Biodiversity Decline

Declining Biodiversity
Deanna Garrett
ENV495
Jeanne Lambert
May 6, 2013

Declining Biodiversity Biodiversity is important in ecosystems because every life form works together in order for them to function. When these ecosystems are disrupted or altered, or even lacks biodiversity, it poses major threats to all the life forms in it, whether it happens quickly or over a long period of time. These threats include atmospheric pollution, weather catastrophe, climate changes, or even man-made influences. When we hear the word ‘biodiversity’, it pretty much explains itself. It is the amount of variation of life forms within a given biome, ecosystem, species, or even the entire plant. Many considerations need to be taken into account to preserve biodiversity and to protect these areas so that these ecosystems can function properly and prosper. With respect to the ecosystem and biodiversity, we need to remember that once our natural resources run out and when most ecosystems are destroyed, it is very hard to restore it to what it was. We need to consider our well being, as well as all the other organisms that we share the earth with. We use biodiversity all the time, whether it is direct or indirect. In order for us to live happy and healthy, we need a healthy ecosystem and it is our job to preserve it as much as possible so we can have functional communities or living organisms. When we lack biodiversity, our ecosystems become unstable, which in turn makes them more vulnerable to disasters and they cannot contribute to our well being.
The issue of biodiversity loss can be addressed globally, nationally, locally and personally. From a global standpoint, loss of biodiversity is directly linked to climate change. Many of the health risks are associated with changes in biodiversity mainly because the species that are slowly disappearing are the ones that prevent disease while the ones that are surviving usually increase disease. An example of this issue is the West Nile Virus, which was caused by infected mosquitoes that transmit the virus to humans and animals. Another global issue is the growing demand for clean drinking water, and the unequal distribution of clean water to other parts of the world. From a national standpoint, the loss of biodiversity in the United States is causing issues such as ‘bio-invasion’, which is considered to be one of the biggest threats to biodiversity. Bio-invasion is caused by an increasing number of invasive species that are being introduced into the United States which are affecting the species that already inhabit there. This is a threat because an ecosystem develops itself around the many of the species that have always inhabited an area, and introducing a new species can disrupt it since they are usually delicately balanced. From a local standpoint, loss of biodiversity can be seen in places that could be close to our home. An example would be at a local beach. Greenhouse gas emissions are causing the destruction and demise of coral reefs. Excess carbon dioxide and leads to ocean acidification which eventually causes the death of coral reefs. “Coral reefs are always in a balance. Acidification makes it harder for the building forces to build and easier for the eroding forces to erode” (Schlesinger 2008). While the ocean natural absorbs more than half of the carbon dioxide that is released into the atmosphere, the more there is in the air the more there is taken up by the sea, which acidifies the water.
Hooper, D. (2005). Effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning: A consensus of current knowledge. Ecological Monographs, 75(1), 3-35. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/233141993?accountid=32521
This article discusses the effects of humans altering the biological communities within an ecosystem. Human activities increase the rates of species invasions and extinctions that cause major concerns for the environment. Ecosystems depend on biodiversity, as well as the organisms that live within them. This article found that more species are needed to insure the stability of an ecosystem as well as its goods.
Liu, J. (2003) Effects of household dynamics on resource consumption and biodiversity 421, 6922; ProQuest Biology Journalspg. 530 retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/biologyjournals/docview/204551270/13DE2F69B901BE3C4F9/3?accountid=32521
This article explains how human population size and growth rate are drivers of biodiversity loss. As human population rates grow, there are more greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption. The article studied and compared the human population size in 76 hotspot households and 65 non-hotspot households. In hotspot countires, they found that the number of households was much higher between the years 1985-2000. Households in non-hotspot areas were equal. This article also claims that the growth rates in households will increase over the next 15 years. If the household size had stayed the same during these years, there would have been 155 million less households by the year 2000; and by the year 2015, there will be as many as 233 million more households in hotspot countries. In hotspot countries, the increase in population size limits the efforts to conserve biodiversity which degrades the ecosystem.
Reich, P. B., Tilman, D., Isbell, F., Mueller, K., Hobbie, S. E., Flynn, D. F. B., & Eisenhauer, N. (2012). Impacts of biodiversity loss escalate through time as redundancy fades. Science, 336(6081), 589-592. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1217909
This article discusses the long term experiments conducted by Peter Reich and found that the biomass productivity increased and became less saturating over time. Maintaining diversity in ecosystems is shown to be important because of the fact that over time, species have adapted to making do with the limited resources in the environment, but the impacts continue to grow stronger. Loss of species influences the biomass production while plant diversity promotes biomass production.
Ross, N., Villemur, R., Marcandella, É., & Deschênes, L. (2001). Assessment of changes in biodiversity when a community of ultramicrobacteria isolated from groundwater is stimulated to form a biofilm. Microbial Ecology, 42(1), 56-68. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s002480000085
This article discusses the stimulation of groundwater bacteria to form biofilms that leads to changes in biodiversity. This practice is subjected to environmental regulations that measures the affects it has on microbial biodiversity. The study was conducted to record the changes in biofilms on a ceramic surface. The changes in biodiversity were measured by comparing DNA strands. The hypothesis in this experiment stated that the stimulation of the biofilm would lead to a decrease in genetic diversity and an increase in metabolic diversity. The combination of the methods played a significant role in monitoring the changes in bacterial biodiversity.
Tilman, D. (2000). Causes, consequences and ethics of biodiversity. Nature, 405(6783), 208-11. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/35012217
This article discusses the loss of diversity and how it directly affects humans and the goods and services we depend on from ecosystems. Species and organisms shape and ecosystem and function an environment by recycling waste, producing food, fuel, fibre and medicines, create pure drinking pater, drive global cycles in the atmosphere, regulate the global climate with greenhouse gases, and generate soil fertility. It implies that having ethics aiming toward a sustainable world must be incorporated into culture which should remain long term. As long as humans instill these ethics about the Earth, it will retain its biodiversity and continue to flourish.
Song, L., Liu, W., Ma, W., & Qi, J. (2012). Response of epiphytic bryophytes to simulated N deposition in a subtropical montane cloud forest in southwestern china. Oecologia, 170(3), 847-56. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00442-012-2341-9
This article discusses the experiment which was conducted in China to test the effect of nitrogen pollution on epiphytic bryophytes. The study showed that increasing nitrogen pollution may lead to biodiversity loss which could in turn affect the developing economy in western China. The government should be alerted to stop the impacts caused by increased industrial pollution during this development.
Roohi, A., Kideys, A. E., Sajjadi, A., Hashemian, A., Pourgholam, R., Fazli, H., . . . Eker-develi, E. (2010). Changes in biodiversity of phytoplankton, zooplankton, fishes and macrobenthos in the southern caspian sea after the invasion of the ctenophore mnemiopsis leidyi. Biological Invasions, 12(7), 2343-2361. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10530-009-9648-4
Another study shows that changes in biodiversity of phytoplankton, zooplankton and fishes in the Caspian sea affected the economy as well. They were monitored for 6 years and the study showed that there was a decline in the large amount of mesozooplankton species. This in turn directly affected the nourishment of the kilka. A decreasing number of kilka affected the number of large predators that feed on them, resulting in a loss of at least $125 million to the US community.
Jowit, Juliete (2010) Economic impacts of biodiversity loss: case studies retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/21/biodiversity-case-studies
A case study was conducted in Japan to record the abandonment and degradation of forests and studied the benefits of saving them. “Their report put the total value of the ability to absorb carbon dioxide; use of wood instead of fossil fuels; reduction of erosion and flooding; regulation of and cleaner rivers, and health and recreation, at ¥70 trillion (£535bn) every year”(Jowit 2010). Another study was performed in Tanzania when the numbers of sea turtles increased after locals were being paid to stop eating them. Any person who finds a nest gets paid for finding it, as well as paid for how many eggs hatch. This is used as an incentive not to eat the turtle eggs. The study showed that since 2004, the number of hatchlings increased from 1/200 to more than 10,000. The study with turtles shows that using incentives to get people on board with preserving biodiversity can be very beneficial.

