This blog is a complete introduction to Effects of Smog on Biodiversity. It firstly discusses the Influence of Environmental Hazards on Biodiversity in different ways. Then it provides brief discussion on the Effects of Smog on Humans, Plants, Trees and Animals in detail.
1. Explain the influence of Environmental Hazards on Biodiversity?
Biodiversity means all the varieties of life that are present on the Earth. As we all know Biodiversity lives in an Ecosystem and the Ecosystem contains components of the Environment. In short, Biodiversity is a part of the Environment and is mostly driven by the Environment in many ways.
Environmental Hazards:
Environmental Hazards are the toxic Substances, conditions, processes and stages that cause harmful Effects on Ecosystem. These hazards can be of different types. They can change the composition of the Environment, it can be destructing in nature and they can even alter and disturb Nutrient Cycles going on in the Environment.
Examples of Environmental Hazards:
Following are some Examples of Environmental Hazards:
- Dust
- Air Pollutants
- Erosion and Sediments
- Pathogens
- Odor etc.
Influence of Environmental Hazards on Biodiversity:
Imagine that you are having a picnic with your family in an open area such as a Park. You were having your best time, but suddenly you feel a very bad odor at that picnic point. This will lead to discomfort and uneasiness while sitting there. This is an example of Environmental Hazards. Another example is the recent scenario of Smog. During peak smog days, you avoid to go outside the house because you cannot breathe properly, your throat hurts and there is irritation in your eyes. Here we discussed the influence of Environmental Hazards on Human Beings.
Just as the Human beings, other forms of Biodiversity also face difficulties and discomfort when they get exposed to any Environmental Hazard. For example, Smog disturbs the Migration of animals from one place to another because of reduced visibility and changes in the Environmental Composition. Heat waves leads to death of Birds and small animals every year because they do not get enough water during heat waves. Wildfires can destroy huge variety of Biodiversity within few hours and can destroy complete Forests with its heat and fire.
Ocean Acidification is also a very dangerous Environmental Hazard for the Marine Ecosystem. As it disturbs the Ocean Composition by decreasing the pH of the Ocean and the increased Acidity cause the destruction of important Biodiversity Hotspots of the Ocean called Coral reefs. This also cause death of animals living in the Coral Reefs. In this way, Environmental Hazards Influence the life of Biodiversity on Earth. This is why we give importance to shelter and protection of Living Organisms rather than leaving them in the open Environment. This blog contains Effect of Smog on Biodiversity.
2. What do you know about Smog?
Smog is a mixture of Atmospheric Pollutants with Smoke and Dust combined. It is a very dangerous natural phenomena that is a result of Air Pollution and some toxic gases that emits into the Environment. Smog is equally dangerous among all the types of Biodiversity on Earth. Because it interferes and disturbs the Respiratory system of the living organisms. It immediately cause irritation in your nose, eyes and throat when you are exposed to it.
Every variety of Biodiversity face issues and discomfort when exposed to Smog. Many animals suffers from severe Respiratory Disorders and many may die during smog season. You will note that now a days, as it is a Smog Season, so you will see no animal or bird outside. Because they seek safety in their shelters and habitats during the extreme Smog. But the fact is Smog can reduce its effects when you are indoor, but its effects does not eliminates completely when you are in closed space. The precautions of Smog must be taken when you are indoor in your homes.
This blog contains Effects of Smog on Biodiversity. This will explain the Smog impacts on some of the groups of Biodiversity in detail.
3. What are the Effects of Smog on Human Beings?
Following are some effects of Smog on Human Beings:
i. Irritation in Respiratory Tract:
Smog cast the immediate effect on humans by causing irritation and disturbance to their Respiratory Tract. It may irritate the sensitive organs that are open in the Smog. Such as smog may enter through your mouth, passing through your throat and then your lungs. This may cause pain and itchiness in your throat. In the same way it can cause Lung inflammation that makes it difficult to breathe properly. This can be very dangerous for the people with weak immune system or people already having breathing disorders.
ii. Irritation in Eyes and Nose:
Smog can also irritant for your eyes and nose. People who have weak eyes or any other eye problem, may face severe irritation, pain and redness in their eyes during Smog Season. The people having Sinus, congestion or blockage of nose throughout the year, may feel severe effects of Smog when they are exposed to it. We should cover our nose and take care of our eyes when we are forced to go out in the smog even for a short time. You can read about the ways to Manage Smog Seasons in another blog on our website.
iii. Triggers Respiratory Disorders:
Smog can be a Nightmare for the people who are diagnosed with Respiratory disorders. The patients having Asthma, Tuberculosis, Lung diseases and other such Respiratory Disorders, can have a hard time in Smog Season. The pollutants present in the Smog may trigger the Respiratory disorder and make their symptoms worse and difficult to manage. You may need immediate medical help in the Smog Season. It is because Smog interferes to your Respiratory System and disturbs its proper working. The respiratory patients should be aware of the extreme effects of Smog and take care of their health in Smog Season.
iv. Increase the Risk of Accidents:
As we know that, Smog reduces visibility at great levels. It may disturb humans and animals in doing their routine works. People travel from their homes to their Workplaces or Educational Institutes through their personal vehicles. During Smog the visibility reduces, and it becomes difficult to predict the traffic and the vehicles may loose the control in high speeds. This increases the possibility of Accidents, Accidental Deaths and may distract you from going towards the right direction. So, people should avoid driving unnecessarily and avoid going on Long routes in Smog Season.
v. Effects on Infant Health:
Infants are the babies that are going through the first period of their Birth. Smog effects the health of Infants at great levels. It can be in the form of Birth defects in New born babies or it can cause reduction in the immunity of the babies. This may lead to the severe Respiratory disorder risks in babies when they are grownup. This may effect the eating habits of the babies and make them irritable of the Air Pollution and they may have fever as a effect of Smog in Smog Season. We should be very careful about the infants in Smog Season.
