10: Threats to Biodiversity

Last updated
Save as PDF

Page ID: 31628

Melissa Ha and Rachel Schleiger
Yuba College & Butte College via ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative

\( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \) \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)\(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \(\newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\) \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\) \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)\(\newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

Chapter Hook

The northern spotted owl (Strix occidentalis caurina) is a western North American owl species that prefers large swaths of pristine old growth forests (that typically take 150-200 years to mature) for nesting. Unfortunately, most western forests have been regularly harvested for timber since around the establishment of the Forest Service in 1905. Thus, this species preferred habitat has been largely destroyed and their populations have plummeted. Habitat destruction is the number one cause for species extinction globally. For some species that are very habitat specific, like the northern spotted owl, there are not as many conservation actions to choose from that can help reverse declining population trends.

Northern spotted own perched in a tree.

Figure \(\PageIndex{a}\) Northern spotted owl perched in a tree. Image by USFS (licensed under CC-BY 2.0)

Biodiversity loss refers to the reduction of biodiversity due to displacement or extinction of species. The loss of a particular individual species may seem unimportant to some, especially if it is not a charismatic species like the Bengal tiger or the bottlenose dolphin. However, biologists estimate that species extinctions are currently many times higher the normal, or background, rate seen previously in Earth’s history. This translates to the loss of tens of thousands of species within our lifetimes. This is likely to have dramatic effects on human welfare through the collapse of ecosystems. Loss of biodiversity may have reverberating consequences on ecosystems because of the complex interrelations among species. For example, the extinction of one species may cause the extinction of another. To measure biodiversity loss, scientists assess which species are at risk of extinction as well as survey ecosystem decline.

The core threat to biodiversity on the planet is the combination of human population growth and the resources used by that population. The human population requires resources to survive and grow, and many of those resources are being removed unsustainably from the environment. The five main threats to biodiversity are habitat loss, pollution, overexploitation, invasive species, and climate change. Increased mobility and trade has resulted in the introduction of invasive species while the other threats are direct results of human population growth and resource use.

Attribution

Modified by Rachel Schleiger and Melissa Ha from Threats to Biodiversity and Importance of Biodiversity from Environmental Biology by Matthew R. Fisher (licensed under CC-BY)