Preface

The fate of the tropical forests has come to signify the fate of biodiversity throughout
the developing world, indeed throughout the entire world.1 The successes and
failures of conservation efforts over the last decade have demonstrated that the
erosion of biological diversity can be stopped only through novel and complex
mixtures of economic, social, and political action based on a sound knowledge of
ecosystems, including the role of the people who live there. Although we know a
great deal about the causes of biodiversity loss, we are only beginning to understand
how to formulate development strategies that are based on, and simultaneously
conserve, biological diversity. Most people want to protect wildlife and natural
resources, but do not know how best to act. At the same time, there is great urgency
to act.
This report has been prepared in response to a request from the United States Agency
for International Development for a research agenda to provide the critical
information needed by decision makers in formulating policy and designing
programs to conserve biodiversity. The focus of the study emerged from an
organizational meeting, at which it was agreed that the three areas of conservation,
economics, and cultural aspects are the most important from the perspective of
development agencies. The committee's report draws together findings based on
information generated by three meetings of experts in these respective areas.
We stress at the outset that when existing information can be used to implement
programs, it should be; the need for more research should not be an excuse to delay
action. Although the information and recommendations included here have general
relevance for those involved in the conservation of biological diversity, this report
is directed specifically toward development agency personnel and development
practitioners (nongovernmental and private voluntary organizations).
This audience is important for several reasons. First, biodiversity is greatest in the
developing nations of the tropics where development agencies and practitioners
expend considerable resources. Through self-examination or persuasion, these
agencies are now coming to view conservation as an integral part of the development
process (WRI, 1991). The case, however, needs to be strengthened, especially in
times of constrained resources and competing demands. All of us must be interested
in conservation—locally, regionally, and globally. Because industrial countries use
and control a disproportionate share of the world's resources, they must participate
in the implementation of sustainable development in the tropics and elsewhere if a
new and more enlightened conservation ethic is to take hold.
Second, industrial countries and development organizations are already devoting
substantial resources to these issues, and because the economies in many developing
nations are weak, development agencies are likely to be the major funding sources
for biodiversity-related activities in the near future. These organizations, however,
have limited experience with biodiversity issues and are actively seeking advice on
the types of activities they should support.
Third, biodiversity in developing countries cannot be conserved over the long run
unless local peoples and national economies simultaneously derive social and
economic benefits. This will require not only improved methods of resource
management and the creation of products and markets, but the development of
economic paradigms involving new institutions, incentives, and policies.
International development organizations such as the World Bank and the U.S.
Agency for International Development, by the nature of their interaction with the
economies of developing nations, will play an important catalytic role in this
process.
Decision makers in developing nations constitute an equally important audience for
this publication. Biodiversity has been labeled a "developed nation issue."
Developing nations often sense that their interests are disregarded by the
industrialized world. The developed nations, it has been asserted, are interested in
preserving biodiversity only for later exploitation or for global benefit—that is, for
their own greater benefit. At the same time, industrial countries have shown a
reluctance to change policies and practices that cause environmental degradation and
threaten not only their own resource base but the global environment as well. In
reality, the biodiversity crisis is a global problem, and each nation or society has a
role to play in meeting the challenge ahead. Most developing countries are deeply
concerned about the loss of biodiversity but generally lack the means to act on that
concern.
In this report, the Panel on Biodiversity Research Priorities has tried to indicate
avenues of research that may be helpful in preserving biodiversity and ways in which
development agencies can support the people and institutions that study and manage
it. This report does not contain a complete action plan or technical research program,
nor does it present a detailed discussion of the importance of biodiversity or the
reasons for its loss. Numerous recent publications provide comprehensive coverage
of these areas (see the References and Recommended Reading at the end of this
report). Rather, it presents a research agenda in areas considered of critical
importance to the conservation of biodiversity and a discussion of their relevance to
sustainable development.

Biodiversity loss is the extinction of species (plant or animal) worldwide, and also the
local reduction or loss of species in a certain habitat.
The latter phenomenon can be temporary or permanent, depending on whether
the environmental degradation that leads to the loss is reversible through ecological
restoration / ecological resilience or effectively permanent (e.g. through land loss). Global
extinction has so far been proven to be irreversible.
Even though permanent global species loss is a more dramatic phenomenon than regional
changes in species composition, even minor changes from a healthy stable state can have
dramatic influence on the food web and the food chain insofar as reductions in only one
species can adversely affect the entire chain (coextinction), leading to an overall reduction
in biodiversity, possible alternative stable states of an ecosystem
notwithstanding. Ecological effects of biodiversity are usually counteracted by its loss.
Reduced biodiversity in particular leads to reduced ecosystem services and eventually
poses an immediate danger for food security, also for humankind.[1]
Loss rateEdit
See also: alpha diversity, beta diversity, and gamma diversity

See also: Diversity–function debate

Demonstrator against biodiversity loss, at Extinction Rebellion (2018).

