There are environmental problems with oil. Impact of oil and petroleum products on the environment

During the extraction and processing of minerals, there is a large-scale human impact on the natural environment. The resulting environmental problems associated with mining require comprehensive study and immediate solutions.

What is the characteristics of the mining industry?

The mining industry is widely developed in the Russian Federation, as deposits of the main types of minerals are located on the territory of the country. These accumulations of mineral and organic formations located in the bowels of the earth are effectively used, ensuring human life and production.

All minerals can be divided into three groups:

• hard, subdivided into: coal, ores, non-metallic materials, etc.;
• liquid, the main representatives of this category are: fresh, mineral water and oil;
• gaseous, which includes natural gas.

Depending on the purpose, the following types of minerals are extracted:

• ore materials(iron, manganese, copper, nickel ores, bauxite, chromite and precious metals);
• building materials(limestone, dolomite, clay, sand, marble, granite);
• non-metallic resources(jasper, agate, garnet, corundum, diamonds, rock crystal);
• mining chemical raw materials(apatites, phosphorites, table and potassium salts, sulfur, barite, bromine- and iodine-containing solutions;
• fuel and energy materials(oil, gas, coal, peat, oil shale, uranium ores);
• hydromineral raw materials(underground fresh and mineralized waters);
• ocean mineral formations(ore-bearing veins, continental shelf strata and ferromanganese inclusions);
• mineral resources of sea water.

The Russian mining industry accounts for a quarter of the world's gas production, 17% of the world's oil, 15% of coal, 14% of iron ore.

Mining industry enterprises have become the largest sources of environmental pollution. Substances emitted by the mining complex have a detrimental effect on the ecosystem. The problems of the negative impact of the mining and processing industries are very acute, as they affect all spheres of life.

How does the industry affect the earth's surface, air, water, flora and fauna?

The scale of development of the mining industry is amazing: when recalculating the volume of raw materials produced per inhabitant of the planet, the result is approximately 20 tons of resources. But only a tenth of this amount comes from final products, and the rest is waste. The development of the mining complex inevitably leads to negative consequences, the main of which are:

• depletion of raw materials;
• environmental pollution;
• disruption of natural processes.

All this leads to serious environmental problems. You can look at individual examples to see how different types of mining industries affect the environment.

At mercury deposits, the landscape is disrupted and dumps are formed. This dissipates mercury, which is a toxic substance that has a detrimental effect on all living things. A similar problem arises in the development of antimony deposits. As a result of the work, accumulations of heavy metals remain, polluting the atmosphere.

When mining gold, technologies are used to separate the precious metal from mineral impurities, which are accompanied by the release of toxic components into the atmosphere. The presence of radioactive radiation is observed on the dumps of uranium ore deposits.

Why is coal mining dangerous?

• deformation of the surface and coal-containing layers;
• pollution of air, water and soil in the area where the quarry is located;
• release of gas and dust when waste rocks are carried to the surface;
• shallowing and disappearance of rivers;
• flooding of abandoned quarries;
• formation of depression funnels;
• dehydration, salinization of the soil layer.

In the area located near the mine, anthropogenic forms (ravines, quarries, waste heaps, dumps) are created from raw material waste, which can extend for tens of kilometers. Neither trees nor other plants can grow on them. And the water with toxic substances flowing from the dumps harms all living things in large adjacent areas.

At rock salt deposits, halite waste is formed, which is transported by sediments into reservoirs that serve to supply residents of nearby settlements with drinking water. Near magnesite mining, a change in the acid-base balance of the soil occurs, leading to the death of vegetation. Changes in the chemical composition of the soil lead to mutations in plants - changes in color, ugliness, etc.

Agricultural land is also polluted. When transporting minerals, dust can fly over long distances and settle on the ground.

Over time, the earth's crust is depleted, reserves of raw materials decrease, and the content of minerals decreases. As a result, production volumes and the amount of waste increase. One way out of this situation is to create artificial analogues of natural materials.

Lithosphere protection

One of the methods to protect the earth's surface from the harmful effects of mining enterprises is land reclamation. The environmental problem can be partially solved by filling the resulting excavations with mining waste.

