Cities are growing, and this growth is harming the natural habitats where plants and animals live. When urban areas expand, they take over land that used to be homes for wildlife. This causes many problems, like losing different types of plants and animals, changes to the environment, and more pollution. Let’s explore some of the main ways that urban areas negatively impact habitats.
When cities grow, they often change natural areas like forests, wetlands, and grasslands into places for people to live and work.
Did you know that in 2018, about 55% of the world’s people lived in cities? That number is expected to jump to 68% by 2050!
Here’s how land changes can hurt habitats:
As cities get bigger, they break up larger habitats into smaller, isolated areas. This is called habitat fragmentation. Here’s why this is a problem:
Cities also create a lot of pollution, which makes habitat destruction worse. Pollution can harm both land and water. Here are some types of pollution to think about:
Air pollution alone causes about 7 million deaths each year around the world, showing just how serious this problem is.
Urban areas use a lot of natural resources like water, wood, and fossil fuels. This high demand can lead to issues like:
Cities contribute to climate change, which then causes even more habitat destruction. This happens through:
It’s reported that cities are responsible for about 70% of the carbon dioxide emissions that are warming our planet.
To help lessen the negative impact of urban areas on habitats, we can take several steps:
Cities growing is a big challenge for nature all around the world. As more people move into urban areas, it’s essential to understand how this affects the environment. By learning about what causes habitat destruction and supporting smart practices, we can help save our planet’s biodiversity and keep ecosystems healthier.
Cities are growing, and this growth is harming the natural habitats where plants and animals live. When urban areas expand, they take over land that used to be homes for wildlife. This causes many problems, like losing different types of plants and animals, changes to the environment, and more pollution. Let’s explore some of the main ways that urban areas negatively impact habitats.
When cities grow, they often change natural areas like forests, wetlands, and grasslands into places for people to live and work.
Did you know that in 2018, about 55% of the world’s people lived in cities? That number is expected to jump to 68% by 2050!
Here’s how land changes can hurt habitats:
As cities get bigger, they break up larger habitats into smaller, isolated areas. This is called habitat fragmentation. Here’s why this is a problem:
Cities also create a lot of pollution, which makes habitat destruction worse. Pollution can harm both land and water. Here are some types of pollution to think about:
Air pollution alone causes about 7 million deaths each year around the world, showing just how serious this problem is.
Urban areas use a lot of natural resources like water, wood, and fossil fuels. This high demand can lead to issues like:
Cities contribute to climate change, which then causes even more habitat destruction. This happens through:
It’s reported that cities are responsible for about 70% of the carbon dioxide emissions that are warming our planet.
To help lessen the negative impact of urban areas on habitats, we can take several steps:
Cities growing is a big challenge for nature all around the world. As more people move into urban areas, it’s essential to understand how this affects the environment. By learning about what causes habitat destruction and supporting smart practices, we can help save our planet’s biodiversity and keep ecosystems healthier.