You know, when we first set up WWF, our objective was to save endangered species
“ from extinction. But we have failed completely; we haven’t managed to save a single
one. If only we had put all that money into condoms, we might have done some good. ”
— Sir Peter Scott, Founder of the World Wide Fund for Nature, Cosmos Magazine, 2010[2]
The current rate of global diversity loss is estimated to be 100 to 1000 times higher than
the (naturally occurring) background extinction rate and expected to still grow in the
upcoming years.[3][4]
 Locally bounded loss rates can be measuredusing species richness and its variation over
time. Raw counts may not be as ecologically relevant as relative or absolute abundances.
Taking into account the relative frequencies, a considerable number of biodiversity
indexeshas been developed. Besides richness, evenness and heterogeneity are considered
to be the main dimensions along which diversity can be measured.[1]
As with all diversity measures, it is essential to accurately classify the spatial and temporal
scope of the observation. "Definitions tend to become less precise as the complexity of the
subject increases and the associated spatial and temporal scales widen."[5] Biodiversity
itself is not a single concept but can be split up into various scales (e.g. ecosystem
diversity vs. habitat diversity or even biodiversity vs. habitat diversity[5]) or different
subcategories (e.g. phylogenetic diversity, species diversity, genetic diversity, nucleotide
diversity). The question of net loss in confined regions is often a matter of debate but
longer observation times are generally thought to be beneficial to loss estimates.[6][7]
To compare rates between different geographic regions latitudinal gradients in species
diversity should also be considered.

SCIENCE
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What Is Biodiversity Loss and Why Is It a

Problem?
Anything in a given area from the smallest organism to the largest are part of
the biodiversity of a habitat.

By Megan Ray Nichols

June 04, 2018

Gary Bendig/Unsplash
There is so much life on this planet that it's estimated 86 percent of species are still
undiscovered. Thanks to humans, though, we may never get the chance to find them all.
Biodiversity loss is becoming a bigger problem than we ever thought it could be. It's
estimated that half of all the species on the planet could go extinct by 2050 — only 32 years
from now. What is biodiversity loss, and why is it such a big problem?

What Is Biodiversity Loss?

Biodiversity is defined as the totality of genes, species and ecosystems in a defined area.
Everything from the smallest single-celled organism to the largest apex predator makes
up the biodiversity of a given area.

Biodiversity loss, on the other hand, is the death of those ecosystems. Either the entire
ecosystem is destroyed because of human intervention — including deforestation, urban
development and farming — or enough key species in an ecosystem die that the
ecosystem collapses on its own.

We're already experiencing biodiversity loss. It's estimated that in the last four decades,
we've lost more than 50 percent of the planet's biodiversity. If the fact that we might lose
more than 50 percent of the planet's plants and animals in just 32 years doesn't scare you
a little bit, you might not be paying attention.

What Causes Biodiversity Loss?

What causes these natural ecosystems to collapse?

Sometimes the collapse of an ecosystem is the result of natural causes. Forest fires, floods
and volcanic eruptions all have the potential to destroy an ecosystem in a given area.
However, these natural types of biodiversity loss are normal — and the planet has a plan
in place to restore them once the damage has passed. Some seeds, like those from a
number of pine trees, won't even germinate unless their parent tree has burned in a
wildfire.

Those aren't the kinds of biodiversity loss we should be concerned about.

Human intervention has caused the majority of biodiversity loss in the last few decades.
Common causes include:
Deforestation: When we cut down a forest to use its lumber, or claim the land for
agricultural purposes, we are destroying unique ecosystems that can't exist anywhere else.

Invasive Species: Species introduced in an area where they have no natural predators can
decimate an ecosystem. Good examples of this are the pythons in the Florida
Everglades and lionfish in the Gulf of Mexico. Most of these invasive species are linked
directly to human intervention.

Pollution: Garbage dumped into the water supply, chemical runoff from industrial
applications, and air pollution from cars and factories all have a negative effect.

Climate Change: Changes in the climate can happen naturally over millions of years —
just look at the end of the last ice age. This time, though, climate change has been the
result of human intervention. It's happening too quickly, and species can't adapt quickly
enough, so they're dying out.

Overfishing: It's difficult to put a number on overfishing because most of the ocean is
still unexplored, but it's estimated that anywhere from 60 to 90 percent of the ocean has
been overfished or is on the verge of collapse.

Overpopulation: There are currently 7.4 billion people on the planet. Experts estimate
that the planet is only capable of supporting roughly 10 billion souls, a number we're
expected to reach and exceed in the next 100 years.

There are so many of us on the planet now that it's almost impossible not to have an
impact on the world around us. What sort of impact will this loss of biodiversity have on
us?

The Human Impact of Biodiversity Loss

As much as we like to try to keep ourselves apart from it, by building roads and houses to
protect us from the elements, humans are intrinsically linked to the world around us.
Biodiversity loss will affect us, too.

Maria Neira, director of WHO's Department for the Protection of the Human
Environment, summed it up better than we ever could. "Human health is strongly linked to
the health of the ecosystems, which meet many of our most critical needs."
We harvest plants from around the world for both modern and alternative medicine.
Many of these medicines save lives, and we could lose half of these plants by 2050.

We harvest 200 billion pounds of foodfrom the oceans every single year. Meat from wild
animals also helps to sustain people around the world while bolstering their local
economy.

Natural wonders like the Great Barrier Reef don't only contribute food to the local
populations — they also help maintain Australia’s economy by bringing in tourists and
visitors from around the world.

