Conservation of Natural Resources 2023 PDF

CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 UNIT- 5 Conservation of natural resources 5.1. Definition of resources  Earth’s biosphere is endowed with extremely diverse kinds of environments...

CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 UNIT- 5 Conservation of natural resources 5.1. Definition of resources  Earth’s biosphere is endowed with extremely diverse kinds of environments which provide countless goods and services to human kind.  Any component of the natural environment that can be utilized by man to promote his welfare is considered as a natural resource.  So we can define natural resources as:  Natural resources are those resources that we obtain from nature and are necessary for human survival.  Natural resources are resources that exist without actions of human kind.  The natural resource can be a substance, an energy unit or a natural process or phenomenon.  Land, soil, water, forests, air, vegetation, wildlife, etc. are examples of important natural resources.  Generally, whatever we use for food, shelter, clothing, transport and fuel come from natural resources either directly or indirectly. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 1  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 Classification of natural resources  Natural resources vary greatly in their location, quantity and quality.  There are various methods of categorizing natural resources, these include sources of origin, stage of development, and by their exhaustibility and renewability. 1. Classification based on source of origin  On the basis of origin, natural resources may be divided into two types: I. Biotic  Biotic resources are obtained from the biosphere (living and organic material), such as forests and animals, and the materials that can be obtained from them. Fossil fuels such as coal and petroleum are also included in this category because they are formed from decayed organic matter. II. Abiotic  Abiotic resources are those that come from non-living, non-organic material. Examples include land, water, air, wind, and minerals 2. Classification based on stage of development  Considering their stage of development, natural resources may be referred to in the following ways: I. Potential resources  Potential resources are those that may be used in the future – for example, petroleum in sedimentary rock that, until drilled out and put to use remains a potential resource. II. Actual resources  Those resources that have been surveyed, quantified and qualified and, are currently used. III. Reserve resources  The part of an actual resource that can be developed profitably in the future. IV. Stock resources  Those that have been surveyed, but cannot be used due to lack of technology. 3. Classification based on their renewability  On the basis of recovery rate, natural resources can be categorized as follows: Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 2  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 I. Renewable natural resources  Renewable natural resources are those that are present in unlimited quantities.  Renewable resources are those that have the potential to be renewed through natural processes and/or human processes.  Even if these natural resources are continuously used they will be replaced.  Renewable resources are mainly living things and their products.  Examples of renewable resources are crop plants, trees, cattle, chickens, air & solar energy.  The aim of renewable resource conservation is to ensure that such resources are not consumed faster than they are replaced. II. Non-renewable natural resources  Non-renewable resources are those resources that are only present in limited quantities.  Nonrenewable resources are exhaustible and can be depleted.  Non-renewable resources are not living, and once they are used up they cannot be replaced.  Examples of non-renewable resources include metals like gold and iron and fossil fuels like gas, coal and oil.  Conservation activities of non-renewable resources focus on maintaining an adequate supply of these resources into the future generation.  Managing these natural resources and using conservation technologies can help society maintain and extend the time these resources can be used to meet human needs and wants. Q. What is conservation?  We are dependent on Nature for our survival and well-being.  Using natural resources to meet human needs and wants impacts the environment. Every time these natural resources are used, there are social, ecological, and economic effects.  Many natural resources are limited, and it may not be possible for all needs to be met.  Using natural resources in a sustainable way requires living in harmony with the soil, water, plants and animals, managing these natural resources wisely, and utilizing conservation techniques to meet present needs and future needs.  So conservation of natural resource can be defined as:  Conservation - is the wise use of natural resources on a sustainable basis and protection of natural resources. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 3  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 Q. Why we need to conserve our natural resources?  The two main reasons why humans need to conserve our natural resources are Ethical reasons and Practical reasons.  The ethical reason is that we have a moral duty to look after the environment. We have no right to destroy ecosystems or allow species to become extinct.  The practical reason is that it is our advantage to ensure the integrity of our environment.  