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Impact of Ecosystem Destruction: NBSE Class 9 Environment
Get summaries, questions, answers, solutions, notes, extras, PDF and guide of Chapter 4 Impact of Ecosystem Destruction, NBSE Class 9 Environmental Education textbook, which is part of the syllabus of students studying under Nagaland Board. These solutions, however, should only be treated as references and can be modified/changed.
If you notice any errors in the notes, please mention them in the comments
Summary
Ecosystem destruction means the environment is getting damaged. This happens when natural resources like water, air, and soil are used up too much. When this balance is disturbed, it can be very bad for all living things that depend on it. The effects of ecosystem destruction include more flooding because there are fewer trees and soil is washed away. Climate change causes sea levels to rise as glaciers melt. Natural disasters like tsunamis, earthquakes, and droughts may become more common. When top predators disappear, the food chain gets disrupted. Fresh drinking water becomes scarce, and food shortages happen when land becomes barren and oceans lose fish. Biodiversity is lost when entire species vanish due to deforestation. Pollution becomes hard to manage and harms human health. Rising temperatures can be unbearable for living organisms.
Habitats are places where animals live, grow, and reproduce. Forests are important habitats for many animals. Some animals live in rocks or tree bark. Human activities like mining, cutting forests, building dams, and using pesticides destroy these habitats. Deforestation is a big reason why habitats are lost. Forest fires also ruin habitats. Urbanization destroys habitats on land, water, and trees. Many animals have to move or may even die out.
Many plant and animal species are dying at an alarming rate. Between 4000 to 50,000 species go extinct every year. Tropical rainforests and coral reefs are the richest ecosystems but are being destroyed. If this continues, tropical rainforests might disappear by 2030. The Great Hornbill and other hornbill species are becoming rare. Reasons include deforestation, farming methods like Jhum cultivation, hunting, illegal wildlife trade, lack of awareness, and climate changes. Endangered species are those at risk of extinction. About 34,000 plant species and 5200 animal species are endangered. Habitat loss, pollution, and overuse are major causes. Extinct species are those that have vanished from Earth. Extinction has increased due to human population growth and resource use. This affects the food chain and the ecosystem.
Stress on resources happens when there is too much demand on a system or resource. As the human population grows, resources fall short. Consumption is higher in developed countries compared to developing ones. Controlling population and consumption is necessary. Resources are depleting fast. For example, the Mesabi Range in the USA was rich in iron ore but started running out by the 1950s. More people mean more need for wood, leading to harmful tree-cutting practices. This makes soil erode and destroys habitats. Groundwater levels dropping can cause problems like methemoglobinemia, where nitrates affect blood’s oxygen-carrying ability. Certain activities should be stopped to protect groundwater. Cleaning parks and planting trees are good ways to help the environment.
Textbook solutions
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. This is the main or major activity of destruction of habitat
A. Afforestation
B. Habitat
C. Deforestation
D. Flood
Answer: C. Deforestation
2. Species that are in the danger of extinction are called:
A. Extinct
B. Endangered
C. Rare
D. None of these
Answer: B. Endangered
3. Species that disappeared from the earth are called:
A. Extinct
B. Endangered
C. Rare
D. None of these
Answer: A. Extinct
4. Major cause for the extinction of domestic animals is:
A. Hunting
B. Diseases
C. Food scarcity
D. None of these
Answer: B. Diseases
5. An endangered mammal from India:
A. Panda
B. Cheetah
C. Gorilla
D. Whale
Answer: B. Cheetah
Very Short Answer Questions
1. Define habitat.
Answer: A habitat of an organism is the place where it can live, develop, and reproduce. Forest is the main habitat of many animals. Some animals live in the crevices of rocks or in the bark of trees.
2. What do you mean by stress on resources?
Answer: Stress on resources can be defined as a difficult situation that arises when a system or resource is expected to do too much. As the human population grows, the resources fall short because resources are limited and the human population does not stop growing. Therefore, the consumption of resources keeps on increasing.
