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Essay On Loss of Biodiversity | Loss of Biodiversity Essay for Students and Children in English

February 13, 2024 by Prasanna

Essay On Loss of Biodiversity: Biodiversity is important because it is what the planet earth is made of. Whether we are talking about the earth’s Landor all the hydrosphere, it is filled with microorganisms, animals, and plants.

In the name of development, kilometres worth of forests is cut down reducing by tens of thousands and the biodiversity on our planet with every ecosystem being destroyed.

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Long And Short Essays On Loss of Biodiversity for Students and Kids In English

We provide students with essay samples on Loss of Biodiversity essays of 500 words and a short piece of 150 words on the same topic for reference.

Long Essay On Loss of  Biodiversity 500 Words In English

Long Essay On Loss of Biodiversity is helpful to students of classes 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12.

Biodiversity is actually present in all around us, in the potted mosquitoes and plants in our homes, to the millions of various species of plants and animals that exist in the deepest jungles and forests in the world. In simple words, biodiversity actually refers to the plentitude of fauna and flora around us in the world, on our planet earth. In the world around us, it plays an incredibly necessary role as each organism, whether animal or plant, has a relevant role to play-in in the ecological system.

So why is biodiversity actually important? The biodiversity is important because it is what the planet earth is made of. Whether we are talking about the earth’s Landor all the hydrosphere, it is filled with micro-organisms, animals, and plants. Thus, if these organisms which are also known the planet earth biodiversity, keep constantly decreasing or depleting, there will be actually nothing left of our planet.

There are almost thousands of species today that are actually endemic to specific regions or places in the world, which means in those places or regions if the ecosystems cease to exist, these species of fauna and flora will, too. For example, the Madagascar lemurs are endemic to its place Madagascar. Due to circumstances created by humans, ecosystems are actually being destroyed, resulting in endemic of these species and being put under the endangered category. Endangered species are those which are on the verge of extinction, due to unnecessary human activities and more often than not. The Bengal tiger is endangered in West Bengal, and dodo birds have been found to be extinct for centuries now. Another word for caring for the environment is Conservation of Biodiversity.

In today’s world of new advancements, world leaders find it necessary to cut down a lot of trees in forests every day for infrastructure technology. This process is extremely harmful to the environment and is also called deforestation. The harm to nature is due to the loss of trees on which a multitude of organisms depend on and provide us with oxygen to the ecosystem that these jungles provide for them. In the name of development, kilometres worth of forests is cut down reducing by tens of thousands and the biodiversity on our planet with every ecosystem being destroyed.

Even though biodiversity is actually decreasing, there are ways even if not completely to restore to its full extent. The best humanly possible way to do this is replanting trees or reforestation, allowing the forest to grow its lost trees back. To battle the loss of biodiversity, another solution is to spread awareness about the repercussions or consequences of the same. Governments have planned and gone to the extent of setting up forest conservatories and reserves to protect the flora and wildlife of specific forest regions of the world. This shows responsibility and concern on the part of these ruling governments.

It is most essential to restore biodiversity in the world. For this to happen, humans must take control of our questionable actions against ecosystems around the world. It is time to take care of and protect the earth’s flora and fauna much better than we have been in the past.

Short Essay On Loss of 150 Words Biodiversity In English

Short Essay On Loss of Biodiversity is helpful to students of classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Whether we are talking about the earth’s Landor all the hydrosphere, it is filled with microorganisms, animals, and plants. Thus, if these organisms which are also known the planet earth biodiversity, keep constantly decreasing or depleting, there will be actually nothing left of our planet.

In today’s world of new advancements, world leaders find it necessary to cut down a lot of trees in forests every day for infrastructure technology. This process is extremely harmful to the environment and is also called deforestation.

The harm to nature is due to the loss of trees on which a multitude of organisms depend on and provide us with oxygen to the ecosystem that these jungles provide for them.

Even though biodiversity is actually decreasing, there are ways even if not completely to restore to its full extent. The best humanly possible way to do this is replanting trees or reforestation, allowing the forest to grow its lost trees back.

10 Lines On Loss Of Biodiversity Essay

• Biodiversity on planet earth makes up all the living beings, including all microorganisms, animals, and plants.
• Biodiversity, as it maintains the ecological balance, is essential of our planet
• There are many harm-causing factors the biodiversity and environment in today’s world of capitalism and development.
• The risk of extinction status or endangered species faces many endemic species due to the destruction of their homes.
• Many species are on the verge of extinction which means and called endangered,
• There are several forest reserves and protected conservatories of certain regions world over, to help preserve the biodiversity
• By reforestation, it is vital to make efforts to restore biodiversity.
• There should be a desire and need to spread awareness to let people and make them know the dire consequences or repercussions of biodiversity loss.
• In the depletion of biodiversity, the role we have played, and humans must realize.
• It is time to start protecting and taking care of and the earth’s flora and fauna much better than before.

FAQ’s on Loss of Biodiversity Essay

Question 1. What does biodiversity actually mean?

Answer: Biodiversity refers and defined to the collection of every species of micro-organisms plants and animals all over the planet.

Question 2. Why are forests so important?

Answer: Forests house millions and millions of trees, which are actually the living beings that provide us with the oxygen that humans and animals breathe. Different fauna and flora species that are essentially dependent have millions of houses in the forest and each other to survive the earth and themselves.

Question 3. What can we do to help the earth?

Answer: The best humanly possible way to do this is replanting trees or reforestation, allowing the forest to grow its lost trees back. To battle the loss of biodiversity, another solution is to spread awareness about the repercussions or consequences of the same.

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Explainer: What Is Biodiversity Loss?

Species are going extinct faster than at any time in history, and this worrying trend is projected to accelerate. According to a 2021 United Nations report , approximately one million animal and plant species are at risk of extinction and many of them could be completely wiped out within the next few years. This dire situation could potentially lead to an ecological crisis, threatening the survival of species and ecosystems. So, what is the definition of biodiversity loss, what are some biodiversity loss examples, and the biggest causes of it today? 

What Is Biodiversity Loss?

The definition of biodiversity loss is described as the loss of life on Earth at various levels, ranging from reductions in the genetic diversity to the collapse of entire ecosystems. In addition to its intrinsic value, biodiversity underpins ecosystem services, providing the backbone of the global economy. 

The rate of loss has rapidly increased in recent years, to the point where many scientists believe that the world is currently experiencing a sixth mass extinction .  Previous mass extinction events saw the existence of dinosaurs wiped out completely as well as the disappearance of more than 95% of all species living at the time. 

Biodiversity loss not only results in species extinction, but it also affects humans by depriving humanity from accessing services that natural ecosystems provide, whether it be the wealth of oxygen that we breathe or the benefits of pollination provided by animals in ensuring global food security. 

4 Causes of Biodiversity Loss

While biodiversity loss can occur naturally from more permanent ecological changes in ecosystems, landscapes, and the global biosphere, the current rapid rate of loss is a direct result of rampant human activity since the Industrial Revolution. 

1. Habitat Loss

The single biggest contributor of global biodiversity loss is undoubtedly land and forest clearing to make way for urban and agricultural development. The latter of which has caused the loss of millions of hectares of trees to support the growing cattle and livestock industries, as well as mining activities. These ever-expanding industries are driven by global meat consumption, demand for commodities like paper and wood, and resources such as gold and other valuable minerals. 

Decades of persistent land clearing means that we have lost significant amounts of natural habitats. Since forests especially are home to more than 80% of all terrestrial species of animals, plants and insects on the planet, millions of species have lost critical habitats to find shelter from prey and for reproduction, as well as increased food competition, causing population decline for many animals (and plants). 

2. Wildlife Trading

Animal poaching, wildlife and exotic pet trading have cost the lives of millions of animals from thousands of species across the world, causing nearly 30,000 species to become extinct every single year. Rare and vulnerable animal species are frequently targeted, caught and killed for food, as trophies, status symbols – for instance, elephant ivories and rhino horns, tourist ornaments, as well as allegedly medicinal purposes – many bears and tigers are killed for parts believed to be medicinal cures and even aphrodisiacs. 

3. Overfishing

Aside from habitat loss from deforestation, another contributing factor in biodiversity loss is overfishing prompted by the commercial fishing industry. Today, we fish at a much higher and faster rate than fish stocks are able to replenish, pushing many fish species to the brink of extinction. While there are a number of regulations and fishing quotas in place to reduce the risk of overfishing – a few commercially-fished tuna species have recently been reported to show signs of population recovery – many other marine species including sharks and manta rays are in decline. This partly can be attributed to bycatching, where unwanted sea animals are captured during commercial fishing. About 38.5 million tonnes of bycatch result from unsustainable fishing practises every year. 

4. Climate Change 

Our dependence on fossil fuels and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions from it have created the phenomenon that is climate change. But today’s climate is changing faster than species can move or adapt, and rising global temperatures are driving many animals to habitats they are not suited for. According to a 2004 study , scientists estimated that millions of species worldwide could face extinction as a result of climate changes predicted to occur in the next 50 years. 

Aside from biodiversity loss definition, you might also like: How Does Habitat Fragmentation Affect Biodiversity?

Some Examples

1. mountain pygmy-possum.

As global temperatures continue to rise, one particular species has already keenly experienced its effects : the Mountain Pygmy-Possum. Native to Australia and found only in the snowy mountain tops in Victoria and New South Wales, this tiny mammal goes through a prolonged hibernation – under two to four metres of snow – of up to seven months during winters. Because of global warming, there is less available snow, forcing the marsupial to come out of hibernation earlier, resulting in greater food competition and higher risk of exposure to prey. Today’s estimates place about 2,000 individuals left in the wild for this already vulnerable species.

2. Orangutan

Both the Bornean and the Sumatran orangutan that are native to Indonesia have been severely impacted by deforestation in the country. The latter are reported to have lost approximately 60% of their key habitat between 1985 and 2007 , largely due to logging, mining, agriculture, and infrastructure, and in support of the palm oil industry – Indonesia is now home to over 60,000 square kilometres of palm plantations . As these majestic forest dwellers are arboreal creatures, meaning that they spend most of their lives in trees, the loss of forest land causes irreversible damage to the species’ survival. A century ago, there were probably more than 230,000 orangutans in total, but the Bornean orangutan is now estimated at about 104,700 while the Sumatran at about 7,500. 

The endangered Sumatran Orangutan

3. Stellar’s Sea Cow

This marine mammal became extinct within 27 years of their discovery in 1741 by naturalist Georg W Steller. Reaching a length of over 30 feet and weighing between eight-10 metric tons, the sea cow was larger than today’s manatees with a broad, horizontal forked tail fluke. Its weight is largely attributed to three to four inches of blubber to help them conserve heat in its natural habitats – found primarily in the North Pacific Ocean – and one-inch thick outer skin. But because of these attractive features, the slow-moving animal was hunted extensively for its skin, fat, and meat to the point of extinction.

You might also like: 10 of the World’s Most Endangered Animals in 2023

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Ecological effects

Economic and societal effects, solutions to biodiversity loss.

• What are the abiotic and biotic components of the biosphere?
• What organizations determine which organisms are endangered species?

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• U.S. National Science Foundation - Loss of Biological Diversity: A Global crisis requiring international solutions
• National Center for Biotechnology Information - The Loss of Diversity Causes and Consequences
• The Guardian - The biodiversity crisis in numbers - a visual guide
• Academia - Causes of Biodiversity Loss: a Human Ecological Analysis
• Table Of Contents

The weight of biodiversity loss is most pronounced on species whose populations are decreasing. The loss of genes and individuals threatens the long-term survival of a species, as mates become scarce and risks from inbreeding rise when closely related survivors mate. The wholesale loss of populations also increases the risk that a particular species will become extinct.

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Biodiversity is critical for maintaining ecosystem health. Declining biodiversity lowers an ecosystem’s productivity (the amount of food energy that is converted into the biomass ) and lowers the quality of the ecosystem’s services (which often include maintaining the soil , purifying water that runs through it, and supplying food and shade, etc.).

