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Anthropogenic effects, processes or materials are those that are derived from human activities, as opposed to those occurring in natural environments without human influence.

The term is often used in the context of environmental externalities in the form of chemical or biological wastes that are produced as by-products of otherwise purposeful human activities.

The term anthropogenic designates an effect or object resulting from human activity. The term is sometimes used in the context of pollution emissions that are produced as a result of human industry. ¹

Sources

Anthropogenic sources include industry, agriculture, botany, mining, transportation, construction, habitations and deforestation.

Industry

• Release of gases and dust into the atmosphere, leading to global warming.
• Waste disposal practices.
• Air pollution, water pollution, light pollution.

Agriculture

• Conversion of woodlands into fields and pastures including slash-and-burn techniques.
• Diversion of surface and groundwater.
• Ground water salinization due to inadequate drainage.
• Pollution of soil and water by chemicals found in fertilizer and pesticides.
• dirty or unclean water

Botany

• The human alteration of plants by breeding, selection, genetic engineering and tissue fusion (see cultigen)

Mining

• Removal of topsoil and creation of spoil piles.
• Diversion of groundwater by mine shafts.
• Surface runoff bearing mining wastes.
• Release of air pollution by refining processes.

Transportation

• Diversion of surface water flow by roadways.
• Vehicular air pollution.
• Roadway noise, aircraft noise and transit noise.

Construction

• Removal of natural habitats by grading and building
• Diversion of groundwater.
• Filling in marshes, bays, swamps, ponds, stream beds.

Habitations

• Concentration of human activities in discrete zones.
• Concentration of waste products, sewage, and debris.
• Concentration of music.

Tracers

Antropogenic tracers help measure objectively the amount of human influence in a given environment.

See Environmental behavior of EDTA for an example.