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HISARSCHOOL JUNIORMODELUNITEDNATIONS2016 “SustainingtheFuture” EnvironmentalCommittee Thedecreaseofbiodiversityand possibleecosystemcollapse RESEARCH Recommendedby: REPORT EgeÖzgüroğlu RESEARCHREPORT Forum:EnvironmentalCommittee Issue:Thedecreaseofbiodiversityandpossibleecosystemcollapse StudentOfficer:EgeÖzgüroğlu Introduction Manypeopleshareamoralbeliefthatotherspecieshaveaninherentrighttolife,butourdependence on vital ecosystem services provides us practical reasons for preserving biodiversity. The world’s naturalecosystemsarerapidlydisappearing.Nearlyhalfoftheworld’sforestsaregone,andthousands moresquarekilometersdisappeareveryyear.Aquaticecosystemsarealsothreatened.Forexample,an estimated20%oftheworld’scoralreefsknownfortheirrichnessinproductivityandspecieshavebeen destroyed by human activities, and 15% are in danger of collapse within the next two decades. The deterioratingstatesofecosystemscontainingsourcesoffreshwaterareparticularlyworrisome.Tensof thousands of species live in lakes and rivers, and these ecosystems supply food and water for many terrestrial species as well—including us. As natural ecosystems are lost, soare our essential services. Forexample,waterpurificationisprovidedfreeofchargebyhealthyecosystems. DuringthesessionsoftheEnvironmentalCommittee,delegates should examine potential solutions to improve ecological conditions and work to prevent the repercussions of modern technology on the ecological status of our world. A decline in environmentalconditionsharmsnotonlyotherspecies,butdue to our dependence on biodiversity—both directly through the useoforganismsandtheirproductsandindirectlythroughthe ecologicalservices—wearealsolikelytobeharmedbytheloss ofbiodiversity. Fig 1. The Klamath-Siskiyou Wilderness, home to a variety of ecosystems DefinitionsofKeyTerms Ecosystem:abiologicalcommunityofinteractingorganismsandtheirphysicalenvironment Extinction:thelossofallofthepopulationsofaspecies,anirreversiblesituation Ecological/Ecosystem Collapse: when an ecosystem fails to provide its vital services and resourcesforthepopulationsitconsistsof,oftenresultinginmassextinction Biodiversity:Thevarietyofplantandanimallifeintheworldorinaparticularhabitat,ahigh levelofwhichisusuallyconsideredtobeimportantordesirable 1 RESEARCHREPORT GeneralOverview Thelossofbiodiversity canbe attributedto the influence of humanbeingson theworld’s ecosystem. Along with altering the biogeochemical cycles, modifying the territory, and relocating species outside their habitats, humankind exploits species directly. The human population has been growing exponentially for over 100 years. Humans support this growth by using increasingly effective technologiestocaptureandproducefoodfromtheenvironment,andtobuildhouses,cities,etc.while strengthening infrastructures. In industrialized cities and countries, we consume far more resources than we require. Habitat loss, invasive species, overharvesting, pollution, and climate change are the majorindicatorsofhumankind’sculpabilityforthelossofbiodiversity,whichthenleadstoecological collapse. Humanalterationofhabitatsposesthegreatestthreattobiodiversityastheamountofhuman-altered land-surfacespaceisapproaching50%.Humankindusesmorethanhalfofallaccessiblesurfacewater. In addition, agriculture, urban development, forestry, environmental pollution, and mining have brought the fragmentation of habitats. River and wetland ecosystems have been damaged by the construction of thousands of dams, which are used for hydroelectric power, drinking water, and irrigation:supplyingcropswithwaterinordertohelpthemgrow.Further,someofthemostproductive aquaticecosystemshavebeenoverrunbyresidentialandcommercialdevelopment. Ranking second as a threat to biodiversity are invasive species, which disrupt communities by competing with and preying on native species and acting as parasites. In the absence of evolutionary historyofpredators,animalsmaylackthefundamentalrecognitionofdangeranddefensemechanisms. Native species are especially vulnerable when a new species poses a threat they haven’t encountered before. Furthermore, the third major threat to biodiversity occurs when humankind overexploits wildlife by