Oceans make up a large proportion of our planet. Since they are so grand, they also offer numerous services, such as food production, to the human population as well as to other organisms. Human activities, such as overexploitation of fish species through large fishing practices, destruction of vulnerable marine ecosystems such as coral reefs and sal
t marshes from human development and pollution, as well as the mere human presence have led to a severe decline in the biodiversity of marine environments. Biodiversity, as observed through experimentation, has been shown to increase the productivity, efficiency, and stability of ecological systems. The more species present in a given location, the more ecological functions that can be performed, and thus the more benefits received from all species that utilize and live in this system.Because of our dependence on ocean fish species for economic livelihood and food, people are starting to become concerned as fishing industries collapse because the fish populations that they depend on are showing significant declines in abundance. As fish populations decline, so do the abundances of the organisms that interact and possibly feed on these same fish species. All the components of a system are interdependent. Therefore, when one component, in this case fish, shows large changes, the other components, such as algae and zooplankton populations, will change as well.
Furthermore, people continue to move closer to the oceans, building water-front homes and encroaching on the marine environment. Local, regional, and global scale losses have been noted in species diversity, and hence economic losses have arisen. Also, when there is a loss in biodiversity of a system, the amount of variability in abundances of species’ populations greatly increases, thus causing a decrease in the stability of the system. A decrease in stability increases the risk of populations collapsing which can lead to extinction of the species that are most vulnerable. Increased biodiversity not only reduces the risk of the community collapsing in the future, but also increases the community’s ability to recover from natural disturbances and ecosystem changes brought on by climate change and an evolving landscape.
Tourism is a large economic business in many coastal communities. When the abundance of species decreases and ocean waters become filled with pollution, the overall water quality of the area decreases. Filter and suspension feeders are able to remove the suspended organic compounds that cause a decrease in water clarity, thus improving the overall water quality. Hence, when these organisms are removed, water quality decreases and people are less attracted to such locations for vacations. Therefore, it is no longer the economic industries and environmental systems that are suffering, but societal well-being as well. Reserves and sustainable management of oceanic environments has led to considerable recovery in some species, and thus increased tourism.
We must keep in mind too, that biodiversity and preservation of species richness can be applied to terrestrial ecosystems too. Human activities have greatly altered the prairies through increased agricultural practices and forested areas because of the large quantities of trees harvested. As a result of such activities, there are many organisms that are being lost, many of which are unidentified. Therefore, the true value of what we are losing is greatly unknown. Plants and animals alike have a great genetic diversity. Researchers are continuously finding plants and animals that can provide many benefits to the human population such as alternative food sources or natural compounds that can be used to make medications.
Currently, many people have not recognized the enormity of a loss of biodiversity, or the fact that the majority of our fisheries could collapse by the end of the century. On a global scale, a significant number of species, and the services that they provide, are continually being lost. This loss will not only affect people, but also a large number of organisms that depend on these species through direct and indirect interactions in the community.
Easton T. Classic edition sources: environmental studies. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2009. pp. 91-4.
Related Links....
Shah A. Global issues: loss of biodiversity and extinctions. [Online]. Avail from: http://www.globalissues.org/article/171/loss-of-biodiversity-and-extinctions [2009 Nov 18]
GreenFacts. Scientific facts on biodiversity and human well-being. [Online]. Avail from: http://www.greenfacts.org/en/biodiversity/ [2009 Sep 10]
CBC. Canadian sport fishing stocks collapsing. [Online]. Avail from: http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2002/02/12/fish020212.html [2002 Feb 12]
Great Green Gadgets. The widening gyre of plastic pollution in the ocean. [Online]. Avail from: http://greatgreengadgets.com/gadgets/2009/02/16/the-widening-gyre-of-plastic-pollution-in-the-ocean/ [2009 Feb 16]