Resources
Hooper, D. (2005). Effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning: A consensus of current knowledge. Ecological Monographs, 75(1), 3-35. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/233141993?accountid=32521
Jowit, Juliete (2010) Economic impacts of biodiversity loss: case studies retrieved from http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/may/21/biodiversity-case-studies
Liu, J. (2003) Effects of household dynamics on resource consumption and biodiversity 421, 6922; ProQuest Biology Journalspg. 530 retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/biologyjournals/docview/204551270/13DE2F69B901BE3C4F9/3?accountid=32521
Reich, P. B., Tilman, D., Isbell, F., Mueller, K., Hobbie, S. E., Flynn, D. F. B., & Eisenhauer, N. (2012). Impacts of biodiversity loss escalate through time as redundancy fades. Science, 336(6081), 589-592. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1217909
Roohi, A., Kideys, A. E., Sajjadi, A., Hashemian, A., Pourgholam, R., Fazli, H., . . . Eker-develi, E. (2010). Changes in biodiversity of phytoplankton, zooplankton, fishes and macrobenthos in the southern caspian sea after the invasion of the ctenophore mnemiopsis leidyi. Biological Invasions, 12(7), 2343-2361. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10530-009-9648-4

Ross, N., Villemur, R., Marcandella, É., & Deschênes, L. (2001). Assessment of changes in biodiversity when a community of ultramicrobacteria isolated from groundwater is stimulated to form a biofilm. Microbial Ecology, 42(1), 56-68. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s002480000085
Schlesinger, V. (2008) Increasingly acidic ocean waters are causing coral demise, beach erosion, and biodiversity loss http://www.plentymag.com/features/2008/07/acid_influx.php
Song, L., (2012). Response of epiphytic bryophytes to simulated N deposition in a subtropical montane cloud forest in southwestern china. Oecologia, 170(3), 847-56. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00442-012-2341-9
Tilman, D. (2000). Causes, consequences and ethics of biodiversity. Nature, 405(6783), 208-11. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/35012217