Impact Of Biodiversity On The Environment

Forests have been cut, crops planted, pastures seeded, and urban areas paved. One of the most troubling consequences of human modification of ecosystems is an ongoing loss of species and therefore a loss of biodiversity around the world. The current extinctions have a human cause: habitat loss (such as clearing of tropical rainforests); the introduction of invasive species; unregulated hunting and fishing; and pollution of water, air, and

Biodiversity creates an interconnected system where each part builds off of one another to create a functional ecosystem. For example, a small insect such as a bee is critical for survival of many other species because it pollinates so many plants. Currently, the population of bees is dramatically decreasing due to anthropogenic actions such as using harmful pesticides. If the population of bees go extinct, so many species would follow because they would not get pollinated. This is problematic because humans do not have the time or the funds to replicate the vital work of the bee.

Biodiversity loss threatens to disrupt the function of ecosystems, with the potential of consequences for humans as well. Often this loss is measured by species extinction rates, but considerations should be made to include population diversity with measures including changes in size, number, distribution and genetic composition of population and potential implications those changes may have (Luck et al., 2003). Avise (2004) goes as far as to say biodiversity is genetic

Furthermore, many keystone species impact the environment. They are highly depended on by other species in their environment. If they were removed from the ecosystem, the environment would be affected dramatically. An example of a keystone specie is a bee. Many people may not realize it, but bees impact us in many ways. If we did not have bees our flowers, fruits, vegetables, and other crops would not be able to grow. Many keystone species have different types of symbiosis with other organisms. For example, mutualism is the type relationship bees have with plants and crops. Mutualism means that the bee is benefited by obtaining necessary nutrients from the plants and the plants are being benefited by being pollinated by the bee. There are many

Since the Industrial Revolution we have practiced deforestation, burned fossil fuels, and as a result we have disrupted stable ecosystems. Advances in medicine and technology have given humans the ability to increase their carrying capacity. While increasing our carrying capacity we have also decreased biodiversity around the world. We have introduced different species in new environments to help ourselves

The lands and seas of Central Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia/Oceania are no longer what they used to be. Animals are becoming endangered, the Great Barrier reef is dying, and the land has become eroded due to human impact. The main causes of loss in biodiversity include invasive species, deforestation, land and water use change, over hunting, pollution, and climate change.

From clownfish and sea anemone, to barnacles and whales, to mosquitos and mammals, organisms are constantly exhibiting symbiosis. Simply put, symbiosis can be described as a close and typically long-term relationship between two different biological organisms involving physical and/or biochemical contact. Some symbiotic interactions may be facultative, or optional, while other interactions may be obligate, or essential to the survival of both organisms (Yukalov et al., 2012). The main types of symbiotic relationships include mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.

There are several threats to biodiversity that Carolan discusses, and many of these issues could be less destructive if there were a change in human behavior. One cause is energy production and mining, with oil and gas

This interrelates with our survival depending on biodiversity. Every species depends on another organism to provide for them. An example

another, and is at the very cornerstone of modern ecosystems. Symbiosis is a fundamental function of our modern ecosystem, and is responsible for the majority of evolutionary developments. Without symbiosis, the delicately evolved modern ecosystem would not exist as almost every organism relies on another organism (Douglas,2010). This development of the ecosystem has resulted in the three separate types of symbiosis; Mutualism, Commensalism and Parasitism (Sapp, 2004; Reece et al, 2014). Mutualistic symbiosis, or mutualism, is an interspecific interaction between two species (with little to

Humans have existed since 200,000 years but the Earth has existed around 4.5 billion years. Nature has provided us with everything we have today - food, medicines, materials, chemicals, metals, minerals etc. It can only keep providing us when we maintain the right environment for it to exist. This environment depends on the biodiversity of Earth. The number of species of plants, animals and microorganisms and the various genes in these species, different ecosystems such as deserts, rainforests and coral reefs are all part of a biologically diverse Earth. Hence Biodiversity impacts everything. We will discuss how Biodiversity plays a crucial role on social, environmental, and economic factors. We will also discuss what

The worst mistake of humans is to think that the Earth is part of their business. Unfortunately, this business is based on the human activities that affect the stability of the environment due to the natural resources and animal species have had suffered the destruction of their habitat. Indeed, the phenomena of climate change and global warming have also affected biodiversity, although this has been a slower process, it also causes an imbalance in ecosystems, and can generate the extinction of species that live there. All these problems are related to the increase of the human population and the exploitation of resources that this entails. Eventually, the destruction of natural habits, the overexploitation of animals and the global warming are some of the environmental issues that are related to the biodiversity loss.

Ecosystems are essential to the sustenance of humanity as they provide us with many useful services like food, energy, water and recycling. (Benton et al., 2007)

The health of the earth degrades with the destructive activity of human beings. A recent study by a group of scientists looked at twenty four different services that the earth’s ecosystems provide for humans, ecosystem services, and found that fifteen of them are in need of desperate help (Gazette 31 March 2005). These services are vital to the survival of both human and nonhuman life and include filtering water and providing nutrient rich soils and ocean waters. Many of the members of these various ecosystems are also decreasing in numbers. In a British survey of bird populations found that in the 200 birds of Britain tracked there was about a 54% population decrease between the 1968-1971 tacking period and the 1988-1991 tacking period. In two other surveys of 254 native plant species from the same area there was a decrease of about 28% during the past 40 years. Humans are pushing the sixth mass extinction (Gazette March 19, 2004).

According to (Newmark, 2010), to the people on Earth and the health of ecosystems, biodiversity is vital for the following mentioned reasons; it helps us to live healthy and happy through the provision of foods and materials to the economy. Secondly, because of research into animals and plants, scientists have discovered the cure to various diseases and hence increased lifespan. Again, ecosystems can adjust to disturbances such as floods and extreme fires due to diversity. Lastly, biodiversity forms an important section of ecological services that support live on earth.