There are several causes of biodiversity loss , one of the most common being the destruction of the natural habitats of some organisms due to human activities.
In fact, most of the reasons why the number of species has declined today can be attributed to humans.
Deforestation, agriculture, construction of roads and dams, mining, fishing and other human activities alter the environment and unbalance the stability of ecosystems. This translates into loss of species .
Pollution is another cause of human order. It alters the flow of energy and changes the physical and chemical constitution of the environment.
Other causes of loss of biodiversity include hunting, collecting species for zoos or experimental research, species transfer (introduction of alien species), climate change and natural disasters.
Most Important Causes of Biodiversity Loss
1- Destruction of natural habitats
Human activities cause irreparable damage to the natural habitats of many species.
Many ecosystems have been destroyed due to activities such as agriculture, mining, deforestation, construction of roads, dams and residential complexes, among others.
In the face of the loss of habitat, species must seek a new medium and adapt to the conditions of this.
Many are unable to establish themselves in a new area and therefore die from lack of food or disease.
2- Pollution
The contamination is related to the destruction of natural habitats. At first, pollution does not destroy ecosystems but alters them both physically and chemically. It should be noted that with the passage of time, pollution can destroy a habitat.
Pollution introduces foreign elements into the ecosystem. In many cases, these elements are toxic to members of the population, causing many to perish.
There are several types of pollution, including aquatic, terrestrial, aerial and sonic.
An example of aquatic contamination occurs when wastewater and wastewater enter into contact with clean bodies of water. This affects marine, lake and river ecosystems.
The use of insecticides and pesticides, acid rain and global warming affect both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, causing the loss of many species.
Finally, strong and intense sounds (eg noise from ships and machinery in industries) disrupt ecosystems.
The Arctic whale is one of the examples of endangered species due to sonic pollution.
3- Hunting and fishing
Another way in which species are lost is through hunting. Wild animals are hunted and used to obtain various products: meat, leather, skins, cosmetics, medicines, among others.
An example of how hunting has diminished species diversity is the African black rhinoceros.
About 95% of the black rhinoceros population has been exterminated by poachers due to the properties of this animal's horns.
Other species have been the victims of poaching. In the 1990s, one-third of African elephants were hunted to obtain ivory.
Also, the red macaw, formerly typical of South America, is now an endangered species.
Some mottled fur cats (such as the jaguar) have been in danger because of the demand for this coat that exists in the market.
Fishing has the same effects as indiscriminate hunting. Hundreds of aquatic animals have been endangered by these practices.
In the last century, about 70000 whales were exterminated to sell their meat and their fat. However, international trade in whale products has now been banned.
4- Collection of species for zoos and experimental investigations
Zoos collect animal species for display in such establishments. This means moving the species from its natural habitat to an artificial one, affecting them negatively.
On the other hand, representatives of five kingdoms (Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia) are collected and taken to biological laboratories to experiment with them).
Many times these experiments are beneficial to humans but are detrimental to other biological species.
For example, primates such as monkey and chimpanzee are employed in research because of the anatomical, genetic, and physiological similarities that exist between them and humans. Thousands of these primates have been sacrificed in the name of science.
5- Introduction of exotic species
A species is considered exotic when it is found in a habitat that is not its own, either because it was introduced accidentally or because it was deliberately transported.
Sometimes species adapt without major inconveniences, but sometimes the introduction of exotic species generates imbalances in ecosystems, since native species have to compete for space and food with new species.
Deliberate introductions are made for economic reasons. An example of this is eucalyptus, a species native to Australia and introduced deliberately in India. The wood of this species is valuable.
These upper plants are harmful from an ecological point of view, since their presence suppresses the growth of the other vegetal species of the zone.
An example of accidental introduction are bacterial and viral species that were brought to America by European settlers.
6- Climate changes
Warming or cooling of the earth's surface represents a change in the conditions of the ecosystems. Many species are not able to cope with these changes so they die.
7- Natural disasters
The biodiversity is affected by natural disasters such as floods, droughts, forest fires, volcanic eruptions, epidemics, earthquakes and tsunamis.
For example, forest fires eradicate large portions of ecosystems which are the ruin of thousands of plant and animal species.
8- Range of species distribution
The smaller the range of distribution of a species, the greater the risk it is to become extinct.
References
- Causes of the loss of biodiversity. Retrieved on September 6, 2017, from eniscuola.net
- 10 Major Causes of the Loss of Biodiversity. Retrieved on September 6, 2017, from biologydiscussion.com
- Causes of recent declines in biodiversity. Retrieved 6 September 2017, from rainforestconservation.org
- The Loss of Diversity Causes and Consequences. Recovered on September 6, 2017, from ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- What is causing the loss of biological diversity? Retrieved on September 6, 2017, from personal.strath.ac.uk
- Biodiversity loss. Retrieved on September 6, 2017, from wikipedia.org
- Causes of Biodiversity Loss. Retrieved on September 6, 2017, from multiciencia.unicamp.br