Biodiversity and threats to it biodiversity and threats to it 4. Threats to biodiversity critical thinking exercise define threats to biodiversity in other words threats to biodiversity means give an analogy for threats to biodiversity. Exploitation comes in the form of hunting, fishing, poaching, and illegal trade, among others. Threats to biodiversity the following pages illustrate the benefits of highlighting important words and ideas. Terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems play a significant role in the global carbon cycle. Michael soule, noted american conservation biologist.
If we are to mitigate these threats we must first understand what specifically. We now know that most species that have ever lived have gone extinct. The antarctic and southern oceans are teeming with life, yet protection measures are weak as the continent faces increased threats from fishing, tourism and science programs, according to a. Biodiversityrelated scientific institutions in belgium. Pdf the location of and threats to biodiversity are distributed unevenly, so prioritization is essential to minimize. Biodiversity threats from red lists are linked with patterns of international trade, identifying the ultimate instigators of the threats. Moreover, species in different regions of the world are more prone to some threats than others. Biodiversity value and threats linkedin slideshare. Contents introduction threats to biodiversity habitat loss poaching manwildlife conflicts importance of biodiversity questions 3. It is the vavilovian centre for several crop plants and has a high degree of endemism. The earth is the only planet in the solar system that support life. Biodiversity is a fragile thing, susceptible to all sorts of threats. Biodiversity threats weston w sechrest,university of virginia, charlottesville, virginia, usa thomas m brooks, center for applied biodiversity science conservation international, washington dc, usa any direct or indirect human activity that threatens the planets biological diversity in the.
The artificial selective pressure placed on species is driving the extinction of both unfit and fit individuals, diminishing population sizes and eradicating species. Ecosystems or organisms of high conservation importance are often. Biodiversity, ecosystem services, threats and responses. Evaluate the relative importance of the threats facing biodiversity in the region 16 global warming what is biodiversity climate change affects biodiversity in many ways. Biodiversity of rangelands the ability to sustain biodiversity will depend on how successful the efforts are to maintain and restore variation and revitalize ecosystem functioning. Due to these practices woody species diversity is suppressed highly in ethiopia. Threats to aquatic biodiversity threats to freshwater species 20% of freshwater fishes extinct or in serious decline extinctatrisk salmonsteelhead runs outnumber healthy by 3. Evaluate the relative importance of the threats facing biodi.
Plants and animals are even more diverse with respect to their numbers. Pdf global threats to human water security and river biodiversity. Major threats for biodiversity in belgium extract from the 5th national report to the cbd. It has contributed to the loss of 40% of all animal extinctions for which the cause is known since the 17 th century and, in one area of south africa, it is threatening 80% of the local native species. Life on the earth exist on the biosphere, a narrow zone made up of land, air and water expanding up to a few kilometer above and below the earth s. Naturebased solutions from the world bank portfolio will also contribute to solutions as nations and communities strive to adapt to climate change. Thus biodiversity is the total variety of life on our planet, the total number of. Focal area addressing the major threats to biodiversity, including those arising from invasive alien species, climate change, pollution, and habitat change. Habitat destruction deforestation, invasive species, genetic pollution, climate changes, diseases and human population. Even as it supports all life on earth it is constantly facing threats and damage that is almost impossible for our multiple ecosystems to recover from. Major threats biodiversity is under serious threat as a result of human activities. Biodiversity, which literally means the diversity of life, refers to the variety of life forms on earth.
Pdf global biodiversity conservation priorities researchgate. Ppt threats to biodiversity powerpoint presentation free. Biodiversity is the amount of variety of life on earth. Sustainable diets and biodiversity food and agriculture. Biodiversity, short for biological diversity, is the term used to describe the variety of life found on earth and all of the natural processes. Biodiversity, ecosystem services, threats and responses allan watt centre for ecology and hydrology, edinburgh, uk. A stable food supply and a source for pharmaceuticals are only a couple of the benefits earths biodiversity provides. Sep 07, 20 contents introduction threats to biodiversity habitat loss poaching manwildlife conflicts importance of biodiversity questions 3. Provide an illustration of threats to biodiversity in the space below. Biodiversity includes the genetic variability for which different varieties of spices have appeared in the course of evolution and diversity of life forms such as plants, animal microbes, etc. The most important direct drivers of biodiversity loss and ecosystem service changes are habitat change.