Since many rocks contain more than one type of minerals, it is necessary to optimize technologies by extracting and processing all components present in the ore. This approach will not only have a positive impact on the environment, but will also bring significant economic benefits.

How to save the environment?

At the present stage of development of industrial technologies, it is necessary to take measures to protect the environment. The priority is the creation of low-waste or waste-free industries that can significantly reduce the harmful impact on the environment.

Activities to help solve the problem

When solving the problem of environmental protection, it is important to use complex measures: production, economic, scientific, technical, and social.

You can improve the environmental situation by:

• more complete extraction of minerals from the subsoil;
• industrial use of associated petroleum gas;
• integrated use of all rock components;
• measures for water purification during underground mining;
• use of mine wastewater for technical purposes;
• use of waste in other industries.

During the extraction and processing of mineral resources, it is necessary to use modern technologies to reduce emissions of harmful substances. Despite the cost of using advanced developments, the investment is justified by the improvement in the environmental situation.

During the extraction and processing of minerals, a large geological cycle occurs, in which various systems are involved. As a result, there is a great impact on the ecology of the mining region, and such impact entails negative consequences.

The scale of mining is large - up to 20 tons of raw materials are mined per year per inhabitant of the Earth, of which less than 10% goes into the final product, and the remaining 90% is waste. In addition, during mining there is a significant loss of raw materials, approximately 30–50%, which indicates that some types of mining are uneconomical, especially the open-pit method.

Russia is a country with a widely developed mining industry and has deposits of basic raw materials. Issues of the negative impact of the extraction and processing of raw materials are very relevant, since these processes affect all areas of the Earth:

• lithosphere;
• atmosphere:
• water;
• animal world.

Impact on the lithosphere

Any mining method involves the extraction of ore from the earth’s crust, which leads to the formation of cavities and voids, the integrity of the crust is disrupted, and fracturing increases.

As a result, the likelihood of collapses, landslides, and faults in the area adjacent to the mine increases. Anthropogenic relief forms are created:

• careers;
• dumps;
• waste heaps;
• ravines.

Such atypical forms are large in size, the height can reach 300 m, and the length is 50 km. The embankments are formed from waste of processed raw materials; trees and plants do not grow on them - they are just kilometers of unsuitable territory.

During the extraction of rock salt, during the enrichment of raw materials, halite waste is formed (three to four tons of waste per ton of salt), it is solid and insoluble, and rainwater carries it into rivers, which are often used to provide drinking water to the population of nearby cities.

Environmental problems associated with the occurrence of voids can be solved by filling ravines and depressions in the earth's crust formed as a result of mining with waste and processed raw materials. It is also necessary to improve mining technology to reduce the removal of waste rock, this can significantly reduce the amount of waste.

Many rocks contain several types of minerals, so it is possible to combine mining and processing of all ore components. This is not only economically beneficial, but also has a positive impact on the environment.

Another negative consequence associated with mining is the contamination of nearby agricultural soils. This happens during transport. Dust flies for many kilometers and settles on the surface of the soil, on plants and trees.

Many substances can release toxins, which then enter the food of animals and humans, poisoning the body from the inside. Often, around magnesite deposits that are actively being developed, there is a wasteland within a radius of up to 40 km, the soil changes the alkaline-acid balance, and plants stop growing, and nearby forests die.

As a solution to this problem, environmentalists propose locating raw material processing enterprises near the extraction site; this will also reduce transportation costs. For example, locate power plants near coal deposits.

And, finally, the extraction of raw materials significantly depletes the earth’s crust, reserves of substances decrease every year, ores become less saturated, this contributes to large volumes of mining and processing. The result is an increase in waste volumes. The solution to these problems can be the search for artificial substitutes for natural substances and their economical consumption.

Mining salt

Impact on the atmosphere

Mining operations have enormous environmental problems on the atmosphere. As a result of the primary processing of mined ores, large volumes are released into the air:

• methane,
• oxides
• heavy metals,
• sulfur,
• carbon.

The created artificial waste heaps constantly burn, emitting harmful substances into the atmosphere - carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide. Such atmospheric pollution leads to an increase in radiation levels, changes in temperature indicators and an increase or decrease in precipitation.

During mining, large amounts of dust are released into the air. Every day, up to two kilograms of dust fall on the areas adjacent to the quarries; as a result, the soil remains buried under a half-meter layer for many years, and often forever, and, naturally, loses its fertility.