These are some of the Effects of Smog on Human Beings. This blog is all about Effects of Smog on Biodiversity.
4. What are the Effects of Smog on Plants and Trees?
Following are the Effects of Smog on Plants and Trees:
1) Reduce Photosynthesis:
In the days of extreme Smog Season, the sunlight is negligible or no sunlight. As we already know that plants and trees makes their food with the help of Sunlight. So, in the reduction or absence of Sunlight, the Photosynthesis process reduces at a great level. The leaves of the Trees and Plants may turn yellow because of the reduction of Photosynthesis. Plants become weak and may die during the Smog Season.
2) Flowering may Delay:
Flowers are the integral part of the plants and Trees. They are the reproductive organs of the Plants. During the Smog season, the Atmospheric Pollutants may interact with the bud of developing flowers and may stop or delay their Growth. This is dangerous for the reproductive system of the plants and the flowers get delayed in their season. Smog cast very bad effects on the Reproduction of Plants.
3) Increase the Risks of Diseases and insects:
Smog invites many of the insects and diseases with itself. Many insects migrate from one place to another in search of proper habitat in Smog conditions. While it also increase the risk of Diseases and Pests production in the crops and plants. Smog may make favorable conditions for Diseases and Insects to attack on plants, trees and Crops and eventually they are damaged with these hazards.
4) Damages Leaves:
Smog contains Ozone in the list of Pollutants that involves in Smog Formation. Ozone directly attacks on the leaves and may damage it. It is the higher version of Oxygen that plants emits. When it interferes the respiration of the leaves, the leaves may be damaged and die eventually. In this way, leaves can be damaged by directly interacting to the Smog and especially Ozone containing Smog.
These are some Effects of Smog on Plants and Trees.
5. What are the Effects of Smog on Animals?
Following are the Effects of Smog on Animals:
1: Respiratory Issues:
Animals of all kinds may face respiratory issues in the Smog season. The most unfortunate thing about the animals is that, the wild animals and Stray Animals cannot take precautions as the Humans and Pet animals. They get exposed to the Smog more frequently and eventually get more extreme impacts and effects of smog as compared to other Biodiversity. They can get cough, irritation in throat, Lung inflammation, shortness of breathe and other such Respiratory issues during smog season.
2: Effect their Immune System:
The Biodiversity living in Extreme Air pollution conditions, are more likely to have weaker Immune system and more probability to get sick and get effected by even minor Environmental Hazards. Their Immunity becomes weak and they get prone to diseases and disorders more speedily as compared to animals living far away from Smog conditions. So, these animals becomes weaker and may die for even a minor alteration in the Environmental Condition.
3: Behavioral Changes:
The animals and other biodiversity living in the Extreme Environmental Conditions may have indirect effects on their Behavior and way of living and interacting with each other. By facing extreme Smog and Air Pollution they may become aggressive, have digestive issues, respiratory issues and problems in interacting with the same specie or among different species. These behavioral changes may deteriorate the normal functioning of an Ecosystem, in which Biodiversity play great roles.
4: Birth Defects:
Smog is a form of Air Pollution. It enters into the body and the pollutants in Smog, becomes the part of our body. In animals, the interference of Smog Pollutants with the body systems, may result in the Birth defects of the offspring produced during the Smog season or right after the Smog season. This may lead to abnormalities in the new born babies or may cause defects in their physical appearance. The animals which are going to give birth to young ones are more prone of Smog effects than others.
5: Shorter Lifespan:
All the effects of Smog on animals if combined together, results in shorter lifespan of the animals, insects and birds. It is because Smog Conditions may make the animals weaker against Environmental, Biological and Physical Hazards in their Ecosystem. Their lifespan may shrink and get shorter because of weaknesses and disabilities because of Smog. They can even die in the Smog season because of Low immunity and extreme Air Pollution.
These are some of the Effects of Smog on Animals. This blog contains Effects of Smog on Biodiversity.
6. Conclusion:
The main purpose of this blog is to spread awareness about the Effects of Smog on the Biodiversity. It tells us Smog does not only effects the Human Beings, but also interferes the Living systems of other species of Biodiversity such as Animals, Trees and Plants. Smog also disturbs the routine work of the Biodiversity on Earth. This may lead to severe and Extreme Effects on Biodiversity in the form of Diseases, Abnormalities, Defects and disturbances in normal life. We should be aware of the Strategies to Prevent Smog and the Precautions to stay safe during Smog Season.
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