Biodiversity

Biodiversity is a catch all term for the variety of life on Earth at all levels, from genes to species to whole ecosystems. It preserves our food chain and the ecosystems on which all life depends. It also holds the prospects of new drugs, food sources and other products derived from newly discovered species.

By its very nature, biodiversity is hard to measure, scientists don't know how many species exist (it is estimated that there is somewhere between 5-30 million species on the planet) and of the 2 million so far discovered only around 50,000 are monitored. However, biodiversity is an absolutely essential natural resource that the world must measure, safeguard and protect.

Signs of Decline and the threats to Biodiversity

So just how serious is the problem of biodiversity loss? The United Nation's Mellenium Ecosystem Assessment confirmed that the current extinction rate is now as much as 1,000 times higher than the average rate over Earth's history. About a third of assessed species worldwide are threatened with extinction in the wild, and ecosystem diversity is also extremely vulnerable. Many scientists believe that we are now going through the sixth major extinction period and in our life times we might see the end of the polar bear, many of the big cats (including the tiger) and millions of other lesser known species. Sadly this extinction is down to humans.

The greatest threat to biodiversity is habitat loss, which occurs via urban development and the growth of worldwide agriculture and grazing. The oceans are one of the most damaged ecosystems in the world, with the over exploitation of fish wiping out around 80% of wild stocks. It is anticipated that habitat loss could continue unabated with population growth requiring more land use, and a rising standard of living is placing even more pressure on ecosystems.

Pollution and toxic chemicals also cause a major problem to the planet's biodiversity. Pesticides and industrial waste can accumulate in food chains and poison ecosystems, such as rivers, and thousands of marine animals die every year from ingesting bits of plastic.

It may come as a surprise to some but biodiversity can also be threatened by the introduction of non-endemic / non-native species of flora and fauna into a habitat or ecosystem. For example, if a predator is introduced into an area that did not previously contain any predators then the native species would be in significant danger and this would have a knock on effect to the area's existing biodiversity, perhaps even wiping out the native species. Invasive species, often arriving as a result of trade or shipping, can threaten whole ecosystems, damage native wildlife and cause millions of pounds worth of damage.

So then, what about climate change? With rising temperatures and the changes this could bring to ecosystems like tropical rainforests, it is inevitable that climate change will pose an increasing threat to biodiversity in coming decades. For example, evidence shows that the pending extinction of many frog species is caused by warming temperatures, and the habitat of the polar bear is declining year after year as temperatures increase.