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Biodiversity Basics

What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on Earth, encompassing the diversity of genes, species, and ecosystems. It includes all living organisms and the complex interactions that sustain ecosystems. Biodiversity is essential for providing resources such as food, water, and medicine, as well as for ecosystem services like pollination, water filtration, and climate regulation.

Why is biodiversity important?

Biodiversity is essential for the health and functioning of our planet. It provides the foundation for ecosystem services that support human life, such as:

Food Production: Biodiversity is crucial for the food we eat. Microorganisms enrich the soil for crops, pollinators produce fruits and nuts, and fish are a primary protein source for billions of people.
Medicine: Many of our medicines come from plants and fungi, with countless more potential treatments yet to be discovered in nature. For example, a fungus found on sloths may help treat certain cancers.
Ecosystem Protection: Natural habitats like forests, coral reefs, and mangroves protect human settlements by preventing flooding and shielding coastlines from storm surges.
Climate Regulation: Species like spider monkeys disperse seeds that help forests grow, absorbing carbon dioxide and mitigating climate change.
Cultural and Spiritual Value: Nature holds immense cultural, spiritual, and aesthetic value for people around the world, enriching our lives beyond material benefits.

Biodiversity Loss

Biodiversity loss refers to the reduction or disappearance of various species, genetic variations, and ecosystems across the planet. It impacts the stability and health of ecosystems and diminishes the essential resources and services they provide.

Currently, the planet is experiencing an unprecedented decline in biodiversity, with extinction rates accelerating at a pace never seen before. Scientists refer to this era as the sixth mass extinction, a period marked by widespread species loss driven primarily by human activities. Unlike previous mass extinctions caused by natural events such as volcanic eruptions or asteroid impacts.

Causes of Biodiversity Loss

Habitat Loss: The conversion of natural habitats into agricultural land, urban areas, and other human uses, leading to a significant reduction in the variety and abundance of life. Examples include deforestation for crops and the transformation of prairies into farmlands.
Invasive Species: Non-native species introduced to new environments can outcompete, prey on, or disrupt native species and ecosystems. Examples include kudzu and zebra mussels.
Climate Change: Alterations in global temperatures and weather patterns are causing shifts in species distributions, loss of habitat, and extreme weather events that stress ecosystems. For instance, warming seas have led to massive coral bleaching events, such as the loss of half the corals in the Great Barrier Reef in 2016-2017.
Overharvesting: Unsustainable hunting, fishing, and harvesting of species lead to population declines and even extinction. Historical examples include the extinction of the dodo bird, and current issues like overfishing in aquatic systems.
Pollution: Contaminants such as oil spills, plastic waste, and chemical run-offs cause direct harm to species and disrupt ecosystems. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill is a prime example, causing long-term impacts on marine biodiversity in the Gulf of Mexico.

The State of Biodiversity

The IUCN Red List reveals a concerning decline in global biodiversity. A significant number of species are listed as threatened due to habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, overharvesting, and pollution. While the list is regularly updated with new assessments and reclassifications, it currently only covers a fraction of all known species. Many species groups remain under-assessed, which means the true extent of biodiversity loss is likely underestimated. Despite some conservation successes, the overall trend indicates a continued deterioration of species and ecosystems worldwide, contributing to what is being termed the sixth mass extinction.

Best estimates of percentage threatened species:

amphibians 41% (36-47%)
mammals 26% (23-37%)
freshwater fishes 26% (21-39%)
reptiles 21% (18-33%)
selected insects 16% (11-41%)
birds 12% (12-13%)

The IUCN Red List of Threatened SpeciesEstablished in 1964, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species.

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