We're not just threatening the health of the planet's ecosystems — we're threatening our
own survival. Climate change alone is threatening bees and other migratory pollinators, and
if we lose the bees, we lose the majority of our food supply. Bees alone pollinate 70 of the
100 plants that feed more than 90 percent of the world.

If those plants die, so will the animals that feed on them, and on and on up the food chain,
until multiple ecosystems around the world collapse. Between that and the constantly
growing human population, we can't afford to keep turning a blind eye to biodiversity
loss. What can we do to start reversing this damage that we've done to the planet?

How to Reverse Biodiversity Loss

Trying to save the whole planet is a lofty goal, but it's not something you can do alone. It
will take everyone making small changes in the way they live to create large, cumulative
changes.

What can you do, in your own individual part of the world, to help protect biodiversity?

Recycle, Recycle, Recycle: The old adage to reduce, reuse and recycle is great, but at
this point, we're just going to focus on the last part — Purchase products that are made
with recycled materials. Plastic, paper, wood and metal can all be recycled, so start there
to make a difference. On the other side of the coin, recycle as much as you can.
Campaign for recycling programs in your area. Make recycling cool again.

Buy Sustainable: We all love a well-cooked salmon filet or swordfish steak, but before
you start stocking up on seafood, make sure you're buying fish that has been sustainably
harvested. Avoid fish that are endangered like Bluefin tuna, and only purchase seafood
that is labeled with the Marine Stewardship Council logo.

Drive Green: Everyone talks about reducing their carbon footprint, and the easiest way
you can do this is to give up your gas guzzler in favor of a hybrid or electric car. These
low- to no-emission vehicles have much less of an impact on the environment. If buying
a new car isn't an option, try carpooling, public transportation, riding a bike or walking
where you can.

Protect Local Habitats and Make Wildlife Welcome: We might not be able to save the
world, but we can help improve our local areas. Take the time to clean up animal
habitats, like beaches, forests and other undeveloped areas. Make your area welcoming
for wildlife. Bird houses, bat houses and other housing can be great, as can planting local
flora and turning your backyard into your own personal wildlife sanctuary.

Go Package-Free: Plastic packaging is one of the biggest wastes we experience on a

daily basis. If you have one in your area, shop at a packing-free grocery store. These
allow you to bring your own bags, jars and other reusable packaging to buy dry
ingredients in bulk.

Compost: The average American generates roughly 4.4 pounds of garbage a day, much of it
organic. Instead of tossing your vegetable peelings or coffee grounds, try setting up a
compost pile for your organic waste. Not only does it keep your trash out of landfills, but
it also makes killer natural fertilizer for flowers and plants — no chemicals needed.

Volunteer: There are probably plenty of organizations in your area that are working
toward a greener tomorrow. You just have to look for them. Volunteer your time and help
improve the area where you live.

Stand Up: Big companies are starting to get the picture, but there are still plenty that will
exploit natural resources if given a chance. If you've got a big development company
moving into your area that wants to cut down forests or drain local wetlands, it's up you
to stand up and rally others to stand up to prevent this.

Donate: If donating your time isn't enough, consider donating some money to nonprofit
organizations that are fighting to protect biodiversity around the world. There are many
organizationsthat protect land, sea, and air in favor of a better tomorrow.
 NEWS

EU Wants to Ban Single-Use Plastic Products

This might seem like a huge list of changes to make in your life, but it's a small sampling
of the things we can do, on an individual level, to help protect biodiversity.

When it comes down to it, we're a part of this planet and what we do impacts not only the
world around us but our future, as well. We each need to start doing our part to help
reverse the damage we've done to global biodiversity by starting in our own backyards.
We're the ones that made the mess, and we're the only ones that can clean it up. A little
bit can go a long way if everyone pitches in.

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3 min
GLOBAL THEMES -

Biodiversity plays an important role in the way ecosystems function and in the many services they
provide, including nutrients and water cycling, soil formation and retention, resistance
against invasive species, pollination of plants, regulation of climate, as well as pest and pollution
control by ecosystems.

Biodiversity plays a crucial role in human nutrition through its influence on world food production,
as it ensures the sustainable productivity of soils and provides the genetic resources for all crops,
livestock, and marine species harvested for food.

There is growing concern about the health consequences of biodiversity loss and change.
Biodiversity loss can have significant direct human health impacts if ecosystem services are no
longer adequate to meet social needs. Indirectly, changes in ecosystem services affect livelihoods,
income, local migration and, on occasion, may even cause political conflict.

Intensified and enhanced food production through irrigation, use of fertilizer, plant protection
(pesticides) or the introduction of crop varieties and cropping patterns affect biodiversity, and thus
impact global nutritional status and human health. Habitat simplification, species loss and species
succession often enhance communities vulnerabilities as a function of environmental receptivity
to ill health.

The main cause of the loss of biodiversity can be attributed to the influence of human beings on
the world’s ecosystem. In fact, human beings have deeply altered the environment and have
 modified the territory, exploiting the species directly. For example by fishing and hunting,
changing the biogeochemical cycles and transferring species from one area to another.

