What are the Main Issues of Ecosystems and Endangered Species and why we must Take Action on the Impact.
Because of all the issues our environment and people on this planet are facing, it’s also endangered species and their ecosystems. This is important because animals and ecosystems help bring impact to nature and our environment. Has anyone ever dealt with the loss and extinction of a certain species or certain ecosystem? It’s like we’ve lost sight of the importance in keeping them alive along with people and the environment doing so much for them as well as doing so much for us. So much also goes to their charisma and representation to humans and planet Earth.Instead, we’re putting them on the verge of extinction for no reason.
Ecosystems
Ecosystems are biological communities where certain species and organisms live to interact inside of their physical environment and habitat. Ecosystems along with the animals who live in them are being killed and destroyed to our human and environmental issues such as global warming, deforestation, leaving trash where it shouldn’t be left, natural disasters, etc. This is why we have ecology, to study how organisms act or physically behave in ecosystems. The list of endangered species begins to increase as ecosystems continue to decrease.
Endangered Species
Endangered species are species that are very likely to become extinct due to surrounding of issues. This could be due to loss of habitat, poaching, predation, competition of survival, and human action. According to scientists, 1 out of every 10 plants and animal species are expected to go extinct by 2050. However, the government has decided to create laws to prevent humans action from affecting organisms and their habitats. One of those acts is the U.S. Endangered Species Act of 1973. Its purpose is to “Conserve the ecosystems upon which endangered species and threatened species depend” (Critical Habitat). In other words, Secretary of the Interior is required to designate and identify the critical habitats of species what who are endangered or threatened under this law.
Biodiversity
Biodiversity is the total variety of life on earth that are measured through the levels of genetics, species, and their ecosystems. Biodiversity is on every level being threatened by all human actions; the main cause of environmental issues happening all over the world. According to the World Wildlife Federation, “Biodiversity has declined 27% in the last three decades” (Schooled By Science, The Top 10 Environmental Issues Should Make you Worry). This is important because the lack of biodiversity can cause things such as the food chain, water sources and other resources the world needs at risk. And without biodiversity, ecosystems will begin decline until they’re completely wiped away from existence. Earth’s main priority is to begin education on this entire issue and to find ways on how we as a planet can help and protect different life around us.
Ecological Restoration
Ecological restoration is the process to reset and recovery of ecosystems that have been severely damaged to return that back to their pre-disturbed states. Developed in the 20th century, it is used a response to habitat destruction brought by industrialization, overpopulation, and agricultural mismanagement. Pioneering biologists, including American ecologist Aldo Leopold, who began to promote an approach on healing damaged ecosystems using direct human intervention. It is more than just applied science that uses the ideas of understanding the vision of building ecosystems. But it has actually become an essential research tool to test the accuracy of ecological theories.
According to the article Restoration Ecology, it talks about possessing the qualities of a healthy ecosystem. It says, “These properties include: Dominance of indigenous (native) species.
Sustainability or the ability to perpetuate.
The resistance to invasion by non-native or pest species.
The presence of healthy functions such as photosynthesis, respiration, and plant and animal reproduction.
The ability to generate nutrients such as nitrogen and store them in the ecosystem.
And a pattern of interaction between key species similar to the pattern found in undisturbed ecosystems, including relationships in the food chain” (Restoration Ecology).
As habitat loss accelerates, restoration takes on increasing importance as means of preserving habitat for threatened species, saving all lost biodiversity, restoring mineral balance to eroded and infertile lands, improving the water quality, and preserving atmospheric gas balance. With the issue of climate change, the increase of greenhouse gases is affecting biodiversity through the increase of temperatures and altered weather patterns including droughts and flooding in different areas of the world. All of these things need time and money. There are many charities ,organizations ,as well as scientists, are doing everything they can to save ecosystems and biodiversity. And also people all around the world are becoming more aware about this situation. The more we can do to get involved, the more we save species and their ecosystems all around the world. Spread the word.
Sources
Ray Nichols, Megan. “The Top 10 Environmental Issues Should Make you Worry.” 22 Mar. 2019. Schooled By Science, https://schooledbyscience.com/environmental-issues/ Accessed 12 Apr. 2019.
“Restoration ecology.” Environmental Encyclopedia, edited by Deirdre S. Blanchfield, Gale, 2011. Science In Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CV2644151174/SCIC?u=olat54637&sid=SCIC&xid=15e895ad. Accessed 12 Apr. 2019.
“Critical Habitat.” Environmental Encyclopedia, edited by Deirdre S. Blanchfield, Gale, 2011. Science In Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CV2644150340/SCIC?u=olat54637&sid=SCIC&xid=1f01a009. Accessed 12 Apr. 2019.
Freedman, Bill. “Biodiversity”. The Gale Encyclopedia of Science, edited by K. Lee Lerner and Brenda Wilmoth Lerner, 5th ed., Gale, 2014. Science in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/CV2644030275/SCIC?u=olat54637&sid=SCIC&xid=6723aab3. Accessed 12 Apr. 2019.