The solution to this problem is the use of modern equipment that reduces the level of emissions of harmful substances, as well as the use of a mine mining method instead of an open one.

Impact on the aquatic environment

As a result of the extraction of natural raw materials, water bodies, both underground and surface, are severely depleted, and swamps are drained. When mining coal, groundwater is pumped out, which is located near the deposit. For every ton of coal there is up to 20 m 3 of formation water, and when mining iron ores - up to 8 m 3 of water. Pumping water creates environmental problems such as:

• formation of depression craters;
• disappearance of springs;
• drying up of small rivers;
• disappearance of streams.

Surface waters suffer from pollution as a result of the extraction and processing of fossil raw materials. Just like in the atmosphere, a large amount of salts, metals, toxic substances, and waste enters the water.

As a result of this, microorganisms living in reservoirs, fish and other living creatures die; people use contaminated water not only for their household needs, but also for food. Environmental problems associated with hydrosphere pollution can be prevented by reducing wastewater discharges, reducing water consumption during production, and filling the formed voids with water.

This can be achieved by improving the process of extracting raw materials and using new developments in the field of mechanical engineering for the mining industry.

Impact on flora and fauna

During the active development of large deposits of raw materials, the radius of contamination of nearby soils can be 40 km. The soil is subject to various chemical changes, depending on the harmfulness of the processed substances. If a large amount of toxic substances gets into the ground, trees, shrubs and even grass die and do not grow on it.

Consequently, there is no food for animals, they either die or look for new places to live, and entire populations migrate. The solution to these problems should be a reduction in the level of emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere, as well as compensatory measures for the restoration and cleanup of contaminated areas. Compensatory measures include fertilizing soils, planting forests, and organizing pastures.

When developing new deposits, when the top layer of soil - fertile black soil - is removed, it can be transported and distributed in poor, depleted areas, near inactive mines.

Video: Pollution

It is difficult to say how fair the expression “environmental problems of the oil industry” sounds? Industry, like any other human activity, cannot have environmental problems. It is the environment that has problems due to human intervention and the use of its resources. Because of oil, environmental problems have arisen and become widespread. Especially after the next industrial revolution. When the fuel oil produced from it became the main source of energy for industry, displacing coal.

It has been used by mankind since time immemorial. The most popular before fuel oil was kerosene, which was obtained from it in a simple, by today's standards, way. Since the end of the 18th century, kerosene began to be used for lighting lamps.

The impact of oil causes environmental problems only after its removal from natural storage. If it is located in the place of its natural origin, that is, underground, it does not cause problems for nature. There is also no mention that the oil caused damage to the environment, its environment, that is, below the surface of the earth. There is no evidence that she herself, without human intervention, caused significant damage to terrestrial nature. Its spills that appear on the surface in some regions of the Earth are so insignificant that they should not be taken into account.

General characteristics

Oil is a natural liquid. Oily and flammable. It has a specific smell and color from yellow-green to brown-brown and black. It consists of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons and various impurities. Refers, like peat, coal, shale, to natural fossil fuels - caustobiolites. Its depth ranges from several meters to 6 km; it is classified as a non-renewable resource.

It got its name from the Persian language. In other languages ​​it is called “rock oil” or “mountain oil.” It is a flammable liquid.

Industrial processing began in the 18th century; before that it was used in an unrefined form. The first borehole produced oil in 1848 in the Baku region, and the first plant was built there in 1857.

The process of its origin in nature still causes controversy among scientists. The main theory speaks of its organic origin.

Explored reserves amount to about 210 billion tons and about the same amount of undiscovered reserves. The largest reserves are in Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, UAE, Russia, Libya and others. These same countries produce it the most.

Problems

It is also not correct to talk about problems caused by the oil industry as a branch of human economic activity. Nature suffers not only when drilling wells, laying pipelines or burning fuel oil. Aren't crude oil spills on the surface of the sea or soil an environmental disaster? Does fuel oil or other products made from it that are discharged into rivers by ships cause damage to the environment? It is not the oil industry that burns the same fuel oil at thermal stations, but gasoline and diesel fuel in the engines of personal cars. But this does not reduce nature’s problems. And it is impossible to look for the causes of environmental problems only in this industry.

