Biodiversity Loss
The loss of species is an important concern that has very serious consequences for the planet and the human race. That is why as the connection between the countries grows and the number of people in the world tends to the billions, the problems of the conservation of biotic diversity are even greater.
What is biodiversity? In its simplest sense, biodiversity embraces the genetic, species, and ecological diversification of the biosphere: the total sum of life. It is also the base of the services that sustain life including; pollination, purification of water, and the regulation of climate. Without this diversity, the future of our ecosystems is imperilled and the resources, that we rely on to complete our existence, will be depleted.
The status of the diversity of living organisms is currently at a toll level that is worrying. Scientists believe that current levels of extinction correspond to the sixth extinction event in the history of life on planet Earth, and the extinction rates are higher in this process than in natural formations. The current status of global species at risk is likely to rise to one million or more species at threat of extinction due to human influence within the next few decades. Major factors causing the loss of biological diversity are habitat destruction, environmental pollution, global warming, and overutilization. For instance, deforestation and farming operations in tropical regions such as the Amazon rainforest are rapidly hurting important habitats for so many species, and Polar coral reef systems suffer from the heating up of the ocean waters and increased acid levels.
It is worth stating that the consequences of the loss of biological diversity influence different spheres, and their combinations are diverse. On the ecological level, species are known to deteriorate, and important services from the ecosystem may be lost. For example, the loss of bees and butterflies leads to low food production of crops, and the effects of wetland systems can reduce water purification, and flood control. Economically, the loss of ecosystems means that agriculture fisheries and many forests are threatened and may simply disappear. Also, the loss of bio-diversity will likely make it so that we do not get to discover other potential resources and or medicines. Socially, species extinction is highly dangerous because the native people and local people will lose their lifestyle and their identity. Also, it endangers the religious sentiments many people have concerning the physical world.
As a result of these challenges, there have been coming up with of different international, national, and local conservation measures and solutions. The intergovernmental treaty, the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), agreed upon in 1992, sets out guidelines for the management of biological resources to support sustainable use. The other global conventions like the United Nations sustainable development goals also promote the conservation of biological diversity.
Some of the strategies for conserving biodi¬versity include National and Local Land Use policies including protected areas, wildlife sanctuaries, and sustainable land use practices. It is for this reason that community-based conservation approaches that involve the people living in those areas in the management and protection of abiotic resources have also come to be as important strategies for realizing the conservation of biodiversity.
Last but not least, people can contribute to the preservation and maintenance of species diversity by being careful with garbage, purchasing products made only by ecologically friendly firms, and contributing to non-profit organizations that deal with the protection of living beings. In the aggregate, it will be possible to make a collective decision without limiting ourselves in everyday choices and save the Earth to maintain the great and diverse world we observe today.
The problem of the loss of species is acute and complex and linked to important aspects of our sustainable environment and life stability’s perspectives for humanity. This is a problem that can only be solved internationally, with a lot of sweat put into conservation and the right actions taken by those across the world. Through achieving the goals of the Wildlife Trusts we, as people of the world, can strive to preserve this valuable resource and in doing so, build a better and stronger world.
Maher Asaad Baker
ماهر أسعد بكر
https://maher.solav.me