Reduction of biodiversity: causes and consequences. Biodiversity

Ecologists are alarmed by the catastrophic decline in biodiversity on our planet associated with the activities of modern man, who for the most part, living in the city, almost does not face nature, has no idea of its diversity and can only see on TV. This creates a sense of non-participation of biodiversity in everyday life, but it is not so.

What is biodiversity?

By the term biodiversity, scientists are understood to mean the diversity of life on Earth - plants, animals, insects, fungi, bacteria and ecosystems that they form. In this concept there is also a relationship that exists between them. Biodiversity can flow:

• At the level of genes, causes the variability of individuals of a particular species;
• At the species level, reflects the diversity of species (plants, animals, fungi, microorganisms);
• Diversity of ecological systems (ecosystems), this includes differences between them and various conditions (habitat, ecological processes).

It should be borne in mind that all of the above types of diversity are interrelated. A lot of ecosystems and different landscapes create conditions for the appearance of new species, the genetic diversity gives the possibility of changes within one species. Reduction of biodiversity indicates certain violations of these processes.

Currently, environmentalists are alarmed by the fact that human conditions are violated, environmental processes, a person creates new species of plants, animals at the gene level. It is not known how this will affect future life on Earth. Because in nature everything is interconnected. This is indicated by the so-called "butterfly effect". He was told about the world by science fiction writer Ray Bradbury in his story "And Thunder Rumbled" back in the middle of last century.

Impossibility of life without biodiversity

The most valuable and important thing that exists on earth is biological diversity. Whether we know this or not, our entire life depends on the biological wealth of the land, since animals and vegetation give it to us. Thanks to plants, we get enough oxygen, and materials based on them give us not only food, but also wood, paper, fabrics.

In our technogenic age, a huge amount of energy is obtained by burning fuel, which is produced from the oil formed as a result of the decomposition of the remains of many organisms, plants. A person's life without biological diversity is impossible.

Coming to the store, we buy food packed in bags, thinking little of where it comes from. The majority of the population lives in an artificial environment, which consists of asphalt, concrete, metal and artificial materials, but this does not mean that the consequences of the reduction of biodiversity will bypass humanity.

Life on Earth and its diversity

The history of planet Earth says that at various times it was inhabited by a lot of living organisms, most of which as a result of evolution, died out and gave way to new species. This was facilitated by the conditions and causes, but even during periods of natural stagnation there was no reduction in biodiversity, the diversity of biological species increased.

Nature is arranged in such a way that everything in it is in interaction. No species of living organisms can live and develop in a closed environment. This was shown by numerous experiments on the creation of isolated biosystems, which suffered a complete collapse.

Modern scientists have described and studied 1.4 million species of living organisms, but according to calculations on Earth there are 5 to 30 million species that live, develop depending on conditions. This happens in a natural way. Living organisms populated the entire planet. They live in water, air, on earth. They can be found in the desert and on the Northern and Southern belts. Nature provides everything necessary to continue life on Earth.

With the help of living organisms, the nitrogen and carbon cycle passes, which, in turn, supports the renewal and processing of natural resources. A favorable environment for life, created by the atmosphere of the Earth, is also regulated by living organisms.

What contributes to the reduction of biodiversity?

First of all, the reduction of forest tracts. As mentioned above, plants play a very important role in the life of the planet. Taiga and the jungle are called the lungs of the planet, thanks to them, it receives a sufficient amount of oxygen. In addition, more than half of the species of living organisms exist in the jungle, occupying only 6% of the earth's surface. They are called a genetic fund, accumulated over 100 million years of evolution on Earth. His loss will be irreplaceable and can lead the planet to a total ecological catastrophe.

The reasons for the reduction of biodiversity are the activities of a person who transforms the planet in order to satisfy his or her needs, which are not always reasonably increased. Uncontrolled cutting down of the taiga and jungle leads to the disappearance of many species of life, even unexplored and not described by man, to the disruption of ecosystems and water balance.

This is facilitated by deforestation and burning of forests, harvesting of various types of plants and fisheries, carried out in predatory sizes, the use of pesticides, draining swamps, killing coral reefs and cutting mangroves, increasing the number of agricultural land and the area of settlements.

It is clear that the development of technology, technological progress can not be stopped. But it is necessary to take measures to address environmental problems of biodiversity reduction.

International Convention on Biological Diversity

To this end, the "Convention on Biological Diversity" was adopted, which was signed by 181 countries, whose governments committed to preserving it in their countries, pledged to work together with other states and share benefits on the use of genetic resources.

But this did not prevent the reduction of biodiversity on the planet. The ecological situation on the Earth becomes more than ever threatening. But there is a hope that the common sense that God has given to man will prevail.

The evolution is the engine of life

The engine of life is evolution, as a result of which some species die out and new ones appear. All modern living beings have replaced the extinct, and, as the scientists have calculated, out of all the diversity of species that existed on Earth, today's number is only 1% of their total number.

The extinction of species is a natural moment of evolution, but the current rate of biodiversity loss on the planet is becoming alarming, there is a violation of natural self-regulation and this has become one of the most important environmental problems of mankind.

The role of species in the biosphere

The knowledge of mankind about the role played by representatives of one species or another in the biosphere is negligible. But scientists know for certain that each species has a certain meaning in nature. The disappearance of one species and the inability to replace it with a new one can lead to a chain reaction that will lead to the extinction of man.

Necessary actions

The first step is to try to preserve the tropical forests. Thus, leaving the opportunity to save some species of living beings and plants from extinction. The preservation of the jungle will lead to a stabilization of the climate.

The jungle is a direct source of the richest genetic material, a treasure trove of various species of living beings. In addition, it is the source of plants, on the basis of which a person creates unique medicines. Humidifying the atmosphere, tropical forests prevent global climate change.