Biodiversity loss also threatens the structure and proper functioning of the ecosystem. Although all ecosystems are able to adapt to the stresses associated with reductions in biodiversity to some degree, biodiversity loss reduces an ecosystem’s complexity , as roles once played by multiple interacting species or multiple interacting individuals are played by fewer or none. As parts are lost, the ecosystem loses its ability to recover from a disturbance ( see ecological resilience ). Beyond a critical point of species removal or diminishment, the ecosystem can become destabilized and collapse. That is, it ceases to be what it was (e.g., a tropical forest, a temperate swamp , an Arctic meadow, etc.) and undergoes a rapid restructuring, becoming something else (e.g., cropland, a residential subdivision or other urban ecosystem , barren wasteland, etc.).

Reduced biodiversity also creates a kind of “ecosystem homogenization” across regions as well as throughout the biosphere . Specialist species (i.e., those adapted to narrow habitats , limited food resources, or other specific environmental conditions) are often the most vulnerable to dramatic population declines and extinction when conditions change. On the other hand, generalist species (those adapted to a wide variety of habitats, food resources, and environmental conditions) and species favoured by human beings (i.e., livestock, pets, crops, and ornamental plants) become the major players in ecosystems vacated by specialist species. As specialist species and unique species (as well as their interactions with other species) are lost across a broad area, each of the ecosystems in the area loses some amount of complexity and distinctiveness, as the structure of their food chains and nutrient-cycling processes become increasingly similar.

Biodiversity loss affects economic systems and human society. Humans rely on various plants , animals , and other organisms for food , building materials, and medicines, and their availability as commodities is important to many cultures . The loss of biodiversity among these critical natural resources threatens global food security and the development of new pharmaceuticals to deal with future diseases . Simplified, homogenized ecosystems can also represent an aesthetic loss.

Economic scarcities among common food crops may be more noticeable than biodiversity losses of ecosystems and landscapes far from global markets. For example, Cavendish bananas are the most common variety imported to nontropical countries, but scientists note that the variety’s lack of genetic diversity makes it vulnerable to Tropical Race (TR) 4, a fusarium wilt fungus which blocks the flow of water and nutrients and kills the banana plant. Experts fear that TR4 may drive the Cavendish banana to extinction during future disease outbreaks. Some 75 percent of food crops have become extinct since 1900, largely because of an overreliance on a handful of high-producing crop varieties. This lack of biodiversity among crops threatens food security, because varieties may be vulnerable to disease and pests , invasive species , and climate change . Similar trends occur in livestock production , where high-producing breeds of cattle and poultry are favoured over lower-producing, wilder breeds.

Mainstream and traditional medicines can be derived from the chemicals in rare plants and animals, and thus lost species represent lost opportunities to treat and cure. For example, several species of fungi found on the hairs of three-toed sloths ( Bradypus variegatus ) produce medicines effective against the parasites that cause malaria ( Plasmodium falciparum ) and Chagas disease ( Trypanosoma cruzi ) as well as against human breast cancer .

Dealing with biodiversity loss is tied directly to the conservation challenges posed by the underlying drivers. Conservation biologists note that these problems could be solved using a mix of public policy and economic solutions assisted by continued monitoring and education. Governments, nongovernmental organizations, and the scientific community must work together to create incentives to conserve natural habitats and protect the species within them from unnecessary harvesting, while disincentivizing behaviour that contributes to habitat loss and degradation . Sustainable development (economic planning that seeks to foster growth while preserving environmental quality) must be considered when creating new farmland and human living spaces. Laws that prevent poaching and the indiscriminate trade in wildlife must be improved and enforced. Shipping materials at ports must be inspected for stowaway organisms.

Developing and implementing solutions for each of these causes of biodiversity loss will relieve the pressure on species and ecosystems in their own way, but conservation biologists agree that the most effective way to prevent continued biodiversity loss is to protect the remaining species from overhunting and overfishing and to keep their habitats and the ecosystems they rely on intact and secure from species invasions and land use conversion. Efforts that monitor the status of individual species, such as the Red List of Threatened Species from the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and the United States Endangered Species list remain critical tools that help decision makers prioritize conservation efforts. In addition, a number of areas rich in unique species that could serve as priorities for habitat protection have been identified. Such “ hot spots ” are regions of high endemism , meaning that the species found there are not found anywhere else on Earth. Ecological hot spots tend to occur in tropical environments where species richness and biodiversity are much higher than in ecosystems closer to the poles.

Concerted actions by the world’s governments are critical in protecting biodiversity. Numerous national governments have conserved portions of their territories under the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). A list of 20 biodiversity goals, called the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, was unveiled at the CBD meeting held in Nagoya , Japan , in October 2010. The purpose of the list was to make issues of biodiversity mainstream in both economic markets and society at large and to increase biodiversity protection by 2020. Since 2010, 164 countries have developed plans to reach those targets. One of the more prominent targets on the list sought to protect 17 percent of terrestrial and inland waters or more and at least 10 percent of coastal and marine areas . By January 2019 some 7.5 percent of the world’s oceans (which included 17.3 percent of the marine environment in national waters) had been protected by various national governments in addition to 14.9 percent of land areas.

How do humans affect biodiversity?

Humanity impacts the planet's biodiversity in multiple ways, both deliberate and accidental. The biggest threat to biodiversity to date has been the way humans have reshaped natural habitats to make way for farmland, or to obtain natural resources, but as climate change worsens it will have a growing impact on ecosystems.

The main direct cause of biodiversity loss is land use change (primarily for large-scale food production) which drives an estimated 30% of biodiversity decline globally. Second is overexploitation (overfishing, overhunting and overharvesting) for things like food, medicines and timber which drives around 20%. Climate change is the third most significant direct driver of biodiversity loss, which together with pollution accounts for 14%. Invasive alien species account for 11%. 

Some models predict that climate change will become the primary cause of biodiversity decline in the coming decades. The impact of all the main drivers of biodiversity loss is accelerating and, as a consequence, so is the pace of biodiversity decline.

Growing demand for natural resources due to the increasing human population, more rapidly increasing per capita consumption and changing consumption patterns has meant that ever more natural habitat is being used for agriculture, mining, industrial infrastructure and urban areas.

Key areas of human activity causing biodiversity loss include:

• Deforestation. Tropical rainforests are particularly rich in biodiversity and are being destroyed
• Habitat loss through pervasive, incremental encroachment such as that caused by urban sprawl
• Pollution such as that associated with widespread pesticide use and overuse of fertiliser which are 6 and 12 times greater than they were before 1961 respectively
• It is estimated that half of the species at risk are threatened by agriculture
• Water use in some of the largest water catchments in the world where dams and irrigation reduce water flows
• Hunting and the over-exploitation of species such as in wild capture fisheries but also for wildlife trade
• Spread of invasive species and diseases through trade and travel 
• Climate change, as warming and changing rainfall patterns alters species ranges and the underlying water and chemical cycles which define current ecosystems 
• Pollution from plastic waste although its long-term effects on biodiversity are far from clear

For more on this issue visit: Amazonia’s future: Eden or degraded landscapes? | Royal Society ; Preserving global biodiversity requires rapid agricultural improvements | Royal Society ; and Past and future decline and extinction of species | Royal Society

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Biodiversity - our strongest natural defense against climate change

Biological diversity — or biodiversity — is the variety of life on Earth, in all its forms, from genes and bacteria to entire ecosystems such as forests or coral reefs. The biodiversity we see today is the result of 4.5 billion years of evolution, increasingly influenced by humans.

Biodiversity forms the web of life that we depend on for so many things – food, water, medicine, a stable climate, economic growth, among others. Over half of global GDP is dependent on nature. More than 1 billion people rely on forests for their livelihoods. And land and the ocean absorb more than half of all carbon emissions. 

But nature is in crisis. Up to one million species are threatened with extinction, many within decades. Irreplaceable ecosystems like parts of the Amazon rainforest are turning from carbon sinks into carbon sources due to deforestation. And 85 per cent of wetlands , such as salt marshes and mangrove swamps which absorb large amounts of carbon, have disappeared.   

How is climate change affecting biodiversity?  

The main driver of biodiversity loss remains humans’ use of land – primarily for food production . Human activity has already altered over 70 per cent of all ice-free land. When land is converted for agriculture, some animal and plant species may lose their habitat and face extinction.  

But climate change is playing an increasingly important role in the decline of biodiversity. Climate change has altered marine, terrestrial, and freshwater ecosystems around the world. It has caused the loss of local species, increased diseases, and driven mass mortality of plants and animals, resulting in the first climate-driven extinctions.

On land, higher temperatures have forced animals and plants to move to higher elevations or higher latitudes, many moving towards the Earth’s poles, with far-reaching consequences for ecosystems. The risk of species extinction increases with every degree of warming.  

In the ocean, rising temperatures increase the  risk of irreversible loss of marine and coastal ecosystems . Live coral reefs , for instance, have nearly halved in the past 150 years, and further warming threatens to destroy almost all remaining reefs.  

Overall, climate change affects the health of ecosystems , influencing shifts in the distribution of plants, viruses, animals, and even human settlements. This can create increased opportunities for animals to spread diseases and for viruses to spill over to humans. Human health can also be affected by reduced ecosystem services, such as the loss of food, medicine and livelihoods provided by nature.   

Why is biodiversity essential for limiting climate change?  

When human activities produce greenhouse gases, around half of the emissions remain in the atmosphere, while the other half is  absorbed by the land and ocean . These ecosystems – and the biodiversity they contain – are natural carbon sinks, providing so-called nature-based solutions to climate change.

Protecting, managing, and restoring forests , for example, offers roughly two-thirds of the total mitigation potential of all nature-based solutions. Despite massive and ongoing losses, forests still cover more than 30 per cent of the planet’s land.

Peatlands – wetlands such as marshes and swamps – cover only 3 per cent of the world’s land, but they store twice as much carbon as all the forests. Preserving and restoring peatlands means keeping them wet so the carbon doesn’t oxidize and float off into the atmosphere. 

Ocean habitats such as seagrasses and mangroves can also  sequester carbon dioxide from the atmosphere  at rates up to four times higher than terrestrial forests can. Their ability to capture and store carbon make mangroves highly valuable in the fight against climate change.

Conserving and restoring natural spaces , both on land and in the water, is essential for limiting carbon emissions and adapting to an already changing climate. About one-third of the greenhouse gas emissions reductions needed in the next decade could be achieved by improving nature’s ability to absorb emissions. 

Is the UN tackling climate and biodiversity together?  

Climate change and biodiversity loss (as well as pollution) are part of an interlinked triple planetary crisis the world is facing today. They need to be tackled together if we are to advance the Sustainable Development Goals and secure a viable future on this planet.

Governments deal with climate change and biodiversity through two different international agreements – the  UN Framework Convention on Climate Change  (UNFCCC) and the  UN Convention on Biological Diversity  (CBD), both established at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.

Similar to the historic  Paris Agreement  made in 2015 under the UNFCCC, parties to the Biodiversity Convention in December 2022 adopted an agreement for nature, known as the  Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework , which succeeds the  Aichi Biodiversity Targets  adopted in 2010.

The framework includes wide-ranging steps to tackle the causes of biodiversity loss worldwide, including climate change and pollution.

“An ambitious and effective post-2020 global biodiversity framework, with clear targets and benchmarks, can put nature and people back on track,”  the UN Secretary-General said , adding that, “this framework should work in synergy with the Paris Agreement on climate change and other multilateral agreements on forests, desertification and oceans.”

In December 2022,  governments met in Montreal, Canada  to agree on the new framework to secure an ambitious and transformative global plan to set humanity on a path to living in harmony with nature.

“Delivering on the framework will contribute to the climate agenda, while full delivery of the Paris Agreement is needed to allow the framework to succeed,”  said Inger Andersen , the head of the UN Environment Programme. “We can’t work in isolation if we are to end the triple planetary crises.”

Watch our  interview with Elizabeth Mrema , the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity.

Read the UN Secretary-General’s speech at the Countdown to COP15: Leaders Event for a Nature-Positive World in September 2022, and his remarks at the December 2022 Biodiversity Conference and Press Conference.  

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10 causes of biodiversity loss and its effect on the environment

Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on Earth, including the diversity of species, genes and ecosystems. It is the result of billions of years of evolution and is essential for the stability of ecosystems and environmental regulation, such as air purification, carbon sequestration and population control.

However, destructive human activities and the worsening climate crisis are resulting in the loss of this biodiversity  through the extinction and endangerment of species , which results in far-reaching consequences for the environment, as well as for human beings. 

