Threats to Biodiversity
- Habitat Destruction: Deforestation, urbanization, and land conversion lead to the loss of natural habitats.
- Overexploitation: Overfishing, hunting, and harvesting reduce populations and disrupt ecosystems.
- Pollution: Chemical pollutants, plastics, and greenhouse gases harm wildlife and ecosystems.
- Climate Change: Altered temperature and precipitation patterns affect species distribution and survival.
- Invasive Species: Non-native species that outcompete native species, disrupting ecosystems.
Invasive Species
- Definition: Species introduced to new areas, often by human activities, that spread rapidly and cause harm to native species and ecosystems.
- Cane Toad (Rhinella marina): Introduced to Australia for pest control but became invasive, outcompeting native species and poisoning predators.
- Asian Carp (Hypophthalmichthys spp.): Disrupts freshwater ecosystems in North America by outcompeting native fish species.
- Impact: Loss of native biodiversity, disruption of food webs, and altered ecosystem functions.
IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)
IUCN is a global organization that assesses the conservation status of species and advocates for biodiversity conservation. It has created a comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of biological species called the red list. This list is frequently updated.
- Categories:
- Critically Endangered (CR): Species facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.
