Noel Ermias Adinew
GP Project
Are human being responsible for loss of biodiversity
The extinction of a species implies the complete disappearance of a species from
Earth and is generally considered a natural process as a part of life’s history and
evolution. Extinctions happen when the last member of a species dies without a
successor, as a result of the cumulative disappearance of individuals and
populations. However, because of human influence on the natural process of
extinctions, we are approaching a “risk tipping point” as we cause extinctions to
accelerate.
The 2023 Interconnected Disaster Risks report, which includes this issue among its
six interconnected risk tipping points, explains that risk tipping points are
reached when the systems that humanity relies on cannot buffer risks and stop
functioning like expected, mainly caused by human actions. Here are five elements
of our role in accelerating extinctions:
1. Humanity has put its foot on the biodiversity extinction
acceleratorThrough intense human activities, such as land-use change,
overexploitation, climate change, pollution and the introduction of invasive
species, we are causing an extinction acceleration that is at least tens to
hundreds of times faster than it otherwise would have been.
2. The disappearance of one species can cause a chain
reaction of extinctionsEcosystems are built on intricate networks of connections
between different species. Many species are highly interconnected and form strong,
unique bonds with other species. The disappearance of one organism therefore can
have ripple effects throughout the ecosystem and could trigger a “co-extinction” —
the extinction of dependent species — setting off a chain reaction of extinctions
that could end in the ecosystem’s collapse.
3. Losing species threatens our well-beingAs we lose species, our
ecosystems also lose genetic diversity. This often negatively impacts the way
ecosystems provide us with services and benefits, such as pollination, purifying
air, etc. Our reliance on ecosystems for critical services like food provision can
therefore also be compromised. Because ecosystems support human health and well-
being in many ways, once the accelerating extinctions risk tipping point is
reached, the irreversible loss of species and ecosystems represents an imminent
threat for our sustainable future.
4. Halting biodiversity loss is important for our future as a speciesIf
one species after another goes extinct, there is a possibility that at one point,
we as humans will be affected as well. While species have some options and
capabilities to adapt to the extinction of strongly connected species, the more
connections disappear, the more constrained the adaptations will become. In the
long term, avoiding extinctions and co-extinctions is important for our well-being,
given that we are a part of nature.
5. Conservation efforts should include dependent species in addition to
target speciesOur current approach to conservation is often single-species focused,
ignoring the intricate interrelationships among species and the fragility of
dependent species and ecosystems. Nature should also be reintegrated into our
culture, to understand that its value goes beyond our desire for money and
development. This approach will maintain the resilience of ecosystems and ensure
the survival of our planet's living webs.
All points from ([Link]