The Causes of Loss of Natural Biodiversity

Biodiversity, or biological diversity, refers to the number of genes, species, individual creatures within a given species, and biological communities within a defined geographic area, ranging from the tiniest ecosystem to the entire biosphere. (A biological community is a group of organisms that live in close proximity to one another.) Similarly, biodiversity loss refers to the decline in the number, genetic diversity, and variety of species, as well as the diversity of biological communities, within a specific area. This loss of diversity of life may result in a collapse of the ecosystem’s functioning in the area where decline has occurred.

Causes Of Biodiversity Loss

Biodiversity has been rapidly declining in recent years, mostly due to human activity. Consider some of the primary causes:

Changes in the climate

Climate change has an effect on biodiversity on a variety of levels, including species distribution, population dynamics, community structure, and ecosystem function.

Pollution

When we think of pollution, we frequently think of car exhaust gases billowing into the sky, but noise and light pollution have also been shown to have an adverse effect on biodiversity.

Destruction of habitats

Pollution of the soil and changes in its uses as a result of activities such as deforestation have a detrimental effect on ecosystems and the animals that inhabit them.

Invasive alien species

According to the United Nations Development Programme, invasive alien species are the second leading cause of biodiversity loss on the planet (UNDP). They prey on native species, compete for food, hybridise with them, and spread parasites and diseases, among other things.

Overexploitation of the natural environment

Overexploitation of natural resources, defined as their consumption at a faster rate than they regenerate naturally, has a clear influence on the planet’s flora and fauna.

Effects Of Loss Of Biodiversity

The loss of biodiversity has numerous ramifications, not only for the environment, but also for human beings on economic and health levels. During the presentation of the IPBES report, David Cooper, the Convention on Biological Diversity’s Deputy Executive Secretary, used the occasion to warn about this in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis: “As ecosystems deteriorate, the probability of future pandemics grows.” Additional harmful effects are detailed below:

Extinction of species

Thousands of species are threatened with extinction as a result of habitat alteration and loss.

Threat to human beings

Loss of biodiversity jeopardises human well-being by harming soil and water, both of which are critical for food production.

Proliferation of pests

For instance, ecosystem imbalances might result in the establishment of pests that cause crop harm.

Increase in CO2 emissions

Forests and oceans’ capacity to absorb CO2 declines when their ecosystems are harmed.

Solutions To The Loss Of Biodiversity

Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), encouraged action during the release of the UN report in 2019 with the following words: “We can no longer afford to lose life’s diversity. Our obligation to future generations “‘. Several of the UN’s own pledges are summarised below via its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

SDG 14. Life Below Water

SDG 14 aspires to manage and maintain marine, coastal, terrestrial, and inland freshwater environments sustainably, while also addressing the effects of ocean acidification and regulating fishing to promote sustainable fisheries.

SDG 15. Life on Land

Life on Land SDG 15 aims to protect, restore, and promote the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, to manage forests sustainably, to halt and reverse land degradation, to combat desertification, and to reverse biodiversity loss.

Apart from UN obligations, everyone of us may contribute to the battle against biodiversity loss on a personal basis. How? By prioritising sustainable mobility and food, responsible consumption and recycling habits, minimising tiny polluting activities, assisting in raising awareness of small polluting actions through environmental education, and ultimately supporting any activity targeted at biodiversity protection.

Conclusion

Biodiversity is frequently defined as the diversity of life on Earth in all of its manifestations, including the diversity of species, their genetic variants, and their interaction. However, since the late twentieth century, human-caused biodiversity loss has resulted in increasingly severe and long-lasting consequences. According to leading scientists and the landmark IPBES Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, the chief causes of this reduction are human population expansion and overconsumption. Human-caused biodiversity loss is facilitated by habitat modification, pollution, and resource overexploitation.