harvesting at rates that exceed the ability of populations to rebound. Such practices of commercial overharvesting, poaching, and sport hunting have drastically reduced animal species includingrhinoceroses,whales,numerousfishes,andGalapagostortoises. Along with other activities that directly harm biodiversity like overharvesting and the alteration of habitats, human pollutionisthefinalmajorthreat,whichindirectlycausesa decline in biodiversity. Through our oil spills we contaminate local areas. Furthermore, ozone depletion is a global effect of pollution, which causes gradual thinning of the ozone layer. Consequences of this process could be severe, not only causing skin cancers, but also harming natural communities, including the phytoplankton that are responsibleforEarth’sprimaryproduction. 2 Fig 2. Phytoplankton that are responsible for Earth’s primary production RESEARCHREPORT TimelineofEvents DateofEvent DescriptionofEvent 1750 Industrialrevolutionbeginsalongwiththeuseofcoalandotherfossilfuelstodrive steamenginesandotherdevices,exertingapositivefeedbackoncarbonpollution. 1804 Worldhumanpopulationreaches1billion. 1900 90% of forest land in Indiana were destroyed to create farmland, crops, and livestock. 1914-1918 WorldWarItakesplace,involvingheavybombardmentandpoisongaswarfare. 1918 SpanishFlukillsabout70millionpeopleshortlyafterWorldWarI. 1927 Worldhumanpopulationreaches2billion. 1945 MajorpowersincludingUSA,SovietUnion,India,Pakistan,China,NorthKorea,UK, and France start performing nuclear tests. Radiation is spread out around the explosionsites. 1948 IUCNwasfoundedinFontainebleau,France. 1961 WorldWildlifeFund(WWF)wassetupbyIUCNandJulianHuxley. 1966 Species Survival Commission was established to provide information to IUCN on biodiversity conservation, the inherent value of species, their role in ecosystem health and functioning, the provision of ecosystem services, and their support to humanlivelihoods 1980 WorldConservationStrategywaspublishedbyIUCNandWWF,tostimulateamore focusedapproachtothemanagementoflivingresources. 1986 Chernobyl meltdown and explosion occurs. The surrounding area was contaminated. 2002-2005 South America experienced the greatest loss of forests of 4.3 million hectares per year. 2005 Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma lead to widespread destruction and environmentalharmtocoastalcommunitiesintheUSGulfCoastRegion. 2007 Forest Stewardship Council dissociates with Asia Pulp and Paper due to the destructiveforestrypracticesofAPP. 2010 International Conference on Biodiversity Conservation in Transboundary Tropical Forestsreadwasorganizedtoreviewtheconservation,managementandfinancing ofbiodiversityintropicaltransboundaryconservationareas(TBCAs). 3 RESEARCHREPORT TreatiesandEvents ConventiononBiologicalDiversity TheBiodiversityConvention,amultilateraltreatysigned in 1992 in Brazil aims to conserve, sustain the components of and maintain the equitable sharing of biodiversity. The convention was ratified by 30 countriesandsignedby168intheEarthSummitinRiode Janeiro in order to develop national strategies for the conservationofnature. Fig 3. Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity shown with green, signed without ratifications shown with purple WildlandsNetwork TheWildlandsNetworkwascreatedin1991tomonitortheextinctionsofspecies causedbythehumanalterationofhabitatsunderthetagline“networksofpeople protectingnetworksofconnectedwildlands”.Thisnetworkadoptedamissionto focusonscientificandstrategicsupportfortheconservationofwildlife. EvaluationofPreviousAttemptstoResolvetheIssue Fig 4. Logo of Wildlands Network Water, essential to life, undergoes natural filtration processes as it moves through forests regardless of its source, be it lakes or subsurface sources. Thankstotheseprocesses,noartificialfiltrationofwaterisrequiredinsomeplacesincludingNewYork City.Officialsconsideredspending8billionUSDtobuildafiltrationplant,whichwouldcost$1million perdaytooperate.Instead,theydecidedtoinvestinlocalecosystemstocost-effectivelysustaintheir future.Theseinvestmentsincludedtherestrictionofwaterusage,reservationofnaturalland,andaid for landowners to manage their land more ecologically. If New York City officials were to spend on