There are all sorts of languages, body types, places we live and so on. Habitat loss and degradation affect 86% of all threatened birds, 86% of all threatened mammals and 88% of. There are many threats to our natural world, which include. But pollution is not limited to these palpable pollutants. This diversity includes all the variations that exist in all levels of biological organization.
We document 12 emerging threats to freshwater biodiversity that are either. They all represent threats to biodiversity and are not without risk to human health. It is the number of different species of plants, animals, and microorganisms. Importance of biodiversity economic and other values of biodiversity and servicesbenefits it provides changes in status and trends of biodiversity main threats to biodiversity both direct and indirect impacts of biodiversity changes implications for human. Biodiversity and human health convention biological diversity. Habitat loss habitat loss is one of the biggest threats to biodiversityit is the number one reason species go extinct. Test your knowledge of global threats to biodiversity if youre seeing this message, it means were having trouble loading external resources on our website. Invasive alien species can have devastating impacts on native species, causing extinctions and affecting natural and cultivated ecosystems. Habitat loss is directly linked to human induced pressures on land. Threats to biodiversity 6 major loss of biodiversity. Clearcutting forests to create fields, filling in wetlands to build houses, and creating dams that change river flow are all examples of habitat destruction.
This makes it costeffective to combine consultation over the eradication. Diversity comes from the adjective diverse, meaning variety. The average rate over the past 200 my is 12 species per year, and 34 families per my. Antarctic biodiversity faces increased threats despite. Threats to biodiversity extinction is the most irreversible and tragic of all environmental calamities. If youre behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains. Extinction is a natural event and, from a geological perspective, routine. Biodiversity is a term that is commonly used when referring to mother earth and all its inhabitants. Five main threats to biodiversity are commonly recognized in the programmes of work of the convention. What is the meaning of biodiversity and threats to. Freshwater biodiversity is the overriding conservation priority during the international decade for action water for life 2005 to 2015. Summary status the status of biodiversity in denmark reflects the countrys high population density and a long history of intensive commercial exploitation of her raw materials, soils, timber, water and stocks of wild species. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext.
Apr 17, 2015 the biggest threats to biodiversity are exploitation and habitat destruction. Biodiversity is that part of nature which includes the differences in genes among the individuals of a species. There are other forms of pollution with harmful or even disastrous effects on biodiversity. Read and learn for free about the following article. Human activities are causing a loss of biological diversity among animals and plants globally estimated at 50 to 100 times the average rate of species loss in the absence of human activities. Habitat loss and d e s t r u c t i o n this is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. Earths plant life mitigates the effect of global warming by absorbing carbon dioxide, yet 90 percent of those plants and nearly twothirds of all food crops depend on the nearly 190,000 species of pollinating insects sources. Excerpt from a textbook chapter on threats to biodiversity adapted from.
Threats to biodiversity come from many sources, most human but some natural. It includes organisms from earths vastly different ecosystems, including deserts, rainforests, coral reefs, grasslands, tundra, and polar ice caps. Threats to biodiversity habitat destruction, mostly in the tropics, is driving thousands of species each year to extinction. Major threats for biodiversity in belgium extract from the. Biodiversity biodiversity is the abbreviated word for. Emerging threats and persistent conservation challenges for. Silent threats nonnative species invading our wildlands our mission the mission of california state parks is to provide for the health, inspiration and education of the people of california by helping to preserve the states extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural. Assessing status, trends and threats of biodiversity and. Iucn guidelines for the prevention of biodiversity loss.
In depth main threats to biodiversity 1 uk in depth main threats to biodiversity habitat loss and degradation this has been, and still is, the greatest factor affecting biodiversity. About 60 gigatons of carbon gtc annually are taken up and. Our biodiversity is very important to the wellbeing of our. Here are biodiversity s biggest threats, and what we can do to fight them. Impacts on species include changes in distribution and abundance, the timing of seasonal events and habitat. The main dangers worldwide are population growth and resource consumption, climate change and global warming, habitat conversion and urbanisation, invasive alien species, overexploitation of natural resources and environmental degradation. Our mission silent threats e california state parks.