There is one saying:  “The whole universe together with its creatures belongs to the Lord (Nature)…. Let no one species encroach over the rights and privileges of other species. One can enjoy nature by giving up greed.” Sri Aurobindo  We must recognize our responsibility to conserve earth’s resources for future generation!!! Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 4  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 5.2. Conservation and Biodiversity  Biological diversity means the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes biological diversity within species and ecosystems.  Biodiversity includes assemblages of plant, animals and micro-organisms, their genetic variability expressed and populations, their habitats, ecosystems and natural areas, the mosaic of which constitutes the landscape which gives the richness to the natural environment.  Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth at all its levels, from genes to ecosystems, and the ecological and evolutionary processes that sustain it.  In general, biodiversity refers to “the variety of all living organisms living on earth, and the systems which connect them.”  Biodiversity is a measure of the wealth of species in a given place. Sometimes biodiversity is measured just as the number of species in a given area at a particular time. Sometimes it is measured as the number of species breeding in an area at a particular time. This second measure is more accurate. An animal might be just passing through on the day you observe what is there so it is more accurate to measure the species which live and breed in an area.  Basically, there are three types of biodiversity: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. 1. Genetic diversity  Genes are simply traits that we inherit from our parents and can pass on to our children.  Genetic diversity refers to any variation in the nucleotides, genes, chromosomes, or whole genomes of organisms. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 5  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023  It is all the different genes contained in all the living species, including individual plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms.  It is needed by any species in order to maintain reproductive vitality, resistance to disease and the ability to adapt to changing conditions.  It enables a population to adapt to its environment and to respond to natural selection.  The amount of genetic variation is the basis of speciation.  To conserve genetic diversity, different populations of a species must be conserved. 2. Species diversity  A group of organisms genetically so similar, that they can interbreed and produce fertile offspring’s is called a species.  It is all the different species, as well as the differences within and between different species.  This includes every organism great and small – from amoebas to elephants- that currently exist. This includes plants, fungi, insects, fish, reptiles & amphibians, birds and mammals, plus mollusks, worms, spiders, algae and other micro-organisms.  The species diversity is usually measured in terms of the total number of species within discrete geographical boundaries.  In nature, both the number and kind of species, as well as the number of individuals per species vary, leading to greater diversity. Figure: The different sample areas showing species richness (sample area 1), Species evenness (sample area 2) and diversity due to taxonomically unrelated species (sample area 3). 3. Ecosystem diversity  An ecosystem is a community of organisms (living things) which depend upon each other for their existence.  It is all the different habitats, biological communities and ecological processes, as well as variation within individual ecosystems. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 6  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023  It represents the collective response of species to different environmental conditions.  Biological communities such as deserts, grasslands, wetlands, and forest support the continuity of proper ecosystem functioning by providing ecological beneficial services to people. How Many Species are there on Earth?  Since there are published records of all the species discovered and named, we know how many species in all have been recorded so far, but it is not easy to answer the question of how many species there are on earth.  According to the IUCN (2004), the total number of plant and animal species described so far is slightly more than 1.5 million, but we have no clear idea of how many species are yet to be discovered and described. Some extreme estimates range from 20 to 50 million, but a more conservative and scientifically sound estimate made by Robert May places the global species diversity at about 7 million. Figure: Representing global biodiversity: proportionate number of species of major taxa of plants, invertebrates and vertebrates. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 7  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 Why is biodiversity so important?  Everything in the natural world is connected. This means that everything we do as humans affects biodiversity, and biodiversity affects us.  In the world of which we are a part, the more variety the better. This provides protection against things going wrong.  Diverse ecosystems, and therefore diverse species and genes, make for a healthier, more resilient planet.  Biodiversity enhances an ecosystem’s ability to do these essential ecological processes: 1. To balance an ecosystem.  Organisms interact with one another and their physical environment.  For example plants carryout the process of photosynthesis which is important for:  Rainfall via transpiration.  