To varying degrees, oil-related environmental issues should be considered holistically. They consist of problems caused by oil and the production processes in which it is involved. The impact on nature occurs through direct contact of the ecosystem with crude oil, during exploration, production, storage, transportation and processing, as well as the transportation of petroleum products and their use.

Industry, its divisions

In the oil industry, the essence of the environmental problem lies in the imperfection of technical processes and equipment, their insufficient equipment to ensure safety, avoid accidents and make the most efficient use of it at each technological stage.

The oil industry is one of the leading sectors of the economy in those countries in the world where there is oil. The industry consists of several divisions. Each department performs a specific set of work. The activity is divided into stages: production, preceded by exploration and drilling, storage, transportation and processing.

The first stage of a person’s “relationship” with oil is its extraction. This is a complex production process, including geological exploration, drilling wells, purification of extracted raw materials from water, paraffin, sulfur and other impurities, as well as pumping to primary storage and accounting points.

Impact on nature

When extracting oil, environmental problems arise almost immediately. They begin with clearing places for installing drilling equipment. To do this, deforestation is carried out or the area is otherwise cleared of vegetation. At the same time, the area allocated for work becomes clogged with human waste products, waste materials, and soil raised to the surface. The surrounding area is suffering. It is used by workers for their needs. Access roads are being laid to the drilling site. Clearing the site for laying the pipeline. As a result, nature receives a whole range of pollution. But this is only a preliminary stage. Since the beginning of the extraction of raw materials, the harm caused to the environment has increased significantly. Primarily due to a crude oil spill. This can be either a technological or an emergency outflow. In this case, the soil, surface and underground water sources become so contaminated that they will take many years to recover from. The negative consequences for nature do not end with pumping from an underground deposit. The resulting voids lead to soil movement. Soil failures, displacement and erosion occur. It should be noted that, as a rule, hydrocarbon deposits are located in natural areas with a very fragile ecosystem. The ecological balance in these places was formed very complexly and can be easily destroyed.

Next comes oil transportation, storage and refining. The biggest problems arise during transportation. Whatever type of transport is used for this, it is poured out everywhere. When transported by pipeline, rail or road, spilled oil ends up on the soil; if transported by water, it remains on the surface of the water. It is soluble in organic solvents and insoluble in water. Therefore, its stains remain on the surface for a long time.

The last stage, which is referred to as the oil industry, is refining. It is used to produce various types of fuel, raw materials for the chemical industry, construction materials, and so on.

The products obtained as a result of processing have most of its properties. When burned as fuel, a large amount of carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and various sulfur compounds are released. An increase in their content in the atmosphere leads to climate change, “acid rain” and the “greenhouse effect”.

Oil and petroleum products pollute the planet's waters. Every year up to 10 million tons of them enter the World Ocean. But just a liter of oil floating like a spot on the surface of sea water deprives it of 40 thousand liters of oxygen. A ton can have a negative impact on an area of ​​12 km 2.

A decrease in oxygen in water and an increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are the main “symptoms of the disease” of the biosphere. Failure to take the necessary actions can lead to fatal consequences, primarily for humans.

Video - Oil slick on the surface of the Yenisei

Oil is the main component of the energy resources of our planet. Due to its advantages in terms of thermal efficiency and ease of use, oil has conquered the markets of developed and developing countries.

Oil is a fuel for transport, thermal power plants and a raw material for the chemical industry. Due to the limited supply of oil and its reserves in the world, there is always a political and armed struggle for an uninterrupted supply of oil.

The role of oil in the modern world

Since oil is an important type of energy raw material, its role in the global economy and politics is steadily increasing. Oil exporting countries are using this natural resource to achieve economic and social success. At the same time, the dependence of the economies of such countries on oil prices on the market is their weakness. This was repeatedly observed in Russia when oil prices fell. The only way to combat such a negative phenomenon is diversification of the country's economy.

In terms of oil production, Saudi Arabia is in first place, producing 542 million tons per year, which is 13.1% of world production. In 2nd place is Russia (12.9%), followed by the USA (10.8%), China (5%), Canada (4.7%), Iran (4%). World oil production in 2013 amounted to 4.13 billion tons.

