Ecosystems and Human Well-being
The improper use of ecosystem services to meet the demands of the global society has resulted in environmental degradation, increased poverty, and unsustainable practices associated with resource use. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment acknowledged these issues in 2005 when they developed eight goals influenced by our current environmental situation. They recognized that the poor are often members of society most greatly impacted by environmental problems and changes, while the rich gain economic success and improved luxurious goods. Furthermore, they recognized that in order to make any significant changes to the current situation we must first make changes to our policies, institutions, and practices. Humans are altering our planet, driving ecosystem changes through overexploitation, introduction of alien species, and pollution. Therefore, better ecosystem management is needed in order to reduce the changes to natural systems and improve the quality of life for poorer people and the rest of society.
Whenever disaster strikes, lesser developed nations are always the hardest hit. They do not have the means, through emergency supplies and government funds, to offer relief and assistance to their communities most affected. As a result, famines and diseases spread throughout the improvised communities.
How have people changed ecosystems so that they provide greater services for people? Having grown up in an agricultural community, I have seen the tilling of soils, the draining of wetlands into lakes and rivers so that more land can be planted, and the creation of pig barns and cattle feedlots. Because community members wish to improve their economic standings, they will convert natural grasslands into large-scale agricultural fields. These fields will grow crops and meet the demands of a growing nation’s hunger, all the while providing funds to satisfy the farmer and his family. Negative consequences that arise, such as increased flooding in the spring as a result of fewer reservoirs (wetlands) to hold the water, are dealt with through drainage techniques and genetically modified crops. If extensive farming continues, the soils will not be returned to their natural state, and they then are only fit for pasture. Large deposits of salts are becoming visible through increased evaporation which results in a greater loss of water from the soil. This salt further degrades the land.
Africa has seen the degradation of the landscape as a result of their poorly managed agricultural practices. Desertification has developed leaving numerous places no longer habitable or productive. Economic gains may have been reached before overuse degraded the quality of the soils. Now hunger and famine prevail, and are suspected to be prolonged as population demands for food continue. Global climate change will further affect this situation because it affects weather patterns and precipitation patterns. Certain amounts of rainfall are essential for optimal crop production. Areas experiencing decreased levels of moisture have begun to use irrigation and re-route rivers to keep croplands producing.
Overall, if we want to see any changes in current practices, we need to first see changes in policies, institutions, and current practices. The increased awareness of the environment through media and education facilities has begun to prompt changes in technology as well as make demands on the government to halt or regulate companies that are overexploiting their resources. Technology has become more ecologically sustainable, such as alternative sources of power through wind turbines and solar panels. Such alternatives have reduced some of the demands on fossil fuels, and show promise for further decreasing fossil fuel usage in the future. Many environmental and economic models have been created to predict possible scenarios for these future years. Some of these models appear quite bleak, while others show positive outcomes through the implementation of this improved technology. However, our future is dependent on the actions of today’s people, and the consequences and impacts that the environment may suffer as a result of such actions.
Easton T. Classic edition sources: environmental studies. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2009. pp. 48-54.
Related Article.....
York, G. 2009 September 30. Millions more face malnutrition in warmer climate. The Globe and Mail; Sect A: 14.
