causes and effects of biodiversity loss

Indeed, species loss contributes to many problems directly impacting human populations. A study of the southern African biota shows how degradation of habitats led to loss of biodiversity across all taxa. By the time an organism is recognized as endangered, it is often too late to save it. Over-exploitation for Commercialization 3. For example, many communities have experienced more natural disasters, but because of the loss of mangroves and coral reefs, which are excellent natural buffers against floods and storms, coastal communities have increasingly suffered from severe floods. That's not good news. It is, therefore, possible that many biodiversity experiments to date have revealed just the tip of the iceberg—the short-term, transient effects of biodiversity on ecosystem processes. Habitat Loss and Fragmentation: A habitat is the place where a plant or animal naturally … Biodiversity loss, the reduction in an area’s biodiversity (the number of genes, species, individual organisms, or ecosystems) expressed by species loss, population declines and reductions in the genetic diversity within a species, and the collapse of biological communities. (See Figure 3.11 ) Cultivated systems (defined in the MA to be areas in which at least 30% of the landscape is in croplands, shifting cultivation, confined livestock production , or freshwater aquaculture in any particular year) cover 24% of Earth’s surface. The Living Planet Index (LPI) shows a decline of 52 per cent between 1970 and 2010. It is therefore crucial to take the steps necessary in order to prevent a loss in biodiversity and thus to ensure a livable future for our children and also for a variety of animals and plants. Changes in climates and global temperatures directly impacts physical environmental factors essential for a sustainable habitat. ADVERTISEMENTS: Eight major causes of biodiversity are as follows: 1. Habitats which protect wildlife are being converted to human settlements harbours, dams, reservoirs, croplands, grazing grounds and … Species extinction. That's not good news. This section looks at a biodiversity definition and a loss of biodiversity definition, causes of loss of biodiversity, loss of biodiversity effects, biodiversity loss solutions and biodiversity loss facts. Mass reductions in biodiversity does not just lead to a less vibrant, colorful, natural world. The present rate of rising global temperatures is destroying coral reefs and mountain regions which are biodiversity centers. The loss of biodiversity causes severe adverse effects on our whole environmental system, including humanity. These ecological effects of biodiversity in turn are affected by both climate change through enhanced greenhouse gases, aerosols and loss of land cover [citation needed], and biological diversity, causing a rapid loss of biodiversity and extinctions of species and local populations. Once a species is reduced to a remnant, its ability to benefit humanity ordinarily declines greatly, and its total extinction in the relatively near future becomes much more likely. Destruction of Habitat: The primary cause of loss of biodiversity is the habitat. The reduction of biodiversity has an effect on the health of individuals. Thus, major causes of threats to biodiversity as are follows: 1. In general terms, population growth and our consumption are the reasons for this enormous loss. In general terms, population growth and our consumption are the reasons for this enormous loss. Climate change and global warming are among the principal contributors to biodiversity loss. The real impacts of diversity loss could be much greater. Illegal Wildlife Trade 8. As a result, estimates of the rate of loss, including the number and variety of species that are disappearing, vary greatly—in some cases, as pointed out by E. O. Wilson in Chapter 1, by as much as an order of magnitude. The primary cause of loss of biodiversity is the habitat destruction which from the expansion of human population and human activities. Some Causes and Consequences of the Loss of Biodiversity: Ten Years of Plant Ecological Research in the Yukon Abstract This article introduces the new Biodiversity Research Centre at UBC and reviews the nature and importance of biodiversity research in a changing world with rapidly expanding human population. 1.2 Current research on biodiversity loss 21 1.2.1 Latest biodiversity research and models 21 1.2.2 Biodiversity frameworks and assessments 23 1.3 Approach 25 2 Direct causes of biodiversity loss 29 2.1 Introduction 29 2.2 Land-use change 33 2.2.1 Agricultural expansion: growing food production in developing countries 34