Apr 28, 2017 - "How we grow food has enormous effects on the environment - climate change as well as pollution of air, water, and soil." In some parts of the world, some species are already on the verge of extinction due to water pollution. Fertilizer use has similar impacts. Currently, he lends his professional expertise to several publications and websites in content planning, commissioning, writing, and editing. First, they overwhelm and wash away nutrients essential to plant … This highly toxic pollutant is responsible for over 80 percent of human fish consumption advisories, affecting over 10 million acres of lakes, by U.S. Geological Survey figures. /* India Celebrating_300*250_New */ Ocean and human life is so inextricably interwoven that the effects of marine pollution are drastically visible on human life. Pollution of sea water damages the oceanic life. Water pollution can demolish an entire society as it is used for almost all purposes. By definition, habitat is an ecological area that is inhabited by particular animals, plants or other types of organisms. Radioactive substances produced from nuclear explosions also reach the water bodies and makes drinking water severely contaminated. The ability of industries also gets reduced due to water pollution as it affects the performance of industrial units. Many water bodies near urban areas (cities and towns) are highly polluted. When we use the natural resources and exhaust them to the fullest, the homes of many animals are lost during the process. Despite all efforts of the Government in cities and towns, only 10 per cent of the total waste water is treated and rest of polluted material directly flows into ponds, rivers and ocean. As per an estimate, 13 children die per hour in India, due to diarrhoea caused by contaminated water. This may lead to health issues in herbivorous animals who feed on agricultural plants and leftovers. Aquatic life is even more threatened when the waters are polluted. google_ad_height = 250; google_ad_client = "ca-pub-6070398767421094"; Plants encounter water pollution in the form of runoff and acid rain. The water sometimes contains excess nutrients which causes the excess growth of plants. _taboola.push({ Many contaminants are known to accumulate in plant and animal tissues. Fish and other aquatic organisms start dying due to lack of oxygen in the polluted water. When soil becomes highly polluted, plants fail to grow. By protozoa – Pyorrhoea, dysentery, narcolepsy (epidemic encephalitis), malaria, amoebiasis, and giardiasis. The failure of plants to grow in turn affects animals and humans dependent on these plants for food and other needs. When acid rain falls over an area, it can kill trees and harm animals, fish, and other wildlife. Air pollution comes from many sources such as the smoke stack in a factory, car exhaust, or off gassing from paint or producing plastic . Coastal environments continue to be imperiled by oil spills, killing wildlife and causing millions of dollars in property damage. Polluted water is also harmful for agriculture as it adversely affects the crops and the soil fertility. Rogers's more than 10 years in conservation makes her equally at home in the outdoors. Similarly, the sewage water getting mixed into the water of the rivers, helps in the increase of fungus, algae, bacteria, etc which start to erupt faster. Mercury is persistent in the environment. Due to rapid industrialization, water pollution has already reached dangerous levels. It is due to water pollution, the drinking water becomes smelly and distasteful. According to the scientists, a large number of diseases in India can be attributed to drinking of sewage mixed water. Soil contamination can also occur, making entire environments unfit for life. It interferes with the central nervous system development in the foetuses and young children. Other pollutants also affect water resources. The stress on our water environment as a result of increased industrialization, which aids urbanization, is becoming very high thus reducing the availability of clean water. It has also been observed that some industry associations also drain radio-active substances into the water sources which destroy organisms and plants instantly and are extremely harmful. Water pollution is dangerous for all life forms in this universe. Studies on Drosophila have shown that mutation rates were increased enormously on radiation exposure. If one uses this water, one can fall a victim to terrible diseases like cancer. He headed the editorial team of 'Sahara Time', a 48-page general interest English weekly newspaper, and later, handled a 24x7 online wing www.samaylive.com. Acid rain destroys the leaves of plants. Thus continuous intake of contaminated drinking water is the reasons behind various stomach related disorders and other diseases like lumps in throat, tooth decay, etc. The specific effects vary depending on what pollutants enter the environment. Water pollution can have dire consequences for plants, animals and even ecosystems as a whole. Polluted water  contains lead which when consumed by the humans while drinking water leads to producing various ailments such as joint pain, kidney disease and heart disease in them. Because oceans are part of the food chain, marine pollution affects a wide spectra of species, including humans. Reduced or impaired reproduction, cancer, neurological damage and more susceptibility to disease are common effects long after oil spills have