HUMAN IMPACT
Biogeochemical Cycles, or substance turnover, is a pathway by which a chemical element or molecule moves through both biotic and abiotic components of Earth. It is essentially the transfer of compounds among the living and nonliving components of an ecosystem. Humans have little to no direct interaction with the Namib Desert because there are no cities or towns in the ecosystem. The major biogeochemical cycle that affect deserts that humans directly caused is the Carbon Cycle. The natural Carbon Cycle has been greatly altered due to the human activity of burning fossil fuels for energy. It adds excess CO2 into the atmosphere which leads to a global increase in temperature, also known as Global Warming. Even a slight increase in temperature alters this already drastic-temperature environment. Desertification takes place because of the alteration of the Carbon Cycle and deforestation (also caused by humans), so desert biomes are constantly growing. This change of environment limits the amount of water in already dry desert ecosystems creating greater competition between organisms in this biome.
Some other major human impacts that disrupt this ecosystem are:
~Irrigation used for agriculture leading to a long-term affect of high salt-levels in soil, reducing the amount of available plant life.
~Grazing animals and livestock owned by humans eat the already limited resources, endangering the number of native species.
~Mining for gold in this area is common, and potassium cyanide is used to mine. This chemical poisons and kills many organisms.
~Off-road vehicles kill the fragile and slow-growing desert plants that many desert animals rely on for food and water.
~Nuclear waste is commonly dumped in desert biomes (because of the virtual nonexistent human population) and nuclear testing is done, killing many organisms.
Some other major human impacts that disrupt this ecosystem are:
~Irrigation used for agriculture leading to a long-term affect of high salt-levels in soil, reducing the amount of available plant life.
~Grazing animals and livestock owned by humans eat the already limited resources, endangering the number of native species.
~Mining for gold in this area is common, and potassium cyanide is used to mine. This chemical poisons and kills many organisms.
~Off-road vehicles kill the fragile and slow-growing desert plants that many desert animals rely on for food and water.
~Nuclear waste is commonly dumped in desert biomes (because of the virtual nonexistent human population) and nuclear testing is done, killing many organisms.
Prediction of what will happen in the future:
Scientists predict that at the rate Global Warming is increasing, and how little humanity is doing to prevent over-grazing, desertification will just continue to increase until desert biomes, which already cover over a quarter of the Earth's surface span full continents. The ways to prevent such extreme desertification are to:
~Find new and more modern ways to rotate crops in order to prevent further damage to the fragile soil.
~Use off-road vehicles only on designated pathways and trails to avoid further damage to delicate plant life.
~Dig grooves in the ground to trap seeds and collect greater amounts of water, increasing plant life in desert biomes.
~Find new and more modern ways to rotate crops in order to prevent further damage to the fragile soil.
~Use off-road vehicles only on designated pathways and trails to avoid further damage to delicate plant life.
~Dig grooves in the ground to trap seeds and collect greater amounts of water, increasing plant life in desert biomes.
ENDANGERED SPECIES:
The organisms in the Namib Desert have a fairly stable population, and since little to no people live in this ecosystem, the greatest threat of human interference is essentially non-existent. The greatest threat to an organism in this ecosystem is that of the Desert Lion. Although it is not endangered, it is vulnerable and it’s numbers are still decreasing. This is mainly due to illegal hunting, also known as poaching, for the fur of the lions. Another huge cause for the recent decrease is for the protection of livestock. Farmers will constantly shoot and kill lions to protect the animals they own.
African Lion (Panthera leo)
Population: Est. 30,000 to 50,000. Status: Vulnerable Species.
African Lion (Panthera leo)
Population: Est. 30,000 to 50,000. Status: Vulnerable Species.
The one endangered species that we find in this environment is the Golden Mole population. Overgrazing and poor agricultural practices by low-income subsistence farming communities has, led to habitat degradation. Habitat degradation, also known as habitat loss, is a huge factor in the rapid decline of this species. The golden moles are only found in southern Africa, and this area is a popular location for mining. The land is rich in gold and diamonds, and the mining not only destroys the underground habitat that these moles live in, but the chemical used for mining poisons and kills the rest of the moles. Habitat loss and soil poisoning due to humans have also led to the decline of worms, insects and plants that the golden mole relies on for food. The loss of food has creating a loss of the golden moles due to starvation.
Golden Mole (Afrosoricida chrysochloridae)
Population: Est. Unknown. Status: Endangered
Golden Mole (Afrosoricida chrysochloridae)
Population: Est. Unknown. Status: Endangered