Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
• Depletion of agricultural lands and loss of soil quality : This will arise because of
increased urbanization and industrialization pressures, infrastructure develop-
ment, exploitation of natural resources, and use of intensive agricultural practices.
The loss of agricultural lands places greater emphasis and requirement on higher
productivity per unit of agricultural land. The end result of this is the develop-
ment of high-yield agricultural practices. One of the notable effects is soil qual-
ity loss. To combat this, there is an inclination to use pesticides, insecticides,
fertilizers, more soil amendments and other means to enhance productivity and
yield. A resultant land environment impact from such practices is contamination
of the ground, groundwater and receiving waters from runoffs and transport of
contaminants.
• Increased demand on natural resources and depletion of natural capital : The various
issues related with all the generated exploitation activities fall into the catego-
ries of: (a) land and surface degradation associated with energy production, min-
ing and forestry activities, and (b) water supply, delivery, and utilization. Surface
hydrology changes, erosion, watershed loss, tailings and sludge ponds, acid mine
drainage, etc., are some of the many land environment impacts.
• Greenhouse gases, climate change, desertiication : To a very large extent, these are con-
sequences of industrialization, urbanization, and production. Their impact on the
land environment can be felt, for example, in acid rain (and snow) interaction with
soil and undesirable changes in photosynthesis processes and erosion of coastal
areas due to increasing water levels.
• Photosynthesis : The processes associated with photosynthesis are important since
they in essence constitute about 20% of the available oxygen in the atmosphere.
Desertiication, deforestation, and many of the activities associated with mineral
and other natural resource exploitations will degrade the capability of the various
participants (land and aquatic plants) to engage in these processes.
• Biological magniication : This concerns itself with the concentration of various toxic
elements or pollutants by plants and such biotic receptors as aquatic organisms
and animals, is a problem that needs to be addressed in the containment and
management of pollutants.
1.3.3 Stressors and Sources
Stresses imposed on the geoenvironment originate from various agents and sources. In
respect to the land element of the geoenvironment, these stresses arise from physical, ther-
mal, hydraulic, and mechanical actions and forces and from physicochemical, chemical,
and biologically mediated reactions and processes. Their actions, reactions, or processes
are the result of (a) natural environmental events, such as volcanic eruption, earthquakes,
tsunamis, forest ires, landslides, drought, tornados, and hurricanes, and (b) from human-
related activities such as deforestation and habitat destruction, containment of hazard-
ous and radioactive wastes, soil contamination from high-intensity agroindustry practices
and from waste leachates, exploitation of mineral and hydrocarbon resources, constructed
facilities, etc. The actions that result in imposition of stresses on the land compartment of
the geoenvironment are called stressors . Since the terms stressors and stresses are used in
many different disciplines and also used to describe particular situations, we should not
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