Survey
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
* Your assessment is very important for improving the workof artificial intelligence, which forms the content of this project
Occupancy–abundance relationship wikipedia , lookup
Conservation biology wikipedia , lookup
Island restoration wikipedia , lookup
Tropical Andes wikipedia , lookup
Pharmacognosy wikipedia , lookup
Biodiversity wikipedia , lookup
Reconciliation ecology wikipedia , lookup
Latitudinal gradients in species diversity wikipedia , lookup
Biodiversity: Some Key Trends Worldwide by Carolle Mathieu 9th WGEA meeting, Brasilia 31 May, 2004 9th WGEA Meeting, Brasilia 1 Overview • What is Biological Diversity (BD)? • What is the scope of BD? • What are some important issues related to BD? • Why is it important to protect BD? • What are major challenges to maintaining BD? • What are some means of protecting and conserving BD? • What are some of the Conventions related to BD? 9th WGEA Meeting, Brasilia 2 What is biological diversity? It refers to all aspects of variability in the living world, including diversity within and between - Individuals and their genes - Populations - Species - Communities and the system they inhabit. 9th WGEA Meeting, Brasilia 3 What is the scope of biological diversity? • Only about 1.75 million species have been identified; there are many other species that are unknown • Scientists estimate there are 13 million species; they can range from 3 to 100 million 9th WGEA Meeting, Brasilia 4 What are some important issues related to biological diversity? Species extinction • Loss of species is a natural process, but the rate of extinction has accelerated dramatically as a result of human activity • Extinction raises specific concern because of its irreversibility 9th WGEA Meeting, Brasilia 5 The IUCN/The World Conservation Union Red List of Threatened Species From the 2003 IUCN Red List: Since 1500 AD, a total of 762 plants and animals have become extinct species, while 58 are known only in cultivation or in captivity The current species extinction rate is estimated to be between 1,000 and 10,000 times higher than the natural rate 9th WGEA Meeting, Brasilia 6 From the 2003 IUCN Red List: More than 12,000 species are known to be threatened with extinction Since the 2002 Red List, 2,000 species have been added 9th WGEA Meeting, Brasilia 7 The IUCN 2003 Red List of Threatened Species Group of Organisms # Species in Group # Threatened Species % of Total Threatened Species Vertebrates 56,586 3,524 6 Mammals 4,842 1,130 23 Birds 9,932 1,194 12 Reptiles 8,134 293 4 Amphibians 5,578 157 3 Fishes 28,100 750 3 1,190,200 1,959 0,20 950,000 553 0,06 Invertebrates Insects Plants 287,655 6,774 9th WGEA Meeting, Brasilia 2 8 From the 2003 IUCN Red List: Highest number of known threatened birds and mammals are in: Indonesia, India, China, Brazil and Peru Highest number of known threatened plants are in: Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Ecuador and Brazil 9th WGEA Meeting, Brasilia 9 What are some important issues related to biological diversity? Habitat loss and fragmentation • Habitat loss is identified as a main threat to 85% of all species described in the Red List of Threathened Species • Deforestation is one of the leading causes: about 80% of forests have been cleared • Urbanization has dramatically increased the rate 9th WGEA Meeting, Brasilia 10 What are some important issues related to biological diversity? Invasive Species • Second main cause of biodiversity loss • Introduce species that spread in the new environment and threaten the native species, the environment and our economy 9th WGEA Meeting, Brasilia 11 What are some important issues related to biological diversity? Other causes • • • • • • Over-exploitation of our resources Climatic Change Pollution Overgrazing Desertification Genetic Diversity 9th WGEA Meeting, Brasilia 12 Why is it important to protect biological diversity? Species and ecosystems provide goods and services • • • • • • • • • • Provide food and fuel Medicine Purification of air and water Stabilization of climate Pollination and dispersal of seeds Generation and preservation of soils Control of potential agricultural pests Protection of coastal shores from erosion Detoxification and decomposition of waste Aesthetic 9th WGEA Meeting, Brasilia 13 What are major challenges to maintaining biological diversity? • Increasing demand for biological resources due to population growth and increased population Developing countries want to develop their economy • Assess the status of biodiversity: need for more research to understand value of BD 9th WGEA Meeting, Brasilia 14 What are some means of protecting and conserving biological diversity? • Creation of protected areas such as national parks (in-situ conservation) • Focus on areas containing high species richness and protect endangered species against illegal activities (hot spots) • Zoos, botanical gardens, gene banks (exsitu conservation) • Increase public awareness • Conventions and treaties 9th WGEA Meeting, Brasilia 15 What are some of the conventions related to Biological Diversity • Convention on Biological Diversity (1992) • The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (1971) • Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) (1973) • Convention to Combat Desertification (1994) • The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety under the Convention of BD on living modified organisms (LMO) (2000) • International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships' Ballast Water and Sediments (2004) 9th WGEA Meeting, Brasilia 16