I haven't read the whole report just an article on Worldwatch about the report
Article:
http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5807(snip)
Years of industrial and agricultural growth have left an indelible imprint on many formerly vibrant U.S. ecosystems. While nature is adept at resilience, the depletion and contamination of natural resources, especially water, may affect human health and wellbeing, a new report suggests.
(snip)
(snip)
Among the findings, U.S. freshwater resources are being continually depleted and polluted. Between 1960 and 2000, freshwater withdrawn for consumption increased 46 percent. Meanwhile, drought and melting glaciers have reduced the flow of many water sources.
Contaminants, such as pesticides, fertilizers, and medications, have been detected in "virtually all" freshwater streambeds, the report said. Streams are contaminated above benchmarks set to protect aquatic life in 57 percent of farmland and 83 percent of urban and suburban areas. These pollutants have contributed to growing "dead zones" where aquatic life cannot survive.
(snip)
(snip)
On a more positive note, many ecosystems, especially forests, have remained intact due to conservation and sustainable management. Timber growth has exceeded harvest - half of U.S. timberland is younger than 60 years old - which has allowed forests to store more of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide in recent years than a decade ago.
However, wildlife within those ecosystems faces widespread threats. One-third of native plant and animal species, excluding marine species, are at risk of extinction. Global warming is shifting the climate outside the threshold that many native species can tolerate, which provides an advantage to invasive species that have more general survival requirements.
(snip)
Report:
http://www.heinzctr.org/ecosystems/
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