The threats to biodiversity can be summarized in the following main points:

 Alteration and loss of the habitats: the transformation of the natural areas determines not only the loss
of the vegetable species, but also a decrease in the animal species associated with them
 Introduction of exotic species and genetically modified organisms: species originating from a
particular area, introduced into new natural environments can lead to different forms of imbalance in the
ecological equilibrium
 Pollution: human activity influences the natural environment producing negative, direct or indirect,
effects that alter the flow of energy, the chemical and physical constitution of the environment and
abundance of the species
 Climate change: for example, heating of the Earth’s surface affects biodiversity because it endangers all
the species that adapted to the cold due to the latitude (the Polar species) or the altitude (mountain
species)
 Overexploitation of resources: when the activities connected with capturing and harvesting (hunting,
fishing, farming) a renewable natural resource in a particular area is excessively intense, the resource
itself may become exhausted, for example, is the case of sardines, herrings, cod, tuna and many other
species that man captures without leaving enough time for the organisms to reproduce
The loss of biodiversity is increasingly threatening the Earth’s ability to provide humans with
things like food, water, fertile soils, and protection from pests and disease, according to a 20-year
review.

Top 25 biodiversity hot spots: rich in biodiversity and under threat from human impacts
Hotspots: (1) Tropical Andes; (2) Mesoamerica; (3) Caribbean; (4) Atlantic Forest Region; (5)
Chocó-Darién-Western Ecuador; (6) Brazilian Cerrado; (7) Central Chile; (8) California
Floristic Province; (9) Madagascar; (10) Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests of
Tanzania and Kenya; (11) West African Forests; (12) Cape Floristic Region; (13) Succulent
Karoo; (14) Mediterranean Basin; (15) Caucasus; (16) Sundaland; (17) Wallacea; (18)
Philippines; (19) Indo-Burma; (20) Mountains of South-Central China; (21) Western Ghats and
Sri Lanka; (22) Southwest Australia; (23) New Caledonia; (24) New Zealand; and (25)
Polynesia and Micronesia. Major tropical wilderness areas: (A) Upper Amazonia and Guyana
Shield; (B) Congo River Basin; and (C) New Guinea and Melanesian Islands.

Currently, people are becoming more aware of the effects of biodiversity loss and taking
precautions. More organizations are working on new ways to lower biodiversity loss more
effectively. To reduce loss there are some possible approaches: reduction of deforestation,
reduction of agricultural expansion and using of renewable energy systems. There are several
important ways in which humans can slow biodiversity loss, although there is no way to bring back
the species that have already gone extinct.
 Protecting areas - Creating protected areas where human activity is limited is the best way to
prevent deforestation and exploitation of organisms and the resources they need to survive.

Preventing species introductions - This is the case with invasive species, which can wreak havoc
when introduced to ecosystems that aren’t prepared to deal with them.

Informing / Educating - Education is a powerful tool, and the more people know about
biodiversity loss, the more they will be prepared to help slow it.

Slowing climate change - Climate change is the documented cause of several extinctions that we
know about, and has likely caused hundreds of species to go extinct about which we may never
know. Any efforts as individuals, organizations, or governments, to slow current human-caused
global warming is a step towards slowing biodiversity loss.

Promoting sustainability - Sustainable farming is much better for the environment than grazing
and cropping that rely on clearing swathes of forest or field.

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GLOBAL THEMES -
 Biodiversity plays an important role in the way ecosystems function and in the many services they
provide, including nutrients and water cycling, soil formation and retention, resistance
against invasive species, pollination of plants, regulation of climate, as well as pest and pollution
control by ecosystems.

Biodiversity plays a crucial role in human nutrition through its influence on world food production,
as it ensures the sustainable productivity of soils and provides the genetic resources for all crops,
livestock, and marine species harvested for food.

There is growing concern about the health consequences of biodiversity loss and change.
Biodiversity loss can have significant direct human health impacts if ecosystem services are no
longer adequate to meet social needs. Indirectly, changes in ecosystem services affect livelihoods,
income, local migration and, on occasion, may even cause political conflict.

Intensified and enhanced food production through irrigation, use of fertilizer, plant protection
(pesticides) or the introduction of crop varieties and cropping patterns affect biodiversity, and thus
impact global nutritional status and human health. Habitat simplification, species loss and species
succession often enhance communities vulnerabilities as a function of environmental receptivity
to ill health.

The main cause of the loss of biodiversity can be attributed to the influence of human beings on
the world’s ecosystem. In fact, human beings have deeply altered the environment and have
modified the territory, exploiting the species directly. For example by fishing and hunting,
changing the biogeochemical cycles and transferring species from one area to another.

The threats to biodiversity can be summarized in the following main points:

 Alteration and loss of the habitats: the transformation of the natural areas determines not only the
loss of the vegetable species, but also a decrease in the animal species associated with them
 Introduction of exotic species and genetically modified organisms: species originating from a
particular area, introduced into new natural environments can lead to different forms of imbalance in
the ecological equilibrium
 Pollution: human activity influences the natural environment producing negative, direct or indirect,
effects that alter the flow of energy, the chemical and physical constitution of the environment and
abundance of the species
 Climate change: for example, heating of the Earth’s surface affects biodiversity because it endangers
all the species that adapted to the cold due to the latitude (the Polar species) or the altitude (mountain
species)
 Overexploitation of resources: when the activities connected with capturing and harvesting (hunting,
fishing, farming) a renewable natural resource in a particular area is excessively intense, the resource
itself may become exhausted, for example, is the case of sardines, herrings, cod, tuna and many other
species that man captures without leaving enough time for the organisms to reproduce
The loss of biodiversity is increasingly threatening the Earth’s ability to provide humans with
things like food, water, fertile soils, and protection from pests and disease, according to a 20-year
review.

