Science 3.2 notes

Ways biodiversity is threatened:

1. Pollution - Contaminates air, land, and water, affecting living organisms. Can cause acid rain, flooding, and inhibit growth.

2. Invasive Species - Introduction of non-native species that outcompete native species for resources like space, food, light, and nutrients.

3. Habitat Destruction - Alteration of habitats makes them unusable for native species due to deforestation, wetland drainage, fragmentation, and urban development.

4. Overexploitation - Excessive use of species by humans for food, medicine, and clothing.

5. Climate Change - Long-term changes in climate patterns since the Industrial Revolution, including a ~1°C (1.7°F) rise since 1880. This has caused a 50% increase in CO₂, 60% CH₄, and 20% N₂O (greenhouse gases). Significant losses include 6.1 trillion tons of glaciers since 1994, 12.6% of sea ice per decade since 1980, and a 6-8 inch rise in sea level over the last 100 years. Since the 1950s, 90% of coral has been lost and there has been a 30% increase in ocean acidity since the 1970s.

How can we protect biodiversity and ecosystem services? Solutions depend on: 1. which ecosystem is affected, 2. how it has been affected, and 3. which species need the most help.

Interventions:

• Habitat Restoration

• Reforestation: Planting trees to replace lost ones

• Reclamation: Restoring land disturbed by mining

• Controlling Invasive Species:

  • Mechanical controls: fences, barriers, weeding, trapping

  • Chemical controls: herbicides and pesticides

  • Biological controls: using other species to combat invasives

• Reducing Pollution:

  • Regulations: Clean Water Act

  • Reducing chemical use to prevent ecosystem contamination

  • Living organisms can remove pollutants from soil

• Sustaining Populations:

  • Regulations: limiting hunting/sporting in certain areas/times

• Reducing Impacts of Climate Change:

  • Alternative energy: reduces greenhouse gases

  • Recycling: decreases fossil fuel use during production.