Establishing the atmosphere and world climate.  Plant roots hold the soil which avoids soil erosion by flooding.  Thus, if biodiversity is reduced the natural balance in an ecosystem gets affected. 2. Gives us the genetic diversity we need to develop crops and animals to grow in different conditions.  It also helps to develop organisms that act as sources of medicine, clothing, food and other useful things. 3. To have areas with admirable and wonderful biodiversity which is enjoyable.  Huge fields with a single crop (called monocultures) are not attractive to look at and they do not support a wide range of other animals and plants. However, it is not just a matter of looks. If biodiversity is low, the organisms are much more likely to be attacked by disease as it will spread from one to another very quickly.  In a more diverse ecosystem some of the organisms will not be affected by a disease and the spread will be stopped. 4. Oxygen production. 5. Form and build healthy soils. 6. Filter water on its way to the sea. 7. Pollinate crops and plants generally. 8. Store and recycle nutrients.  However, biodiversity is being lost around the world for many different reasons. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 8  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023  Biodiversity is being lost around the world for many different reasons:-  To grow crops for agricultural purpose.  For growing industrial raw materials in a large scale, for example sugar cane is grown on a huge area as a source material for sugar factories.  Deforestation.  Environmental pollutions like acid rain.  Over-hunting/over-exploitation.  Over-exploitation: Humans have always depended on nature for food and shelter, but when ‘need’ turns to ‘greed’, it leads to over-exploitation of natural resources.  Climate change.  Cultural impacts.  Therefore, conservation of biodiversity is useful for the continuity of life on the earth. Thus, it is better to establish ways of protecting and preserving biodiversity.  Some of the ways to conserve the biodiversity are:  Increasing “communication, Education and Public Awareness” programs related to biodiversity with an aim to relate biodiversity to people and their livelihoods.  Establishing a legal action which protects humans from killing or harming individual species.  Reducing pollutions by reducing the levels of carbon.  Reducing loss of habitats through deforestation & other human activities.  Establish natural parks, sanctuaries and zoos. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 9  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 5.3. Vegetation  Vegetation is all the plant life in a particular region or period.  Vegetation cover of an area varies in different climatic areas of the world. For example, tropical rainforest areas have diversity of vegetation while desert areas have least diversified vegetation.  Here in Ethiopia we have a rich and varied vegetation. We have ecosystems which vary from desert to tropical rainforests and the vegetation across the country changes dramatically with the conditions. We have some of the lowest-lying areas of Africa, and some of the highest peaks Figure: Different areas of vegetation across Ethiopia. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 10  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 Importance of vegetation  Plants are useful for human beings all around the world in various ways. Some of their uses are:-  Source of food (Since they are producers).  To make drinks such as tella, and coffee (bunna).  For building materials.  Export products for a country.  Ethiopia is generating the highest income from coffee export.  For timber production.  Sources of medicines, both traditional and modern.  Some of the traditional medicines prepared from plants and used in Ethiopia are:  Koso for treating worms (tape worms)  Yedega abalo for treating dysentery  Release oxygen in to the atmosphere.  Absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide.  A habitat for many types of animals. Human effect on vegetation  People can have a major effect on the vegetation of an area.  One of the main actions of humans that reduce the vegetation cover of an area is called deforestation.  People deforest trees through:-  Cultivation of crops for food or commercial purpose.  Selling of timbers.  Overgrazing by domestic animals.  Fire.  Building of homes.  Releasing pollutants like SO2 and NO2 which can form acid rain. Endemic species  Endemic- is an organism (plant or animals) which is unique to a particular geographic location or country. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 11  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023  Ethiopia is a country which is internationally recognized for its rich diversity of plant species. We have around 7000 different species of higher plants alone, with up to 800 endemic species.  Examples of our endemic species include:  Teff (Eragrostis teff)  Zigba  Noug or niger seed (Guizotia abyssinica)  Sembo trees  Enset (Ensete ventricosum)  Ficus vasta Forssk  Juniper (tid)  Kererro The history of Ethiopian vegetation  Ethiopia is a country which had naturally blessed with its vegetation; however, due to improper and unwise use of it, Ethiopian vegetation cover is declined largely, even though we do have a chance for recovery.  Now we are looking at the past and making great efforts for the future:  Emperor Zera Yakob (1434-1468) organized the collection of seeds of indigenous plants such as Juniper (tid), Olive (woira) and Podocarpus (zigba) from wof-washa which he planted them in Menagesha mountain which is preserved until now.  