Our existence on earth, is sustained through resources, obtained from the environment. We are part of an ecosystem that has unique biodiversity. An ecosystem is a community of living and non-living organisms that live and interact with each other in a specific environment.
Biodiversity is the variety of life on the earth. The World Wildlife Fund report entitled; “Appetite for Destruction”, found out that meat-based diets are destroying about 60 percent of biodiversity through growing animal feed. Giraffes, giant pandas, snow leopards, cheetahs and jaguars are said they could cease to exist over time. “Without biodiversity, there is no future for humanity”, well said by Professor David Macdonald at the Oxford University.
Biodiversity is made up of several levels which include genes, individual species, communities and an ecosystem. Our forests, farmlands, lakes and rivers are some of our ecosystems. Human activities such as pollution and waste are destroying biodiversity, contributing towards climate change and most importantly, stealing the future of our children.
Biodiversity restoration aims to recreate, initialise or accelerate the recovery of an ecosystem that has been disturbed.
Agriculture consumes about 40 percent of land on earth. Farmlands provide fruits, vegetables and meat. For plants and animals to be grown and bred, harmful fertilizers and pesticides are used, vast land and vegetation is cleared and bulk water is extracted for irrigation. Clearing forests and land disturbs habitats for various species such as birds. These activities are causing biodiversity loss and endangering certain species.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) defines conservation agriculture as a practice that promotes less soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and diversification of plants. Soil cover, no-tillage, inter-cropping, using manure and biopesticides improves biodiversity conservation by preventing disturbance of micro-organisms integrity in the soil, the spread of pest diseases associated with mono-cropping and improving carbon sequestration, combating biodiversity loss and climate change at large.
Forest and mountain habitats about 80 percent of the world’s amphibians and most birds and mammals. They also provide firewood, medicine and wild food. Through agriculture, invasive pests and diseases, use of firewood, logging timber, and wildfires, our biodiversity is being lost. Clearing land to establish farms and urban areas disturbs soil cover, resulting in soil erosion and siltation leading to biodiversity loss.
Agroforestry, afforestation and reforestation are techniques which can regain lost biodiversity. Re-vegetated plant species control siltation and water quality, most importantly, they restore biodiversity as the vegetation flourishes. Sustainable Development Goal Number 12; Responsible Consumption and Production can also be considered in order to restore biodiversity. Through monitoring our food systems, waste can be avoided in the value chain hence, conserving resources and biodiversity. Urban farming and climate smart agriculture are some methods that are more sustainable compared to conventional agriculture.
Our freshwater and marine ecosystems’ biodiversity is being degraded from overfishing due to unreasonable consumption and production and high quantities of water extraction for irrigation, industrial and residential use. These factors disturb the conditions ideal for the aquatic life which threaten their existence. Approximately, 160 billion pounds, is the total amount of fish caught per year, of which about 40 percent of it is wasted through leftovers and industrial processes.
Seagrass is a hidden climate champion; it can capture carbon (CO2) about 35 times faster than tropical rainforests. To conserve seagrass and other marine life forms, effluent must be treated before discharge, solid waste must be handled in a holistic manner including other factors that contribute to water pollution such as mining and agriculture. If water pollution is controlled, biodiversity loss will be prevented which will result in recovery of aquatic life.
Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface of the soil all year or for varying periods. These ecosystems provide us with recreational value, flood abatement, erosion control, habitat enhancement and most importantly, water purification. Nowadays we see construction being done on wetlands which degrades its functions and its dependent species. Other factors deteriorating wetlands are fire, overgrazing and pollution for instance.
Wetlands cover about 3 percent of the world’s land, yet they store about one-third of all the carbon in their soil. This ability makes wetlands a carbon sink, which helps to control climate change. To conserve our wetlands and restore its biodiversity, preservation can be used to protect undisturbed wetlands through national parks and recreational centres.
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