Biomes And Diversity Before Completing Your Post Review
Biomes And Diversitybefore Completing Your Post Review Theweek 1 Bio
Review the Week 1: Biomes & Diversity interactive video to aid in understanding this week's topic and organizing your initial post. As learned in the readings, extinction is a natural selection process, but human activities often accelerate this process. Write at least 150 words addressing whether humans should be concerned about the extinction rate, using at least two scholarly or reputable resources and your textbook to support your claims. Also, discuss if humans should strive to preserve representative samples of all biomes on Earth. Ensure your sources are cited in APA format. Before starting, watch the video “Choosing Articles and Revising Searches” to understand the difference between scholarly, reputable, and non-reputable resources.
Paper For Above instruction
The rapid rise in the extinction rate due to human activities has become a significant concern for biodiversity and ecosystem stability worldwide. While extinction is a natural process that has occurred throughout Earth's history, the current rate is estimated to be 100 to 1,000 times higher than the natural background rate, primarily driven by human actions such as habitat destruction, pollution, overhunting, and climate change (Ceballos et al., 2015). This accelerated rate poses severe threats to global biodiversity, leading to the loss of numerous species that play crucial roles in maintaining ecological balance.
Humans should indeed be deeply concerned about the rising extinction rates because biodiversity is essential for the resilience and productivity of ecosystems. The loss of species diminishes genetic diversity, reduces ecosystem services such as pollination and water purification, and compromises the capacity of environments to recover from disturbances (Ripple et al., 2017). Moreover, recent studies have indicated that the decline in biodiversity can have direct consequences on human well-being, including food security and health outcomes (Díaz et al., 2019). Maintaining a diverse and balanced ecosystem is not only an environmental priority but also a moral obligation to preserve the planet for future generations.
In addition to concern over extinction, there is a compelling argument for human efforts to preserve representative samples of all biomes. Biomes, which are large ecological areas characterized by distinct flora and fauna, are critical reservoirs of biodiversity. Preserving biomes ensures the survival of unique species and genetic material, which might have potential benefits for medicine, agriculture, and scientific research. Furthermore, healthy biomes contribute to climate regulation, water cycles, and soil fertility, which are vital for human survival (Lovejoy & Hannah, 2019).
Efforts to conserve biomes should be prioritized globally, considering the alarming rate of habitat loss and climate change. Establishing protected areas and biosphere reserves, restoring degraded ecosystems, and enacting policies that reduce carbon emissions are essential strategies. Recognizing that complete preservation of all biomes might not be feasible everywhere, prioritizing the protection of endangered habitats—such as rainforests, coral reefs, and savannahs—is critical. These biomes serve as biodiversity hotspots and are integral to global ecological health.
In conclusion, humans should be highly concerned about the escalating extinction rate as it jeopardizes ecological stability and human well-being. Preservation of diverse biomes through strategic conservation efforts is vital for maintaining Earth's biodiversity, ensuring ecosystem services, and securing a sustainable future. As stewards of the planet, humans have an ethical responsibility to mitigate their impact and work toward safeguarding the rich biological heritage of all Earth's biomes.
References
- Ceballos, G., Ehrlich, P. R., Barnosky, A. D., García, A., Pringle, R. M., & Alroy, J. (2015). Accelerated modern human–induced species losses: Entering the sixth mass extinction. Science Advances, 1(5), e1400253. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1400253
- Díaz, S., Settele, J., Brondízio, E. S., et al. (2019). Summary for policymakers of the assessment report on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. https:// IPBES
- Lovejoy, T. E., & Hannah, L. (2019). Biodiversity and ecosystems: Protecting nature’s riches. Science, 363(6420), 605-607. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aav9205
- Ripple, W. J., Wolf, C., Newsome, T. M., et al. (2017). World scientists’ warning to humanity: A second notice. BioScience, 67(12), 1026–1028. https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/bix125