Tag Archives: biodiversity

Nature

Increasing Biodiversity with Keystone Species

Photo: Tom Middleton

I recently watched a great short film: https://ny.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/keystone-species-trophic-cascades/some-animals-are-more-equal-than-others-the-serengeti-rules/ about keystone species.

Keystone species are animals which have large impacts on their ecosystems, despite not being abundant in their numbers. Their presence cascades down the food chain and affects the very structure the of ecosystem where they live. Sea otters in the North Pacific, for example, keep kelp forests intact, directly controlling populations of some species such as sea urchins, and indirectly controlling the populations of other species such as snails and crabs which rely on kelp as a source of food. If you remove the sea otter from the system, the sea urchins would eat all of the kelp, leaving nothing for the snails and crabs. Wolves, bees and African elephants are also keystone species. Keystone species are crucial in maintaining biodiversity, as they help create the conditions for other wildlife and plants to thrive.

Animals, Dolphins, Nature

Biodiversity & Climate Change

Pink River Dolphins

The World Wildlife Fund recently released its “Living Planet” report. Sadly, there has been a 69% drop in the numbers of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish since 1970. Populations in the Caribbean and Latin America did the worst, with an average decline of 94%. Global freshwater species also declined by 83% on average. The report said the key drivers of biodiversity decline include habitat loss, species overexploitation, invasive species, pollution, climate change and disease.

Anyone who cares about animals and wildlife must urge policymakers to transform economies so that natural resources are properly valued. Since biodiversity loss and climate change share many of the same underlying causes actions which transform food production and consumption, cut emissions, and increase investment in conservation can mitigate both.

“The world is waking up to the fact that our future depends on reversing the loss of nature just as much as it depends on addressing climate change. And you can’t solve one without solving the other,” says Carter Roberts, president and CEO of WWF-US. “Everyone has a role to play in reversing these trends, from individuals to companies to governments.”