The Top 10 Causes of Biodiversity Loss

• Habitat loss and fragmentation : The conversion of natural habitats into agricultural land, urban areas and infrastructure development leads to the destruction and fragmentation of habitats, which is the primary cause of biodiversity loss. As humans take over previously wild lands, we reduce the available space for native species to live, feed and reproduce, and also disrupt the connections between different ecosystems.
• Climate change : Global warming and the resulting changes in climate patterns have altered habitats, making it challenging for organisms to perform their natural functions or adapt to new conditions. Changes in temperatures or rain patterns, for example, make it different for certain plants to grow or survive, which also affects the species that depend on them.
• Overhunting : Overhunting of a species to meet high demand for meat or animal byproducts, for sport, or due to pest control is one of the main drivers of species extinction. Industrialised hunting does not take into account the effects of species deterioration on the rest of the ecosystem and quickly depletes populations. For example, the sharp commercialisation of otter fur in the 18th and 19th centuries in the United States and Russia nearly drove the species extinct, which catalysed the secondary effects of losing kelp forests and depleting fish populations.
• Overfishing : Industrialised fishing has led to the depletion of highly-demanded species like tuna , whales and salmon to meet the world’s demand. Unsustainable methods of fishing, like bottom trawling, have also destroyed sea-floor habitats, which are important nursery areas for many species. This has had the knock-off effect of changing marine ecosystem structures by increasing the populations of predators at the expense of their prey.
• Invasive species : As ecosystems have evolved to maintain a relative stability of species populations, non-native species introduced to new environments can outcompete native species for resources, prey on them, or transmit diseases. When invasive species are at higher levels of the food chain, they can deplete populations of the prey they feed on. Conversely, when invasive species are in the middle or bottom of the food chain, the native species that feed on them may spike in population as they have an abundance of food, which could have repercussions on the rest of the ecosystem.
• Pollution : Air, soil and water pollution can harm species by degrading their habitats, physically harming them, or increasing their vulnerability to diseases or predation. Some pollutants, such as pesticides and heavy metals, can be passed up the food chain , therefore contaminating many levels of the ecosystem.
• Disease : The spread of infectious diseases , often facilitated by human activities, can devastate wildlife populations. Organisms have developed natural defences against disease-inducing microbes native to their region. However, when human activity contaminates ecosystems with non-native microbes, indigenous species are not equipped to combat them.
• Genetic pollution : The release of genetically modified organisms or the hybridization of closely related species can lead to the loss of genetic diversity , which is crucial for species' adaptability and resilience.
• Ocean acidification : Increases in carbon dioxide levels are responsible for the acidification of oceans, which makes it difficult for marine organisms, like corals , plankton or shellfish, to maintain their protective coating . The result is a decline in these species’ populations, as well as those of species that rely on them for food and shelter. 
• Ecosystem simplification : The conversion of complex, diverse ecosystems into simplified ones, such as monocultures or urban areas, reduces the number of niches available for species and decreases ecosystem resilience.

The risks and dangers of bee extinction

The Effects of Biodiversity Loss on the Environment

Biodiversity loss has a cascading effect on ecosystems and the environment, leading to a decline in ecosystem services and reduced resilience to disturbances. Some of the consequences include:

• Loss of ecosystem stability : Biodiverse ecosystems are more stable and resilient to disruptions such as climate change, disease outbreaks or invasive species. Loss of biodiversity can reduce an ecosystem's ability to recover from these disturbances and increase the risk of ecosystem collapse.
• Decline in ecosystem services : Healthy, diverse ecosystems provide essential services, such as water and air purification, soil formation pollination , carbon sequestration and climate regulation. Biodiversity loss can impair these services, leading to a decline in environmental quality.
• Loss of genetic resources : Biodiversity is a reservoir of genetic resources that can be used for the development of new crops , medicines and for cultural expression.
• Altered biogeochemical cycles : Biodiversity loss can affect the cycling of nutrients , such as carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus, in ecosystems. This can lead to changes in ecosystem productivity, water quality, and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Increased risk of species extinction : The loss of individual species can have cascading effects on other species within the same ecosystem, leading to further declines in biodiversity and increasing the risk of extinction for multiple species.

The blue whale is critically endangered. How many are left?

How Biodiversity Loss Affects Humans

The loss of biodiversity has significant implications for human health, well-being and economic development. Some of the ways in which biodiversity loss affects humans include:

• Reduced food security : Biodiversity is essential for food production , as it provides genetic resources for crop and livestock improvement, pollination services and natural pest control. Declining biodiversity can reduce agricultural productivity and increase the vulnerability of food systems to pests, diseases and climate change.
• Decline in human health : Biodiversity plays a critical role in the development of new medicines, as many pharmaceuticals and homoeopathic remedies are derived from plants or animals . Losing species could mean losing potential sources of new treatments for diseases. Additionally, the decline in ecosystem services, such as water and air purification, can lead to increased exposure to pollutants and pathogens, negatively affecting human health.
• Economic losses : Biodiversity supports many industries, including agriculture, forestry, fisheries and tourism. Loss of biodiversity can reduce the productivity and sustainability of these industries, leading to economic losses and reduced employment opportunities.
• Loss of cultural values : Biodiversity has cultural and spiritual significance for many people, particularly indigenous communities. The loss of species and ecosystems can result in the loss of cultural heritage, traditional knowledge and spiritual connections to nature.
• Increased vulnerability to natural disasters : Healthy, diverse ecosystems can help protect human communities from natural disasters, such as floods, storms and landslides. Biodiversity loss can reduce the ability of ecosystems to buffer these events, increasing the vulnerability of human settlements to natural disasters.
• Reduced resilience to climate change : Biodiversity is crucial for ecosystem resilience to climate change . Loss of biodiversity can reduce the capacity of ecosystems to adapt to changing climate conditions, potentially exacerbating the impacts of climate change on human societies.

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To Tell the Story of Biodiversity Loss, Make It About Humans

The authors of a sweeping United Nations report on species in danger of extinction faced the same question I often do in reporting: Why should anyone care about the loss of nature?

By Brad Plumer

Times Insider explains who we are and what we do, and delivers behind-the-scenes insights into how our journalism comes together.

On Monday, I wrote about a sweeping new United Nations report warning that humans were destroying Earth’s natural ecosystems at an “unprecedented” pace.

The findings were sobering: Millions of acres of wetlands and rain forests are being cleared away. As many as one million plant and animal species are now threatened with extinction because of farming, poaching, pollution, the transport of invasive species and, increasingly, global warming. Almost everywhere you look, nature is vanishing before our eyes.

But the report, which was written for world leaders and policymakers, also wrestled with some big questions: Why should anyone care about the loss of nature? Why should countries take drastic steps, as the report urges, to halt the decline in biodiversity?

These are questions I had been pondering in reporting the story. Climate change has become a major environmental issue, garnering quite a lot of media attention. But the decline in the diversity of plant and animal life around the world tends to get considerably less coverage , even though it is a major issue in its own right.

One possible reason for the disparity is that the effects of global warming are more apparent to many people. Record-breaking heat waves, deadly wildfires, rising sea levels — those are all tangible things that we can see fairly easily. But it is harder to notice if there are, say, fewer insects around than there were 30 years ago. And it is even harder to explain what that might mean for most people’s daily lives.

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• Open access
• Published: 30 August 2024

Perceptions of biodiversity loss among future decision-makers in 37 countries

• Matthias Winfried Kleespies   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-8413-879X 1 ,
• Max Hahn-Klimroth   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3995-419X 1 &
• Paul Wilhelm Dierkes   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6046-6406 1  

npj Biodiversity volume  3 , Article number:  21 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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• Environmental social sciences
• Social sciences

The decline of global biodiversity is a major environmental issue with far-reaching consequences for humans and the Earth System. When it comes to biodiversity conservation, university students play an important role because, as future decision makers, they will have an important influence on how society deals with biodiversity loss. Until now, there has been no international research examining how these future decision-makers in society perceive the causes of biodiversity loss. Using a recent method customized for this data, we show here that there are eight distinct response types across the 37 countries studied that differ in their perceptions of the drivers of biodiversity loss. In one of these response types, climate change was underestimated, while in others pollution or invasive species were rated substantially lower compared to the other main drivers. The distribution of the eight response types varied between the countries. Our results demonstrate how future decision-makers around the world evaluate the drivers of biodiversity loss. Country-specific conditions and differences between the surveyed countries were revealed. The findings serve as a starting point for decision-makers around the world to tailor education programs and policy measurements to the circumstances in their countries.

Introduction

Due to the ongoing decline in global biodiversity, the world is facing a biodiversity crisis 1 , 2 . Predictions suggest that this decline will continue throughout the 21st century 3 . The current extinction rate is approximately 1000 times higher than the background rate of extinction due to human activities 4 and may increase further in the future 5 . Biodiversity degradation has now already reached an irreversible level with unforeseeable consequences 6 . By now, it can be assumed that a major sixth mass extinction in Earth’s history is currently underway 7 .

The five main drivers of the global decline in biodiversity are well known: Habitat loss, overexploitation, pollution, climate change, and invasive species 8 . Various studies, have assigned different levels of importance to these factors 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 . However, ranking these drivers is criticized because it can lead to conservation actions being misguided. Therefore, it is preferable to consider the drivers collectively 13 , as they are closely interrelated and potentially reinforce each other 14 , 15 .

Despite the problems and the resulting severe consequences being well known, not enough actions are currently being taken to halt the loss of biodiversity 16 . The gaps in action may be due to the lack of mainstreaming of biodiversity in public policy and limited awareness of biodiversity loss among policy makers and the public 5 , 17 . There are also deficits in the general population’s understanding of biodiversity: studies provide evidence that many adults and high school students are not familiar with the term biodiversity 18 , 19 . What is understood by biodiversity often differs between individuals 20 and the terms nature and biodiversity are often used interchangeably 21 . As a result, there is often a discrepancy between institutional definitions of biodiversity and what people understand by it 22 . These differences in perception of biodiversity can be shaped, for example, by the social or cultural group 23 .

Perceptions of environmental problems are an important factor that influences people’s behavior 24 : People are more willing to behave in a sustainable way if they perceive biodiversity loss as an imminent environmental problem 25 . Education can foster environmentally friendly behavior by increasing knowledge, perceptions, and concern about biodiversity 26 , 27 , 28 . Therefore, educational strategies play a crucial role, as they can make a decisive contribution to sustainability by raising awareness and knowledge about the biodiversity loss 29 , 30 , 31 .

Interest in investigating public perceptions of biodiversity loss has also increased in recent years. National survey instruments were developed and evaluated 32 , and there are now also approaches to studying behavioral intentions in different cultures in an international context 33 .

In the field of environmental conservation and biodiversity, higher education institutions play a crucial role: With their unbiased information, they influence the decisions of politicians and industry leaders 34 . They reach a wide audience 35 and contribute to sustainability through research, university policy, and public engagement 36 . Training students is also a particularly important task: Universities educate the decision-makers, leaders, intellectuals, and professionals of the future 35 , 37 , 38 . While it is possible to be a decision-maker in society without a university education, universities provide critical skills and knowledge that increase the likelihood of reaching such a position 39 .

For this reason, it is particularly relevant to investigate students’ perceptions of the critical issue of biodiversity loss. The perceptions of students in the environmental field are particularly important in this context, as it is likely that they will later work in the environmental field and will therefore be confronted with environmental problems such as biodiversity loss. Since biodiversity loss is a global problem, an international perspective is also very important in this context. While student perceptions for other concepts, such as the Sustainable Development Goals 40 or planetary boundaries 41 , have been studied in an international context, there is currently a lack of comparative studies examining how students in the environmental field worldwide assess the drivers of global biodiversity loss. Therefore, this study examines how environmental students in different countries worldwide evaluate the drivers of global biodiversity loss (main drivers) and whether they can distinguish them from drivers that have barely any impact on global biodiversity (minor drivers).

