the U.S. and Russia, are catching up with the Japanese as a result of which the blue fin tuna has been becoming very hard to find and the prices for these species have hit the extremes. (Tuna Shortage in Japan, 2007) Apart from overconsumption, humans have also been de monstrating their anthropogenic nature by wasteful mass kills where the entire herds of some species are slaughtered. A classic example of this is the Dumfries fish killing festival of Scotland where individuals have been killing fish in the Galloways River Urr as a part of the Grande Internationale World Flounder Tramping Championships where the person who captures the most number of fish by the unorthodox method of treading on the fish is awarded by giving three bottles of whisky,  £150 and also the title of The Undisputed Champion Of The World. (Facebook, 2010) Also the Denmarks Gruesome Festival of mass killing dolphins and whales to prove adulthood, where nearly 1,000 whales and dolphins are killed annually. (Think about it, 2009) This clearly shows the mans exploitation of the natural resources exceeding their cycling capacity. Natural resources are classified as renewable and non-renewable resources. Forests and wild-life are considered as renewable resources because of the ir ability to regenerate by reproduction but the rate at which humans have been utilizing the so called natural resources is very much of a concern. The extensive use of forest lands for timber and other valued wood resources has resulted in the loss of habitats for hundreds of species. And with the increase in human inhabitants arises the need to convert natural habitats to land for more human consumption. The innovative man has been able to exploit the forests and its resources for his selfish needs with the use of new machines and better means of transport. Clearing a dense forest has become much easier now. Humans have been able to sustain their growth by converting natural habitats to fields where food can be produced. At least 23 percent of the earths land is being used for agriculture. Most tropical forests were not greatly disturbed in the past mostly because of their inaccessibility and other factors but now the trend has been changing with the increase in the demand for th e various raw materials used in plastic production. Tropical forests have been disappearing rapidly as a result of the need of the humans to make room for more farms of timber used for construction and also used as a fuel. Deforestation has alarming global consequences such as: extinction of species (plants and animals) and climate change. Although the tropical forests cover only about 7 percent of the Earths dry land, they are home to half of all the species on Earth. Many species have micro-habitats or in simple terms, they are present only in those small areas in these forests and due to this their extinction is very much at stake because of the deforestation here. The edges of the deforested fragments dry out because of incoming hot winds as a result of which the matured rain forest trees die standing at the margins and eventually the biodiversity is lost. This also has a devastating effect on the tropical soils as the soil cover in the tropical rain forests is very thin and wit h deforestation, over time all the minerals in the soil are lost because of the high temperatures and heavy rains. (Deforestation in the Amazon, 2010) (Tropical Deforestation, 2007) (Deforestation in the Amazon, 2010) A large portion of deforestation in Brazil has been primarily because of land being cleared for pastureland by commercial and speculative interests. Between May 2000 and August 2006, Brazil lost nearly 150,000 km2 of forest and over 600,000 km2 of Amazon rainforest has been destroyed. About 60-70 percent of deforestation in the Amazon results from cattle ranches and the want for palm oil while the rest mostly results from small-scale agriculture. The numbers of endangered species in the forests of Brazil have been increasing at alarming rates because of the various anthropogenic activities of the humans as reported by the Associated Press. (Mongabay website, 2010) Deforestation and fragmentation is increasing at an alarming rate in Amazon. In Amazon nearly 2 million ha of land is deforested annually (Fearnside et al. 2005). Habitat fragmentation is a serious threat to species persistence in tropical forests (Ewers Didham 2006). According to Wilcox and Murphy (1985), the effects of f ragmentation are loss of original habitats, creation of edge effects, and isolation of habitat patches and this will affect the species composition. According to Turner and Corbett (1996), forest patches are further affected by invasion of further plant and animal species, and increased human exploitation such as hunting, burning, grazing, and extraction of resources. The greatest human impact in Southwest Australia has been the clearing of native vegetation for agriculture. Forest fragmentation differentially affects seed dispersal of large and small-seeded tropical trees (Cramer et al. 2007) Due to fragmentation, not only are individual species are affected but the plant- animal interactions are also affected (Andresen and Levey, 2004). In tropical regions, fragmentation affects the dispersal of large seeds to a greater extent than the small