been cleaned up. }); Copyright White Planet Technologies Pvt. The effects of air pollution on plants and animals may be measured by the following factors: (1) interference with enzyme systems; (2) change in cellular chemical constituents and physical structure; (3) retardation of growth and reduced production because of metabolic changes; (4) … Urban sewage and industrial waste flows into the water sources without treatment. Stricter regulating of industries is needed to slow further contamination. Pesticides in water bodies can cause fish kill and through the decomposition of animal material, lower pH and oxygen levels, unsustainable for life. Increasing pollution in the sea and oceanic areas has become a threat. Around the globe more than 80 per cent of diseases are due directly or indirectly to polluted water. Effects of Water Pollution on Animals. Several factors have created the present dilapidated condition of the sea. The situation in underdeveloped countries is even worse where over 80 per cent of the patients are suffering from the diseases born out of polluted water. The waterborne diseases are infectious which spread primarily from polluted water. By worm – Filariasis, hydatid cyst and a variety of worm disease (various types of stomach worms). Hydrocarbons in the oil spread on the surface of the oceans due to which marine and aquatic organisms do not get the oxygen and they die consequently. placement: 'Right Rail Thumbnails', It accumulates in plants and animals, which then become prey to higher predator in the food chain, accumulating in animal tissue. Due to water pollution, the river Ganga which is regarded by Indians as a sacred river in which they take a holy dip to purify themselves has also become highly polluted. Contaminated water contains a variety of disease-causing bacteria that results in several types of ailment. Plants usually show damage in a variety of ways, including visible signs of damage like necrotic lesion… For instance, Kanpur’s leather units have got adversely affected by the use of polluted water of the Ganga. Micro-organisms present in the water gives the water unpalatable taste. Some time ago, the water in the Gomati River in Lucknow had become so polluted and toxic at one time that dead fish floating all through it had become a common scenario. Based on these, diseases generated by contaminated water are divided into the following main categories: By virus – Jaundice (Yellow Fever), polio, gastroenteritis, common cold, infectious liver Sod, and smallpox. Polluted water leads to the worst effect on human health. Making self-interest their priority, man violates various established laws and regulations and drains various harmful substances coming out from the factories directly into the water sources. Effects of water pollution on plants and animals. The affects of these metals vary. Pesticides in water bodies can cause fish kill and through the decomposition of animal material, lower pH and oxygen levels, unsustainable for life. Also, animals fall prey to a variety of diseases due to drinking polluted water. As per an estimate, almost 2.5 million people in over 34000 villages of India are suffering from cholera. Contamination of the groundwater from the use of pesticides causes reproductive damage within wildlife and domesticated animals within the … Water pollution affects our oceans, lakes, rivers, and drinking water, making it a widespread and global concern (Harendra, 2012). As a result, not only will they get contaminated, but they will also lead to many significant health issues in both … The reality of water pollution and […] The effects that have been making headlines across the world include global warming, the melting of polar ice caps, the extin… Mercury is the primary cause of contamination in U.S. estuaries and lakes. The effects of water pollution are varied and depend on what chemicals are dumped and in which locations. Yet, despite the warnings, water pollution continues. When organic substances in the polluted water start decaying, it produces hydrogen sulphide and ammonia gas which gives the water very bad smell. If today, the river Hooghly is considered among the most polluted rivers in the world, it is only due to water pollution. Some of adverse effects of water pollution are as follows: Water pollution adversely affects the health and life of man, animals and plants alike. The acid rain can cause immediate plant and animal distress or death in high concentrations. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), every year due to contaminated water 50 million persons become the victims of death. Different varieties of fish are the most affected creatures due to water pollution. The excess of magnesium and sulphate in water irritates the intestines. Due to water pollution, the river Ganga which is regarded by Indians as a sacred river in which they take a holy dip to purify themselves has also become highly polluted. It gets into the environment through emissions from coal-fired utilities and industrial boilers. The effects of air pollution on plants are widely seen and damage all plants including our food crops and trees. There are many negative effects on plants by pollution and containment of water. The oil pollutes beaches, water and plant life, which impacts animals in many ways. The effects of water system are far reaching and affect human beings, plants, and animals directly or indirectly. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});