For this purpose, 4441 students in the field of environmental and sustainability studies in 37 countries were surveyed using an online questionnaire. For data analysis, a method recently developed for specifically analyzing such data sets is used 42 . It is based on unsupervised learning methods to identify patterns in the ratings, thus classifying the questionnaires of the 4441 respondents into higher-level response types. The proportion of each response type per country, referred to as the country’s ‘fingerprint’, will provide important information about the perception of the students in a country and yields to a natural measure of similarity between countries. The advantage of the methodological approach used is that the countries can be compared without requiring a structure simplification procedure (such as a PCA) beforehand 42 .

In addition to the education described at the beginning, it can also be assumed that students’ awareness of biodiversity loss may be influenced by the specific environmental challenges their country faces. To account for this, this study correlates the proportion of response types in the countries with various environmental and economic indicators that reflect a country’s biodiversity status and environmental health (CO 2 emissions per capita, biodiversity, wealth, environmental performance, and invasive species).

We hypothesize that students from wealthier countries with higher CO 2 emissions per capita will be less concerned about biodiversity loss and will, therefore, rate the main reasons for biodiversity loss as less severe compared to students from less wealthy countries with lower CO 2 emissions. Similar hypotheses have previously been proposed in the literature for general environmental attitudes 43 , 44 , 45 . Additionally, we assume that students from countries with higher biodiversity are more likely to appreciate it 46 and are, therefore, better able to recognize and assess the reasons for biodiversity loss. By linking the indicators with response types, we aim to understand how national contexts influence students’ perceptions of biodiversity loss.

A total of 4441 people from 37 countries were surveyed (Table 1 ). The analysis of the questionnaires using the data analysis method showed a separation into eight different response types, which can be clearly distinguished from each other.

In response type 1, all factors except climate change were considered to have a high influence on biodiversity decline. The minor drivers were rated as less important than the main drivers. Response type 2 shows a similar pattern, but instead of climate change, pollution was assigned a lower influence than the other main drivers. There was also good differentiation between the minor and the main drivers. In response type 3, all factors were rated as having little influence on biodiversity loss. The minor drivers were not differentiated from the main drivers in this type. In response type 4, three of the five main drivers were rated as moderately strong influencing factors (exploitation, invasive species, habitat loss), climate change and pollution were rated as slightly stronger drivers. There was a medium differentiation between main and minor drivers in this response type. In response type 5 all main drivers were considered as strong influencing factors, but the differentiation between main and minor drivers was medium. In response type 6, all main drivers were identified as very strong drivers for biodiversity loss. Invasive species, however, were assessed as slightly less important than the other main drivers. Additionally, there was a clear differentiation between minor and main drivers, as the minor drivers were rated considerably lower. The results of response type 7 and 8 were similar: The main drivers were identified as such, with the exception of invasive species: In response type 7 these were rated as a minor driver, in response type 8 as a moderate driver. In both response types, minor drivers were distinguished from main drivers (Fig. 1 ). The mean values and standard deviation for the main drivers and the difference between the main and minor drivers for the individual response types can be found in Table 2 .

Five indicates the assessment as a major reason. The values in the brackets show the discrimination between main and minor reasons.

The eight response types occurred in different distributions within the countries. The percentage distribution of each response type (the so-called fingerprint) for each country is shown Fig. 2A and Supplementary Table 1 . An alternative visualization can be found in Supplementary Fig. 1 . Using the Euclidean distance between fingerprints, similarities and differences between countries can be described (Fig. 2B ). Distribution and pairwise interaction of the single questionnaire items per country can be found in Supplementary Figs. 2 , 3 .

A Graphical representation of the fingerprints within each country. The larger the circle, the higher the proportion of this response type. Purple = type 1, yellow = type 2; orange = type 3; light green = type 4; dark green = type 5; blue = type 6; red = type 7; dark blue = type 8. B Euclidian distance between fingerprints. The country abbreviations are explained in Table 1 .

To find explanations for the fingerprints of the countries, the percentages of response types within a country were correlated with country-specific indicators, using the Spearman correlation. CO 2 (fossil CO 2 emissions of a country) shows a medium correlation with response type 1 and 4 and a medium negative correlation with response type 7. The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) a medium negative correlation with types 3 and 7. It is also moderately correlated with response types 2 and 6. The GBI (Global Biodiversity Index) correlates moderately with type 5. NIS (Number of invasive species) shows medium correlations with types 2 and 6 and a high negative correlation with type 7. The LPI (Legatum Prosperity Index) is moderate correlated with type 2 and type 5 and moderate negatively correlated with types 3 and 7 (Table 3 ).

The results of our study show that there are eight different assessment patterns that differ significantly in their perception of the drivers of biodiversity loss, and that these different views are present in varying distributions in the individual countries. Respondents belonging to response type 1 strongly underestimated climate change compared to the other main drivers of global biodiversity loss. However, current research provides strong evidence that climate change is one of the main drivers of global biodiversity loss 10 , 11 . In addition, it can currently be assumed that in the coming years the consequences for biodiversity due to climate change will increase significantly 47 , threatening particularly areas and species that are not currently affected 48 . Therefore, it is important that especially students in the environmental field are well informed about the consequences of climate change for biodiversity. This response type occurs the least, which is probably also due to the great importance of climate change as a global environmental problem. The high correlation with the fossil CO 2 emissions suggests that this group is particularly prevalent in regions where humans emit higher amounts of CO 2 into the atmosphere. Especially in countries that have reached a higher percentage of type 1, additional (societal and political) measures should be taken to make future decision makers aware of the problems and consequences of climate change.

Students of response type 2 rated pollution as significantly less influential than the other main drivers. However, pollution as an environmental problem is currently more relevant than ever before, even if there is still a lack of research on the consequences of chemical pollution 49 . More than 20% of deaths and illnesses are due to some form of pollution 50 and novel entities are already affecting the Earth system with unforeseeable consequences 51 . Especially the negative impact of pollution on biodiversity has been documented 10 . Countries with a higher proportion of this cluster should specifically educate their future decision-makers about the consequences of pollution and make them aware of the impact on global biodiversity. The correlations indicate that this type occurs more often in wealthier countries and countries that are already doing more for the health of their ecosystems. It should be noted at this point that the EPI and the wealth of a nation are highly correlated 52 . One explanation for this could be that pollution tends to play a smaller role in these countries compared to the other environmental problems and that this factor is therefore underestimated.

Response type 3 deserves attention, as the people in this group assume a low influence of all main factors and do not differentiate between main and minor drivers. While it is well known that it is sometimes difficult for students to separate main from minor drivers of biodiversity loss 53 , this group does not even perceive the main drivers as such. This is problematic because environmental behavior and concern about environmental problems are closely related: If people do not see environmental problems as such and do not worry about them, the likelihood that environmentally friendly actions will be performed decreases 54 , 55 . Knowledge about the existence of environmental problems is also a factor that can influence environmental behavior 56 , 57 .

This type is especially interesting because it directly contradicts the educational objectives of the institutions surveyed, where students of majors in the environmental field perceive the main drivers of biodiversity loss as less significant. As the response type only occurred in small numbers, it can be assumed that the curriculum or the research institutions at which the students studied were not responsible for its occurrence. Possible explanations could be for example personal or cultural influences. Cognitive biases such as optimism bias where students underestimate environmental problems could also have led to the low rating of the main drivers of biodiversity loss. Further research is needed to explain why this response type occurs.

The negative correlation with the EPI indicates that in countries that already act sustainably, this cluster occurs less frequently. The cluster also seems to occur less frequently in wealthy countries. The observation that there is a higher level of concern for environmental problems in wealthier countries has also been made in previous international studies 43 , 44 , 58 . One explanation for this is provided by Inglehart (1995), who describes that postmaterialist values lead to more positive attitudes towards environmental protection. These postmaterialist values are more common in affluent industrialized countries 45 . Therefore, there is a great need for action especially in wealthier countries and countries that have not yet focused so strongly on sustainable development. Particularly countries with a high number of response type 3 should address the concept of biodiversity loss and its drivers in more detail in university education.

Response types 4, 5, and 6 occur most frequently on average. There is a pattern of gradation between these three types: In type 4 the main drivers are rated as moderately to strongly important and there is little differentiation to the minor drivers. In type 5, all main drivers are rated as such, but there are still weaknesses in discrimination. In type 6, not only are the main drivers rated as such, but they are also very well differentiated from the minor drivers. Policy makers and decision makers in society should make their decisions based on the best evidence available 59 . Therefore, it would be desirable for all countries to increase the occurrence of type 6 through additional policy measures and the reduction of other response types, such as type 1 or 2. Since types 4 and 5 are already relatively similar to type 6, it would be desirable to promote the synthesis of types 4 to 5 to 6 through additional educational programs and outreach. Type 5 shows a medium correlation with the GBI, from which it can be concluded that, especially in countries with a high level of biodiversity, there is an increased concern for the loss of biodiversity and a wide variety of drivers are perceived as potential threat to biodiversity and assessed as main influencing factors. Type 6 shows an almost high correlation with the wealth indicator LPI. This means that this type is more likely to be found in wealthier countries. As previously explained, people from wealthy countries are more likely to show concern for environmental problems and more positive attitudes towards the environment 43 , 45 , 58 . This effect could also be a factor here.

In response types 7 and 8, all main drivers for the loss of global biodiversity are identified as such, with the exception of invasive species. It is well known that invasive species are often not recognized as a major problem 53 . Even stakeholders in contact with invasive species often have little knowledge 60 , cannot identify invasive species 61 or tolerate their presence 62 . When invasive species are not perceived as a problem, individuals often do not advocate their management 63 . Interestingly, the occurrence of this group is closely related to the presence of invasive species in a country: the correlation shows that the number of response type 7 decreases when there are many invasive species in a country. The phenomenon that people are more likely to perceive invasive species problems when they themselves are affected is well known 64 . However, it is likely that the number of invasive species and their distribution will increase worldwide in the following years 65 . As a result, more people will come into contact with invasive species and be affected by their impact. Therefore, it is already necessary to educate about the consequences of the spread of invasive species in order to raise awareness about their dangers and possible management processes.

Since in the case of types 7 and 8 invasive species were undervalued, especially in these countries, education about invasive species and their consequences should be provided.

When interpreting the results, however, it must be noted that the selected indices can only provide initial explanations for the distribution of the response types within the countries. Studies have shown that cultural differences, social factors 66 , 67 or regional factors 68 can have a decisive impact on individual perceptions and environmental concern. In order to investigate the influence of other factors on the perception of the drivers of biodiversity loss, further studies are needed in the future in which regional comparisons within a country can also be taken into account. In particular, the influence of local biodiversity loss drivers on attitudes towards global drivers should be investigated in the future.

The distribution of response types within countries, the so-called fingerprints, provide today’s decision-makers with important information on where action is needed in each country. In general, it can be seen as very positive that across all countries, response types 5 and 6 occur most frequently, as the main drivers of global biodiversity loss are also assessed as such there. Nevertheless, the occurrence of type 6 in particular should be significantly improved in all countries, while the response types with incorrect perceptions should be reduced. In this context, the fingerprints provide the decision makers with country-specific information on which educational priorities make sense for their countries (Fig. 2B ).

This study focused in particular on the perception of the global drivers of biodiversity loss. Given the interconnectedness of ecosystems and the global nature of many environmental issues, students also need a deep understanding of global biodiversity challenges. It is important that global future decision-makers are well informed about these, as knowledge and concern about environmental problems are important factors in influencing behavior and decisions 24 , 25 , 57 . However, it is important to notice that local and social factors can also play roles in influencing behaviors, and there are notable intercultural variations in the strength of these associations 67 , 69 .

The lack of urgent action to halt biodiversity loss is partly due to the incomplete understanding of the complex factors influencing biodiversity 70 . Policy makers are confronted with a difficult-to-structure variety of reasons for biodiversity loss, making it challenging to assess individual risks, combine them in an approach and implement a strategy to achieve sustainable development based on them. In this regard, there are current approaches to clarify these relationships in a multidimensional perspective on biodiversity to facilitate mainstreaming and support national decision-making. Soto-Navarro et al. 71 propose a Multidimensional Biodiversity Index to link biodiversity science to the political agenda that takes into account the diversity of values underlying nature-human relationships. In this respect, it will be important to include the perceptions of environmental students as future policy makers.