seed. Cramer et al. (2007), studied the seed dispersal of two Amazonian tree species, the large-seeded, mammal dispersed Duckeodendron cestro ides and the small-seeded, avian dispersed Bocageopsis multiflora. The percentage, distance and distributions of Duckeodendron cestroides seeds were all reduced in fragments when compared to Bocageopsis multiflora. This is supported by facts such as, large seeded plant species are prone to extinction, fragmentation affects large animals dispersers than small animal dispersers; and large and small seeded plants are linked differentially to primary and secondary habitats (Cramer et al. 2007). Large animals are for needed for dispersal of large seeds, and these animals need large home range but are affected by edge effects caused by fragmentation and also due to hunting. Primates are often absent from fragments (Gilbert and Setz, 2001). From Meehan et al. (2002), it is known that the extinction of frugivorous pigeons in Tonga (Polynesia) left 18 large-seeded plant species with no dispersers. From the work of Babweteera et al., (2007), the loss of elephants in Ugandan forests has left Balanites Wilsoniana regeneration concentrated under parent plants and is greatly affected. Bush fires have been used for hunting and clearing land here. Although native plants are highly adaptive to fires, intensified burning changes the composition and condition of the natural vegetation. This has resulted in the spread of a root disease called jarrah dieback caused by the root fungus called Phytophthora cinnamomi which has been spreading to other habitats, particularly in the Stirling Range National Park, where it has caused the loss of plants like the Banksias. (Conservation International, 2007) The tiger population in India is declining so fast that the whole population may be extinct here in the next 10 years because of deforestation and poaching. (Animal of the Day, 2010) In the forests of Armenia, habitat loss poses a particular threat to a range of species. Many species have been threatened to extinction because of the increasing use of land for agriculture. (National Repor t, 2002) The forests in Succulent Karoo have been affected badly by the diamond mining carried out in these areas. Approximately two-thirds of the South African coastline and almost the complete Namibian coastline have been mined for diamonds and other minerals like gypsum, marble, monazite, kaolin and titanium threatens the regions biodiversity. (Conservation International, 2007) Destruction of habitats for requirements such as building of canals, dams and houses is the most important threat to biodiversity. The Aswan High Dam located in Egypt, is an example for habitat destruction where the environmental side effects of the project have been disastrous with the spread of the disease called, schistosomiasis which is spread by snails living in the irrigation channels here. (Quarterdeck, 1995) A major contributor to depletion and extinction, after habitat loss, is the introduction of alien species. Man has always tried to introduce animals and plants familiar to him where ever he is. It started with the goats and pigs for familiar animal protein. These alien species damage the flora and fauna of the local area where they are introduced. The spread of these alien species replaces healthy, diverse ecosystems with biologically weak landscapes. Prior to the arrival of humans, there were a range of species of birds, invertebrates and plants in Hawaii but with the introduction of many plant and animal alien species, more than half the bird species and also many species of snails have become extinct. (Biodiversity and Human Health, 2001) Rabbits being introduced into Australia, Asian fish species put into the waters of Florida, introduction of Africanized bees into Brazil and also the introduction of rhododendrons into England are few examples of alien species that have destroyed the local plant and animal species. It is estimated that about 4,000 plant and 2,300 animal alien species are present in the United States at this time resulting in the endangering of more than 42% of the animal and plant species here. (Biodiversity Web, 2005) Also in the Nile river, despite the presence of a wide variety of fish, the regions fishing industries struggled to grow because the fish that lived there were small-bodied and bony, not the kind they wanted thereby, there was a need for a larger and a more commercially desired fish for the fishing economy to grow. They introduced the fish species called the Nile perch, Lates niloticus. It grew far larger than many of the other Nile fish, and was perfect for commercial fishing purposes. Being carnivorous, the Nile perch made the smaller native fish its prey. As the population of the Nile perch grew, the populations of the other 150-200 of the native species have vanished entirely. Introduction of foreign species has had simil ar impacts in other waterways worldwide by making the simplified ecosystems unstable indefinitely. (Human Impacts on the Nile River, 2010) ArcGIS map examining modern day fish biodiversity. (Human Impacts on the Nile River, 2010) Climate change has significant impacts on ecosystems. It is predicted to be the greatest long-term threat to biodiversity in many regions and is listed as a key threatening process under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth). The various technological developments made by man giving him an upper hand over other species come only at a price and this price is undoubtedly pollution. The use of various fossil fuels, petrochemicals and many other heavy metals has been increasing the greenhouse gas emissions. The drastic increase in the emission of green house gases has resulted in global warming and thereby causing a sea level rise and ultimately leading to melting. The oceans are being acidified due to the tremendous increase of the carbon content in the atmosphere which leads to the loss of biodiversity.   (Biodiversity Web, 2005) (Global Issues, Climate Change and Global Warming Introduction, 2010) (Global Issues, Climate Change and Global Warming Introduction, 2010) The quantity of oceanic plankton on earth is being affected by the depleting ozone layer.  The tiny organisms that float in the oceans are known as planktons and they play a vital role in maintaining the marine biodiversity as they are major sources of food here. Therefore, a decrease in quantity will cause a domino effect in the marine food chain species which is dangerous for the marine plant and animal species. Even though there have been global warming instances in the past, the rate at which the temperature has been increasing now is what is alarming. (Global Issues, Climate Change and Global Warming Introduction, 2010) Strategies adopted by humans to mitigate these impacts: Educational programmes are being introduced by governments to educate the populations on the importance of biodiversity. One such educational programme was initiated in the 1990s by the US Congress where they had set up an environmental education office to promote environmental education at all levels. The Plant Conservation Alliance and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service were the partners to the U.S government. In 2002, the UK along with all other Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), made a commitment to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction of the current rate of biodiversity loss at the global, regional and national level as a contribution to poverty alleviation and to the benefit of all life on earth. This commitment was subsequently endorsed by world leaders at the World Summit on Sustainable Development. At its meeting in Gothenburg in 2001 the European Council agreed to halt biodiversity decline with the aim of reaching this objective by 2010. The 2010 biodiversity target has become incorporated into the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as one of the targets under MDG 7 (Ensure environmental sustainability). (Natural Environment Research Council, 2007) The concept of protected areas has been introduced for the conservation of the biodiversity. These are locations which receive protection by the enabling laws of each country or rules of international organizations. They include parks, reserves and wildlife sanctuaries and they also Marine Protected Areas whose boundaries include some area of ocean. There are over 147,000 protected areas in the world with more added daily, representing a total area of 19,300,000  km2 (7,500,000 sq  mi). (Green Facts, 2009) The governments have also been purchasing property rights for the sake of conservation taking over all the rights from the owner or it can purchase a conservation easement where it acquires rights necessary to protect the target species or ecosystem while leaving the owner free to use the land. This law also allows water rights to increase stream flows, and permits for grazing or the emission of air pollutants can be bought and retired. Like acquisition, regulatory approaches a re being used by governments to limit the manner in which any activity can be carried out. Regulations are being enforced by governments by a wide range of sanctions. Sanctions carry additional internal (guilt) and external (bad publicity) costs for the individuals or the companies who violate the regulations. The example of biodiversity regulation is the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). (U.S Environmental Protection Agency, 2009) Another major strategy is to encourage private conservation action through incentives like tax credits and regulatory reliefs. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Safe Harbor program is an example of a regulatory relief incentive. Safe Harbor agreements assure landowners who improve habitat that they will not be responsible for protecting the increased populations of endangered or threatened species those lands may attract. (U.S Environmental Protection Agency, 2009) Finally, with the help of genetic engineering, using the various DNA techniques, different kinds of bacteria capable of synthesizing plants to be able to restrain to the changes in climate and also to avoid various diseases are being created by the modification of their genes. I would like to conclude by saying that, the very little the governments do to save biodiversity, What matters is the initiative taken by each individual human to save himself and his future generations (or) Only if the last tree has been cut down and the last river has dried to a trickle will man finally realise that we cannot eat money!

