Loss of Biodiversity
Understanding how and why our planet is undergoing the worst environmental crisis in human history.
What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth in all its forms and interactions. A more philosophical definition of biodiversity is that it represents the knowledge learned by evolving species over millions of years about how to survive the Earth and all of its varying environmental conditions. From genes to ecosystems, it encompasses the evolutionary, ecological, and cultural processes that sustain life. The loss of biodiversity on this planet results from the environmental damage humans have caused.
Causes for the Loss of Biodiversity
Climate Change
Climate change is the shift or abnormal change in climate patterns. Chopping down trees, pollution, and many other factors can contribute to this change. These changes can reduce the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere, intensify droughts, decrease water supply, threaten food security, erode coastlines, and weaken the natural structure that all living organisms depend on. According the the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the current rate of biodiversity loss is greater than the natural background rate of extinction. Changes in the frequency, intensity, extent, and locations of disturbances will affect whether, how, and at which rate the existing ecosystems will be replaced by new plant and animal assemblages.
Deforestation and Habitat Loss
The main cause of deforestation and forest degradation is agriculture and illegal logging. We are losing 18.7 million acres of forests annually, which is equivalent to 27 soccer fields every minute. Tropical rainforests are home to much of the planet's biodiversity, and deforestation is causing habitat loss for a number of species. Deforestation and land-clearing activities contributed to about a fifth of greenhouse gas emissions during the 1990s with most being from deforestation of tropical regions. Primary tropical forests contain an estimated 50-70% of all terrestrial species. Deforestation reduces the availability of habitats and cause local loss of species, population, and genetic diversity.
Overexploitation
Overexploitation occurs when many individuals are removed and the population can no longer sustain itself without intervention. The National Wildlife Foundation defines overexploitation as the overuse of wildlife and plant species by people for food, clothing, pets, medicine, sports and many other purposes. Overexploitation can occur from overharvesting; plants can be overharvested for many reasons including medicinal uses, building materials, and food. Loss of a single species can cause a shift in the species dominance and a possible decrease in the survival ability of other species. We need to find a balance in using what we require so we harvest in a sustainable manner and keep the environment intact.
Invasive Species
An invasive species can be any kind of living organism that is not native to an ecosystem and causes harm. Invasive species can change the food web in the ecosystem and can harm the environment, the economy, and even human health. Invasive species are often spread unintentionally by human activities. People, and the goods they use, travel around the world very quickly, and they often carry uninvited species with them. When a new and aggressive species is introduced to an ecosystem, it may not have any natural predators or controls, making it easy for them to take over the ecosystem. Native species may not have evolved defenses against the invader, or they may not be able to compete with a species that doesn't have a predator.
Pollution
Ecosystems are impacted by air pollution, particularly sulphur and nitrogen emissions, and ground-level ozone as it affects their ability to function and grow. Emissions of both sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides deposit on water, on soils as "acid rain", increasing their acidity with adverse effects on flora and fauna. Eutrophication, the process of accumulating nutrients, including nitrogen, in water bodies, often results from air pollution. Even worse, ultimately human populations are also affected. Harmful concentrations of pollutants may directly enter our drinking water, notably through ground water seepage. Nutrient overloads in aquatic ecosystems can cause algae blooms and ultimately a loss of oxygen, and life. As ecosystems are impacted, so is the biodiversity.
Loss of Biodiversity throughout History
Faith and the Environment
Throughout history, there has always been a debate surrounding the separation of church and state. This same debate has been applied to the separation of church and science. Climate change and biodiversity loss disproportionately impact the poor and vulnerable populations, those who are most at risk today. These are the people that the Bible said to help and protect. Caring about and acting on the perils of the environment is a way to love others as we've been loved ourselves by God. Those who take religion and faith seriously already care about the environment (whether they realize it or not). Climate change will strike hard against the people we're told to care for and love, amplifying hunger and poverty, and increasing risks of resource scarcity that can exacerbate political instability, or even worsen refugee crises. Frankly, there is no separation of church and science because neither are political matters.
Pollution, biodiversity loss, habit fragmentation, species extinction: climate change makes all of these things worse. If we truly believe we've been given responsibility for each living thing on this planet (including each other) as it says in Genesis 1, then it isn't only a matter of caring about the environment - we should be demanding action. Conservative theology and conservative politics has deliberately engineered and fostered over decades of increasingly divisive policies on issues of race, abortion, and now climate change. Religion has frequently casted climate change as an alternate religion as seen with church signs that say "On Judgement Day, you'll meet Father God not Mother Earth". Instead of turning the environment into a political or theological matter, it should be a humanitarian matter. Its importance is significant to the fate of humanity.
No matter what faith you follow or if you're areligious, environmental damage affects you.
Biodiversity Loss Hotspots
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon is the biggest deforestation front in the world and is in dire need of global intervention. More than a quarter of the Amazon biome will be without trees by 2030 if the current rate of deforestation continues. Brazil is responsible for half of the deforestation in the Amazon, but deforestation in the Andean Amazon countries – namely Bolivia and Peru – is increasing.
South Africa
Gold, diamonds, and other precious material mining destroys landscapes and creates huge amounts of toxic waste. Many mines dump this toxic waste directly into natural water bodies. To limit the environmental damage, mines often construct dams and place the toxic waste inside. But these dams do not necessarily prevent contamination of the surrounding environment.
Malaysia
Malaysia has one of the highest forest degradation rates due to its illegal logging practices. Harvesting timber is often done through illegal logging. Dr. Luca Tacconi, director of the Asia Pacific Network for Environmental Governance discusses how timber is brought from the Indonesian to the Malaysian side of the island of Borneo for processing.
What Can We Do?
This can all seem very overwhelming, but there are ways we can participate in the biodiversity conservation. By increasing our knowledge of environmental issues, increasing our awareness of the impacts of biodiversity loss, and increasing support for government policies and actions that conserve our valuable ecosystems, we can become role models as stewards of the environment.
Steps to Participate in Biodiversity Conservation
Identify locations of critical wildlife habitats for species at risk and the threats to these areas.
Leave native plants undisturbed, and landscape using native trees and vegetation.
Maintain wetlands by conserving water and reducing irrigation. Avoid draining water bodies on your property.
Consider donating property to land trusts, or placing a conservation covenant on your property.
Use natural products and methods for pest control.
Encourage and support local government initiatives that protect habitats and decrease threats to biodiversity.
Use environmentally friendly products and dispose of hazardous material safely.
Recycle, reuse and reduce. Recycling decreases pollution by decreasing energy, electricity, and water consumption and the need for landfills.
Drive less, walk, ride or carpool more. Learn about low emission vehicle research and availability.
Learn as much as you can about nature and share your knowledge with others.