The method underlying the conducted analysis was recently developed to analyze exactly such datasets: questionnaire studies in different groups such that the different groups perception of the underlying concepts might vary 42 . Moreover, the used clustering approaches combined are themselves well studied in the mathematical literature and frequently applied to understand data in different applications in sciences 72 , 73 , 74 . A main challenge in the analysis of questionnaires are latent group variables (as the country) which might influence the given answers. By clustering questionnaires to response types, the latent group variable country vanishes implicitly and has no influence on the response type. This means that, instead of trying to analyze a typical questionnaire given the country, a country is described by its distribution of different response types. This approach naturally allows to incorporate higher-dimensional dependencies of the single questionnaire items in different groups without the need to satisfy assumptions of classical multi variate analyses such as the Bartlet-test or the Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin test 42 .

When interpreting the different response types, it is important to note that the five main drivers of global biodiversity loss are not always weighted equally and the official rankings differ between important panels: While the IPBES classifies habitat loss as the most important driver, followed by exploitation, climate change, pollution, and invasive species, the WWF ranks invasive species in third place. According to the IUCN, most extinctions are associated with invasive species 13 . Other scientific publications give varying degrees of importance to the impact of climate change on biodiversity: Some rank it second, after habitat loss 11 , while others rank climate change fourth, ahead of invasive species 8 . The UN environment program does not rank the five reasons at all 75 . These different assessments show that ranking the reasons is not expedient when evaluating the response types, especially since biodiversity decline is usually due to several drivers and their synergies and interactions 13 . Response types that accurately identify the five major drivers of biodiversity loss and distinguish them from minor drivers may be better able to prioritize actions and allocate resources effectively to prevent biodiversity loss. On the other hand, response types that underestimate certain threats or fail to distinguish between major and minor drivers may lead to misallocation of resources and ineffective or missing conservation strategies. Therefore, when interpreting the results of this study, the focus should be on whether the main drivers were recognized as such and could be differentiated from the minor drivers. A recent study of experts (scientists in the field of biodiversity and climate change) has shown that they have a very good assessment of the causes of biodiversity loss 76 .

Biodiversity fulfils many functional and cultural roles and is therefore of particular importance - at local, national and global levels. In order to develop and implement national biodiversity conservation targets, it is important that countries tailor these targets to their own circumstances and, in doing so, train policy makers who can clearly identify drivers for biodiversity loss based on scientific facts and develop staged, target-oriented measures 5 . The aim should be that students can recognize all five main drivers of global biodiversity loss and distinguish them from non-important drivers.

The results of our study provide the first empirical evidence of how environmental students around the world assess the drivers of biodiversity loss and show a positive picture among worldwide. The five most important drivers of biodiversity loss are uniformly recognized by a high percentage (response types 5 and 6). However, the results also show potential for improvement. The results for a small proportion (response type 3) show that the students in this group assume a low influence of all main factors and do not differentiate between main and minor drivers. In other groups, individual main drivers are considered less important, which could partly be due to national circumstances. These fingerprints of individual countries are a possible starting point to determine which drivers need to be educated about in more detail. This national perspective in the individual countries is particularly important, as local conditions must be considered. However, the global perspective should also be taken into account, as the problems for biodiversity are subject to constant change and are currently increasing significantly.

Furthermore, the results show that all countries should promote response type 6 (recognition of the main drivers and differentiation from the minor drivers). In addition, the correlations of the cluster distribution with the country-specific indices provide additional information on which global factors have an influence on the students’ perceptions. The results can help to better understand how biodiversity conservation through education could be optimized globally and which scientific findings on drivers of biodiversity loss should be integrated in a more targeted way in this regard, especially in the university education of future decision makers.

Although the study was conducted with great care, some limitations must be addressed. For example, the sample size in some countries was comparatively small. This could have led to the result not being representative of the environmental students in that country.

As only students in the environmental field were surveyed in the study, the results are not representative for all students or for the population of the countries. Further studies are needed to investigate how biodiversity loss is perceived by other groups.

The study was also conducted on a voluntary basis by e-mail. It is therefore possible that people who were interested in the topic were more likely to complete the questionnaire than those who were less interested. However, as this was the case in all countries, the results remain comparable.

Data collection procedure

An online questionnaire was used to conduct the survey. To ensure a high level of data protection and anonymity of the participants, the survey was completed using the survey platform evasys. This platform has high standards of data and information security and is ISO-27001 certified. To collect data, scientists (professors, lecturers, laboratory directors, department heads, or other department staff) in the countries surveyed were emailed and asked to share the survey link with their students. Only scientists in the environmental field (e.g., biology, ecology and conservation, environmental science) were contacted, as their students were the target group of the study. The countries surveyed were selected by the authors with the aim of surveying a large number of diverse countries on different continents. In addition to the link to the survey, a short explanatory text describing the purpose of the study, data protection, and the voluntary nature of participation was included in the email. As the persons were informed of the voluntary nature of the study and no data was requested that could enable the person to be identified, written consent was not obtained. After being informed of the voluntary nature of the study, participation was considered as informed consent. The survey was conducted in one of the official languages of the countries surveyed. The translations were carried out beforehand by native speakers and checked by another person. Data from students who stated in the questionnaire that they were not majoring in the environmental field, for example because they were taking a surveyed course as part of another degree program, were excluded from the analysis. Data from PhD or students exchange students who came from another country were also not included in the data analysis. The sample size per country is shown in Supplementary Table 2 . The minimum sample size was set at 25 students per country. Countries with a smaller sample were not used in the analysis. The survey took place between September 2020 and July 2021 and was approved by the ethics committee of the science didactic institutes and departments of the Goethe University Frankfurt am Main under approval number 15-WLSD-2104. If universities in which the survey was conducted required the additional approval of a local ethics committee, this was also obtained.

Measuring instrument

The battery of questions used for this study began with a brief definition of the term biodiversity: “Biodiversity (the diversity of species, the diversity of ecosystems, genetic diversity) is today undergoing massive global change. Please assess the extent to which the following reasons are responsible for the decline in global biodiversity.” The students were asked in closed-ended items to rate on a 5 points Likert-scale (minor impact to major impact) how much impact they thought the following drivers had on the decline of global biodiversity. Nine possible drivers for biodiversity loss were presented to the students. Among these were the five main drivers of global biodiversity decline (habitat loss, overexploitation, pollution, climate change, and invasive species) and four minor drivers that do not have a significant impact on global biodiversity (electromagnetic pollution, entering nature reserves, factory and vehicle noise and the internet). These minor drivers were chosen by the authors with the aim of selecting concepts that may sound plausible, but objectively have no or a negligible impact on global biodiversity. These minor drivers were used to investigate whether students can differentiate between significant global drivers of biodiversity loss and drivers that have no (global) impact on biodiversity loss. The goal was to determine whether the students really have an understanding of the drivers of biodiversity loss or whether everything is assessed as a problem without any reflection. Due to content-related concerns, the minor driver “entering nature reserves” was not included in the analysis and work continued with only 3 minor drivers. As these minor drivers equally have no significant effect on global biodiversity, their mean value was used for the analysis. In addition, demographic data such as age, gender, semester, university, and country were collected.

Methodological procedure

The analysis of the given dataset is, actually, a typical example of a “supervised learning task”. Each questionnaire consists of a number of variables, called “features”, and the dependent variable, the country, is known. In machine learning language, the country would be called “label”. Supervised learning means that a model needs to be found that enables us to predict the country from the features, thus the given answers. If a decent model is found, this indicates that the country can be estimated from the answers given in a questionnaire and conclusions can then be drawn by understanding the importance of single features or their influence on the label. But this approach cannot be applied to most of studies based on questionnaires. Indeed, as a relatively small number of possible answers can be given, the same features will lead to different labels quite frequently - this is a contradiction to very basic assumptions in supervised learning.

“Unsupervised learning tasks”, on the other hand, are designed to find patterns in a dataset, or to exploratively explain a dataset where labels are not present (or not known). Of course, standard tools from unsupervised learning theory can be applied to a collection of questionnaires, and questionnaires can be grouped (or “clustered”) by such algorithms. However, this does not allow to use the actual underlying information that different questionnaires stem from different countries. Recently, a methodological approach combining classical statistics and unsupervised learning was published in the data scientific community 42 . This method uses unsupervised learning techniques in the first step to cluster questionnaires. Second, for each country, a “fingerprint” is calculated which encodes the proportion of questionnaires of every cluster in the country. Third, unsupervised learning on those fingerprints is used to measure similarity between different clusters and classical statistical tools are applied. While a method paper appeared recently, we are not aware of any study in the field of environmental psychology that already applies the method to a cross-country study, and we believe that this approach itself is of interest to a larger community.

The data were processed and analyzed as proposed by ref. 42 . As previously described, there are 8 items represented by integers between 1 (low impact on global biodiversity) and 5 (high impact on global biodiversity) in each questionnaire. To keep the sample size as large as possible, incomplete questionnaires were imputed using scikit ‘s KNN imputation function. More specifically, the missing values of each sample were imputed by the average of the 8 nearest neighbors, where the closeness of two questionnaires was measured only by the features that neither was missing. This is a standard approach to impute data reliably 77 . In the second step, a feature engineering step, the 3 minor drivers were replaced by the difference between the means of the main and minor drivers, respectively. This adds an integer coordinate between −5 and 5 to each questionnaire, representing discriminability. Thus, each questionnaire is now represented by a 6th dimensional vector. Third, the data were slightly perturbed by Gaussian noise with mean zero and variance 0.001, independently in each coordinate, to ensure that there are no duplicates, which is a requirement for numerical stability of the clustering algorithms, while keeping each questionnaire in the dataset. In addition, this perturbation increases the stability of the final clustering against small changes in the original data, which is a desirable property 78 . The fourth step was to cluster the questionnaires according to their similarity. As the clustering algorithm, Ward’s clustering algorithm was chosen as suggested by ref. 42 . The algorithm was implemented by Python’s scikit library and identified eight clusters of questionnaires. Following the notation of the method paper, the central element (“the average questionnaire”) is called “response type”. More specifically, the algorithm takes the number of clusters as input, and the number of clusters was optimized for stability such that fewer clusters show significantly more variance within a cluster, but an additional cluster does not noticeably reduce variance.

One decision during the analysis is to determine the number of response types. Hahn-Klimroth et al. 42 suppose to use the “gap statistic” to determine the number of response types 42 . The main idea behind the gap statistic is to compare the given data to “randomly generated data without any structure”. Given a number of clusters, the corresponding gap value signifies how unlikely it is to find the cluster structure on the random data. Hence, the optimal number of clusters corresponds to either a local maximum or at least an “elbow” in the scree-plot which plots the gap value against the number of clusters. In the current study, the optimal number of clusters turns out to be 8.

Given the eight response types, a so-called “fingerprint” was calculated for each country as an 8-dimensional point such that the i-th coordinate represents the proportion of questionnaires of type i in the country. These fingerprints come with a natural interpretation of how similar two countries are, namely when their Euclidean distance is small. This similarity can be expressed visually as a “dendrogram”, sometimes called a “phylogenetic tree”. Again, the dendrogram connections are defined by Ward’s method. With the fingerprints, it is not only possible to measure the similarity between countries, but also to apply standard regression tools such as Spearman’s rank correlation, implemented in Python’s statistics library. More precisely, it is possible to measure the correlation between the proportion of type i questionnaires in a country and known indices. Here we call a correlation coefficient | r | > 0.3 a moderate correlation and say that the correlation is significantly different from zero if the corresponding p value is at most 0.05.

Five indices were selected to be used to explain the distribution of the types of questionnaires within different countries.

Fossil CO 2 emissions [CO 2 ] of a country from 2021: Countries’ CO 2 emissions from fossil emissions. This includes fossil fuel combustion, industrial processes and product use 79 .

Environmental Performance Index from 2022 [EPI]: This is an index that examines how environmentally sustainable a country is using 40 performance indicators 80 .

Legatum Prosperity Index from 2021 [LPI]: With a total of 300 individual indicators from 12 subcategories, the LPI evaluates the prosperity of a county 81 .

Global Biodiversity Index [GBI] from 2022: This index takes into account the diversity of bird, amphibian, fish, mammal, reptile and plant species in a country 82 .

Number of invasive species [NIS]: Number of reported invasive species in a country 83 .