Charging Sales Tax on Internet Purchases

Charging Sales Tax on Internet Purchases Internet purchases should not have sales tax because internet shopping is supposed to be convenient for the consumer. After doing some research online I came to an article called the Incidental Economist. After reading I too had to agree that your average home eBay seller and other individual small business whose profit is less than 10,000 dollars a year should not have to do the states job of pursuing a sales tax.Was not the sales tax already paid when the Reseller first bought the product? I feel it should be his or her own profit if they are selling things that once belonged to them or in order for the seller to acquire the product in the first place it had to be bought. I feel that this is another way for the state to capitalize on a double taxing loophole. On the other hand, there is a down-side to this. With technology evolving, more consumers are turning to the internet for the ease of shopping, bill paying, and other amenities.Imposing a sales tax could improve the economy of a state by using the money from the tax to mend roads, fund schools, and implement programs in the community. The state should be responsible for making sure that sales tax is enforced not the small business seller. The state should have some program that monitors transactions on the web to enforce such a law that would make paying sales tax hard to avoid. I also feel that this sales tax should be imposed on large retailers only.Your average homeowner who wants to get rid of a few things by selling them online should not be responsible for charging sales tax. To me this is very similar to charging sales tax at a yard sale; it just is not going to happen. Works Cited Stim, Richard. Sales Tax on the Internet – Free Legal Information – Nolo. 2010. 2010 . The Incidental Economist. The â€Å"Amazon Law†: Sales Tax on Internet Purchases. October 2009. October 2010 .

Essay about Job Outsourcing - 542 Words

The economy is one of the most varied topics on the political frontier that is constantly debated, though there is no obvious solution to the United States perpetual economic problems. Held within the crumbling economy of today, are many ongoing controversial issues that plague our once healthy nation. One such problem is job outsourcing, an issue with many schools of thought giving the topic its controversial nature. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The exportation of jobs offshore is job outsourcing. This, to some, is believed to be a benefit to our economy. According to a brief report from the National Center for Policy Analysis, â€Å"Increased economic globalization has caused jobs to move to the United States as well as away from it, and†¦show more content†¦Though in the very distant future we can reap the benefits of that outsourcing, largely, Americans have no jobs and often in this lazy economy, go without for months on end. This just hurts our current economy, creating more struggles and causing less spending, which is needed to get out of the current economic despair. Outsourcing is a way for greedy corporations to make more profits, lay off more workers who have seniority and corresponding wages, and to end up bringing in new workers at starting salary. According to the president of eInnovate, Bill Bryant, â€Å"America is losing more than two-thousand jobs a day across every field due to outsourcing†. Outsourcing is affecting American industry and it will only become a larger issue. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Senator Kerry would benefit most in this coming election from placing the proper sanctions and regulations on corporate America. The Constitutional government set fourth by our fore fathers, was built upon by amendments to properly adjust to changing times and continue to protect American way of life. Within are checks and balances to properly support the structure we call government. By passing a bill, which Kerry could propose, one could properly monitor corporate activities. To protect the best interest of our nations economical future, Kerry could also propose peace talks and international trade with moreShow MoreRelatedOutsourcing American Jobs Essay1561 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Outsourcing of American jobs overseas is displacing Americans in the United States. American blue-collar workers and the Middle Class American will soon be a word of the past if the US government continues outsourcing the low-skill jobs overseas. One of the concerns in regards to the outsourcing of jobs is that wages of American jobs versus the wages of the Chinese, Japanese, Indians and Philippians are much less. 