Loss of Biodiversity

The loss of biodiversity disturbs the overall balance of an ecosystem, and its most serious consequence is the outright extinction of species. Extinction can occur in three broad ways -- natural extinction, mass extinction, and human-caused (anthropogenic) extinction. Damage to biodiversity has both natural causes, such as forest fires, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and human causes, such as habitat destruction, hunting, settlement, over-exploitation of resources and reclamation of mangrove land.

The fossil record shows six great mass extinction events at various points in Earth's history (for example, around past ice ages). The loss of biodiversity happening today is widely regarded by ecologists as a seventh mass extinction, one proceeding at an alarming pace estimated at 100 to 1,000 times faster than in pre-human times, driven overwhelmingly by human interference with natural habitats. If the current trend continues unchecked, scientists warn that as much as 50% of existing biodiversity could be lost. Losing biodiversity in an area can …