human impact on biodiversity

• Some impacts of the growing human population on biodiversity include:

  • Deforestation destroys habitats and reduces ecosystem diversity.
  • Overuse of resources causes certain species to decline or go extinct, reducing genetic and species diversity.
  • Urban sprawl isolates wildlife populations, limiting breeding and decreasing genetic diversity.
  • Pollution kills species directly and harms habitats long term.
• Farming methods aimed at maximising crop yields, such as creating monocultures, often decrease biodiversity. These practices decrease habitat, plant, and animal diversity. Populations decline as species lose food, shelter, and breeding sites.
• Monocultures -involves growing single crops over large areas directly decreasing the diversity of plants and of species that depend on them for food or a habitat.also deplete the nutrients from soil. Converting woodland and hedgerows into fields - This decreases numbers of trees and other species, and destroys habitats. Filling in ponds, draining marshes, over-grazing of land - This directly destroys habitats and reduces species diversity.
• • Removing weeds with herbicides - This may harm other species or those that depend on target species.
  • Using pesticides to kill crop pests - This may harm other species or those that depend on target species.
  • Using inorganic fertilisers - These may runoff into water courses, causing issues for aquatic species.
• methods can help balance conservation and agriculture.

  Some of these methods include:

  • Maintaining hedgerows.
  • Reducing pesticide and herbicide use.
  • Using organic fertilisers.
  • Using crop rotation.
• Burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases, causing global warming. Climate change alters regional climates around the world. This can cause shifts in the biodiversity in various habitats.