Short Answer Questions
1. What are endangered species? Write is the cause of endangerment of species?
Answer: Plant and animal species that are in the danger of extinction are called endangered species.
The chief cause for the endangerment of species is habitat destruction, besides pollution and commercial exploitation.
2. What are extinct species? Give one reason for the extinction of species.
Answer: Species that have disappeared from Earth are called extinct species. One reason for the extinction of species is that many natural habitats are being destroyed.
3. Why does the consumption of resources keep on increasing?
Answer: The consumption of resources keeps on increasing because the human population grows, and resources fall short since they are limited. As a result, the consumption of resources continues to rise. Additionally, per capita consumption of resources is much higher in developed countries than in developing countries.
4. How human is responsible for environment degradation?
Answer: Human activities are responsible for environmental degradation through the destruction of ecosystems, which causes adverse impacts on habitats. These activities include heavy mining, clearing of forests, construction of dams, modern agricultural practices involving pesticides and insecticides, deforestation, urbanization, and overexploitation of resources. Additionally, stress on resources arises due to growing human population and increasing per capita consumption, leading to the exhaustion of natural resources like water, air, and soil. Overhunting, poaching, illegal wildlife trade, and habitat destruction further contribute to the endangerment and extinction of species.
Long Answer Questions
1. Give reasons for the loss of habitat. What is the immediate threat of loss of habitat?
Answer: The reasons for the loss of habitat are:
- Heavy mining, clearing of forests, and construction of dams, which cause many animals to migrate or even become extinct.
- Modern agricultural practices, including the use of pesticides and insecticides, which cause heavy destruction of habitats.
- Deforestation, which is the main or major activity of habitat destruction.
- Forest fires, which lead to the destruction of habitats.
- Urbanisation, which destroys numerous habitats of organisms on land, water, and trees.
The immediate threat of habitat loss is that it causes animals to become homeless, disrupts their ability to live, develop, and reproduce, and leads to the migration or extinction of many species.
2. Why do resources of an ecosystem face stress from mankind?
Answer: Resources of an ecosystem face stress from mankind due to the following reasons:
- The number of people is more in developing countries and less in developed countries, but the per capita consumption of resources is much higher in developed countries than in developing countries.
- The growing human population and increasing per capita consumption lead to a higher rate of exhaustion of resources, causing them to deplete faster.
- As the population increases, the demand for wood, a major building material, also increases.
- Clear cutting techniques of felling trees, where all trees in an area are removed abruptly, make the soil naked and lead to excessive erosion.
- Habitat destruction is another impact of this technique, further stressing the ecosystem’s resources.
3. Write a note on stress on resources.
Answer: Stress on resources can be defined as a difficult situation that arises when a system or resource is expected to do too much. As the human population grows, the resources fall short because resources are limited, and the human population does not stop growing. Therefore, the consumption of resources keeps on increasing.
- The number of people is more in developing countries and less in developed countries. However, the per capita consumption of resources is much higher in developed countries than in developing countries.
- The strategy should not only focus on controlling the population but also on controlling the per capita consumption of resources.
- As a result of the growing human population and increasing per capita consumption, the rate of exhaustion of resources is also increasing, leading to the fast depletion of resources.
- With the increase in population, the demand for wood also increases because it is a major building material.
- The clear-cutting technique of felling trees, where all the trees of an area are removed abruptly, is very harmful. It makes the soil naked, leading to excessive erosion and habitat destruction.
Extras
Additional questions and answers
1. What is meant by environmental degradation?
Answer: Environmental degradation is the deterioration of the environment caused by the exhaustion of natural resources including water, air, and soil.
Q. Name any two richest ecosystems.
Answer: The two richest ecosystems are tropical rainforests and coral reefs.
Q. Name any two species of hornbill found in Nagaland.
Answer: Two species of hornbill found in Nagaland are the Brown Hornbill and the Rufous Necked Hornbill.
Q. How many plant species are in danger of extinction today?
Answer: Today, around 34,000 plant species are in danger of extinction.
Q. Which clear cutting technique is considered harmful in forest management?
Answer: The clear cutting technique of felling trees is very harmful, in which all the trees of an area are removed abruptly.
