Maryland's Ecosystems and Environment - Essay Example

Maryland’s Local and Surrounding Ecologies and Environments In an article entitled “Maryland’s Environment: A 20,000 Year History of Change” published online, it was revealed that the state exhibits an ecologically diverse landscape accurately described to include river systems in areas such as the Chesapeake Bay, the Delaware River, and the Ohio River drainages; mountain ranges; granite bedrocks; unconsolidated sediments; among others (Maryland's Environment, n.d.). Likewise, it was also noted from the discourse that Maryland’s flora share the same diversity as these evolved from growth spurring from a variety of soils, climates and the state’s local hydrology (Maryland's Environment: A 20,000 Year History of Change, n.d.).

In another published report, the ecologies and environments at Maryland were also described as varying natural resources from oceans, barrier islands, beaches, tide marshes, estuaries, low-lying farmlands, rolling hills, mountain ranges, valleys and plateaus (Maryland Department of Natural Resources, 2003). Specific Factors that Distinguish Maryland’s Ecology and Environment From the historical background, it was evident that the specific factors that distinguished Maryland’s ecology and environment include: large scale, massive climatic change, human settlers and their changes in adapting and adjusting to the environment, and contact and colonization of North America, among others.

As emphasized, there was manifested destruction in habitat due to hunting activities that were found to be unregulated. In addition, other factors such as “increased competition from introduced exotic species and diseases resulted in the wholesale decline in wilderness-dependent species and a corresponding rise in species that favored agricultural landscapes and human habitation sites. This decline and loss has significantly disturbed Maryland’s ecological balance” (Maryland's Environment: A 20,000 Year History of Change, n.d., p. 10). How Human Activities have Affected Maryland’s Ecosystems Human activities have affected Maryland’s ecosystems through an interplay of related acts of men; ranging from the basic physiological needs (food, clothing, shelter) to improving sources of livelihood and transportation.

As population increased, the local natural resources were utilized to the point of exploiting their maximum potentials. This fact was corroborated by the Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources which identified tremendous increases in population and in converting land uses from agricultural to industrial have significantly affected and altered the original state of Mayland’s natural resources and ecosystems. As revealed, from the reported historical events of Maryland, the description of the natural environment included “a rich estuary flanked by marsh and swamplands, intertwining waterways, a gentle plain of locally-diverse forests, and a network of human communities concentrated in riverside villages where Native Americans plied waterways and trails and managed hunting grounds, nut groves, and gardens” (Maryland's Environment, n.d., p. 7). Ways that Global Warming might Affect Maryland’s Ecosystems According to the report published by the National Audubon Society (2012), global warming significantly affects all facets of human life, including the lives of other organisms,