In terms of oil consumption, the United States is in first place, using 831 million tons per year, which is 19.9% ​​of all world oil consumption. In second place, as one might expect, is China (12.1%). Major oil producers, Saudi Arabia and Russia, account for just 3.2% and 3.7% of global oil consumption, respectively.

Where is oil used?

Before petroleum products are used, it is processed in a petroleum refinery (petroleum refinery). During initial processing, oil is separated into fractions using special devices - distillation columns. Heated crude oil is fed into columns where it is separated into light and heavy fractions:

• petrol,
• naphtha,
• kerosene,
• gas oil,
• fuel oil

The first two fractions are subjected to pressure treatment at T = +300–350 °C and the presence of catalysts. The result is high-quality gasoline for cars and hydrocarbons, which become raw materials for the petrochemical production of various plastics and other products.

Kerosene is purified and various types of kerosene are obtained, including aviation, tractor and lighting. Fuel oil, which is the residue after the separation of all other fractions, is used to fire boilers or distillate to obtain motor oil and tar.

The petrochemical industry uses hydrocarbons, which include products such as methane, which is used to make ammonia to make fertilizers, and methanol, used to make resins and plastics, as well as paints and medicines.

Another common product derived from hydrocarbons is ethylene, from which ethyl alcohol, dichloroethane and polyethylene (and HDPE) are made. In addition, a very large number of different products can be obtained from hydrocarbons, which are a product of petroleum distillation.

Impact of oil production on the environment

Oil contains volatile toxic hydrocarbons, naphthalene, which makes oil dangerous to nature and human health.

Sources of environmental pollution include the following objects:

• oil fields,
• oil pipelines,
• oil storage facilities,
• means of land and sea transport.

Each of these objects, in the event of any malfunction, can pose a threat to the environment.

If these are ground-based objects, then the result of their accident may be an oil spill on the surface of the earth.

Particularly dangerous can be the occurrence of an emergency situation, as a result of which oil spills into the sea. This can happen on a tanker or at a shore terminal. In this case, marine fauna dies, birds and fish die.

To combat such spills, various mechanical means of collecting oil from the surface of the earth or sea, as well as special substances - sorbents, are used.

Oil production

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The main characteristics of the Yurkharovskoye field in the north of Western Siberia are considered. The values ​​of proven reserves of gas and liquid hydrocarbons are given, the significance and development prospects of this field are assessed

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The Ust-Balykskoye field is considered one of the pioneers of the West Siberian oil chronicle. It is rightfully recognized as a 50-year-old strategic stronghold of Russia’s fuel and energy security. Despite the falling flow rate, it is still too early to write it off

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The most viscous and especially valuable oil in deposits near Pechora

World oil reserves

The distribution and production of oil on earth is very uneven. According to British Petroleum statistics, the main oil fields are located in the Middle East. They are estimated at 109.4 billion tons and account for 47.9% of all world reserves. At the same time, oil reserves in Saudi Arabia account for 15.8% of world reserves. Reserves in North America account for 13.6%, South America – 19.5%. At the same time in Venezuela 17.7% of oil reserves are concentrated. Eurasia has oil reserves equivalent to 8.8% of the world's reserves, with Russia accounting for 5.5%.

In order to roughly estimate the period for which the world economy will have enough oil resources at the current rate of oil consumption, we can divide the world reserves of 238.2 billion tons by the total annual oil production, which is 4.13 billion tons. This period is approximately 50 years. At the same time, it is necessary to take into account the uncertainty that is associated with the fact that, on the one hand, annual oil consumption may increase with the growth of the economies of the countries of the planet. On the other hand, the process of replacing oil with renewable energy sources is underway.

Energy sources can also be obtained from synthetic materials. A prime example would be manufacturing.

One of the accidents associated with oil production is a change in composition, after which it turned from freshwater to saltwater.

In order for the enterprise to be successful and the investment profitable, you should think about saving energy. Read on to see how this can be done.

Conclusions

1. Oil is the main component of the energy resources of our planet and is used not only as fuel, but also as a raw material for the petrochemical industry.
2. Countries with the most developed economies consume large amounts of oil.
3. Oil exporting countries, including Russia, receive additional opportunities for economic and social development thanks to oil exports.

