Humans and their impact on biomes

Humans are a dominant ecological force, for better or worse. Humans interfere a lot with biomes in different ways. The deforestation of rainforests for profit, urbanization leading to fragmentation of habitats and pollution. Infrastructure blocking animal migration or even grasslands that are converted into farms. Any biome anywhere in the world is affected by humans and this causes a lot of problems.

Climate change is an obvious one of course and it's well talked about. But let's revisit this topic. Rising temperatures mean that glaciers are melting, weather patterns like wind and precipitation change. This changes biomes and the animals that live there. Plants stop or start growing in all places, which impacts animal behavior and migration. Melting permafrost releases gases which speed up global warming even more. But while climate change accelerates itself, nature adapts as well. Oceans can hold more CO2, plants can process more CO2.

Deforestation causes a lot of problems, rainforests get cut down which destroys an entire biome. The loss of trees leads to soil erosion and reduced carbon storage. It basically turns a biome into another one. Some species go extinct locally which causes cascading effects.

Humans have positive effects on biomes as well and this isn't always talked about. Non-profits save biomes, animals and plants while others create national parks and conservation areas. Humans help some biomes recover by reintroducing animals and rewilding. Using renewable energy and reducing pollution is obviously being worked on as well.

Humans aren't just observers of nature but they actively shape biomes. With more awareness and the necessary action we can save lots of species including our own.

Written by: Mylan Loyens

References:

https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/putting-me-biome/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_climate_change_on_biomes