Beautiful Nature: Biodiversity

Conclusion - The Main Threats to Biodiversity

Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 2013, Kieran Noonan-Mooney, CBD and Christine Gibb, CBD and FAO, "The Youth Guide to Biodiversity" 1st Edition (Chapter 2) Youth and United Nations Global Alliance. Reproduced with permission.

Chapter 2. Conclusion. Verbatim.

Though biodiversity loss is occurring at a rapid rate, examples from all over the world show that people are beginning to make choices and take actions that benefit biodiversity. However, we need more action if further biodiversity loss is to be averted. It’s important to carefully consider the choices you make and their impacts, and to encourage other groups such as businesses and governments to do the same. The rest of this guide will help inform you about issues to consider, steps you can take and examples of positive action for biodiversity.

Learn more

:: Global Biodiversity Outlook 3: gbo3.cbd.int

:: Global Environment Outlook 4: www.unep.org/geo/geo4/media

:: I nvasive alien species: www.cbd.int/iyb/doc/prints/factsheets/iyb-cbd-factsheet-ias-en.pdf , www.cbd.int/doc/bioday/2009/idb-2009-childrens-booklet-en.pdf and australianmuseum.net.au/Cane-Toad

:: Climate change: www.cbd.int/doc/bioday/2007/ibd-2007-booklet-01-en.pdf

Arctic Sea Ice and Biodiversity

In the Arctic, ice is the platform for life. Many groups of species are adapted to life on top of or under ice. Many animals use sea ice as a refuge from predators or as a platform for hunting. Ringed seals need certain ice conditions in the spring for reproduction, while polar bears travel and hunt on the ice. Algae even grow on the underside of ice floating on the ocean. Ice is also the surface for transportation and is the foundation of the cultural heritage of the native Inuit people. The pattern of annual thawing and refreezing of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean has changed dramatically in the first years of the twenty-first century. The extent of floating sea ice, measured every September, has declined steadily since 1980 (shown by the red trend line). Not only is the ice shrinking, but it is also much thinner.

The Troublesome Toad

Chapter 2. Saadia Iqbal, Youthink! Verbatim.

It all started with some beetles that were destroying sugarcane crops in Australia. A type of toad called the cane toad was brought in from Hawaii, with the hope that they would eat the beetles and solve the problem. Well, the toads left the beetles alone, but ate practically everything else, becoming full-fledged pests in their own right.

Now they are running amok, preying on small animals and poisoning larger ones that dare to try eating them. Scientists are still trying to figure out what to do.

Source: australianmuseum.net.au/Cane-Toad

What is Europhication?

Chapter 2. Verbatim.

In eutrophic water bodies, such as lakes and ponds, the concentration of chemical nutrients is so high that algae and plankton begin to grow rapidly. As these plants grow and decay, the water quality and the amount of oxygen in the water decline. These conditions make it difficult for many species to survive. The excess nutrients that cause this situation mostly come from fertilisers, erosion of soil containing nutrients, sewage, atmospheric nitrogen deposition and other sources.

The Main Treats to Biodiversity

Chapter 2. Verbatim

1. Habitat loss occurs when natural environments are transformed or modified to serve human needs. It is the most significant cause of biodiversity loss globally. Common types of habitat loss include cutting down forests for timber and opening up land for agriculture, draining wetlands to make way for new development projects, or damming rivers to make more water available for agriculture and cities.

How Are People Affecting Biodiversity

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Chapter 2. Verbatim.

Every day we are faced with choices. As individuals we must decide what to eat, what to wear, how to get to school, and so on. Schools, businesses, governments and other groups also make choices. Some of these choices impact biodiversity, the variety of life on Earth. Sometimes our choices have positive impacts, for instance when we decide to use biodiversity sustainably or to protect it better. Increasingly, however, many of our actions are having negative consequences for biodiversity. In fact, human activities are the main cause of biodiversity loss.

Thursday, June 1, 2017