Biodiversity Loss

1. Unravelling the Costs of Rubber Agriculture on Biodiversity

• Rubber Plantations: agroecosystem in Southest Asia, disrupt the natural landscape.

• Decline in biodiversity of the ants in rubber plantations.

• Ants are surrogates of other invertebrates.

• Ants roles: decomposition, seed dispersal, pollination

  2. Ecosystem Services

     • Ecosystem Service: positive benefits wildlife and ecosystems provide to people.

     • Decomposition: Conversion, decay or degradable material by natural action. (Water, air, light, microorganisms)

     • Water purification: ecosystem service where metals, oils, sediment, nutrients, viruses, etc. filtered out as water moves through different wetlands, forests, riparian zones.

     • Nutrient Cycling: movement and exchange of organic and inorganic matter back into production of living matter.

     • Pollination: transfer of pollen to female reproductive organs of plants, enabling fertilization.

  3. Existential risk comparable to Climate Change.

     • Biodiversity loss: contributing factor behind climate change.

     • Ecosystem fragmentation, invasive species, pollution, oxygen depletion, overpopulation, overconsumption have a direct impact the health of the biosphere.

     • Deforestation in the Amazon Rainforest, etc reduce the amount of carbon dioxide removed by plants.

     • Biodiversity loss: distinct environmental crisis with unique cases consequences and solutions.

       4. What is biodiversity?

          • The total amount of plants and animals in an area

          • Species Diversity: number of species in a biosphere or region

          • Genetic Diversity: amount of variation in genetic material within members of a population.

          • Ecosystem Diversity: Variety of habitats, living communities, ecological processes.

       5. Biodiversity Loss and Extinction

          • Extinction: term describing a species with no known living individuals.

          • Currently: 6 major extinctions

          • Happens over relatively short time period.

          • The first humans have experienced

          • Due to human causes

       6. Causes of Biodiversity Loss

          • Habitat Alteration: change in land use or land cover that impacts local ecosystems. (Urbanization & Deforestation)

          • Invasive Species: enter new systems, multiply, harm native species and their habitats. accidental or intentional.

          • Pollution: matter or energy that causes harmful impacts on the health of living organisms and their habitats.

          • Overharvesting/Overuse: harvesting resources to the point of diminishing returns

       7. Habitat

          • Farming practices

          • Deforestation

          • Hydroelectric dams

          • Urbanization and suburban sprawl

          • Grazing animals and livestock

       8. Invasive Species

          • Introduction of non-native plants and animals to new environments

          • Cause large damages and raise competition levels for resources

       9. Pollution

          • Water pollution

          • Agricultural runoff

          • Air pollution degrades

          • Oil and chemical spills

       10. Endangered Species

           • Hunted without rules/regulations

           • Southeast corner of Russia in the Sikhote Alvin mountain range east of the Amur River

           • Amur-tiger

           • Florida Panther at risk due to hunting and habitat destruction.

           • Population reduced to 20-30.

           • Suffered from inbreeding depression

           • Southern Florida in swamplands

           • Less 100 left in the wild

       11. Endangered Species Act

           • Forbids government and citizens from harming endangered species and their habitat.

           • Signed: December 28th, 1973

           • Provides for species conservation of the endangered species

             • prevents extinction

             • Stabilizes declining populations

             • Enables populations to recover