Biodiversity Degradation

Biodiversity

Biological Diversity
the variety of life on Earth at all its levels, from genes
to ecosystems, and the ecological and evolutionary
processes that sustain it.
Biodiversity includes not only species we consider
rare, threatened, or endangered, but every living
thingeven organisms we still know little about, such
as microbes, fungi, and invertebrates.

Why is biodiversity important?

satisfy basic needs like food, drinking water, fuel, shelter, and medicine.

Ecosystems provide services such as pollination, seed dispersal, climate

regulation, water purification, nutrient cycling, and control of agricultural
pests.

Social benefits- education, culture

Biological sources provide many industrial materials. These include

fiber, oil, dyes, rubber, water, timber, and paper

What is Biodiversity Degradation?

(Biodiversity loss)
damages essentialservicesprovided bythe nature
results in: reduced variety offoodsandother products;
poorer gene poolsfor animals & plants leading to
weaker crops & livestock;
climate changedue to rainforest destruction, and a lot
more.

Causes of Biodiversity Loss

Habitat Loss
This is one of the greatest threats to biodiversity. Habitat Loss is
directly
linked to human induced pressure on land.

Alterations in Ecosystem Composition

Alterations to ecosystems are critical factor contributing to species
and habitat loss.

 Alien Species Invasion

The introduction of exotic species that replace local and native
species is cited as the second largest cause of biodiversity loss.

Pollution and Contamination

Biological systems respond slowly to changes in their surrounding

environment. Pollution and contamination cause irreversible damage to
species.

 Global Climate Change

Both climate variability and climate change cause biodiversity loss.
Species and populations may be lost permanently, if they are not
provided with enough time to adapt to changing climate conditions.

Excessive Exploitation of Wild Animals

Over-hunting, over-fishing or over-collecting of a species can
quickly lead to its decline. Changing consumption patterns of humans
is often cited as the key reason for this unsustainable exploitation of
natural resources.

References:
http://
www.amnh.org/our-research/center-for-biodiversity-conservation/about/whatis-biodiversity
http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/what-is-biodiversity.php
http://www.tropical-rainforest-animals.com/biodiversity-loss.html