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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
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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).
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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
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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
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