Habitat Degradation and Pollution Natural habitats are the physical.

, chemical and biological systems that support living things. Habitat destruction is the process in which the natural habitat becomes functionaly ubale to support the species present. When natural or human-caused activities alter these places and cause only few species to live there, it reduces biodiversity. Some examples of human activities that cause habitat destruction are urbanization and overharvesting natural resources. Habitat desctruction is currently ranked as the primary cause of species extinction worldwide. Habitat loss and degradation affects ecosystems in a way that it causes a disturbance in the balance of ecosystem. When there is damage to or removal of one component of the food web, it can affect the function of the whole system. One example of the cause and impact of habitat loss & degradation is shoreline armouring. Shoreline armouring is when hard structures like seawalls, angular rock, or jetties are built to protect beaches and shorelines from erosion. The habitats affected are intertidal and subtidal shorelines. This leads to a loss of complexity and surface area as we;; as a depletion of sedient supply to adjacent areas. This also causes an increased exposure to wave energy, causing fewer species to survive, thus lowering biodiversity richness. Humans also rely a lot on natural habitats and it should not be taken for granted. Preserving natural habitat therefore preserves biodiversity, and acts like a "savings fund" for the earth and for our future needs. There are many things as an individual to take action about it such as by learning more about the natural habitats, educating yourself and others, as well as helping to reduce pollution. Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment that cause harmful effects. It is often classified as point source or nonpoint source pollution. Different kinds of pollution are found: air pollution. Water pollution, and land pollution. Air pollution is the accumulation in the atmosphere of substances that, in sufficient concentrations, endanger human health or produce other measured effects on living matter and other materials. Among the major sources of pollution are power and heat generation, the burning of solid wastes, industrial processes, and, especially, transportation. The six major types of pollutants are carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, particulates, sulfur dioxide, and photochemical oxidants. Examples of air Pollution are noise pollution, tobacco smoke, exhaust gases of vehicles, combustion of coal, and acid rain. Water pollution is the introduction into fresh or ocean waters of chemical, physical, or biological material that degrades the quality of the water and affects the organisms living in it. This process ranges from simple addition of dissolved or suspended solids to discharge of the most insidious and persistent toxic pollutants (such as pesticides, heavy metals, and nondegradable, bioaccumulative, chemical compounds). Examples of water pollution are industrial affluets, mining and agricultural wastes, sewage disposal and domestic wastes. Land pollution is the degradation of the Earth's land surface through misuse of the soil by poor agricultural practices, mineral exploitation, industrial waste dumping, and indiscriminate disposal of urban wastes. It includes visible waste and litter as well as pollution of the soil itself. Examples of land pollution are soil pollution and waste disposal. Although individual people can help to combat air pollution in their own immediate environment, efficient control can be best achieved by legislation. Some commonly enforced control measures include the establishment of more smokeless zones and control over the kinds of fuel used in cars, aeroplanes, power stations, etc. The following measures can be used to stop water pollution: every intelligent people should be wise enough not to pollute water in any way; by research and legislation the pollution of water bodies, even though not entirely prevented, must be

effectively controlled. Some ways to control land pollution include: anti-litter campaigns can educate people against littering; organic waste can be dumped in places far from residential areas; inorganic materials such as metals, glass and plastic, but also paper, can be reclaimed and recycled.