Knowra Environmental degradation Environmental degradation Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the natural environment through resource depletion, ecosystem destruction, pollution, or biodiversity loss.
Land-use change : The conversion or modification of natural land for agriculture, settlement, industry, or other human uses. Clearing and fragmenting habitats directly reshape ecosystems.
Deforestation : The large-scale removal of forests, usually through clearing or conversion to other land uses. Forest loss combines habitat destruction, carbon release, and altered water cycles.
Biodiversity loss : The decline or disappearance of biological diversity within species, between species, or across ecosystems. It is both a direct outcome of degradation and a warning of weakened ecosystems.
Environmental protection : Policies and actions that prevent or reduce harm to the natural environment. Protection aims to stop pressures before they cause further deterioration.
Environmental justice : The fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people in environmental laws, policies, and decisions. It asks who bears the harms of degradation and who has power to prevent them.
Pollution : The introduction of harmful substances or forms of energy into the environment. Contaminants degrade air, water, and soil through distinct pathways.
Desertification : Land degradation in drylands caused by climatic variations and human activities. It shows how soil and vegetation decline can undermine livelihoods in arid regions.
Habitat fragmentation : The division of a continuous habitat into smaller, isolated patches. Fragmentation restricts movement and can isolate populations even where habitat remains.
Conservation biology : The scientific study of protecting biological diversity and managing its loss. It focuses on preventing biodiversity decline and restoring threatened populations.
Environmental impact assessment : A process for predicting and evaluating the environmental effects of a proposed project before decisions are made. It tests whether likely damage can be identified and avoided before development proceeds.
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