Q. What was the total production of iron ore in Mesabi Range in 1953?
Answer: In 1953, the total production of iron ore in Mesabi Range was 73 million metric tons.
Q. Which disease is caused by nitrite interfering with the blood’s capacity to carry oxygen?
Answer: The disease caused by nitrite interfering with the blood’s capacity to carry oxygen is methemoglobinemia.
Q. Name any two endangered reptiles.
Answer: Two endangered reptiles are:
(i) Crocodile
(ii) Komodo Dragon
Q. When might tropical rainforests disappear if the current rate of deforestation continues?
Answer: If the current rate of cutting down tropical rainforests continues, they will finish by 2030 or even earlier if the present rate of population growth continues.
Q. List any three major impacts of ecosystem destruction.
Answer :
(i) Increased flooding due to the erosion of soil and lack of trees.
(ii) Climate change causes the sea levels to rise due to the melting of glaciers.
(iii) Disruption of the food chain when the apex predators become extinct.
Q. Why are hornbill populations in Nagaland declining?
Answer: The major factors causing the decline of hornbill populations in Nagaland include:
- Deforestation and habitat loss.
- Jhum cultivation.
- Hunting and poaching.
- Illegal wildlife trade for traditional medicine and crafts.
- Lack of awareness and conservation efforts.
- Changes in rainfall patterns and temperature.
Q. Mention two ways in which urbanisation destroys habitats.
Answer: Urbanisation destroys habitats through:
- Clearing of forests.
- Construction of dams.
Q. Why is the demand for wood increasing with population growth?
Answer: As the population increases, the demand for wood also increases because it is a major building material.
Q. How does habitat destruction occur due to modern agricultural practices?
Answer: Habitat destruction occurs due to modern agricultural practices such as the use of pesticides and insecticides, which cause heavy destruction of habitats.
Q. Mention any three factors that create stress on resources.
Answer: Three factors that create stress on resources are:
(i) The number of people is more in the developing countries and less in developed countries, but the per capita consumption of resources is much higher in the developed countries.
(ii) The growing human population and increasing per capita consumption lead to the rate of exhaustion of resources increasing.
(iii) As the population increases, the demand for wood also increases because it is a major building material
Q. Why is ‘clear cutting’ considered harmful to forests?
Answer: Clear cutting is considered harmful to forests because it involves the abrupt removal of all trees in an area, which makes the soil naked and leads to excessive erosion. Additionally, habitat destruction is another impact of this technique.
Q. Name two endangered invertebrates.
Answer: Two endangered invertebrates are:
- Shrimp (USA)
- Tiger Beetle (USA)
Q. Analyse the effects of deforestation on habitat loss and explain its consequences for both flora and fauna.
Answer: Deforestation is the main or major activity causing the destruction of habitats. Forests are cleared for the need of land and timber, leaving organisms homeless as their habitats are destroyed. A habitat is the place where an organism can live, develop, and reproduce. Forests serve as the main habitat for many animals, including those that live in the crevices of rocks or the bark of trees.
The destruction of any component of an ecosystem surely affects the other components too. Human activities such as heavy mining, clearing of forests, and construction of dams lead to habitat destruction, causing many animals to migrate or even become extinct. Modern agricultural practices, including the use of pesticides and insecticides, also contribute heavily to the destruction of habitats.
Due to urbanisation, numerous habitats of organisms on land, water, and trees are destroyed. The consequences of habitat loss for flora and fauna include the extinction or endangerment of plant and animal species. For example, the fascinating bird Great Hornbill (Bucerosbicornis) is now rapidly becoming scarce, and other species of hornbills are also declining due to deforestation and habitat loss.
Additionally, forest fires, which are another consequence of ecosystem destruction, lead to the total destruction of habitats. This results in the disappearance of entire species of living things, leading to a loss of biodiversity.
(i) Deforestation causes the erosion of soil and lack of trees, leading to increased flooding.
(ii) Habitat destruction is the chief cause for the endangerment of species besides pollution and commercial exploitation.
