Final answer:
It is crucial to respect the environment because human activities, which include habitat destruction and disruption of wildlife behaviors, can lead to negative impacts on local ecology and biodiversity, sometimes causing species extinction.
Step-by-step explanation:
It is crucial to be aware of and respect the environment for several pivotal reasons. Human activities and presence can disrupt the natural behaviors and habitats of wildlife, which includes altering mating patterns and migration routes of rare and endangered animals. In addition, these activities often lead to habitat destruction that negatively impacts local ecology and can drive species to extinction. Furthermore, the degradation of ecosystems by humans has been fast-paced since the latter half of the twentieth century, causing numerous changes that are largely negative and anthropogenic in origin. Notably, humanity's impacts are not limited to land; the alteration of rivers and overharvesting in aquatic environments pose significant threats to biodiversity. Therefore, the correct option that encapsulates all these issues is 'D. All of the above.'