Overview: Impacts of LCC on Environment

Question 1

Impacts

Answer 1

• Water cycle
• Soil erosion and degradation
• Loss of habitat and biodiversity
• Degradation of aquatic/marine environments
• Loss of ecosystem services
• Urban heat island effect

Question 2

Water Cycle

Answer 2

• Removal of forests and growth of impervious surfaces increase runoff, flooding, soil erosion and sedimentation
• Causes changes in temperature and precipitation of an area
• Reduced groundwater infiltration
• Influences local evapotranspiration
• Damming increases evaporation in that area
• Soil erosion can clog waterways

Question 3

Soil Erosion and Degradation

Answer 3

• Soil salinity: increase in levels of salt in soils caused by a rise in the water table, resulting from deforestation
• Soil erosion: removal of topsoil by wind/water
• Compaction: heavy machinery or animals create a hard layer, reducing infiltration
• Acidification: soil can become acidic from overuse of chemical fertilisers

Question 4

Loss of Habitat and Biodiversity

Answer 4

• Habitat fragmentation or conversion
• increased danger to animals due to fragmentation
• Clear cutting, slash and burn and other land management practises degrade the soil and harm plant diversity
• Invasive species introduction
• Introduction of monocultures
• Native species seen as a threat to domesticated animals are killed

Question 5

Degradation of Aquatic and Marine Ecosystems

Answer 5

• Eutrophication
• overfishing (catch 85 million tonnes per year)
• competing water uses (agriculture, hydropower, industrial)

Question 6

Loss of Ecosystem Services

Answer 6

1. Supporting services: formation of soil, recycling of organic
   waste
2. Provisioning services: production of food etc.
3. Regulating services: atmospheric and climate regulation,
   water cycle
4. Cultural services

Question 7

Urban Heat Island Effect (UHIE)

Answer 7

• Define: higher air temperatures in cities compared to surrounding rural areas caused by the replacement of vegetation with concrete and asphalt (collect solar heat)
• Causes increased or decreased rainfall
• Disrupts natural energy flows
• Higher air pollution levels