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In its broadest sense, outsourcing is simply contracting out functions that had been done in-house—a longtime U.S. practice (â€Å"Globalization: Threat or Opportunity†). When a URead MoreOutsourcing damages the American economy by sending jobs overseas. Outsourcing can be defined as1400 Words   |  6 PagesOutsourcing damages the American economy by sending jobs overseas. Outsourcing can be defined as the contracting of a business process to a third-party. In the USA, outsourcing is thought of as a bad, dirty word, spoken about in hushed tones and secrecy amongst upper-classmen and business moguls. As stated by W. Rivkin, Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School, The off-shoring phenomenon has implications for policymakers, business leaders, and members of the workforceRead MoreEssay American Airlines Plans for Outsourcing Jobs1015 Words   |  5 Pagescutting 14,000 jobs, which 13,000 of them included union workers from a staff of 80,000 employees. 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But that is not the only benefit from outsourcing or even the key benefit that causes companies to outsource, on the other hand, outsourcing has its disadvantages as wellRead MoreEssay on Global Outsourcing and Job Loss1953 Words   |  8 PagesGlobal Outsourcing and Job Loss Outsourcing has become a popular trend among United States companies within the last decade. American companies are feeling challenged to raise profits, lower prices, and put their products to market before the competition. International manufacturing is benefiting both consumers and producers in this regard. However, the question of whether or not offshoring is a positive or negative influence on the United States job recovery, in today’s unstable economy still

Gilgameshs True Identity Essay - 1145 Words

Gilgameshs True Identity Gilgamesh, who was made perfect physically, with all of the wisdom and secrets of the gods, shows he is not perfectly made on the inside as he struggles to find his true purpose and identity in the Epic of Gilgamesh. He, who proves good at heart in the conclusion of the epic, does not know why he was created and is frustrated at his mortal third in his early life. Made to bring strength and prosperity to the mortals of Uruk as an honorable king, Gilgamesh must first go on a journey to find out his true identity and mature along the way. Whether it is for everlasting life, fame, or his desire to be king- Gilgamesh searches for his true identity and purpose throughout the†¦show more content†¦After Enkidus passing, Gilgamesh develops a fear for death, believing his fate will be like that of his friend. When Siduri confronts Gilgamesh, he makes clear his overwhelming fear of death from Enkidu. Because of my brother I am afraid of death, because of my brother I stray through the wilderness and cannot rest. But now, young woman, maker of wine, since I have seen your face do not let me see the face of death which I dread so much. She answered, Gilgamesh, where are you hurrying to? You will never find that life for which you are looking. When the gods created man they allotted to him death, but life they retained in their own keeping. (102 Epic of Gilgamesh) After being told this, Gilgamesh still will not accept this fate, his fear of death and longing for eternal life too strong in his heart. Utnapishtim puts Gilgamesh to a test to become a god and upon failing, he begins to realize he is not worthy to be a god or have everlasting life. Again he is denied everlasting life when the serpent snatches the flower that restores youth from Gilgameshs grasp. After Gilgamesh is denied everlasting life when the serpent snatches the flower that restores youth from his grasp, the realization that he will never be immortal comes over him and he begins his journey home. Upon arrival to the city of Uruk, Gilgamesh swells with prideShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Epic Of Gilgamesh 932 Words   |  4 Pagespermanence. The opening lines 1-23 from Tablet 1 of the poem, The Epic of Gilgamesh, introduce us to the ancient Sumerian hero, Gilgamesh. These lines are arresting for their directness and simplicity; they briefly outline the ensuing tales of Gilgamesh’s adventures and achievements and emphasize the hero’s extraordinarily vigorous and powerful nature. The introduction hints at a more personal journey, one in which the hero â€Å"came a far road, was weary, found peace† (1,9) suggesting that GilgameshRead MoreThe Iliad, Odyssey, And Epic Of Gilgamesh1466 Words   |  6 PagesPolyphemos cave. 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First, Lady Wildcow Ninsun, Gilgamesh’s mother, is described in the Gilgamesh as, [†¦] clever and wise, Well versed in everything, Epic of Gilgamesh I.260-261 Ninsun plays a crucial role in interpreting Gilgamesh’s confusing dreams of his future companion Enkidu. Multiple times she has told Gilgamesh what to do with his dreams of Enkidu, â€Æ' You lifted it up, set it downRead MoreBatman And Gilgamesh Essay1733 Words   |  7 Pagesloses a loved one. When Gilgamesh’s beloved friend, Enkidu, dies from an illness caused by the gods, Gilgamesh becomes afraid of death and decides to seek out Utnapishtim who would help him get immortality. Gilgamesh says: â€Å"Shall I die too? Am I not like Enkidu? Grief has entered my innermost being, I am afraid of Death, and so I roam open country. 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