AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Habitat loss, especially removal of plants and trees which stabilize soil, increases erosion, and reduces the nutrient levels in terrestrial ecosystems. This, in turn, can decrease agricultural productivity. In turn, increasing erosion decreases water quality by increasing sediment and pollutants in rivers and streams.

Detailed explanation-2: -Habitat Loss, Degradation, and Encroachment Conversion of habitats by humans into other land uses can fragment and separate mammal populations and increase the likelihood of local population extinctions and eventual species extinction.

Detailed explanation-3: -Habitats are degraded when their condition declines due to factors such as pollution, invasive species, and over-utilization of natural resources. Examples include prairies being invaded by woody species such as eastern red cedar and streams being degraded by runoff of sediments and chemicals from adjacent cropland.

Detailed explanation-4: -Activities such as harvesting natural resources, industrial production and urbanization are human contributions to habitat destruction. Pressure from agriculture is the principal human cause. Some others include mining, logging, trawling, and urban sprawl.