Spheres of the Earth
Introduction
There are generally four spheres of the earth system; Hydrosphere(water), Lithosphere(land), Atmosphere(air) and Biosphere (living things). Several processes affect the spheres of the earth system, one of such methods being wildfires. In addition to the effects on the spheres of the earth system; soil erosion(Lithosphere), checking of aquatic life(Hydrosphere), death of trees and organisms in the soil(Biosphere) and air pollution(Atmosphere), there are also other effects on varied human activities like fishing (Pausas, & Keeley, 2019). More to the adverse effects, there are also some positive effects brought about by wildfires. Human activities can also be the cause for the wildfires.
Effects of wildfires on the spheres of the earth system
Wildfires effects on the Lithosphere.
Bush/wildfires may have physical, biological and chemical soil-related effects; vegetation removal through wildfires leads to the exposure of soil to water and wind, leaving the land susceptible to possible erosion. On the contrary, fire plays a role in nutrients (potassium and phosphorus) recycling, since sulphur and nitrogen get volatilized in the fire due to the heat.
Wildfire effects on the Hydrosphere.
In the event of a fire, soot and debris could be lifted into the Atmosphere, hence consequently getting deposited into nearby water bodies. This eventuality causes pollution to the water, severely affecting aquatic life. Fire, on the other hand, may lead to increased water levels in water bodies, since after vegetation loss, thanks to the fire, water will not get taken up by the meant vegetation.
Wildfire effects on the Atmosphere
In the event of a wildfire, substantial amounts of black and brown carbon, carbon dioxide and also ozone precursors get released into the atmospheric space. Consequently, carbon dioxide pollutes air, also trapping radiations at the level of the ground, leading to the creation of ozone at the ground level. The atmospheric layer inhibits cooling of the earth at night, hence warming of the oceans (Belluz et al., 2019). The greenhouse effect, which is as a result of increased carbon dioxide levels in the Atmosphere proves to be ideal for vegetation, by providing the plants with carbon dioxide, more moisture and warmth within the Atmosphere.
Wildfire effects on Biosphere
Wildfires may lead to saturation of the air with carbon dioxide, leading to marked difficulty in breathing due to reduced oxygen levels. Most of the wildlife inhabiting the burnt areas of the forest will end up losing their homes. Fires consequently replenish soil nutrients triggering new vegetation growth, hence creating a satisfactory food source for the animals. Hollows in trees and logs are designed after fires burn out, as a result providing shelter to animals; spaces for building bird nests.
Effects of Wildfires on Human Activities
Wildfires can affect fishing practice. When wildfires occur, soot gets blown into the Atmosphere, which may eventually find its way into surrounding water bodies (Balch et al., 2017). Fish in the said water bodies will be adversely affected; they will get intoxicated hence leading to their possible death. Death of the fish will reduce the fish population in the water body, thus generally affecting the yield in the fishing business.
Human activities leading to wildfires
Unattended bonfires. Campers tend to abandon fires they lit up during the night. The fire that is left without being put out may result in the sparking of a wildfire—careless cigarette disposal. Carelessly thrown away cigarettes that have not been put out may quickly come into contact with flammable material, for example, dry grass and leaves, and papers.
Conclusion
Wildfires have proven to be a great nuisance to both the environment and man altogether. Such effects on the spheres of the earth system are such as soil erosion, nutrient replenishment in soils, disturbing aquatic life, air pollution, increased water levels and even air pollution. Wildfires have also generally affected human activity; fishing, over time. Over 80% of all fires are due to the carelessness of man himself, for example, failing to put out bonfires at campsites and poor disposal of still-burning cigarettes. The effects of wildfires are therefore seen to be more on the negative than on the positive side. Hence man should ensure that he is not the cause for such a nightmare; wildfires.
References
Balch, J. K., Bradley, B. A., Abatzoglou, J. T., Nagy, R. C., Fusco, E. J., & Mahood, A. L. (2017). Human-started wildfires expand the fire niche across the United States. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 114(11), 2946-2951.
Pausas, J. G., & Keeley, J. E. (2019). Wildfires as an ecosystem service. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 17(5), 289-295.
Belluz, V. D. B., Langor, D., Niemelä, J., & Spence, J. (2019, August). Effects of clear-cutting and wildfires on a succession of ground beetle (Coleoptera: Carabidae) assemblages on the east slopes of the Rocky Mountains. In ARPHA Conference Abstracts (Vol. 2, p. e39118). Pensoft Publishers.