Environmental Studies - Air Pollution - Essay Example

Air pollution also affects the environment in that it causes visibility impairment, damages soil property and structure and most unfortunately, it harms the ozone which in turn changes the structure of the ecosystem Schenelle, Benedict and Alfred say (25), reduces the amount and rate of CO2 by plants .Ozone damage may also cause reduction in biodiversity. Vallero (54) mentioned that biologically, the effects of the air pollution are easily evident among animals who primarily feed on plants that have been affected by the effects of air pollution.

The exact direct effect of air pollution on human beings has been hard to measure due to the exposure to other numerous pollution and early medical treatment. Since air pollution is usually in gaseous form it tends to move around easily and globally. Abiotic factors are usually non living things that exist in the environment that affect how living organisms live. Minerals, temperature, salinity, wind, air, light, soil conditions, cloud cover and water availability are some of the examples of the abiotic factors in an ecosystem.

Air pollution inevitably affects the cloud cover which in turn regulates the intensity of light penetration to the atmosphere. This affects plants in that they are not able to make food and it also predisposes human beings to rickets. Contaminants in the air specifically carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and sulfur dioxide sometimes mix with molecules of water or rain to form acid rain. Acid rain is corrosive in nature, because of this it burns the plants sometimes to complete wither and death.

“This rain also causes corrosion of infrastructure through rust, and weakening them which causes accidents that usually not anticipated”, says Holgate (13). Air pollution also affects the rainfall timing and sequence. Biotic factors are living organisms in the ecosystem. Fungus, bacteria, mammals, plants are some of the examples of ecosystem biotic factors. Air pollution determines which vegetation grows properly and where. Most animals survive under specific weather conditions, but, air pollution has completely altered the temperature of specific places.

Light penetration in aquatic bodies has affected the manner in which aquatic animals thrive in their environment. Human beings are known to release dangerous substances into the air which in turn affects them, animals and plant. Air pollution is becoming a great problem to the human race, especially the elderly and children who have slightly weaker respiratory systems compared to the entire demographic sects. Depletion of the ozone layer, smog presence in the environment and global warming are some of the major human facilitated air pollution as mentioned by Schnelle et al. (63). These adverse effects are known to cause numerous and sometimes rare diseases to human beings.

Quite often these diseases are respiratory infections or skin diseases as mentioned by Holgate (35).Human beings are also involved in forums to design new rule and technology to reduce air pollution. The current environmental and conservation problems caused by air pollution include: Fossil fuel emission has led to depletion of the ozone layer. Excessive release of poisonous gases has led to destruction of wildlife Death of animals from fluoride toxicity. Respiratory and skin diseases on human beings Chlorosis in plants cause by overexposure to acid rain.

Global warming. Deforestation. Some of the measure or steps to be taken to prevent or at least reduce the amount of air