94
4 Effects of Everyday Activities on the Ecosystem
their incomes. Biotechnology plays a crucial role in ensuring that the developed
hybrid maize seed utilizes water more efficiently and becomes resistant to insect
pests. Farmers who use Drought tEG hybrids report that they have harvested
between 20 and 35% more grain (Beyene et al. 2015). The overall effect of the
WEMA project could be the availability of drought-resistant maize hybrids for
smallholder farmers within Sub-Saharan Africa.
Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) was developed as a result of markerassisted breeding. Ideally, marker-assisted breeding refers to indirect selection
process whereby a trait is chosen based on a marker (could be biochemical or
morphological) linked to a trait of interest( including diseases resistance, quality
and disease resistance).
Regarding the carbon cycle, appropriate management practices when they are
adopted in farming can be crucial in enhancing carbon sequestration. Crops that
are developed using modern agricultural biotechnology minimize the importance
of tillage, enabling farmers to adopt no-tilling farming practices. Consequently, the
quality of the soil increases and becomes rich in carbon. Additionally, less carbon
within the soil may be oxidized by being exposed to the air because the soil is not
disrupted by plowing, thus leading to less emission of CO 2 into the atmosphere.
4.6 Acid Rain
Acid rain entails any form of precipitation that has acidic components, including
nitric or sulfuric acid, which falls on the ground. It could include hail, dust, snow,
or rain. Acid rain results from sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and nitric oxide (NO) being
emitted into the atmosphere. They react with oxygen, water, and other chemicals to
form nitric and sulfuric acid. They combine with water along with other materials
prior to falling to the ground. The main sources of these gases in the atmosphere
are the combustion of fossil fuels for the generation of electricity, vehicles, and
industries.
4.6.1 Ecosystems
Acid rain affects the aquatic environment through its accumulation in water. Marine
animals and plants require a specific pH to survive and become unable to cope if
it gets beyond their survival level. At low pH levels, many fish eggs are unable to
hatch, and it can also lead to the death of adult fish (Warren et al. 2017). Acid
rain that flows from the catchment areas into water bodies reduces biodiversity
because of the acidification of lakes and rivers. Species such as plant and fish
have reduced, while others have been eliminated due to excess acid rain. Acid
rain makes trees vulnerable to extreme weather and diseases and damages their
growth. For example, the destruction of forests because of acid rain is evident in
4 Effects of Everyday Activities on the Ecosystem
their incomes. Biotechnology plays a crucial role in ensuring that the developed
hybrid maize seed utilizes water more efficiently and becomes resistant to insect
pests. Farmers who use Drought tEG hybrids report that they have harvested
between 20 and 35% more grain (Beyene et al. 2015). The overall effect of the
WEMA project could be the availability of drought-resistant maize hybrids for
smallholder farmers within Sub-Saharan Africa.
Water Efficient Maize for Africa (WEMA) was developed as a result of markerassisted breeding. Ideally, marker-assisted breeding refers to indirect selection
process whereby a trait is chosen based on a marker (could be biochemical or
morphological) linked to a trait of interest( including diseases resistance, quality
and disease resistance).
Regarding the carbon cycle, appropriate management practices when they are
adopted in farming can be crucial in enhancing carbon sequestration. Crops that
are developed using modern agricultural biotechnology minimize the importance
of tillage, enabling farmers to adopt no-tilling farming practices. Consequently, the
quality of the soil increases and becomes rich in carbon. Additionally, less carbon
within the soil may be oxidized by being exposed to the air because the soil is not
disrupted by plowing, thus leading to less emission of CO 2 into the atmosphere.
4.6 Acid Rain
Acid rain entails any form of precipitation that has acidic components, including
nitric or sulfuric acid, which falls on the ground. It could include hail, dust, snow,
or rain. Acid rain results from sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) and nitric oxide (NO) being
emitted into the atmosphere. They react with oxygen, water, and other chemicals to
form nitric and sulfuric acid. They combine with water along with other materials
prior to falling to the ground. The main sources of these gases in the atmosphere
are the combustion of fossil fuels for the generation of electricity, vehicles, and
industries.
4.6.1 Ecosystems
Acid rain affects the aquatic environment through its accumulation in water. Marine
animals and plants require a specific pH to survive and become unable to cope if
it gets beyond their survival level. At low pH levels, many fish eggs are unable to
hatch, and it can also lead to the death of adult fish (Warren et al. 2017). Acid
rain that flows from the catchment areas into water bodies reduces biodiversity
because of the acidification of lakes and rivers. Species such as plant and fish
have reduced, while others have been eliminated due to excess acid rain. Acid
rain makes trees vulnerable to extreme weather and diseases and damages their
growth. For example, the destruction of forests because of acid rain is evident in