Top 25 biodiversity hot spots: rich in biodiversity and under threat from human impacts
Hotspots: (1) Tropical Andes; (2) Mesoamerica; (3) Caribbean; (4) Atlantic Forest Region; (5)
Chocó-Darién-Western Ecuador; (6) Brazilian Cerrado; (7) Central Chile; (8) California
Floristic Province; (9) Madagascar; (10) Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests of
Tanzania and Kenya; (11) West African Forests; (12) Cape Floristic Region; (13) Succulent
Karoo; (14) Mediterranean Basin; (15) Caucasus; (16) Sundaland; (17) Wallacea; (18)
Philippines; (19) Indo-Burma; (20) Mountains of South-Central China; (21) Western Ghats and
Sri Lanka; (22) Southwest Australia; (23) New Caledonia; (24) New Zealand; and (25)
Polynesia and Micronesia. Major tropical wilderness areas: (A) Upper Amazonia and Guyana
Shield; (B) Congo River Basin; and (C) New Guinea and Melanesian Islands.

Currently, people are becoming more aware of the effects of biodiversity loss and taking
precautions. More organizations are working on new ways to lower biodiversity loss more
effectively. To reduce loss there are some possible approaches: reduction of deforestation,
reduction of agricultural expansion and using of renewable energy systems. There are several
important ways in which humans can slow biodiversity loss, although there is no way to bring back
the species that have already gone extinct.

Protecting areas - Creating protected areas where human activity is limited is the best way to
prevent deforestation and exploitation of organisms and the resources they need to survive.

Preventing species introductions - This is the case with invasive species, which can wreak havoc
when introduced to ecosystems that aren’t prepared to deal with them.

Informing / Educating - Education is a powerful tool, and the more people know about
biodiversity loss, the more they will be prepared to help slow it.

Slowing climate change - Climate change is the documented cause of several extinctions that we
know about, and has likely caused hundreds of species to go extinct about which we may never
know. Any efforts as individuals, organizations, or governments, to slow current human-caused
global warming is a step towards slowing biodiversity loss.

Promoting sustainability - Sustainable farming is much better for the environment than grazing
and cropping that rely on clearing swathes of forest or field.

