Air pollution is a consequence not only of the unbridled emissions from
combustion and industrial processes, but also of limited air supplies.
BioScience, Volume 52, Issue 10, October 2002, Pages 883–
890, [Link]
Pollution and Ecosystem Disruption
The Many Facets of Urban Pollution
Industrial and automotive emissions saturate the atmosphere and contaminate the soil,
introducing toxic substances with chronic effects into living organisms. Heavy metals
accumulate at soil top and with time their contamination increases in the soil, leads to the
absorption and accumulation in plants increases. Similar results were reported by Filipovic-
Trajkovic et al. (2012) and Tzvetkova and Petkova (2015). For instance, The values of heavy
metals were shown to be high at the factory site and decreased with increase the distance from
the factory as contamination can be diffused or localized (van DER Perk, 2006; Horta et al.,
2015). Air pollution has become an extremely serious problem for the modern industrial
world (Rai et al., 2011) and has become a serious environmental issue for animals and trees.
For instance, air pollution can harm plants and animals by reducing photosynthesis rates and
causing respiratory problems.
At the same time, the hydrological cycle is severely disrupted. Runoff water, instead
of naturally infiltrating, becomes a vector for contaminants that suffocate aquatic
environments. As Yadav (2023) explains, water pollution can negatively impact aquatic
species by reducing water quality, causing disease, and disrupting the food chain, but can also
result in the depletion of fish stocks and other aquatic life, and adversely affect their
reproductive systems. That shows that the unsuitable urban environment can cause the decline
or vanish entirely of many species.
Urbanization creates pollution that is more intangible but omnipresent:
that of light and noise. These sensory nuisances disrupt the behaviours and
vital communications of many species. [PDF] Consequences of pollution in wildlife: A review
JKR Preeti, M Thakur, M Suman, R Kumar - Pharma Innov J, 2018 - [Link] Animal’s navigation can be confused
by the light pollution as their mobility depends on the horizon and orientation of stars, alter
competitive interactions and reproduction behavior, change the normal predator-prey
relationship and influence animal psychology. Wise (2012) [92] reported artificial night
lighting has the potential to alter the behaviour (foraging and breeding) as well as
physiological development (growth and metabolism) of frogs and salamanders. It can also
effect visual communication on between species. For example, female glow-worms attract
males up to 45 m away with bioluminescent flashes away, but artificial illumination disrupt
the natural phenomenon in such species (Longcore and Rich, 2004). Steinmeyer et al., 2013
[85] provided the first direct experimental proof which showed that light pollution can have a
significant impact on several aspects of sleeping behavior in birds and animals affecting
fitness.
Consequences on the stability of ecosystems
The impact of these pollutions is not limited to a mere accumulation of harmful
substances. It causes systemic degradation, undermining the very foundations of the stability
and proper functioning of ecosystems.