The natural environment is polluted mainly by crude oil, fuels, oils, petroleum bitumen, and soot. The most common are the first two groups of mobile petroleum products. The impact of crude oil on natural objects is determined by the toxicity of its main components.

Oil always contains light and heavy fractions. Light fractions include fractions represented by methane, cyclic (naphthenic and aromatic) hydrocarbons. The most toxic of them are aromatic hydrocarbons (arenes). Benzene has the most rapid effect. PAHs are associated with long-term consequences, including carcinogenic ones. Sulfur compounds present in oil are also dangerous, especially hydrogen sulfide and mercaptans.

Active evaporation of light fractions of oil occurs in steppes and deserts. Heavy fractions there undergo accelerated mineralization. The results of a survey of oil-contaminated soils in Azerbaijan showed that after a year, about 30% of residual oil remained in the soil, more firmly associated with the soil material.

Negative environmental processes in oil-producing areas are associated not only with the influence of oil components, but also with the influence of highly mineralized waters accompanying oil. The composition of these waters is sodium chloride and calcium chloride. All waters are highly mineralized. There are brines (salts contain more than 100 g/l) and salt waters (salts contain 10-50 g/l). They contain halogens (Cl, Br, I), as well as B, Sr, Ba.

Another group of substances, the entry of which is associated with gases and aerosols of pyrolytic processes, the source of which are torches and glow plugs. These substances include various hydrocarbons, including 3,4 benzo(a)pyrene, soot, oxides of sulfur, nitrogen, carbon, hydrogen sulfide,

A large number of substances of different hazard classes are released into the air.

The most dangerous of them is 3,4 benz(a)pyrene. An increase in its content in the environment entails severe environmental consequences. Amounts of 3,4 benzo(a)pyrene that are dangerous for living organisms are present in the soils of oil-producing regions of Russia in the early stages after contamination.

Oil and petroleum products affect natural waters. Despite its low solubility in water, a small amount of oil is enough to dramatically deteriorate water quality. Typically, petroleum components form an emulsion with water that is difficult to break. Most often, oil floats on the surface of water in the form of a film, enveloping suspended particles, settling with them to the bottom. Surface waters in oil production areas are contaminated with mineral salts, organic pollutants, in particular various PAHs.

Simultaneously with the pollution of surface waters, the composition of soil and groundwater also changes. The content of individual substances can increase by 1-2 orders of magnitude. The main salts in these waters are chlorides. Organic pollutants, including PAHs, are also detected.

Pollution can affect (lasting 3-4 years) layers of groundwater for drinking purposes. Their mineralization under the influence of pollution can increase by 1-2 orders of magnitude. In a number of oil-producing regions (Tatarstan, Bashkortostan), groundwater pollution is observed throughout the entire depth of the geological section.

Any form of sulfur found in oil (hydrogen sulfide, sulfides, mercaptans, free sulfur) has a toxic effect on living organisms. With increasing sulfur content, the danger of hydrogen sulfide contamination of oil-contaminated soils with excessive moisture (gleyed, swamp, meadow) increases.

The consequence of oil pollution is the degradation of vegetation cover (Pikovsky, 1993; Solntseva, 1998). Plant growth slows down, chlorosis, necrosis, and dysfunction of photosynthesis and respiration occur. By enveloping the roots of plants, heavy oils and petroleum products sharply reduce the supply of moisture, which leads to the death of the plant. These substances are inaccessible to microorganisms; the process of their destruction proceeds very slowly, sometimes over decades. Underdevelopment of plants is observed, up to the absence of generative organs.

Under the influence of hydrocarbons, the death of unstable plant species is observed. As a result, the species composition of vegetation is depleted, its specific associations are formed along technical objects, and the normal development of aquatic organisms changes. Meadow formation, the formation of marsh vegetation, and the appearance of halophytic associations are noted. The chemical composition of plants changes, and organic (including PAHs) and inorganic pollutants accumulate in them. Plants die as a result.

Changes are taking place in the structure of biocenoses: in soils the composition of soil inhabitants changes, in water bodies the species composition and abundance of ichthyofauna is depleted, up to the complete death of fish, in terrestrial ecosystems the abundance of birds and mammals changes.