biodiversity
TRANSCRIPT
What is Biodiversity?Biodiversity is the degree of
variation of life forms within a
given species, ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet.
Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems.
Biodiversity is in part a function of climate.
Example of biodiversity
Factors affecting Biodiversity
>Habitat destruction>Introduced and invasive species>Climate change>Overpopulation>Hybridization of organisms
Habitat DestructionHabitat destruction is the process by which natural habitat is damaged or
destroyed to such an extent that it no longer is capable of supporting the species and ecological communities that naturally
occur there. It often results in the extinction of species and, as a result, the
loss of boidiversity. Habitat can be destroyed directly by many human
activities, most of which involve the clearing of land for other uses such as
agriculture, mining, logging, hydroelectric dams and urbanization.
Introduced and invasive species
Compared to other threats to biodiversity, invasive introduced species rank second only to habitat destructionIn fact, introduced species are
a greater threat to native biodiversity than pollution,
harvest, and disease combined.
Invasive species are everywhere. They damage our
crops, our industries, the environment and public
health. Scientists, academics, leaders of industry and land managers are realizing that
invasive species are one of the most serious environmental threats of the 21st century
Climate changePlants and animals are sensitive to fluctuations in temperature
and climate. In the past, climate has varied considerably within
short time scales. Evidence from fossils and paleobiological
studies have indicated that these periods of rapid climate change have been associated with mass extinction events.
Over Population Growth of the human population
is a major factor affecting the environment. Overpopulation
means that there are more people than there are resources to meet their needs. Almost all the environmental problems we face today can be traced back to the increase in population in the
world.
Hybridization of organisms In agriculture and animal husbandry, the Green Revolution popularized the use of conventional hybridization to
increase yield. As to create high yield strains resistant to local climate and
diseases. Formerly huge gene pools of various wild and indigenous breeds
have collapsed causing widespread genetic erosion and genetic
pollution. This has resulted in loss of genetic diversity and biodiversity.
Conservation of Biodiversity
The conservation is for the purpose of sustaining
biodiversity in species, ecosystems,
the evolutionary process, and human culture and society. It also includes
reforming around strategic plans to protect
biodiversity. Preserving global biodiversity is a
priority in strategic conservation plans that are designed to engage public
policy and concerns affecting local, regional and
global scales of communities, ecosystems,
and cultures.
Government MeasuresGovernment measures include
establishing new provincial parks and protected areas,
new provisions under the Wildlife Act, biodiversity provisions under the Forest
and Range Practices Act, the Fish Protection Act, the Environmental Assessment
Act, the Sensitive Ecosystem Inventory Project, the BC
Conservation Data Centre, and initiatives to restore damaged
ecosystems, the Habitat Conservation Trust Fund,
public education programs, and decades of supporting
scientific research. Participation by stakeholders
Done by Y.Hanish Ramu