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Agricultural productivity nowadays may seem to have reached a stationary (maximum) point due
to the global availability of fertilizers and pesticides which are used to improve crop yield.
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Toggle navigation Loss of Biodiversity Tanja Folnovic Agronomy Expert 3 min GLOBAL THEMES -
Biodiversity plays an important role in the way ecosystems function and in the many services they
provide, including nutrients and water cycling, soil formation and retention, resistance against invasive
species, pollination of plants, regulation of climate, as well as pest and pollution control by ecosystems.
Biodiversity plays a crucial role in human nutrition through its influence on world food production, as it
ensures the sustainable productivity of soils and provides the genetic resources for all crops, livestock,
and marine species harvested for food. There is growing concern about the health consequences of
biodiversity loss and change. Biodiversity loss can have significant direct human health impacts if
ecosystem services are no longer adequate to meet social needs. Indirectly, changes in ecosystem services
affect livelihoods, income, local migration and, on occasion, may even cause political conflict. Intensified
and enhanced food production through irrigation, use of fertilizer, plant protection (pesticides) or the
introduction of crop varieties and cropping patterns affect biodiversity, and thus impact global nutritional
status and human health. Habitat simplification, species loss and species succession often enhance
communities vulnerabilities as a function of environmental receptivity to ill health. The main cause of the
loss of biodiversity can be attributed to the influence of human beings on the world’s ecosystem. In fact,
human beings have deeply altered the environment and have modified the territory, exploiting the species
directly. For example by fishing and hunting, changing the biogeochemical cycles and transferring
species from one area to another. The threats to biodiversity can be summarized in the following main
points: Alteration and loss of the habitats: the transformation of the natural areas determines not only the
loss of the vegetable species, but also a decrease in the animal species associated with them Introduction
of exotic species and genetically modified organisms: species originating from a particular area,
introduced into new natural environments can lead to different forms of imbalance in the ecological
equilibrium Pollution: human activity influences the natural environment producing negative, direct or
indirect, effects that alter the flow of energy, the chemical and physical constitution of the environment
and abundance of the species Climate change: for example, heating of the Earth’s surface affects
biodiversity because it endangers all the species that adapted to the cold due to the latitude (the Polar
species) or the altitude (mountain species) Overexploitation of resources: when the activities connected
with capturing and harvesting (hunting, fishing, farming) a renewable natural resource in a particular area
is excessively intense, the resource itself may become exhausted, for example, is the case of sardines,
herrings, cod, tuna and many other species that man captures without leaving enough time for the
organisms to reproduce The loss of biodiversity is increasingly threatening the Earth’s ability to provide
humans with things like food, water, fertile soils, and protection from pests and disease, according to a
20-year review. Top 25 biodiversity hot spots: rich in biodiversity and under threat from human impacts
Hotspots: (1) Tropical Andes; (2) Mesoamerica; (3) Caribbean; (4) Atlantic Forest Region; (5) Chocó-
Darién-Western Ecuador; (6) Brazilian Cerrado; (7) Central Chile; (8) California Floristic Province; (9)
Madagascar; (10) Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests of Tanzania and Kenya; (11) West African
Forests; (12) Cape Floristic Region; (13) Succulent Karoo; (14) Mediterranean Basin; (15) Caucasus; (16)
Sundaland; (17) Wallacea; (18) Philippines; (19) Indo-Burma; (20) Mountains of South-Central China;
(21) Western Ghats and Sri Lanka; (22) Southwest Australia; (23) New Caledonia; (24) New Zealand;
and (25) Polynesia and Micronesia. Major tropical wilderness areas: (A) Upper Amazonia and Guyana
Shield; (B) Congo River Basin; and (C) New Guinea and Melanesian Islands. Currently, people are
becoming more aware of the effects of biodiversity loss and taking precautions. More organizations are
working on new ways to lower biodiversity loss more effectively. To reduce loss there are some possible
approaches: reduction of deforestation, reduction of agricultural expansion and using of renewable energy
systems. There are several important ways in which humans can slow biodiversity loss, although there is
no way to bring back the species that have already gone extinct. Protecting areas - Creating protected
areas where human activity is limited is the best way to prevent deforestation and exploitation of
organisms and the resources they need to survive. Preventing species introductions - This is the case with
invasive species, which can wreak havoc when introduced to ecosystems that aren’t prepared to deal with
them. Informing / Educating - Education is a powerful tool, and the more people know about biodiversity
loss, the more they will be prepared to help slow it. Slowing climate change - Climate change is the
documented cause of several extinctions that we know about, and has likely caused hundreds of species to
go extinct about which we may never know. Any efforts as individuals, organizations, or governments, to
slow current human-caused global warming is a step towards slowing biodiversity loss. Promoting
sustainability - Sustainable farming is much better for the environment than grazing and cropping that
rely on clearing swathes of forest or field. TRY NOW FOR FREE Read next: Benefits of Using Precision
Farming: Producing More with Less Agricultural productivity nowadays may seem to have reached a
stationary (maximum) point due to the global availability of fertilizers and pesticides which are used to
improve crop yield. However, misuse of these products and lack of awareness of t ... The Fight Against
Global Malnutrition Despite extensive global economic growth in recent decades – including in some of
the poorest countries in Africa – millions of people remain locked in a vicious cycle of hunger and
poverty. Poverty means parents can’t feed their families enough n ... Subscribe to our newsletter
PRODUCTS Farm Management Cooperative Management Enterprise Farm Management Add-
Ons INDUSTRIES Overview LEARN MORE Blog Success Stories Partner Program Help
Center COMPANY About Us Careers Contact Us © 2019 Agrivi. All rights reserved. Terms of Service
Privacy Policy Toggle navigation Loss of Biodiversity Tanja Folnovic Agronomy Expert 3 min GLOBAL
THEMES - Biodiversity plays an important role in the way ecosystems function and in the many services
they provide, including nutrients and water cycling, soil formation and retention, resistance
against invasive species, pollination of plants, regulation of climate, as well as pest and pollution control
by ecosystems. Biodiversity plays a crucial role in human nutrition through its influence on world food
production, as it ensures the sustainable productivity of soils and provides the genetic resources for all
crops, livestock, and marine species harvested for food. There is growing concern about the health
consequences of biodiversity loss and change. Biodiversity loss can have significant direct human health
impacts if ecosystem services are no longer adequate to meet social needs. Indirectly, changes in
ecosystem services affect livelihoods, income, local migration and, on occasion, may even cause political
conflict. Intensified and enhanced food production through irrigation, use of fertilizer, plant protection
(pesticides) or the introduction of crop varieties and cropping patterns affect biodiversity, and thus impact
global nutritional status and human health. Habitat simplification, species loss and species succession
often enhance communities vulnerabilities as a function of environmental receptivity to ill health. The
main cause of the loss of biodiversity can be attributed to the influence of human beings on the world’s
ecosystem. In fact, human beings have deeply altered the environment and have modified the territory,
exploiting the species directly. For example by fishing and hunting, changing the biogeochemical cycles
and transferring species from one area to another. The threats to biodiversity can be summarized in the
following main points: Alteration and loss of the habitats: the transformation of the natural areas
determines not only the loss of the vegetable species, but also a decrease in the animal species associated
with them Introduction of exotic species and genetically modified organisms: species originating from a
particular area, introduced into new natural environments can lead to different forms of imbalance in the
ecological equilibrium Pollution: human activity influences the natural environment producing negative,
direct or indirect, effects that alter the flow of energy, the chemical and physical constitution of the
environment and abundance of the species Climate change: for example, heating of the Earth’s surface
affects biodiversity because it endangers all the species that adapted to the cold due to the latitude (the
Polar species) or the altitude (mountain species) Overexploitation of resources: when the activities
connected with capturing and harvesting (hunting, fishing, farming) a renewable natural resource in a
particular area is excessively intense, the resource itself may become exhausted, for example, is the case
of sardines, herrings, cod, tuna and many other species that man captures without leaving enough time for
the organisms to reproduce The loss of biodiversity is increasingly threatening the Earth’s ability to
provide humans with things like food, water, fertile soils, and protection from pests and disease,
according to a 20-year review. Top 25 biodiversity hot spots: rich in biodiversity and under threat from
human impacts Hotspots: (1) Tropical Andes; (2) Mesoamerica; (3) Caribbean; (4) Atlantic Forest
Region; (5) Chocó-Darién-Western Ecuador; (6) Brazilian Cerrado; (7) Central Chile; (8) California
Floristic Province; (9) Madagascar; (10) Eastern Arc Mountains and Coastal Forests of Tanzania and
Kenya; (11) West African Forests; (12) Cape Floristic Region; (13) Succulent Karoo; (14) Mediterranean
Basin; (15) Caucasus; (16) Sundaland; (17) Wallacea; (18) Philippines; (19) Indo-Burma; (20) Mountains
of South-Central China; (21) Western Ghats and Sri Lanka; (22) Southwest Australia; (23) New
Caledonia; (24) New Zealand; and (25) Polynesia and Micronesia. Major tropical wilderness areas: (A)
Upper Amazonia and Guyana Shield; (B) Congo River Basin; and (C) New Guinea and Melanesian
Islands. Currently, people are becoming more aware of the effects of biodiversity loss and taking
precautions. More organizations are working on new ways to lower biodiversity loss more effectively. To
reduce loss there are some possible approaches: reduction of deforestation, reduction of agricultural
expansion and using of renewable energy systems. There are several important ways in which humans can
slow biodiversity loss, although there is no way to bring back the species that have already gone extinct.
Protecting areas - Creating protected areas where human activity is limited is the best way to prevent
deforestation and exploitation of organisms and the resources they need to survive. Preventing species
introductions - This is the case with invasive species, which can wreak havoc when introduced to
ecosystems that aren’t prepared to deal with them. Informing / Educating - Education is a powerful tool,
and the more people know about biodiversity loss, the more they will be prepared to help slow it. Slowing
climate change - Climate change is the documented cause of several extinctions that we know about, and
has likely caused hundreds of species to go extinct about which we may never know. Any efforts as
individuals, organizations, or governments, to slow current human-caused global warming is a step
towards slowing biodiversity loss. Promoting sustainability - Sustainable farming is much better for the
environment than grazing and cropping that rely on clearing swathes of forest or field. TRY NOW FOR
FREE Read next: Benefits of Using Precision Farming: Producing More with Less Agricultural
productivity nowadays may seem to have reached a stationary (maximum) point due to the global
availability of fertilizers and pesticides which are used to improve crop yield. However, misuse of these
products and lack of awareness of t ... The Fight Against Global Malnutrition Despite extensive global
economic growth in recent decades – including in some of the poorest countries in Africa – millions of
people remain locked in a vicious cycle of hunger and poverty. Poverty means parents can’t feed their
families enough n ... Subscribe to our newsletter PRODUCTS Farm Management Cooperative
Management Enterprise Farm Management Add-Ons INDUSTRIES Overview LEARN MORE Blog
Success Stories Partner Program Help Center COMPANY About Us Careers Contact Us © 2019
Agrivi. All rights reserved. Terms of Service Privacy Policy ShareThis Copy and Paste

