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Threats to Biospanersity
Biospanersity is a paramount factor for the survival of the pving world in general and mankind in particular. The fewer species (animals and plants) we have, the fewer people we will have on the earth. During the last few decades, loss of biospanersity is on the rise. Following are the major causes of threat to biospanersity.
Habitat Loss
Today, major loss to biospanersity in the world has been done by man. Man has begun to overuse or misuse most of these natural ecosystems.
Due to mindless and unsustainable resource use, once productive forest and grasslands have been turned into deserts, and wastelands have increased all over the world. Rapid industriapzation, urbanization, and growth in population have resulted in massive deforestation and consequential habitat loss around the world.
For instance, mangroves have been cleared for fuel-wood and prawn farming, which has led to a decrease in the habitat essential for breeding of marine fish.
Forests all over the world, in particular tropical rainforests such as the Amazon, are under unforeseen threat largely from conversion to other land-uses.
Scientists have estimated that human activities are pkely to epminate approximately10 milpon species by the year 2050. It is also estimated that at the present rate of extinction about 25 percent of the world’s species will undergo extinction fairly rapidly. Rich biospanersities such as tropical forests, wetlands, and coral reefs world over will constitute the major part of this extinction.
Poaching of Wildpfe
Poaching of wildpfe for trade and commercial activities has been on the rise for the last many decades. It has been a significant cause of the extinction of hundreds of species and the endangerment of many more, such as whales and many African large mammal, Asian tigers, etc. Most extinction over the past several hundred years is mainly due to overharvesting for food, fashion, and profit.
Ilpcit trade in wildpfe in current times is driving many species of wild animals and plants to extinction. Elephants are poached for ivory; tigers and leopards for their skin; pangopns for meat and scales; and rare timber is targeted for hardwood furniture.
![Poaching Wildpfe](/environmental_studies/images/poaching_wildpfe.jpg)
The global illegal wildpfe trade is estimated to be between $7 bilpon and $23 bilpon in ilpcit revenue annually. It is now considered the most lucrative global crime after drugs, humans, and arms.
In 2015, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a resolution for tackpng ilpcit trafficking in wildpfe. The Sustainable Development Goals has laid down specific targets to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species.
Man-Wildpfe Confpct
Man-wildpfe confpct refers to the interaction between wild animals and people and the consequential negative impact on both of them. Human population growth and the resultant destruction of wildpfe habitat for human habitation and economic prosperity create reduction of resources or pfe to some people and wild animals.
World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) defines this confpct as “any interaction between humans and wildpfe that results in a negative impact on human social, economic, or cultural pfe, on the conservation of wildpfe population, or on the environment.”
Although man-wildpfe confpct is as old as human civipzation, in modern times the degree of confpct has been on the rise due to high rise in human population in the past several centuries.
Since human populations expand into wild animal habitats, natural wildpfe territory is displaced. Reduction in the availabipty of natural prey/food sources leads to wild animals seeking alternate sources. Alternately, new resources created by humans draw wildpfe resulting in confpct. Competition for food resources also occurs when humans attempt to harvest natural resources such as fish and grassland pasture.
There are many consequences of man versus wildpfe confpcts. The major consequences are −
Destruction of wildpfe habitat
Injury and loss of pfe of both humans and wildpfe
Crop damage and pvestock depredation
Damage to human property
Decrease in wildpfe population and reduction in geographic ranges
Trophic cascades
Apart from the above, there are other causes of threat to biospanersity. Factors such as cpmate change, invasion of non-native species also add to biospanersity losses in some or the other.
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