Data Availability

The datasets generated during and analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We thank all study participants and the more than three hundred researchers and universities that shared our questionnaires. This study was partly supported by the Opel-Zoo foundation professorship in zoo biology from the “von Opel Hessische Zoostiftung.”

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Conceptualization: M.W.K., P.W.D.; data collection: M.W.K.; methodology: M.H.K., M.W.K., P.W.D.; validation, formal analysis, investigation: M.W.K., M.H.K., P.W.D.; figures: P.W.D., M.H.K.; writing – original: M.W.K. M.H.K., P.W.D.; writing – review and editing: M.W.K., M.H.K., P.W.D., funding acquisition: P.W.D. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

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Kleespies, M.W., Hahn-Klimroth, M. & Dierkes, P.W. Perceptions of biodiversity loss among future decision-makers in 37 countries. npj biodivers 3 , 21 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44185-024-00057-3

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Biodiversity loss: what is causing it and why is it a concern?

Plant and animal species are disappearing at an ever faster rate due to human activity. What are the causes and why does biodiversity matter?

Biodiversity, or the variety of all living things on our planet, has been declining at an alarming rate in recent years, mainly due to human activities, such as land use changes, pollution and climate change .

The European Commission presented the new 2030 Biodiversity Strategy in May 2020, following calls from the Parliament in January 2020 to address the main drivers of biodiversity loss and set legally binding targets .

During the June 2021 plenary session, Parliament adopted its position on the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030: Bringing nature back into our lives to ensure that by 2050 the world’s ecosystems are restored, resilient and adequately protected.

In February 2024, MEPs backed a new law on nature restoration , which is part of the EU’s efforts to preserve biodiversity in Europe. This law binds all EU countries to work towards restoring natural habitats.

What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity is traditionally defined as the variety of life on Earth in all its forms. It comprises the number of species, their genetic variation and the interaction of these lifeforms within complex ecosystems.

In a UN report published in 2019, scientists warned that one million species - out of an estimated total of eight million - are threatened with extinction, many within decades. Some researchers even consider we are in the middle of the sixth mass extinction event in Earth’s history. Earlier known mass extinctions wiped out between 60% and 95% of all species. It takes millions of years for ecosystems to recover from such an event.

Find out facts and figures about endangered species in Europe

Why is biodiversity important?

Healthy ecosystems provide us with many essentials we take for granted. Plants convert energy from the sun making it available to other life forms. Bacteria and other living organisms break down organic matter into nutrients providing plants with healthy soil to grow in. Pollinators are essential in plant reproduction, guaranteeing our food production. Plants and oceans act as major carbon sinks .

In short, biodiversity provides us with clean air, fresh water, good quality soil and crop pollination. It helps us fight climate change and adapt to it as well reduce the impact of natural hazards.

Since living organisms interact in dynamic ecosystems, the disappearance of one species can have a far-reaching impact on the food chain. It is impossible to know exactly what the consequences of mass extinctions would be for humans, but we do know that for now the diversity of nature allows us to thrive.

Main reasons for biodiversity loss

• Changes in land use (e.g. deforestation, intensive mono-culture, urbanisation)
• Direct exploitation such as hunting and over-fishing
• Climate change
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What measures does the Parliament propose?

MEPs strongly supported the EU targets of protecting at least 30% of the EU’s marine and terrestrial areas (forests, wetlands, peatlands, grasslands and coastal ecosystems) and that 10% of the EU’s oceans and land, including all remaining primary and old-growth forests and other carbon-rich ecosystems, should be left essentially undisturbed.

They want the targets to be binding and implemented by EU countries at national level, in cooperation with regional and local authorities.

Concerned by the decline of pollinators, MEPs also called for an urgent revision of the EU Pollinators Initiative .

More information about what the EU does to preserve biodiversity

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• Preparing the post-2020 biodiversity framework

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Wageningen Biodiversity Initiative: 'First WUR, then the rest of the world'

From Wageningen Campus to the United Nations Science Summit: the Wageningen Biodiversity Initiative has extended its reach. Three years of intensive collaboration has created awareness among academics, policy makers and world leaders and facilitated new research. "But we’ve got a long way to go," according to Professor Liesje Mommer and KB programme leader Lawrence Jones-Walters.

More and more academics from Wageningen University & Research (WUR) are sharing their concerns about biodiversity loss. For that reason, Liesje Mommer, Lawrence Jones-Walters, Jeanne Nel and other researchers from all corners of WUR actively sought the limelight. Something needed to change regarding the sharp decline in diversity in species, genes and ecosystems around the world. In 2021, they formed the Wageningen Biodiversity Initiative (WBI) : a platform for employees and students wanting to make a significant contribution to reversing the curve of biodiversity loss. Thanks to the efforts of the WBI team, their ambassadors and supporters, the concept of biodiversity is now an integral part of Wageningen's mission.

In her office overlooking the nature garden of university building Lumen, Prof. Liesje Mommer talks about establishing the initiative. "It wasn’t necessarily a given. To get where we are today, a growing number of people have done a lot of hard work." With tireless perseverance, they have shown more and more people, both inside and outside WUR, that biodiversity is indispensable for life on our planet. And thus for our own survival.

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A transdisciplinary topic

Dr Lawrence Jones-Walters, one of the core WBI team members, says that biodiversity had been an important issue for him and Mommer for a long time. “We discussed our concerns as well as our desire to take action. We felt that a driving force was needed." The IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services) report published in 2019 was the spark that ignited their fire. The report showed the alarming trend of biodiversity loss - due to human activities. Like climate change, biodiversity loss is a problem with a positive feedback loop: the worse it gets, the more the process accelerates. Jones-Walters and Mommer had to move fast.

That afternoon, the foundation was laid for the story of the Wageningen Biodiversity Initiative: biodiversity loss is an issue that transcends all science disciplines.

The WBI's first big opportunity was the opening of Omnia in 2022. University building Omnia was opened with the explicit mission of facilitating dialogues on complex issues. Mommer: “On the first opening day, we brought together 150 academics and students and asked them: what do you think it will take to bend the declining biodiversity curve in the food system? During that afternoon, the foundation was laid for the story that the Wageningen Biodiversity Initiative would tell: biodiversity loss is an issue that transcends all science disciplines."

Working together to halt biodiversity loss

"Biodiversity loss is a problem for us all, which is why we must also solve it together," Mommer summarises. "The immediate causes of biodiversity loss are overexploitation, pollution and climate change. However, if we look at the underlying cause, it is the way we produce our food: as efficiently, cheaply and homogeneously as possible. And it’s our planet, the future generations, who will foot the bill. We need to work together with nature, also in the food system."

Some of the principles are: there should be more space for nature on farms and in the landscape. Nutritious food must become sustainable, accessible and affordable. The financial sector needs to support sustainable change. People must feel connected and have their voices heard. "To achieve all that, we not only need ecologists but also animal scientists, behaviourists, engineers, and economists. They need to know how to find each other and they need to work together," Mommer emphasises. "That's what the WBI does: it brings people together and produces ideas that contribute to concrete action."

Biodiversity knowledge and data

“Working together so intensively requires knowledge and data," Jones-Walters argues. Even before the establishment of the WBI, he led the Knowledge Base programmes that would eventually be given the name 'Nature-Inclusive Transitions'. Funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (LNV), this research programme has produced nearly 50 projects related to biodiversity. "Many of the project leaders also play an important role in the WBI. This resulted in very effective cross-fertilisation between our programme and the WBI."

Jones-Walters mentions the strip cultivation project , led by Dr Dirk van Apeldoorn, for example. This involves growing different crops side by side in strips to increase crop diversity. "Van Apeldoorn is active in the Biodiversity Initiative and this is clearly reflected in the project." Jones-Walters also mentions the project in which Dr Arjen de Groot and colleagues are bringing together new technologies to monitor the biodiversity of food forests. "De Groot’s project makes it possible to collect biodiversity data on a much larger scale. This is the only way in which we can discover which alternative food systems really work.”

Biodiversity-positive food systems

All the knowledge from Nature-Inclusive Transitions and the WBI is ultimately intended to support policy aimed at promoting a nature-inclusive future. Another nice example of knowledge-based policy is the new European soil law . This involved a group of soil health experts coming together to make their scientific contribution - their action fuelled with help from the WBI.

"WUR has also joined the Nature-Positive Universities alliance," says Mommer. "And the WBI was a driving force behind the investment theme ' Biodiversity-Positive Food Systems '. As I said, I believe our food system is one of the key factors in biodiversity issues, so I’m very proud that we have facilitated new fundamental research into alternatives."

Thanks to the WBI, the story about the importance of biodiversity reached far beyond Wageningen's borders. In 2022, Mommer gave the Mansholt lecture in Brussels , along with Jeanne Nel and numerous other WUR colleagues. "In the Mansholt lecture, WUR presents itself to the outside world. As such, this was an important moment for our initiative. That’s how I’ve always pictured it: WUR first, then the rest of the world," says Mommer. The world stage followed sooner than expected. "We were at the climate summit in Egypt, the United Nations Science Summit, one of the most important meetings for academics, policy makers and NGOs in the world." The United Nations calls biodiversity our strongest natural defence against climate change and WWF argues that biodiversity supports everything in nature we need to survive: food, clean water, medicine and shelter .

Counting species on campus

"We want academics, policy makers and the public to understand that biodiversity matters to everyone. Along with biodiversity, we are losing ecosystem resilience and therefore our buffer against climate change, our food sources, and simply intrinsically valuable nature."

In everyday life too, we must become more aware of the biodiversity, or the lack thereof, around us. The Wageningen Biodiversity Challenge can make a difference here. The biodiversity event for all WUR students and employees started small, with just a few enthusiasts, but has grown into an international alliance to celebrate biodiversity with some 20 European universities. This year, the city of Wageningen also took part in the Challenge. "People don’t always see what's around them and what has been lost," says Jones-Walters. "The Biodiversity Challenge is a wonderful way for everyone to experience what is at stake."

Connecting knowledge about biodiversity

"The time has come to convert awareness, ambition and collaboration into impact," argues Mommer. "More and more researchers understand how all-encompassing the problem of biodiversity loss is and a lot of valuable knowledge is already being gathered, not least in Wageningen. The next step is to start incorporating that knowledge into the solutions we develop with companies, government agencies and the public. By bringing together different perspectives, we can apply the resulting knowledge in society. Transitions are needed, time is running out.”

The time has come to convert awareness, ambition and collaboration into impact.

When it comes to recognising our own role in ecosystems, Mommer proposes another important theme: our shared responsibility - as citizens, consumers and professionals. “Companies regularly ask us: 'Tell us what to do and we'll do it.' But there are no such quick, ready-made solutions." Mommer would like to see WUR investing more, for example in roundtable sessions where academics, industry and government agencies explore paths to nature-inclusive futures. "What it means to do nothing, what you can do and how to make that concrete. Companies need to learn more about their place in the ecosystem and their ecological footprint and take responsibility. Then my and their children can also continue enjoying our wonderful planet."

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• School Education /

Essay on Biodiversity in 500 Words for Students

• Updated on  
• Dec 7, 2023

Essay on Biodiversity: Biodiversity refers to the variety of animals and plants in the world or a specific area. Even in today’s modern world where so many technological advances have taken place, we still rely on our natural environment and resources to survive, A healthy and vibrant ecosystem is not disturbed by human activities. We humans are the largest consumers of natural resources, and you know what? We are also a real threat to the natural environment? Biodiversity is not just about a variety of animal and plant species, but, also offers us water, climate, disease control, nutrition cycle, oxygen release, etc. According to one report released by the United Nations, around 10 lakh plant and animal species are on the verge of extinction. The worst thing is that this number is almost at a doubling rate.

Also Read: Essay on 5g Technology

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Why is Biodiversity Important?

Biodiversity supports all life forms on earth. To understand the importance of biodiversity, we don’t need to think or act like a biologist. All we need is a holistic understanding. 

