Biodiversity Loss:

According to a UN reports, nearly half of the world's migratory species are in decline. With more than one fifth threatened with extinction. To move forward with biodiversity protection, we must understand the ecological forces shaping the species diversity patterns. Many breeding grounds suffer from degradation and loss via destruction of forests, streams, and wetlands to support land use for fields, roads, and communities.

A different report lists the conversion of forests, wetlands, grasslands... resulting in vertebrate decline of over 70% in roughly 30 years since 1970

How many other species are in rapid decline due to changes in terrestrial, marine, and other eco-systems? And how does interaction among different species play out? Are species evolving to adapt to changes, and if so what time frame might be required for some measure of evolution? Is genetic manipulation supporting biodiversity or ultimately leading to decline through environmental changes and/or interactions of species?

Here are some BIG ISSUES related to Species and Biodiversity. Click on highlighted issues for more information on why this is important, what are the causes, and what needs to be done.

1. What can cause biodiversity loss in an ecosystem?

2. Do population declines affect social structures in some species and what consequences might arise?

3. How important is habitat loss to biodiversity relative to other factors?

4. How is biodiversity related to the overall health of an ecosystem and/or to the species within?

5. Destruction of wetlands and estuaries, and the water souces that feed them are seriously affecting the ocean.

6. How does biodiversity loss affect economic systems and human society?

What solutions are recommended for individuals, groups, and governments? What has been tried and studied?.