6 problems caused by shrinking biodiversity

Estimates of species loss are, without a doubt, staggering. In 2007, Sigmar
Gabriel, the Federal Environment Minister of Germany, cited estimates that up
to 30% of all species will be extinct by 2050. Others have estimated that as many
as 140,000 species are lost each year. The alarming trends have led some to
declare the current period the "Sixth Great Extinction."

But, extinctions—even mass extinction events—are not new. Though the current
trend is caused, undeniably, by human action—through poaching, habitat
destruction, pollution, and anthropogenic climate change, among others—mass
reductions in biodiversity can—and have—occur without human interference.

The question then, is what does humanity lose when global biodiversity
is significantly reduced?
Simply: A lot. Here are six significant human problems caused by reduced
biodiversity:

1. Economic Cost of Lost Biodiversity

Topping the list, of course, is the monetary value of biodiversity around the world.
In terms of ecosystem services—functions like pollination, irrigation, soil
reclemation and other things that would have to be paid for if nature couldn't take
care of it on its own—the value of global biodiversity has been estimated in the
trillions. Because of this, deforestation alone has been estimated to cost between
$2-5 trillion annually worldwide.

READ MORE: Businesses & Consumers Just Beginning to Recognize

Economic Cost of Biodiversity Loss

2. Reduced Food Security

Reductions in biodiversity, however, do not only occur during

deforestation or through poaching. The introduction of new species, too,
increases competition amongst locals and often leads to extinction of
native populations. In much of the world, this is happening on farms, too,
where foreign breeds of cattle are being imported, pushing out natives.

This means that the world's livestock population is becoming increasingly narrow;
and more vulnerable to disease, drought, and changes in climate.

READ MORE: Why Biodiversity Key To Global Food Security

3. Increased Contact With Disease

Losing species, like the critically endangered tiger, can actually increase
our chances of getting sick. Photo credit: cliff1066/Creative Commons

The loss of biodiversity has two significant impacts on human health and the
spread of disease. First, it increases the number of disease carrying animals in
local populations. Research has shown that the species best adapted to survive
critically fragmented habitats are also the most prolific carriers of pathogens. As
habitats are broken apart and reduced in size, these animals become more
common, winning out over the species that do not typically transmit disease.