(iii) The extinction of various species adversely affects the food chain and ultimately the ecosystem.
Q. Discuss the ways in which urbanisation and modern agricultural practices contribute to the degradation of natural habitats.
Answer: Urbanisation contributes to the degradation of natural habitats as it leads to the destruction of numerous habitats of organisms on land, water, and trees. This happens because of the clearing of forests, construction of dams, and other human activities associated with urban development. Modern agricultural practices also play a significant role in habitat destruction. These practices involve the use of pesticides and insecticides, which cause heavy destruction of habitats. Additionally, deforestation, which is a major activity linked to both urbanisation and agriculture, leads to habitat loss and negatively impacts ecosystems.
Q. Explain the factors contributing to the decline in hornbill populations.
Answer: The factors contributing to the decline in hornbill populations are:
- Deforestation and habitat loss.
- Jhum cultivation.
- Hunting and poaching.
- Illegal wildlife trade for traditional medicine and crafts.
- Lack of awareness and conservation efforts.
- Changes in rainfall patterns and temperature.
21. Outline the role of human consumption patterns in the rapid depletion of natural resources.
Answer: Human consumption patterns play a significant role in the rapid depletion of natural resources. As the human population grows, the resources fall short because resources are limited, and human population does not stop growing. Therefore, the consumption of resources keeps on increasing.
(i) The number of people is more in developing countries and less in developed countries. However, the per capita consumption of resources is much higher in developed countries than in developing countries.
(ii) The strategy should not only be to control the population but also to control the per capita consumption of resources.
(iii) As a result of growing human population and increasing per capita consumption, the rate of exhaustion of resources is also increasing, leading to the fast depletion of resources.
