Waste Management & Pollution

How can waste production affect ecosystems?

Waste can cause pollution, habitat damage and loss of biodiversity.

What are the three major forms of environmental pollution?

Air, water and land pollution.

What causes air pollution?

Emissions from activities such as combustion, transport and industry.

How can air pollution harm organisms?

Pollutants can damage tissues, affect respiration and alter habitats.

What causes water pollution?

Substances such as sewage, fertilisers and industrial waste entering water bodies.

How can untreated sewage affect aquatic ecosystems?

Microorganisms decomposing organic waste can consume dissolved oxygen.

Why can low dissolved oxygen cause fish deaths?

Fish cannot obtain enough oxygen for aerobic respiration.

How can fertiliser runoff affect lakes and rivers?

It can cause eutrophication.

What is eutrophication?

Nutrient enrichment of water that can lead to algal growth and oxygen depletion.

What is an algal bloom?

A rapid increase in algae or cyanobacteria in water.

Why can algal blooms harm aquatic plants?

They may block light, reducing photosynthesis.

Why can eutrophication cause fish deaths?

Decomposition and respiration can reduce dissolved oxygen to harmful levels.

What is the sequence of eutrophication?

Fertiliser runoff → algal bloom → reduced light → plant death → decomposition → oxygen depletion → aquatic animal deaths.

What causes land pollution?

Landfill waste, litter and harmful chemicals.

How can plastic waste harm wildlife?

Animals may become entangled in it or ingest it.

Why can non-biodegradable waste persist in ecosystems?

It is not readily broken down by biological processes.

What is biodegradable waste?

Waste that can be broken down by living organisms.

How can recycling reduce environmental damage?

It can reduce waste disposal and demand for raw materials.

How can better waste management protect biodiversity?

It reduces pollution and habitat damage.