Biodiversity Legal Meaning

On the contrary, interspecific biodiversity refers to the diversity of living species among themselves: by their number, nature and relative importance. Let`s say that humans (or sapiens sapiens), a species currently numbering 7.7 billion organisms, have a higher diversity than, for example, the small number of African elephants currently threatened with extinction. North Africa, South Australia, the coasts of Brazil, Madagascar and South Africa are also identified as areas with significant losses of biological integrity. [31] In 2006, many species were officially classified as rare or endangered or threatened; In addition, scientists have estimated that millions of other endangered species that have not been officially recognized are endangered. About 40 percent of the 40,177 species assessed according to the IUCN Red List criteria are now classified as critical, for a total of 16,119. [151] The top five causes of biodiversity loss are: habitat loss, invasive species, overexploitation (extreme hunting and fishing pressures), pollution, and climate change. The history of biodiversity during the Phanerozoic (the last 540 million years) begins with rapid growth during the Cambrian explosion – a period during which almost all the stems of multicellular organisms first appeared. [54] Over the next 400 million years, invertebrate diversity showed a small general trend and vertebrate diversity a global exponential trend. [16] This dramatic increase in diversity has been characterized by periodic and massive losses of diversity classified as mass extinction events. [16] A significant loss occurred when the tropical forests of the Carboniferous collapsed.

[55] The worst was the Permian-Triassic extinction 251 million years ago. It took vertebrates 30 million years to recover from this event. [56] Terrestrial biodiversity is thought to be up to 25 times greater than that of the oceans. [28] Forests are home to most of the Earth`s terrestrial biodiversity. The preservation of the world`s biodiversity therefore depends entirely on how we interact with and use the world`s forests. [23] A new method used in 2011 estimated the total number of species on Earth at 8.7 million, of which about 2.1 million lived in the ocean. [29] However, this estimate seems to underestimate the diversity of microorganisms. [30] Forests provide habitat for 80 percent of amphibian species, 75 percent of bird species, and 68 percent of mammal species. About 60% of all vascular plants are found in tropical forests. Mangroves provide breeding grounds and nurseries for many species of fish and crustaceans and help trap sediments that could otherwise harm seagrass beds and coral reefs, which are habitats for many more marine species. [23] At present, several countries have already imported so many exotic species, especially agricultural and ornamental plants, that their native flora and fauna may be outnumbered.

For example, the introduction of kudzu from Southeast Asia to Canada and the United States has threatened biodiversity in some areas. [174] Nature provides effective ways to mitigate climate change. [175] It can be difficult to accurately measure differences in biodiversity. Selection bias among researchers can contribute to distorting empirical research for modern biodiversity estimates. In 1768, Rev. Gilbert White succinctly of his Selborne, Hampshire: “All nature is so crowded that this district produces the greatest diversity that is the most studied.” [51] Protecting biodiversity is a very complex task, as most human actions have a negative impact on ecosystems by weakening them. For example, human activities create pollution that affects living species. Deforestation destroys the habitat of many animals, insects and plants. At the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, an essential step was taken towards the conservation of biological diversity. Biodiversity has been recognized as an integral part of the Sustainable Development Agenda.

Therefore, in the Treaty on Biological Diversity, signatory States committed themselves to protecting the diversity of life and restoring already degraded ecosystems. Although about 80% of the human food supply comes from only 20 plant species,[91] humans use at least 40,000 species. [92] Earth`s surviving biodiversity provides resources to broaden the spectrum of food and other products fit for human consumption, although the current rate of extinction reduces this potential. [65] EU Directive 1999/22/EC describes that zoos play a role in the conservation of wildlife biodiversity by conducting research or participating in breeding programmes. [241] The term “biodiversity” refers to the diversity of living organisms. Biodiversity brings together the different species and life forms (animal, plant, entomological and other) and their variability, i.e. their evolutionary dynamics in their ecosystems. Traditionally, there are three levels of biodiversity: genetic diversity, biodiversity and ecosystem diversity. But what does each of these levels really mean? Biodiversity is not evenly distributed on Earth, it is generally greater in the tropics due to the warm climate and high primary productivity in the region near the equator.

These tropical forest ecosystems cover less than 10% of the Earth`s surface and contain about 90% of the world`s species. Marine biodiversity is generally higher on the coasts of the Western Pacific, where sea surface temperatures are highest, and at mid-latitudes in all oceans. There are latitude gradients in biodiversity. Biodiversity generally tends to accumulate in hotspots and has increased over time, but it is likely to slow down in the future as the main consequence of deforestation. It encompasses the evolutionary, ecological and cultural processes that sustain life. Health issues affected by biodiversity include nutritional health and security, infectious diseases, medical science and resources, social and psychological health. [100] Biodiversity is also known to play an important role in disaster risk reduction and in post-disaster relief and reconstruction efforts. [101] [102] Protecting biodiversity is also essential for businesses. In fact, the protection of biodiversity is part of the guidelines and guidelines for sustainable agriculture, especially in organic farming. It is both present and an element of the sustainable development strategy of the ISO 26000 standards.

These standards serve as a guide and proof that companies are striving to adopt socially responsible behaviour. Overuse occurs when a resource is consumed at an unsustainable rate. This happens on land in the form of overhunting, excessive logging, poor soil protection in agriculture, and illegal wildlife trade. Overexploitation can lead to the destruction of resources, including extinction. Conservation biology matured in the mid-20th century when ecologists, naturalists and other scientists began researching and solving problems related to the global decline of biodiversity. [231] [232] [233] Biodiversity provides crucial support for drug discovery and the availability of medical resources. [104] [105] A significant proportion of drugs come directly or indirectly from biological sources: at least 50% of pharmaceutical compounds on the U.S. market come from plants, animals, and microorganisms, while about 80% of the world`s population depends on drugs of nature (used in modern or traditional medical practice) for primary health care. [94] Only a tiny fraction of wildlife species have been studied for their medicinal potential.