Evaluating Biodiversity and Vulnerability

Identifying factors that lead to loss of diversity

Main five pressures on biodiversity are still present and even intensifying:

1. Habitat loss and degradation
2. Climate change
3. Excessive nutrients and other pollutants
4. Over-exploitation and unsustainable use of resources
5. Invasive alien species

There is something known as the Red List that shows the status of species in terms of their conservation status. You can see the list here.

It should be mentioned that biodiversity conservation is crucial. Biodiversity, be it genetic, habitat, or species, is one of the determining factors in an ecosystem's health. The above mentioned factors are putting pressures on the planet that it cannot absorb fast enough. Ecological footprints are exceeding the Earth's capacity to recover. All of this leads to a persistent loss in biodiversity that slowly reduces our ecosystems' resilience and compromises the resources on which we depend.

There are certain world trends that are occurring around the world:
- Habitats are declining.
- Abundance and distribution of species are declining.
- Change in status of threatened species.
- Threats in genetic diversity in domestic animals, cultivated plants, and fish species. This is due to interference with natural selection.
- Coverage of protected areas are increasing
- Marine Trophic Index has shown an increase, but has regional fluctuations.
- Ecosystems have become more fragmented.
- Water quality in aquatic ecosystems has been declining. Some areas have increased their water quality by dealing with point-source pollution.
- Nitrogen deposition has increased.
- The amount of invasive species has increased and are now a threat.
- Areas of forest, agricultural, and aquaculture ecosystems under sustainable management have increased, but there are several areas that still require more efforts.
- Humanity's Ecological Footprint is still rising.