Ecosystem biodiversity refers to the balance between species of plants and animals in a given area. It is also known as the ecological functioning of an ecosystem. To assess the impact of human activities on ecosystems, experts have developed several techniques for assessing the species-area relationship and the loss of biodiversity due to human activities. Below is a description of these techniques and some ideas on how to deal with the issue.
The three different types of biodiversity are genetic, ecological, and sociocultural. A natural system is considered to have biodiversity when species in it are able to survive in the environment. When the species can’t survive, it becomes extinct, which is the opposite of an ecological system.
One way of viewing species area relationship is to look at what kind of behaviors are common in any population, or in a given ecosystem. Examples of such behaviors are plant or animal expansion, climate, and food production and consumption. This type of analysis may be used to study how human activities impact biodiversity. In doing so, it looks for species that have declined in numbers or become extinct over time. Sometimes this happens because of human habitat alteration, such as changing landscapes to favor agricultural production.
Changes in land use can be another example. These changes can directly or indirectly lead to loss of biodiversity. Natural habitats and their boundaries are frequently altered by humans through actions such as farming and deforestation. Moreover, people tend to clear large portions of land for agricultural purposes, which in turn alters the species composition of the land. Similarly, intensive land use practices can lead to soil erosion, pollution, and species migration.
Extinction or loss of biological diversity can also occur as a result of human activities. This might be due to loss of habitat or introduced species. It might also be due to natural extinction, though this is more likely to happen with extinctions due to environmental causes than with other kinds of extinction. Extinction is a process whereby a species dies for lack of existent habitat or a lack of a reproductive ability. The species that becomes extinct generally leaves an ecological community without its primary means of living, such as oxygen, plants and animals, and other relevant resources.
The effects of human activities on ecosystems may affect the functioning of ecosystems on both a global and regional scale. Some areas become more polluted and there is increased air and water pollution. Others become less productive because of loss of plant and animal species and consequently also suffer from less consumption of natural resources.
On a local level, human activities and land use can affect biodiversity by altering the physical characteristics of habitats and affecting natural processes. The introduction of invasive species can have major implications for biodiversity and their ecosystems. The introduction of alien species can threaten the existing balance of biodiversity in natural systems and may even lead to the extinction of indigenous biodiversity in some cases. Invasive species are those species that enter an ecosystem through accidental introductions or by commercial trade. Examples include alien species brought by humans into ecosystems of Southeast Asia, exotic birds that are not native to the area but have been introduced, and introduced species that have spread throughout the world by means of humans and their vehicles.
Besides direct human actions, biodiversity can be influenced indirectly through changes in land use and structures, such as the type of crops produced, the construction of settlements and infrastructure, and the design and use of recreational resources. Many of these changes can potentially alter the existing characteristics of ecosystems and make them less sustainable or vulnerable to change. Rapid changes in tourism practices can negatively affect conservation objectives. These indirect impacts of human activities on biodiversity should be taken into account when planning solutions for biodiversity conservation.