• Biodiversity promotes resilience and stability in our ecosystem. If there is any natural disturbance in the environment, a diverse ecosystem will be able to survive and recover better.
• Fields like agriculture, forestry, and medicine completely rely on biodiversity. We get genetic resources from biodiversity, which is essential for agriculture and medicine fields.
• A healthy biodiversity environment means healthy humans. The medicinal drugs we use are derived from plants, animals, and microorganisms.
• In many parts of the world, biodiversity is an integral part of cultural identity. Indigenous tribes are connected with their natural environment and species. 
• Forest areas and oceans play an important role in regulating global temperature and storing carbon dioxide.
• Our environment is constantly changing and the species around it also need to adapt to for to survive. Therefore, genetic diversity within species is also important.
• Natural activities like soil formation, nutrient cycling, water purification, etc, are all dependent on biodiversity.

Also Read: NCERT Solutions Class 9 Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

What is Biodiversity Loss?

Biodiversity loss means the global extinction of various species, resulting in the loss of biological diversity. One of the main factors responsible for biodiversity loss is the conversion of natural habitats into agricultural and urban areas. Cutting down forests and using the land for commercial activities results in destroying the livelihood of all the species in the region. Other factors responsible for biodiversity loss are listed below.

• Overexploitation
• Climate change
• Global trade and transportation
• Emerging diseases
• Pollution 

Also Read: Essay on Save Environment

What is Biodiversity Conservation?

Biodiversity conservation refers to the preservation of species, natural resources, and habitats from the rate of extinction. To achieve the goals of biodiversity conservation, effective management, and sustainable practices are required.

• Biodiversity conservation includes protected areas like biodiversity hotspots, national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries.
• One of the most effective ways to conserve biodiversity is rehabilitation and restoring degraded habitats is crucial.
• Promoting sustainable practices in agriculture, forestry, and other resource-dependent activities is essential for the conservation of biodiversity.
• Encouraging the participation of local and indigenous communities can be one solution to achieving the goals of biodiversity conservation. Indigenous and local knowledge can contribute to effective conservation strategies.

Also Read: Essay on Junk Food

Quotes on Biodiversity

Here are some popular quotes on biodiversity. Feel free to add them to your writing topics related to the natural environment.

• ‘Look closely at nature. Every species is a masterclass, exclusively adapted to the particular environment in which it has survived. Who are we to destroy or even diminish biodiversity?’ – E O Wilson
• ‘Biodiversity is our most valuable but least appreciated resource.’ – E O Wilson
• ‘Biodiversity is the greeted treasure we have. It’s diminishment is to be prevented at all cost.’ – Thomas Eisner
• ‘Animal protection is education to humanity.’ – Albert Schweitzer
• ‘Only beautiful animals or ugly people wear fur.’ – Unknown
• ‘Babies and animals are the mirrors of the nature.’ – Epicurus

Also Read: Essay on Globalization

Also Read: How to Prepare for UPSC in 6 Months?

Ans: Biodiversity refers to the variety of plants and animals in our natural environment or a particular region. Biodiversity supports all life forms on earth. To understand the importance of biodiversity, we don’t need to think or act like a biologist. All we need is a holistic understanding. Biodiversity promotes resilience and stability in our ecosystem. If there is any natural disturbance in the environment, a diverse ecosystem will be able to survive and recover better. Fields like agriculture, forestry, and medicine completely rely on biodiversity. We get genetic resources from biodiversity, which is essential for agriculture and medicine fields.

Ans: Biodiversity conservation refers to the preservation of species, natural resources, and habitats from the rate of extinction. To achieve the goals of biodiversity conservation, effective management, and sustainable practices are required.

Ans: Some of the popular biodiversity hotspots in India are the Himalayas, Indo-Burma, Western Ghats & Sundaland.

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Shiva Tyagi

With an experience of over a year, I've developed a passion for writing blogs on wide range of topics. I am mostly inspired from topics related to social and environmental fields, where you come up with a positive outcome.

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Essay on Biodiversity for Students and Children

500+ words essay on biodiversity.

Essay on Biodiversity – Biodiversity is the presence of different species of plants and animals on the earth. Moreover, it is also called biological diversity as it is related to the variety of species of flora and fauna. Biodiversity plays a major role in maintaining the balance of the earth.

Furthermore, everything depends upon the biological diversity of different plants and animals. But due to some reasons, biodiversity is decreasing day by day. If it does not stop then our earth could no longer be a place to live in. Therefore different measures help in increasing the biodiversity of the earth.

Methods to Increase Biodiversity

Building wildlife corridors- This means to build connections between wildlife spaces. In other words, many animals are incapable to cross huge barriers. Therefore they are no able to migrate the barrier and breed. So different engineering techniques can make wildlife corridors. Also, help animals to move from one place to the other.

Set up gardens- Setting up gardens in the houses is the easiest way to increase biodiversity. You can grow different types of plants and animals in the yard or even in the balcony. Further, this would help in increasing the amount of fresh air in the house.

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Protected areas- protected areas like wildlife sanctuaries and zoo conserve biodiversity. For instance, they maintain the natural habitat of plants and animals. Furthermore, these places are away from any human civilization. Therefore the ecosystem is well maintained which makes it a perfect breeding ground for flora and fauna. In our country, their various wildlife sanctuaries are build that is today spread over a vast area. Moreover, these areas are the only reason some of the animal species are not getting extinct. Therefore the protected areas should increase all over the globe.

Re-wilding – Re-wilding is necessary to avert the damage that has been taking place over centuries. Furthermore, the meaning of re-wilding is introducing the endangered species in the areas where it is extinct. Over the past years, by various human activities like hunting and cutting down of trees the biodiversity is in danger. So we must take the necessary steps to conserve our wildlife and different species of plants.

Importance of Biodiversity

Biodiversity is extremely important to maintain the ecological system. Most Noteworthy many species of plants and animals are dependent on each other.

Therefore if one of them gets extinct, the others will start getting endangered too. Moreover, it is important for humans too because our survival depends on plants and animals. For instance, the human needs food to survive which we get from plants. If the earth does not give us a favorable environment then we cannot grow any crops. As a result, it will no longer be possible for us to sustain on this planet.

Biodiversity in flora and fauna is the need of the hour. Therefore we should take various countermeasures to stop the reduction of endangering of species. Furthermore, pollution from vehicles should decrease. So that animals can get fresh air to breathe. Moreover, it will also decrease global warming which is the major cause of the extinction of the species.

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Essay on Loss of Biodiversity in English for Children and Students

Introduction

Biodiversity refers to the abundant availability of various creatures and their diverse species on Earth. Biodiversity is provided by nature on Earth, and it helps in maintaining the life cycle. Biodiversity is beneficial for us in many ways.

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Loss of Biodiversity

Loss of biodiversity is the loss of life on Earth. One of the main reasons is the increasing human population. Most living organisms live in dense forests. Human has cut the forest and eliminated them from their houses. We have also killed them for satisfying our needs like food, skin, trunk, and other parts of their body. Also, human-generated pollution has made the world suffer from loss of Biodiversity. Apart from these, other various reasons have also caused the extinction of biodiversity.

We can return the lost biodiversity only by limiting our population and planting more and more trees. Not killing the animals and protecting them for reproduction is the best way to get the lost biodiversity. The governments have also contributed to the field by establishing many reserves and sanctuaries for animals and birds.

Biodiversity is important for our survival as they provide many necessary elements for us. We should protect them at any cost and never harm them anyhow. Our life is dependent on them.

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Bees 'starving' for pollen as native flowers fail to bloom

Topic: Beekeeping

A honey bee digs for pollen in a native flower. ( ABC News: Andrew Chounding )

In the sandy hills of the Yanchep National Park, Anton Esterhuysen is on the hunt for flowers.

The native bushland on Western Australia's central coast would normally be bursting with springtime blooms but after four years of increasingly dry winters, only a handful of plants are starting to bud.

"WA has had less rain and a very hot summer, and that's probably the after-effect we are seeing now," Mr Esterhuysen said.

"A lot of dead plants and blooms, the buds are not there."

Anton Esterhuysen looks for flowers in on Western Australia's central coast. ( ABC News: Andrew Chounding )

Each season, the migratory beekeeper has brought his hives down from the warmer blooms in the state's north for the springtime flowers, but this year the dry weather had delayed the move.

"This time of year, we would like to be here in the spring country on the sand plains," he said 

"We see a very good flow happening here. It helps us to get ready for queen breeding but this year, it looks as if this probably is not going to happen."

Four consecutive dry winters have seen native plants struggle to bloom. ( ABC News: Andrew Chounding )

Bees go hungry as blooms fail  

Western Australia has the world's largest collection of wildflowers, with more than 12,000 species bursting into bloom each year, but as the seasons become dryer that number has declined.

On the state's southernmost coastline, 600 kilometres south of Yanchep, retired farmer Graham Tonkin's bees have also been struggling.

"Apart from the starvation in this area, it's been very quiet," he said.

When the grain and sheep farmer moved to the coastal town of Hopetoun, he left the running of the family farm to his son but the bees came with him.

Graham Tonkin says the dry weather was impacting blooms in cooler climates. ( ABC News: Andrew Chounding )

However, with the dry weather impacting even cooler climates, Mr Tonkin has been forced to feed his bees to keep them alive.

"Because of the season, the mallee hasn't flowered like it normally does and the heath country hasn't flowered," he said.

"It normally flowers late in the spring, and then we get the autumn heath, that blossom hasn't flowered this year.

"I've been feeding them sugar syrup and a little bit of honeycomb, which I shouldn't."

Some hives have been abandoned as the bees search for pollen. ( ABC News: Andrew Chounding )

Already some of the hives have been abandoned and he was concerned more would follow.

"The bees normally want to build up in the springtime to big swarms … I didn't have to worry about it this year because they weren't building up," Mr Tonkin said.

"The queen doesn't lay as many eggs and so they go down in smaller hives and then they'll evacuate the hive to go away to look for more honey."

Graham Tonkin has been feeding his bees old honeycomb to supplement the low pollen. ( ABC News: Andrew Chounding )

Dry flowering phenomenon 

Liz Barbour is an academic at the University of Western Australia and chief executive of WA-based bee research centre Y-Trace.

She said Western Australia once held the world record for honey production but over the years output had declined and even the flowering plants were showing signs of stress.

"There's been a lot of flowering … but it's been dry flowering, there's actually been no nectar or pollen," Dr Barbour said.

With some WA apiarists sitting on the previous year's stock and imports entering the domestic market, Dr Barbour said honey supply for consumers wouldn't be immediately impacted but its quality could decline.

However, she said the bigger concern was the long-term impact on producers and the environment.

"Honey bees are an indicator so it'll be an absolute sign that all native animals, whether marsupials or native bees … will all be under stress at the moment," Dr Barbour said.

"The prediction is that this year might be kind of okay with flowering [but] thereafter is going to be an absolute collapse.

"That's what the beekeepers are predicting."

Dr Barbour says honey production in Western Australia has declined. ( ABC News: Andrew Chounding )

Shaggy spine bee under threat 

The impact has already been noticed in one of the state's most celebrated and prolific wide-flower regions.

Ravensthorpe in the state's south has been a biodiversity hotspot, attracting thousands of visitors each year, in part due to its seasonal wildflower displays.

Sue Leighton says declining blooms could impact the regions biodiversity. ( ABC News: Andrew Chounding )

Horticulturist and coordinator of the Ravensthorpe Wildflower Show Sue Leighton said while flowers continued to bloom, the sporadic seasons could have an impact on the region's unique biodiversity.

"If you go walk out in the bush you see the ground's dry, the leaves are looking a little grey or not as vibrant as they should be and the flowers aren't as full as they should be," she said.

She said Western Australia was home to 801 of the 2,001 bee species identified across the country. 

"The latest is the Ravensthorpe Bee, it's called the shaggy spine bee, and its whole life cycle lives on one flowering eucalypt that flowers once," she said.

"[The bee] is only active during that time when it's in flower at the bottom of the Ravensthorpe Range.

"We could lose that species if we don't take care of it."

The Ravensthorpe shaggy spine bee lives on one flowering eucalypt for its whole life cycle. ( ABC News: Andrew Chounding )

Search for alternative pollen sources 

Work is underway to protect bee populations which could provide a solution to the pollen shortage.

Research from UWA has used high pollen clovers and legumes in farm pastures to provide bees with an alternative food source to native flowers.

The bee-friendly pasture project projects provides an alternative food source for bees. ( Supplied: Kevin Foster )

"We combined both the bees as well as the pasture, to see if we can actually make these bee-friendly pastures, and they've been very successful," Dr Barbour said.