Emperor Menelik II (1895) ordered introduction of Bahrzaf to replace native vegetation.  Bahrzaf (Eucalyptus) is widely used for various purposes in Ethiopia but it is found to damage the soil. Therefore, a big concern should be given to indigenous plants.  Sustainability of vegetation resources in our country is very important.  Vegetation cover of Ethiopia at different times can be summarized as:  The figure shows, there is a decline in Ethiopian vegetation cover. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 12  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 Conservation of vegetation  Various ways can be suggested to conserve our vegetation.  Concerning conservation of vegetation in Ethiopia the concerned bodies should participate actively. Some of these who are involved include:  The Government working with various bodies to conserve and replant endemic species.  Research institutions like the National Herbarium at Addis Ababa University holding many information’s about Ethiopian plants.  Individuals like:  Dr. Mesfin Tadesse (1997) Suggested ways of conserving natural vegetation.  Professor Legesse Negash worked on a means of replanting indigenous tree species.  Some of the ways to conserve our vegetation resources include: 1. Educating people on ways of being careful about conserving vegetation resources. 2. Afforestation. 3. Helping people to generate alternative sources of income for those who relied on vegetation resources. 4. Establishing national Parks. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 13  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 5.4. Wildlife  The interaction between human being and nature was started before million years ago when human being was created. Their relationships have been increased and more intense during the hunt and gathering.  Traditionally, many people perceived wildlife as only to some game species (almost exclusively birds, mammals, and fish) that has been hunted.  Currently, the term “Wildlife” includes all living organisms that are not domesticated and found in the wild.  More precisely, wildlife refers to:  The variety of all living organisms inhabiting in the wild, at the genetic, species and ecosystem levels on earth.  All the animals and plants that grow in natural condition. It includes both large and small mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish as well as all the lower animals and invertebrates such as insects. Values of Wildlife  Wildlife is renewable natural resource at the hard of man with diverse use.  Wildlife is an important natural resources that can be put to various uses by man. This includes ethical, cultural, commercial, recreational and environmental uses.  Wild animals are intimately connected with our society, tradition, culture, education, economy, recreation and ecology. They have made our planet a place of joy, enjoyment, peace and prosperity. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 14  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023  Positive Values:  Ethical Values  Cultural Values  Ecological Values  Scientific Values  Aesthetic and Recreational value  Commercial or Economic values  Game values  Negative Values:  Damage to agriculture  Competition  Diseases  Conflict with human Endemic Species  Ethiopia is one of the richest countries in its wildlife resources.  In Ethiopia, there are about:  242 species of mammals, of which 28 are endemic which include the Gelada Baboon, the Walia ibex, Menelik’s Bushbuck, the Mountain Nyala, Swayne’s Hartebeest and the Ethiopian wolf.  862 species of birds, of which 16 are endemic which include the heavy-headed, thick-billed raven, the wattled ibis, the black-winged lovebird, the white-collared pigeon and the Prince Ruspolis Turaco.  201 of reptiles, of which 6 are endemic.  63 species of amphibians of which 33 are endemic.  101 species of fishes, of which 4 are endemic. Human Effect on wildlife  What impact have human beings had on the wildlife of the country?  Unfortunately, historically our impact has often been negative. The deforestation which has deprived our country of so much plant biodiversity has also caused many species to be pushed to the verge of extinction. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 15  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023  Human beings can affect the wildlife resources in different ways. Some of the effect on wildlife includes:  Destruction of forest habitat (deforestation) which is a home for wild animals.  Uncontrolled hunting which is done mostly for pride, food, clothing, trade, etc.  Human settling in a wild habitat.  Therefore, human activities keep down and reduce the number of wild animals which finally leads to extinction.  Accordingly at the moment our Institute of Biodiversity Conservation (the IBC) is warning that at least four mammal species and two bird species are on the brink of extinction as a result of habitat loss. These are the Walia ibex (there are only about 514 left), Mountain Nyala, Ethiopian wolves and Grevy’s zebras, while the white-winged flufftail and the Ankober Serin bird are also badly threatened. Conservation of Wildlife  Wildlife conservation involves protection of habitat and managing population. This is done through:  Establishment of wildlife conservation areas like national parks, sanctuaries, zoos, wildlife reserves.  Preventing the spread of diseases.  Controlling human settlement in wild habitats.  Establishing laws to control illegal effects of humans like hunting.  Awareness creation in the society.  National parks are conservation area designed to give maximum protection to wild animals.  