INTRODUCTION
There would be no problem in describing Biological warfare as an atrocious act.
BIOLOGICAL WARFARE
The use of living microorganisms specifically pathogens to kill humans, plants, and animals is known as biological warfare. The harmful microorganisms are called biological agents. Some insects and plants are used to derive poison. The biological weapons are either biological toxins or pathogens.
You may like to read the detail here: Biological Warfare – Agents and Its Types
THE CATASTROPHIC EFFECTS OF BIOLOGICAL WARFARE ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Biological warfare is an extremely dangerous war where the environment and humans are equally at risk of disaster. The catastrophic effects of biological warfare on the environment, biodiversity, and natural reserves are described below. Check out What is Ecocide? Causes, Effects, and Solutions
EFFECTS OF BIOLOGICAL WARFARE ON NATURAL RESOURCES
In biological warfare, natural resources such as air, water, and natural vegetation get contaminated with bioweapons. It is quite easier to spread bioweapons in the environment due to favorable circumstances.
- Water pollution: Water is the source of life and there are already numbers of waterborne diseases. The contamination of this natural resource with bioweapons causes water pollution and might kill people in millions.
- Air Pollution: The air acts as a medium to spread spores of toxic fungi over long distances. In case of rains, the bioweapons could get to the water bodies and vegetations. And this is how the whole ecosystem gets polluted during biological warfare.
- Soil Pollution: Vector-borne diseases are spread through soil pollution. The soil also gets polluted with air and water contamination. The soil contaminated with bioweapons in return shows negative impacts on crops, livestock, wildlife, etc.
EFFECTS OF BIOLOGICAL WARFARE ON VEGETATION
In history, bioweapons have been used to eliminate the vegetation of the area. Bioweapons cause plant diseases that interfere with the gene diversity of plants. This clearly shows that how dangerous biological warfare is.
- Food Contamination: Vegetation provides food for animals and humans. The contamination of food sources has been a famous tactic of warfare. The bioweapons contaminate food or drinks that cause ailments in humans.
You may also be interested in: Environmental Toxicology Flowchart – Exposure to Excretion
EFFECTS OF BIOLOGICAL WARFARE ON BIODIVERSITY
The planet Earth is home to huge biodiversity that includes terrestrial and aquatic species. There is genetic variability profoundly observed in biodiversity. Genetically modified bioweapons have negative effects on biodiversity.
- Invasive Species: The invasive species is one of the ways by which bioweapons are introduced to particular areas. The bioweapons cause lethal diseases among plants and animals.
- Biodiversity Loss: The infected animal and plant species are destroyed to have control on epidemic which causes biodiversity loss.
- Endangered Species: Habitat destruction due to anthropogenic activities and epidemic outbreaks make endangered species more prone to the disastrous effects of bioweapons.
CONCLUSION
The war tactics that target vegetation and animals is disgraceful. Poisoning of food sources poses threats to the ecosystem of that area. Once it enters the food chain, the results are severe. The ban on biological weapons is an ecological imperative. Global attention is required for controlling biological weapons and effective steps should be taken to avoid ecological disasters associated with bioweapons. New methods should be developed to detect and control the preliminary effects of biological warfare.
Also check out: What is Biofouling? Causes, Effects, and Solutions
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