Threats to Biodiversitychap 3.pptVIP

Threats to Biodiversitychap 3 “Extinction is the most irreversible and tragic of all environmental calamities. With each plant and animal species that disappears, a precious part of creation is callously erased” Michael Soule, 2004 Threats to Biodiversity As our numbers climb, we expand agricultural conversion, import invasive species, hunt more species, degradate habitat, fragment and lose habitat, pollute water and air, impact climate… In short, we are causing the 6th mass extinction, the only biological driven one Threats to Biodiversity Major factors impacting biodiversity Threats to Biodiversity Habitat Degradation Includes conversion from suitable to unsuitable, lowering quality, fragmentation that lower PVA Causes: many industries (e.g. forestry, agriculture, development, fishing, mining, chemical) Threats to Biodiversity Overexploitation Hunting, collecting, fishing (and indirect by-catch), trade of animals (and parts) Threats to Biodiversity Invasive Species With our help, species have the ability to get virtually anywhere in the world Direct actions: predation, parasitism, disease, competition or hybridization Indirect paths: changing abundances, disruption of mutualisms, modifying habitat, reducing habitat quality) Threats to Biodiversity Anthropogenic Climate Change Climate has been a cause of previous mass extinctions Couple this with lower abundance, invasive species and other problems, a severe impact is likely from climate change Climate change will also trigger additional biological responses (e.g. malaria in temperate places)…Fig 3.3 Threats to Biodiversity “Snowballing” effect of the invasion of the alien root pathogen Threats to Biodiversity “Snowballing” effect of the invasion of the alien root pathogen Indirect effects Threats to Biodiversity Anthropogenic Pollution There are direct discharges of chemicals into the environment, there are also pollutants released into the atmosphere Toxic chemicals (e.g. mercury, lead) are found even in remot