At the same time, habitat fragmentation brings humans in closer and more
frequent contact with these disease carrying species.

READ MORE: Loss of Biodiversity Makes Humans Sick

4. More Unpredictable Weather

Image credit: Shamih ( iZZo )/Flickr

If forecasting the weather seems simply a matter of deciding to bring an umbrella

or not, ask any farmer or coastal homeowner how they feel. Indeed, unseasonable
weather, extreme weather, and weather that does not perform to historical norms
is a huge problem that can lead to drought, destruction, and displacement.

The loss of species—even those replaced by invasives—has been shown

to cause more unpredictable weather.

READ MORE: Humans Now Wiping Out Species at 1,000 Times the Natural
Rate

5. Loss of Livelihoods

From fishermen to farmers, biodiversity—not to mention healthy ecosystems—is

essential to maintaining livelihoods. When ocean ecosystems collapse, for
example, entire communities built on the bounty they provide fold as well. Whether
the cause is pollution, overfishing, ocean acidification, or a combination of these
and more, humans are tied to the downfall of the ecosystems that surround them.

READ MORE: 4 Key Lessons Learned From The Death and Rebirth of
Monterey Bay (Book Review)
 6. Losing Sight of "Nature"

Beyond the utility of nature, of course, is the value of Nature to humanity. While an
understanding of the science of the natural world does not diminish its grandeur,
the physical deflation of it certainly does. When people finally look up from their
desks and out their windows, will they be surprised by what remains?

READ MORE: Does Focusing on Biodiversity Diminish Nature?

Related on TreeHugger:

Lower Biodiversity Hurts Species' Chances To Adapt To Climate Change

Protected Wildlife Areas Alone Won't Stop Continued Biodiversity Loss

30 fascinating facts about the boreal forest

High yield farming may be better for biodiversity

Biodiversity Conservation

Copyright © 2019 NARRATIVE CONTENT GROUP. All rights reserved.

Nature has provided the goods and services needed to sustain human life for so long
that most people take them for granted. But growing evidence suggests that Earth’s
natural capital, and the biological diversity that underpins these goods and services, are
being eroded. Some even claim that Earth is in the midst of a 6th mass extinction.
Though this claim is a bit misleading—over the past 400 years, we’ve lost 1-13 percent
of known species, compared with 75 percent or more lost during the five prior mass
extinctions—the concern is not about the total number of species that have already
gone extinct. Rather, the concern is how quickly species are being lost—and we are
losing species faster than ever. In the fossil record, we normally see one species per
thousand go extinct every millennia. Rates of extinction in the past century have
increased to 100 to 1,000 times faster than normal. Add to this the abnormally high
number of threatened and endangered species, and projections suggest we could truly
reach the point of a mass extinction in 240-540 years.

So what? Beyond conserving species for the sake of biodiversity, does it matter if a
large fraction of Earth’s life forms cease to exist in the next few centuries? Biologists
have spent much of the past 20 years addressing this very question, and they have now
run more than 500 experiments in which they have simulated the extinction of species in
nearly every major biome on Earth. Results have been surprisingly consistent.
Whenever ecosystems lose species, they generally become less efficient and less
stable. Less diverse communities are not as good at capturing biologically essential
resources like sunlight, water, and nutrients. In turn, the growth of plants slows, as does
the animals that eat the plants. Less diverse systems are also less efficient at
decomposing waste products and recycling essential nutrients; thus, they become more
“leaky.” Less diverse ecosystems tend to be more variable through time, which causes
them to exhibit greater fluctuations and higher levels of unpredictability. Collectively,
these things cause ecosystems with fewer species to be less efficient and reliable at
providing society with many fundamentally important goods and services, like the
provision of crops and fisheries, control of many types of pest and disease, production
of wood, and the ability to remove carbon from the atmosphere, to name a few.

On the other hand, it’s important to acknowledge that biodiversity is not always “good”
for society. Biodiversity is, after all, the very reason we have antibiotic resistance. There
is also no evidence to suggest we must conserve allspecies to maintain ecosystem
services. Species have come and gone throughout Earth’s history, and yet, higher life
continues to exist. Furthermore, humans have shown a unique ability to develop low
diversity systems through domestication and bioengineering that can provide select
products and services quite well.

Even so, it is naive and dangerous to ignore our fundamental dependence on other life
forms. It is clear that the loss of certain key species can have strong impacts on
biological processes, and while it is sometimes obvious which species play the biggest
roles, other times we don’t realize their importance until they are gone. It is also naive
and dangerous to think we can bioengineer a planet that will be able sustain the
growing human population. If we were unable to build a life-support system that could
support 8 people in Biosphere II, who believes we can engineer a planet able to support
9 billion?

We are taking the very genes and species that have made Earth an inhabitable and
biologically productive planet over the past 3.8 billion years, and we are lining them up
on the edge of a cliff from which there is no return. If the ever growing human population
is to continue to prosper, we must better appreciate how our own well-being is directly
linked to the great variety of life that is the most striking feature of our planet.