BIODIVERSITY LOSS
by Saba Douglas Hamilton
The life we see around us every day and that we are part of is a process, which has been trundling along for 4 billion years, and will most likely continue to do so. This is not an easy figure to think about, as we tend to think only in terms of our own lifetime.
Until 600 million years ago, most life was made up of single-celled creatures. The next 500 million years were a dynamic time, with more complex plants and animals evolving and a number of mass extinctions.
Biodiversity refers to the variation of life forms found in any given area and can be used to measure the productive health of the area.
Biodiversity is not even across the Earth. The Tropics contain the richest variation whilst the poles contain comparatively few species. Why? Biodiversity depends on the climate, altitude, soils and tectonics - and such factors vary across the Earth.
Biodiversity hotspots have been identified in recent years as part of an effort to protect wildlife. Unfortunately, most of these sites are close to human habitation. As population growth is high in many of these areas, the impact on remaining wildlife in most cases is devastating.
The majority of hotspots are forests - this type of ecosystem is very special.
Forests are the planet's lungs.
We are only in the early stages of discovering the extent of Earth's biodiversity. It is estimated for example, that 40% of freshwater species in South America are not yet identified.
Another mass extinction?
The last few million years - which in the whole picture is a millisecond - have been host to the greatest period of biodiversity in Earth's history. But one species, Homo sapiens, is setting in motion what many believe to be another mass extinction.
Species are being lost forever due to habitat loss, over-exploitation from hunting and climate change. A huge effort is needed to tackle these causes of species loss and the conservation sector has taken the lead with notable successes such as this Kakapo bird from New Zealand.
We cannot hope for Governments to do all the work. We must act as individuals too and I urge you to join a conservation organization close to your heart and to give your support to World Environment Day.
