Biodiversity & Species at Risk

Flashcards about Biodiversity & Species at Risk

Biodiversity

The variety of life, measured by counting the number of different species in an area.

Benefits of Biodiversity

More diversity equates to more stability, enabling better resistance to disease, droughts, or the arrival of new species. Less diverse ecosystems are more fragile.

Extinction

A natural process, but human activities have greatly increased its rate

Living Planet Report Canada

Species declined in number between 1970 and 2014

Major cause of species decline

Habitat loss due to human activity such as farming, forestry, urban and industrial development, climate change, pollution, invasive species and overfishing.

One reason species decline despite being protected

Takes a long time to decide whether to add a species to the endangered list and even longer to take action

Recommendations by the WWF

Doing more research on how wildlife are impacted by and responding to climate change, doing a better job of implementing SARA, including focusing on protecting ecosystems rather than individual species, and expanding Canada's network of protected areas.

Extinct

A species that has died out and no longer occurs on Earth

Extirpated

No longer exists in the wild in a specific area

Endangered

A species facing immediate danger of extirpation or extinction.

Threatened

A species that is likely to become endangered if current trends and conditions continue

Special Concern

A species that may become threatened or endangered because of a combination of factors.