Ecosystem Restoration

What is a Ecosystem?

An ecosystem is a diverse area where plants, animals, and other organisms interact with their physical environment. Their Interrelationships within the system are very important. They help provide homes to living organisms and regulate resources for humans. As mentioned before, ecosystems are incredibly diverse― in both size and their appearance. It can be on land and large, such as mountains, or be located within the water and be small, such as a river.

With human greed for resources fueling the destruction of ecosystems, it is essential for people to help prevent this by taking any steps they can to help save our planet.

Farmlands

This ecosystem is vital to our survival as it produces both food and clothing, protects watersheds from flooding, and acts as an effective carbon sink― an area that absorbs more carbon from the atmosphere than it releases. Climate change causes disruptions in temperatures and precipitation patterns which may impact food regulation and decrease livestock productivity. Additionally, some outputs of farm practices are harmful to the environment. Once it rains, the chemicals from using fertilizers and pesticides travel and cause a hazard for aquatic ecosystems. An easy fix to prevent this can be using natural fertilizer. Harmful farming practices such as burning fields to clear land and using gasoline-powered machinery contribute to climate change as well. To contrast, exercising crop rotation and promoting afforestation to enhance biodiversity are good farming practices.

Make environmentally friendly choices in your life to help support the contribution of farmlands. Examples of how you can achieve this: buy from a farmer’s market, reduce food waste, and buy from companies that ethically produce their products.

Oceans

This ecosystem plays an important role in the carbon cycle, helping to absorb carbon dioxide and mass produce our oxygen supply. Although, climate change, overfishing, and water pollution pose threats to our oceans. Overfishing can be reduced if fishers catch them in a sustainable manner. One example out of many sustainable fishing methods is pot fishing. Pot fishing uses cages connected to the water’s surface through a rope and buoy in order to prevent aquatic ecosystem damage. Specific effects climate change has on oceans include melting sea ice, coral bleaching, and acidification.

You can make an impact by picking up litter on beaches, making sustainable seafood choices, and making sure to recycle to eliminate the potential of junk ending up in our oceans.

Rainforests

This ecosystem provides a home to many plants and animals, provides a supply of oxygen, and absorbs carbon dioxide. Invasive species, increased risk of wildfires due to climate change, and human contribution such as deforestation are hazards that threaten to destroy them. Invasive species can be stopped in a variety of ways, and it requires little effort. If you decide to go camping, make sure you clean your supplies and throw out food properly before leaving. Alert local authorities (such as CISMAs) if you detect any invasive organisms― being educated on harmful plants and/or animals within your area is a crucial step towards the removal of them. Climate change is closely linked to harmful air emissions, which can negatively alter the health of trees. Climate change related changes of temperature and precipitation patterns may also degrade plant species and increase droughts and other extreme weather conditions.

Support the forests by implementing sustainable solutions in your daily life. Ideas to achieve this: use less paper and use technology if possible, recycle paper and cardboard, and plant trees and encourage others to do so as well.