Biodiversity

Loss
 Unravelling the Costs of Rubber Agriculture on
Biodiversity

● Rubber plantations are a rapidly spreading agroecosystem in Southeast Asia and they
are likely to have profound impacts on biodiversity due to the disruption of the
natural landscape.
● The researchers found a sharp decline in the overall biodiversity of the ants in the
rubber plantation.
● Ants are a good surrogate for other invertebrates.
● They perform many roles in the ecosystem, such as decomposition and seed dispersal
and pollination.
 Ecosystem Services
● An ecosystem service is any positive benefit that wildlife or ecosystems provides
to people.
Examples:
● Decomposition: Conversion or decay of degradable material to simpler
components or forms by the natural action of air, water, light, or microorganisms.
● Water Purification: is one of the many services provided by ecosystems.
Pollutants such as metals, viruses, oils, excess nutrients, and sediment are
processed and filtered out as water moves through wetland areas, forests, and
riparian zones.
● Nutrient Cycling: is the movement and exchange of organic and inorganic matter
back into the production of living matter
● Pollination: the process by which pollen is transferred to the female reproductive
organs of a plant, thereby enabling fertilization to take place.
 An existential risk comparable to climate change
● Biodiversity loss is also a contributing factor behind climate change
● Phenomenons such as: Ecosystem fragmentation, invasive species, pollution,
oxygen depletion caused by fertilizers running off into ponds and streams,
overfishing, human overpopulation, and overconsumption have a direct impact on
the health of the biosphere
● For example, deforestation in the Amazon rainforest and elsewhere reduces the
amount of carbon dioxide removed from the atmosphere by plants
○ In Brazil - illegal logging
● Biodiversity loss is a distinct environmental crisis with its own unique syndrome
of causes, consequences, and solutions.
●
 What Is Biodiversity?
❖ The total of all Plants & Animals in an area (Worldwide)

Three Different Levels:

● Species Diversity- Number of different species in the
biosphere or in a particular region
● Genetic Diversity- The amount of variation in the genetic
material within all members of a population.
● Ecosystem Diversity- Variety of habitats, living
communities, and ecological processes in the living world.
 Biodiversity Loss and Extinction
Extinction- A term that describes a species that no longer has any known
living individuals.
We have experienced 6 Major Extinctions and we are currently in
the sixth extinction:
1. Occurring over a relatively short period of time
2. The first humans have experienced
3. Due to human causes
 Causes Of Biodiversity Loss
1. Habitat Alteration- Is a change in land use or land cover that has an
impact on local ecosystems.

2. Invasive Species- Species that enter new ecosystems and multiply,

harming native species and their habitats. Often were accidentally or even
deliberately introduced by humans.

3. Pollution- Any matter or energy released into the environment that

causes undesirable impacts on the health and well-being of humans or
other organisms.

4. Overharvesting/Overuse- Overexploitation, refers to harvesting a

renewable resource to the point of diminishing returns.
 Habitat Alteration
● Farming practices
● Clearing forests
● Hydroelectric dams
● Urbanization and suburban sprawl
● Grazing animals and livestock
 Invasive Species
● The Introduction of non-native plants and
animals to new environments.
● Make large damage and raise competition levels
for resources.
Examples:
Cane Toad Kudzu Zebra Mussel

Brought to Australia
”
to kill the sugar cane
eating beetle
 Pollution

● Water pollution
● Agricultural runoff
● Air pollution degrades
● Oil and chemical spills
 Endangered Species
Siberian Tiger:
● Hunted without rules or regulations
● Southeast corner of Russia in the Sikhote Alin mountain range east of the Amur
River
● Amur- Tiger

Florida Panther:
● Due to hunting and habitat destruction
● The panther was reduced to a small
population (20-30) and suffered from the
effects of inbreeding depression.
● Southern Florida in swamplands
● Less than 100 left in wild.
 Endangered Species Act
● Forbids the government and private citizens from taking actions
that destroy endangered species or their habitats
● Signed on December 28, 1973
● Provides for the conservation of species and habitats that are
endangered
○ Prevents extinction
○ Stabilizes declining populations
○ Enables populations to recover
Conservation Status
Definition: An indication of whether a species still exists or how likely the
species is likely to not exist in the future.

● Created by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of

Nature)
● Is constantly being updated to match the rapidly changing world
○ i.e. animals switch between positions to better describe their situation should something
akin to a natural disaster occur
 Extinct
Definition: The end of an organism or of a group of organisms through the
destruction of the species. This can occur through natural causes such as long
periods of droughts or through human interference.

● Once a species goes extinct, there is no way to recreate that species.

Example Species: Quagga

 Extinct in the Wild
Definition: This term implies that in one form or another (habitat destruction
or natural disaster), a species has been wiped out in the wild and the
remaining species are under careful watch in zoos or conservatories to ensure
that those species continue to exist. “Extirpated”

● Most of the animals that fall under this category fall there due to human
interactions

Example Species: Hawaiian Crow

 Critically Endangered
Definition: Species that fall under this category at a high risk of becoming
extinct either in the wild or altogether. This change can be brought by a
whole slew of things, but the major causes are typically related to humans.

● From 1998 to 2014, the number of critically endangered species has

doubled in size.

Example Species: Black Rhino

 Endangered Species
Definition: Species that are placed in this category has recently decreased in
size and is projected to decrease even more in the future. Remedial steps
typically begin occurring at this point.

● As of 2014, there are approximately 6000 endangered species alone

Example Species: Red Panda

 Vulnerable
Definition: Species in this category have begun to show signs characteristic
of being endangered such as declining populations or decreasing habitat space.

● Of 41,415 species documented by the IUCN, 16,306 of them are

threatened (Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable)

Example Species: Polar Bear

 Near-Threatened
Definition: As the gateway point of being a threatened species,
near-threatened defines a species as having the potential to being
endangered. This means that they are still abundant in numbers but current
trends depict a negative route for these animals.

● Conservation Efforts have temporarily moved many threatened species to

near threatened

Example Species: Beluga Whale

 Least Concern
Definition: Species that fall under this category are not currently in risk of
extinction nor are they likely to become under risk of extinction in the
future.

● Animals that fall under this category typically produce many offspring
and cover a wide range of land.

Example Species: Humans

Red List
Definition: The IUCN created a Red List
to better acclimate society to how
threatened our world is. Using the
Conservation Status, the Red List can
tell every day members of society just
how many species are extinct, how many
species are endangered, or how many
species are safe from extinction.
Human Impact
● Besides a couple isolated cases, the reason for much of the loss of
biodiversity is due to human society.
○ Habitat Fragmentation
○ Increases in Global Temperature
○ Chemical Runoff
○ Pollution

● Humankind is on its way to creating the sixth mass extinction

○ At its current rate, in 5 centuries, 75% of species could be extinct
Maintenance Through Conservation
3 main approaches to maintain and protect wildlife:
◉ Species Approach - protecting endangered species through legislation
◉ Ecosystem Approach - preserving balanced ecosystems
◉ Wildlife Management Approach - managing game species for sustained yield
through international treaties
Important Laws Regarding Biodiversity
Relevant Laws and Treaties

Multiple-use Act of 1920

■ Directed that the national forests be managed for timber, watershed, range, outdoor recreation,
wildlife, and fish purposes.
The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
1963
■ An international agreement between governments to ensure that international trade in wild
animals and plants do not threaten their survival
Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972
■ Established Federal Responsibility to conserve marine animals
Endangered Species Act of 1973
■ Provided a program for the conservation of threatened and endangered plants and animals and
the habitats in which they are found.
THANK YOU