filtration,theprocesswouldlikelybelessefficient. PossibleSolutions Empirical studies have identified a group of natural processes that could maintain biodiversity if promoted.Therearecertainspeciesthatareviewedasmoderatelyintensedisturbances,whichharm other species by expelling subordinate ones. Without intervention, these species would become severely competitive. Selective grazing is one such remedy. For instance, selective grazing by bison maintains biodiversity in grasslands. Similarly, the correct allocation of resources can maintain biodiversity. The rationale behind “resource partitioning” lies in plants’ ability to use different resources,orthesameresourcesatdifferenttimesorplaces.Tundraisoneoftheplantspeciesthatcan coexistbyusingdifferentsourcesofnitrogenoralternativelythesamesourcesofnitrogenatdifferent times of the growing season or at different soil depths. Likewise, interspecific facilitation may be utilized to decrease the loss of biodiversity. This occurs when species are able to benefit from one another by increasing the availability of mutually required resources. Further, some species can eliminatetheeffectsoftheirnaturalenemiesorphysicalstress.Althoughstudieshaveidentifiedthese 4 RESEARCHREPORT toolstomaintainbiodiversity,ecologistslacka full understanding of the mechanism needed to optimally counter the harmful biogeochemical effects of humans’ actions on biodiversity.Therefore,delegatesshouldfocus on ways to identify and promote the mechanismbestsuitedforthemaintenanceof biodiversity. Fig 5: Synthesis of mechanisms from three ecological fields to identify natural processes that promote biodiversity, ecosystem functioning, and ecosystem stability Bibliography "Chernobyl Then and Now: 28 Haunting Images from Nuclear Disaster." RT News. RT, 26 Apr. 2014. Web. 28 June 2016. "Convention on Biological Diversity." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 27 June 2016. "Deforestation in South America." Gapyear.com. Gap Year, 09 Dec. 2006. Web. 28 June 2016. "Ecological Collapse." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 28 June 2016. "Ecological Effects of Biodiversity." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 28 June 2016. "ecosystem". Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 27 Jun. 2016. "extinction". Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 27 Jun. 2016. Figure 1. The Klamath-Siskiyou Wilderness. Digital image. KS Wild. The Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, n.d. Web. 28 June 2016. Figure 2. "Phytoplankton." Digital image. Wikipedia. House of Commons, n.d. Web. 28 June 2016. Figure 3. "Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity." Digital image. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 27 June 2016. Figure 4. "Wildlands Network Logo." Digital image. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 28 June 2016. 5 RESEARCHREPORT Figure 5. "Ecological Effects of Biodiversity Diagram." Digital image. Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 28 June 2016. Isbell, Forest. "Causes and Consequences of Biodiversity Declines." The Nature Education. Iowa State University, 12 Jan. 2010. Web. 23 June 2016. Kenny, Alice. "Ecosystem Services in the New York City Watershed." Ecosystem Marketplace. Bloomberg, n.d. Web. 28 June 2016. Paramo, Stephanie. "Biodiversity Conservation Events from the 1960s through 2015 Timeline." Timetoast. Timetoast, n.d. Web. 27 June 2016. "Phytoplankton." Wikipedia. House of Commons, n.d. Web. 28 June 2016. Pittel, Hannah. "Deforestation Timeline." Prezi.com. Prezi, n.d. Web. 27 June 2016. Reece, Jane B, and Neil A. Campbell. Campbell Biology. Boston: Benjamin Cummings / Pearson, 2011. Print. Rogers, Kara. "Biophilia Hypothesis." Encyclopedia Britannica. Britannica, 26 Apr. 2016. Web. 28 June 2016. Sale, Kirtpatrick. "Environmental History Timeline." Environmental History Timeline. Wordpress, n.d. Web. 28 June 2016. "Timeline of Environmental History." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 27 June 2016. "Timeline of Environmental History." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 27 June 2016. "Wildlands Network." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 28 June 2016. 6