A National Park is a relatively large area of land which is owned by the Government and is set aside for the protection of vegetation and wildlife and for their appreciation by human beings.  A National Park should contain several ecosystems which are not affected by human activities.  It is protected legally and there should be staff (rangers) who manage and protect the environment. Visitors can enter the National Parks under carefully controlled conditions for educational, cultural and leisure reasons.  By careful management in National Parks, many animals and plants are conserved in Ethiopia and the work is continuing, with local populations becoming more and more involved in protecting our great wildlife diversity. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 16  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 Table: National parks of Ethiopia Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 17  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023  Wildlife sanctuaries- are conservation areas established to focus on a particular species.  In Ethiopia wildlife sanctuaries include:  Harar Wildlife Sanctuary is an area of almost 7000 km2 in the Misraq Hararghe Zone of the Oromia region, which was set up to conserve and protect our native elephant sub-species, Loxodonta Africana oleansie. The area is also home to the black-maned lion.  Kuni-Muktar Mountain Nyala Sanctuary is a protected area which has been set up to protect the Mountain Nyala (Tragelaphus nyala), an extremely rare endemic animal in Ethiopia.  Senkelle Swayne’s Hartebeest Sanctuary is dedicated to the protection of this rare hartebeest. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 18  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 5.5. Air  The air is made up of many different gases.  The first, nitrogen, is the largest constituent of the atmosphere; it accounts 78%. The next most common gas that is in air is oxygen; it makes up 20.9% of our air. The next gas in the air is called argon; it makes up 0.9%. Next, we have a gas that we hear a lot about these days, which is carbon dioxide; it makes up 0.03%. Other trace gases make up 0.1%. Figure: Composition of the Atmosphere.  Clean air is essential for our bodies to live. However, currently due to increasing rate of urbanization and industrialization pollutant substances are released in to the atmosphere and caused air pollution. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 19  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 Air pollution  So, what is air pollution? It is not only chemicals in the atmosphere, but chemicals that have bad health effects. Since we are breathing it in, it is going to affect our lungs and can lead to increased cancer risks.  Pollution is the contamination of the natural environment by harmful substances as a result of human activities.  Pollution can happen on a very small, local scale and also a very large scale, affecting whole countries- acid rain, global warming and the ozone hole are all examples of the effects of large- scale air pollution.  So if they are affecting us negatively, we call them pollutants.  A pollutant can be defined as something that contaminates the air, soil and water.  The following are primary pollutants, which means they are emitted directly into the atmosphere by a particular source.  Primary pollutants:  Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as gases from evaporating gasoline.  Carbon monoxide (CO), which is an odorless gas that is produced by combustion.  NOX, which includes nitric oxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).  Sulfur dioxide (SO2), which is produced through the combustion of coal.  Particulate matter (PM), which are small suspended particles.  Lead, which we used to add to our gasoline.  Primary pollutants can combine with other chemicals in the atmosphere and produce secondary pollutants.  Secondary pollutants:  NOX can produce nitric acid (HNO3).  Sulfur dioxide (SO2) can produce sulfuric acid (H2SO4).  Ozone (O3), which is produced through chemical reactions between nitrogen dioxide, VOCs, and sunlight. Figure: Primary and secondary pollutants. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 20  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023  Air pollution can occur in different forms, these includes: 1. Smoke:  Produced by burning of fuel for energy. Fossil fuels contain hydrocarbons. When these fuels are burnt, tiny particles of unburnt hydrocarbons are released into the air.  Smoke pollution worldwide is thought to be causing global dimming, blocking out some of the light from the sun. 2. Carbon dioxide:  Produced by living organisms as a byproduct of respiration and also produced as a result of burning wood and fossil fuels.  CO2 and methane are greenhouse gases. The accumulation of these gases in the atmosphere causes global warming (the rising of temperature on the Earth’s surface).  For millions of years the levels of carbon dioxide released by living things into the atmosphere have been matched by the plants taking it out and the gas dissolving in the seas. As a result the level in the air stayed about the same from year to year.  But now the amount of carbon dioxide produced is increasing fast as the result of human activities like:  Burning of fossil fuels from cars, planes and power station.  Deforestation.  Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is important because of the greenhouse effect. It traps some of the heat from the sun and keeps the surface of the Earth warm enough for life as we know it. But the build-up of carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere from human activities seems to be adding to this greenhouse effect and causing global warming.  