"When we know we've got a really bad year, or most likely going to have a bad year, you can plant them now and you can have flowering at least through to December.

"That's what we're working on." 

A pasture planted with purple clover to provide pollen support for bees. ( Supplied: Kevin Foster )

For Mr Esterhuysen, who has been keeping bees for decades and planned to pass the business to his son, a solution couldn't come soon enough.

"I do think people are already exiting the industry. You see on social media equipment that's for sale," Mr Esterhuysen said.

ABC Rural news daily

High-level consultations on the journey from COP 15 (Montreal) to COP 16 (Cali)

On 21 August 2024 in Montreal, the city in which COP 15 delivered the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) , Astrid Schomaker, the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and David Cooper, Deputy Executive Secretary, hosted consultations between the Honorable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and H.E. Susana Muhamad, Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development of Colombia, on making COP 16 (21 October-2 November 2024, Cali, Colombia) the global biodiversity summit where agreement turns into action. 

In a joint press conference held in the office of the Secretariat of the CBD, the Ministers outlined their perspectives on how “peace with nature”—the theme that Colombia crafted for COP 16— can be achieved and called on the Parties to the Convention to accelerate the implementation of the KMGBF—the world’s masterplan to halt and reverse biodiversity loss through 23 targets that must be achieved by 2030. 

“The message that the Honorable Steven Guilbeault and H.E.  Susana Muhamad sent from Montreal two months ahead of COP 16 is clear: we need accelerated action, momentum to implement the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and transformative whole-of-society steps to make peace with nature,” the Executive Secretary of the CBD.   Here are a few takeaways from the press conference and the panel discussion (organized by the Embassy of Colombia and Environment and Climate Change Canada) on which the two Ministers spoke on the evening of 21 August:   

• “Peace with Nature” is a powerful call to action. It chimes with the UN Secretary-General’s call to make peace with nature, which he described in a landmark address in December 2020 as the “defining Task of the 21st century”.
• The KMGBF is a blueprint for peace with nature as illustrated by its four goals:  protect and restore nature; prosper with nature; share benefits fairly; and invest and collaborate for nature.
• COP 15 charted a timeline for the Parties to align their National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs) with it. Decision 15/6 of COP 15 requests that Parties submit national targets, either as part of their NBSAP submission or as a standalone submission, by COP16. 
• As of 21 August, 61 Parties have submitted national targets, including 22 from Africa. While most countries are focusing on the submission of national targets , 16 Parties have already submitted NBSAPs aligned with the global aims of the KMGBF: Burkina Faso, Malaysia, Suriname, Italy, Canada, Uganda, Austria, Ireland, China, the European Union, France, Hungary, Ireland, Japan, Luxembourg and Spain (listed in chronological order of submission, starting with the most recent). 
• At COP 16 Parties will also seek agreement on the operationalization of the multilateral mechanism for the sharing of benefits from the use of digital sequence information on genetic resources, including a global fund, on the basis of the text that was agreed on 16 August 2024 in Montreal . 
• Crucial to ensuring implementation of the KMGBF, COP 16 will advance negotiations on the mobilization of financial resources. Resources provided by developed countries to developing countries must reach $20 billion per year by 2025 and $30 billion per year by 2030. Countries are expected to align both public and private finance. 
• The international financial system created almost 80 years ago needs to be reformed to respond to the unprecedented challenges created by the environmental crises afflicting the planet.  An adequate global financial architecture is needed alongside knowledge, technology and innovation to bring about the required social, political and economic transformation. 
• Climate change and Biodiversity must be tackled as “two sides of the same coin”. Synergy among Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) is essential to addressing the intertwined environmental crises that the world is facing.
• The COP 16 agenda also includes initiatives that are expected to f urther enhance the role of  indigenous peoples and local communities’ as custodians of biodiversity and holders of invaluable traditional knowledge”. 
• COP 16 will be a “COP for the People”. It will see the largest public “Green Zone” ever held at a COP of the Convention on Biological Diversity. The admirable efforts of Colombia to ensure the widest possible participation in COP 16 are consistent with the fact that the KMGBF can only be delivered through a whole-of-society endeavor.  

Click here to listen to the audio of the full press conference

More information:

Decision 15/6 of COP 15

Sixteenth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 16)

Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework

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Essay on the loss of biodiversity.

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The loss of biodiversity has always been a nature’s part of evolution. The fossil records show that since life originated on earth, about four million years ago, the vast majority of species which existed are now extinct. The first ever assault on biodiversity dates back to the inception of human society.

It was then within limits since rate of extinction of species was under the rate of speciation. Any little modification was suitably compensated by inbuilt self-regulatory system of nature. Presently, man as economic man is causing extinction around one thousand times more than past’s physical man (Chapin et al., 2001).

Ever-increasing human population has drasti­cally disturbed the balance between natural rates of speciation and extinction of species. Perhaps the extraction of biomass resources such as fuel wood, timber and fodder by rural communities was within the carrying capacity of forests. But now it has crossed this limit in many resource-rich areas of the world (Reid et al., 1990). The process of biomass extraction has been intensified due to increasing human population and has thus resulted in loss of biodiversity and ultimately in ecological imbalance.

The loss of biodiversity is considered to be the one of the most serious problems which is far more serious than global climatic change or stratospheric ozone depletion, glacial retreat, etc. It is increasing with the increase in population. Habitat conversion and destruction are eliminating species at such a frightening pace that extinction of contemporary species, and the system they live in and support, is leading to imbalance of ecosystem such as imbalance of bio-geochemical cycle, energy flow and severe alteration of evolutionary process (Ervin, 1991) across the globe in general and India in particular.

India represents perfect adjustment of man with the natural environment, which is known as culture. Human beings have impressively adjusted with regional environment. Thus, India is said to have one the richest cultures. Conservation of natural resources, wildlife, plants, etc., has always been the integral part of people’s life of the country.

Probably, the concept of conservation is as ancient as human civilization (in India). Almost all the natural resources are worshipped. So a large number of resources and species are traditionally conserved in India. But, in spite of this, India has also lost a large number of species and is no exception in the deteriorating conditions of ecosystem. As far as biodiversity is concerned, India is mega-bio-diversified country. It had rich floral and faunal biodiversity, a large amount of which has been lost.

Presently, remaining biodiversity centres of India are under severe stress. So, to conserve this biodiversity, many protected areas have been introduced by MAB committee of UNESCO. Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve (NDBR) is an important example of such protected areas of Himalaya owning to rich biodiversity that represents High-Himalaya biogeographic province 2B.

Nanda Devi region has long conservation history of about 60 years at both levels—communities and government. Despite this, biodiversity of reserve has undergone severe alterations during last few decades. Therefore, NDBR is taken for present study.

Though, NDBR lies in extremely inaccessible and undulating terrain of higher Himalaya, it is the home of world famous community based conservation movement Chipko Andolan, it has been facing heavy pressure on its rich biological resources. The human habitation is distributed in 47 villages of buffer zone and 54 villages in transition zone, while both the core zones, i.e., Nanda Devi National Park (NDNP) and Valley of Flowers National Park (VoFNP) are free from human habitation. Human dynamics are putting a heavy pressure on the biodiversity of the reserve.

These include modification of habitat due to land use/change caused by grazing, agricultural activities, seasonal migration of villages, fuel and fodder collection by villagers, conflicts between protected area officials and local people, tourism and landslides.

A large number of religious tourists to Badrinath Puri, about 2 lakh religious tourists to Hemkundsahib, about 20,000 nature tourists to VoFNP and maximum of 500 adventure tourists to the NDNP are the main causes of land use/cover change leading to biodiversity loss in the reserve.

The economy of the local people is based on tourism activities in particular and marginal agriculture, livestock rearing and woolen crafts business in general. Due to heavy snowfall and extremely low temperature in the region during winter months (October-April), the local villagers migrate to the lower altitudes either on the fringes or away from the buffer zone and return to their summer settlements inside the buffer zone in May.

The dependency of the local people on the biomass resources of the buffer zone forests varies according to the seasonal and altitudinal migration. Fifty-five per cent of the total human population depends on the buffer zone forests for fuel wood, timber, fodder, grass and non-timber forest products for 6 months and remaining population throughout the year.

Similarly, 37 per cent of the total livestock population depends on the biomass resources of the buffer zone round the year for grazing, while the remaining grazed for a maximum of six months from May to October (Silori, 2001).

In addition to the resident livestock, 15,000-20,000 migratory sheep and goats also grazed in the alpine pastures of the reserve for about 4-5 months between the months of May and October every year, which has profound effects on the biodiversity of the forest ecosystem, thus leading to the changes in species composition, species behaviour, and vegetation structure of the reserve.

After the Indo-Chinese war of 1962, Indian engineers introduced gigantic network of roads and communication facilities deep into the hills of the Himalaya which led to vast deforestation, fragmentations and modification of natural environment in the reserve. This also led to disturbance in species and their disappearance from the region. This massive network of roads has opened up the area for further loss of biodiversity in terms of landscape fragmentation, which has restricted frequent moving of wild animals, etc. Apart from this, road accidents of domestic animals have become frequent in the reserve.

In almost all cases, the roads themselves have become major cause of loss of biodiversity. Road construction has resulted in escalating landslides in the region, which is now emerging as prime threat to biodiversity of the reserve. Above-stated factors have influenced some of the species till the point of extinction some have completely disappeared and degraded. All these threats underline the base of research problem.

Data Sources and Research Methodology :

The study is concerned with the environmental changes in general and changing land use/cover pattern, landslides and their influence on biodiversity in particular. Study involves both the techniques; quantitative and qualitative. Image process for vegetation study is purely quantitative, while study of fauna and functioning of eco-development committee is purely qualitative.

Assessment of land use/cover has been done using of satellite image interpretation and people’s perceptions. Primary and secondary data were collected for the present study. The secondary sources of information comprise of archival records, academic works, library collection and research publications.

The institutions, such as Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun; Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun; Botanical Survey of India, Dehradun; Zoological Survey of India, Dehradun; Forest Survey of India, Dehradun; Forests Research Institute, Dehradun; Indian Institute of Remote Sensing, Dehradun, various Departments of Geology, Geography, etc., and their researchers have been approached for secondary data.

Satellite images of study area were taken from the website of Global Land Cover Facilities (GLCF) and United States Geological Survey (USGS).

Apart from this, a few field visits were made in 2005-06 in order to collect primary data. Primary data was collected through questionnaire and interviews (group and individual) to gather the information regarding the general perceptions of the villagers about land use/cover change, landslides and their influence on biodiversity.

Villages for survey were selected on the basis of purposive random sampling. A total of 200 respondents from 10 villages were surveyed. Four villages near the core zones, four villages inside the outer boundary of buffer zone and two villages in the transition zone were surveyed. About 20 households were randomly surveyed from each village.

Approximately 10 elderly and five male and female respondents each were covered in each village. Emphasis was given to the elderly because they have witnessed the long-term temporal and spatial changes, while the women are well aware of floral and faunal diversity because they regularly go to the forests for fodder and fuel wood collection.

Young population was also given due consideration because they are witnessing the recent changes in the reserve and presently are engaged in the conservation programmes, etc. Survey was also done with the officials of NDBR and concerned researcher to know the current policies, future prospects and status of biodiversity, etc.

Tourists were also surveyed, because they have been noticing the change since they first visited the reserve, to observe the change in the state of biological diversity, functioning of eco-development committee, conservation strategies and management plans, etc. Survey of fauna was done on the basis of direct sightings and indirect observations (footprints, etc.). Scientists were also consulted about the research problem.

Assessment of landslides is purely based on field investigations and people’s perceptions. Status, intensity and frequency, etc., were investigated. Landslides were classified in two groups, viz., natural and human induced on the basis of degree of human interventions. Landslides, which were near the human activities such as road construction, building construction and dam construction were classified as human induced and other were as natural landslides. Thus, the analysis was done.

Analysis of functioning of EDCs was done on the basis of people’s perceptions only. Villagers and tourists were surveyed for status, objectives and overall results of EDC’s functioning and conclusion was derived.  The hypothesis was tested with the data collected from different sources and conclusions were drawn.

Related Articles:

• Useful notes on ‘Threats to Biodiversity’ – Explained!
• Notes on Biodiversity of NDBR

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