Biodiversity, Climate, and Environmental Threats
The Wealth of Life: Biodiversity
We depend entirely on plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. They feed us, provide us with medicines and other goods that enhance the quality of our life and promise a productive and viable future. However, a quarter of all species on Earth may be lost in the next three decades.
Every year, we lose 1.5 to 2 percent of the remaining tropical rainforests due to slash-and-burn practices. 24 billion tons of topsoil are lost annually, and with over 90 million people worldwide, resources are becoming exhausted.
From the deserts of Antarctica to the most remote seas, the Earth’s surface is constantly bombarded with man-made products.
Classification of Living Things
The tendency to classify living things has been a fundamental human endeavor since ancient times. Aristotle (384-322 BC) proposed that all living organisms could be grouped into two large categories: Animals and Plants.
He placed plants and animals along a hierarchy, from simple to complex structures. Invertebrates were at the lower end, while vertebrates were at the higher end of the animal kingdom. Similarly, algae and ferns were placed lower than flowering and fruiting plants.
Influence of Climate and Soil on the Distribution of Life
Climate
Climate is a key factor influencing the distribution of life on Earth. It encompasses the meteorological phenomena that determine the atmospheric conditions of a place.
Elements of Climate
These include air temperature, air pressure, wind, humidity, and precipitation. Air temperature is the amount of heat in the atmosphere, measured with a thermometer. Atmospheric pressure is the weight of the air on the Earth’s surface, varying with temperature and measured with a barometer.
Wind is air in motion, caused by temperature and pressure differences. Prevailing winds have more momentum. An anemometer measures wind speed, and a weather vane indicates wind direction.
Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the lower atmosphere, measured with a hydrometer. Precipitation is the amount of rainfall, also measured with a hydrometer.
Climate Factors
Climate elements are modified by factors such as latitude, altitude, relief, distance from the sea, hydrography, and vegetation.
- Latitude is the distance in degrees from the Equator.
- Altitude is the height in meters above sea level.
Factors Impairing or Degrading the Environment
These factors can degrade the environment, particularly its natural components:
a) Air pollution, water, soil, flora, fauna, and other basic environmental components;
b) Erosion, salinization, alkalization, pest infestation, floods, sedimentation, and desertification;
c) Unwarranted felling or destruction of trees or shrubs; uncontrolled forest fires and mining in forests or other vegetation;
d) Over-cultivation, monoculture in unsuitable areas, overgrazing, faulty irrigation, and any agricultural practice with adverse environmental effects;
e) Unconscionable expansion of agricultural borders at the expense of forestry;
f) Alteration of natural sedimentation processes in water bodies;
g) Harmful alterations of natural water flow;
h) Adverse changes and misuse of waterbeds;
i) Overexploitation of wild flora beyond the limits of sustainable regeneration;
j) Overexploitation of wildlife beyond the limits of sustainable regeneration;
k) Removal, destruction, or degradation of habitats of endangered, vulnerable, rare, or insufficiently known species;
l) Mass or indiscriminate application of pesticides or fertilizers;
m) Introduction or distribution of exotic plant or animal species;
n) Introduction or spread of diseases or pests;
o) Use of products with slow biodegradation;
p) Improper accumulation or disposal of waste;
q) Production of harmful noises or vibrations;
r) Modification of climate-determining elements;
s) Unnecessary or unsightly destruction or alteration of the landscape;
t) Establishment of human settlements and industrial activities in protected wilderness areas;
u) Use and misuse of fissile materials;
v) Any act or omission that negatively alters the composition, behavior, and natural potential of environmental components, threatening genetic viability, life, health, or the development of humans, plants, or animals.
Resources for the Future
If the world is to achieve genuine stability, humans, living in a period of unprecedented growth and destruction, must use their powers for good. Just as grasslands in the central United States are being replaced, we need to heal the wounds of the past and ensure resources for future generations.