Methane is another greenhouse gas that causes air pollution and the levels of this gas are rising too.  Methane is released in to the atmosphere as a result of:  Growth of rice in swampy conditions where methane is largely released.  Digestive activities of cattle’s produce methane.  So as a result of human activities the amount of carbon dioxide (and methane) in the air is continuing to increase. This build-up acts like a blanket and traps heat close to the surface of our Earth. This causes the temperature at the surface of the Earth to rise. This condition is called global warming. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 21  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 Figure: Global warming. 3. Carbon monoxide:  Produced by the burning of fossil fuels. It is produced by cars as well as by home water heaters, paraffin lamps and fires if they are not functioning properly.  Carbon monoxide is very dangerous because it combines irreversibly with hemoglobin in your blood, reducing the oxygen carrying capacity.  There is carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke, which is why it is so dangerous to smoke if you are pregnant because you can deprive your unborn baby of oxygen.  Carbon monoxide poisoning can eventually lead to death and, because the gas has no color or smell, there is no way of knowing if it is leaking into your home from a faulty lamp. 4. Sulfur dioxide and Nitrogen oxides:  Fossil fuels often contain sulfur impurities. When these burn they react with oxygen to form sulfur dioxide gas.  At high temperatures, for example, in car engines, nitrogen oxides are also released into the atmosphere.  Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides pollute the air and can cause serious breathing problems for people if the concentration gets too high.  They form a haze of pollution known as smog, which can be a real problem in big cities where there are millions of motor vehicles. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 22  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 Figure: Smog in Hong Kong.  They are also involved in the formation of acid rain. This pollutes land and water over a wide area.  The sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides dissolve in the rain and react with oxygen in the air to form dilute sulfuric acid and nitric acid. This makes the rain more acidic – it is known as acid rain.  Acid rain affects our environment by:  Killing leaves.  Depletion of soil which destroys roots of trees. When acid rain infiltrates into soils, it changes the chemistry of the soil making it unfit for many living things that depend on the soil as a habitat or nutrition.  Pollution of lake, river and stream water, and harming fish and other aquatic life.  Damaging building materials by reacting with CaCO3. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 23  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023  An overview of acid rain: Figure: Air pollution in one place can cause acid rain – and serious pollution problems – somewhere else entirely. Depending on the prevailing winds, it can even be in another country!  The figure below gives in summary form the key pollutants encountered in the atmosphere, both at urban scale and at global scale. Figure: Paths of the various atmospheric pollutants Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 24  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023 Effects of air pollution in our health Q: How does air pollution affect your health?  Air pollution affects your health based on the length of time you are exposed, your health status, and the concentration of pollutants.  Air pollution can:  Make it harder to breath.  Irritate your respiratory system.  Cause chronic respiratory problem; lung cancer; heart disease; brain damage; nerve, liver and kidney problem.  Development of skin problems including skin cancer by the damage of UV- rays as a result of Ozone depletion. Figure: Effect of air pollution on the human body  Aggravate asthma symptoms or heart conditions. Q: Who is at risk of negative health effects from bad air quality?  Everyone  Sensitive groups include newborns and young children, pregnant women, the elderly, and people with pre-existing health conditions. Q: Can air pollution affect asthma and allergies?  Pollution can make asthma symptoms worse. It can reduce somebody’s lung functions, as well as, increase respiratory infections.  Pollution can also make children more sensitive to allergens.  In fact, people who have asthma need to make sure they manage their asthma much more carefully when air quality is poor. Preventing air pollution in Ethiopia Q: What can you do to reduce your contribution to air pollution?  Air pollution is a global problem. Accordingly every nation has a responsibility in reducing air pollution.  In relation to air pollution the following preventive measures should be taken in Ethiopia: Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 25  CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2023  Take public transportation, bike or walk.  Avoid use of traditional fuels like wood and animal dung.  Turn lights off and use low energy bulbs.  Using non pollutant alternative source of energy like solar, wind and hydroelectric power.  Establishments of laws to control the pollution from factories.  Controlling fire on forests.  Avoiding the release of industrial chemicals in to rivers and lakes.  Educating the society on mechanisms that help to reduced air pollution. Nazareth School/ Grade 10 Tesfalem T. Page 26