Additional MCQs
1. What impact results from the erosion of soil and lack of trees?
A. Flooding
B. Drought
C. Famine
D. Landslide
Answer: A. Flooding
Q. What natural consequence is caused by the melting of glaciers?
A. Sea rise
B. Drought
C. Deforestation
D. Erosion
Answer: A. Sea rise
Q. What is disrupted when apex predators become extinct?
A. Food chain
B. Climate
C. Soil nutrients
D. Water cycle
Answer: A. Food chain
Q. What shortage results from limited fresh water bodies?
A. Energy
B. Water
C. Minerals
D. Shelter
Answer: B. Water
Q. What is a consequence when lands become barren and oceans lose marine life?
A. Food shortage
B. Flooding
C. Overgrowth
D. Desertification
Answer: A. Food shortage
Q. What results from the disappearance of whole species due to deforestation?
A. Urban sprawl
B. Biodiversity loss
C. Soil enrichment
D. Climate stability
Answer: B. Biodiversity loss
Q. What effect is likely when pollution becomes unmanageable?
A. Cooling
B. Rising heat
C. Increased rainfall
D. Enhanced growth
Answer: B. Rising heat
Q. What percentage of Earth was once covered with forests?
A. 30%
B. 50%
C. 70%
D. 90%
Answer: C. 70%
Q. A habitat is the place where an organism can live, develop and ______.
A. Migrate
B. Sleep
C. Reproduce
D. Hibernate
Answer: C. Reproduce
Q. How many species are estimated to become extinct annually, according to the chapter?
A. 1,000–2,000
B. 2,000–3,000
C. 4,000–50,000
D. More than 1,00,000
Answer: C. 4,000–50,000
Q. Which ecosystem is predicted to vanish by 2030 if deforestation continues?
A. Tundra
B. Tropical rainforest
C. Grassland
D. Boreal forest
Answer: B. Tropical rainforest
Q. Which bird species is noted as rapidly becoming scarce?
A. Sparrow
B. Hornbill
C. Finch
D. Robin
Answer: B. Hornbill
Q. What cultivation practice contributes to the decline of hornbill species?
A. Terrace
B. Jhum
C. Hydroponics
D. Organic
Answer: B. Jhum
Q. Which factor is not a cause for hornbill decline?
A. Deforestation
B. Jhum cultivation
C. Pollution
D. Poaching
Answer: C. Pollution
Q. Endangered species are those that are ______.
A. Invasive
B. At-risk
C. Dominant
D. Migratory
Answer: B. At-risk
Q. Approximately how many plant species are endangered?
A. 1,000
B. 10,000
C. 34,000
D. 50,000
Answer: C. 34,000
Q. Approximately how many animal species are endangered?
A. 520
B. 5,200
C. 12,000
D. 52,000
Answer: B. 5,200
Q. Which endangered bird is native to North America?
A. Warbler
B. Macaw
C. Imperial
D. Parrot
Answer: A. Warbler
Q. Which endangered fish listed is from the USA?
A. Cui‑ui
B. Minnow
C. Swan
D. Catfish
Answer: A. Cui‑ui
Q. Which endangered mammal is recorded from the USA?
A. Prairie Dog
B. Cheetah
C. Leopard
D. Panda
Answer: A. Prairie Dog
Q. Which endangered reptile is native to Indonesia?
A. Salamander
B. Viper
C. Giant Lizard
D. Komodo
Answer: C. Giant Lizard
Q. Which endangered invertebrate is noted from the USA?
A. Shrimp
B. Amphipod
C. Peacock
D. Beetle
Answer: A. Shrimp
Q. What term describes species that have disappeared from the earth?
A. Endangered
B. Invasive
C. Extinct
D. Evolving
Answer: C. Extinct
Q. What recent factor has accelerated species extinction?
A. Climate stability
B. Human growth
C. Resource abundance
D. Reforestation
Answer: B. Human growth
Q. Stress on resources arises when a system is expected to ______.
A. Conserve energy
B. Do too much
C. Regenerate fast
D. Multiply
Answer: B. Do too much
Q. In which countries is per capita resource consumption higher?
A. Rural
B. Urban
C. Developed
D. Developing
Answer: C. Developed
Q. Which iron ore reserve in the USA nearly exhausted by the 1950s?
A. Mesabi
B. Navajo
C. Appalachian
D. Rocky
Answer: A. Mesabi
Q. What harmful technique involves the abrupt removal of all trees?
A. Thinning
B. Clear cutting
C. Selective logging
D. Replanting
Answer: B. Clear cutting
Q. Which phenomenon is identified as the major cause for change in climate?
A. Deforestation
B. Greenhouse effect
C. Urbanisation
D. Overfishing
Answer: B. Greenhouse effect
Q. What factor can lead to a fall in groundwater levels?
A. Excess rain
B. Climatic changes
C. Reforestation
D. Irrigation
Answer: B. Climatic changes
Q. What is a possible consequence of excess water in an ecosystem?
A. Drought
B. Floods
C. Fires
D. Soil gain
Answer: B. Floods
Q. What negative effect does heavy mining have on ecosystems?
A. Habitat loss
B. Biodiversity boost
C. Soil enrichment
D. Urban expansion
Answer: A. Habitat loss
Q. Which agricultural practice contributes to habitat destruction?
A. Organic farming
B. Pesticide use
C. Crop rotation
D. Irrigation
Answer: B. Pesticide use
Q. The term “habitat” refers to a(n) ______.
A. Living space
B. Food source
C. Climate zone
D. Water body
Answer: A. Living space
Q. What is one effect of clear cutting on soil?
A. Erosion
B. Enrichment
C. Compaction
D. Moisture
Answer: A. Erosion
Q. Which resource faces increased demand as population grows?
A. Iron
B. Wood
C. Water
D. Air
Answer: B. Wood
Q. Heavy fishing contributes to which of the following?
A. Marine conservation
B. Ecosystem destruction
C. Biodiversity boost
D. Urbanisation
Answer: B. Ecosystem destruction
Q. Increased per capita consumption accelerates ______.
A. Resource renewal
B. Resource exhaustion
C. Resource distribution
D. Resource conservation
Answer: B. Resource exhaustion
39. What effect does urbanisation have on natural habitats?
A. Expansion
B. Preservation
C. Destruction
D. Restoration
Answer: C. Destruction
