More human activity related factors negatively affecting biodiversity are acidification of terrestrial and aquatic habitats, pollution including fossil fuels and coal mining, global warming, responses to natural disaster, desertification, manipulation of genetics in plants and animals, and much more.
At least 40 per cent of the world’s economy and 80 per cent of the needs of the poor are derived from biological resources. In addition, the richer the diversity of life, the greater the opportunity for medical discoveries, economic development, and adaptive responses to such new challenges as climate change.
— The Convention about Life on Earth, Convention on Biodiversity web site.
The common insects, bees are crucial agricultural workers. One third of our fruits and vegetables would not exist without bees and other insects pollinating flowers. The primary species for fertilizing plants are the honeybees. However they have recently suffered dramatic declines mostly due to human actions. There are 130, 000 plants which bees have to pollinate. The job of the bees is more important than poultry when it comes to nutrition. Since the bees are essential for pollinated a great mass of plants, animals suffer as well. When the bee population declines and becomes unable to fertilize plants, plant-eating animals lose a number of plants to feed on affecting the rest of the organisms in the food chain like the carnivores, herbivores, etc.
Humans are not very good stewards of the world- though they are given the power and the highest capability to be stewards. If fact, humans are so bad at being in charge of the world and its environment that biodiversity is continuously decreasing, putting all organisms eventually at risk.
SOURCES:
Biodiversity in a Changing World
Scientific Facts of Biodiversity
http://www.greenfacts.org/en/biodiversity/#6
Why is Biodiversity Important? Who Cares?
http://www.globalissues.org/article/170/why-is-biodiversity-important-who-cares
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ReplyDeleteHey amanda phen! ;D
ReplyDeleteI just read you're post and I agree with you're statement "Humans are not very good stewards of the world- though they are given the power and the highest capability to be stewards."
As humans, we have all this power to help save the environment and help keep the biodiversity alive, but all we do is continue to fish until there's no fish left in the sea, and keep contributing to the reason why some species are extinct.
I think it's kind of sad for us to keep continuing our daily rotuines of polluting the earth, when we're fully aware of the affects we create on global warning and our contribution to other harmful things.
I hope that one day, we'll see the error of our ways and help - atleast a little bit at a time, so that we can be real stewards of the earth :)
ps. Until I read you're post I never knew bees played such an important role for plants, and animals. Thanks for teaching me something! :)
pss. Great post, Phen! :)
Humans can be such... a destroyer. I actually don't agree with you about how we are stewards, but I do agree when you said that since we are more intelligent it is our responsibility to be stewards of the earth. Humans are just lazy and couldn't care less, they just need to have luxuries. The factories, the over fishing, the whale hunting, the bee decline have all been caused by human activity. Is honey that important that we need to jeopardize species of plants and animals? Whales are already endangered species and people wouldn't stop hunting them and the people only gain money and caviar. Caviar is not even good, it's so salty. Manipulating genetics is also such a huge impact on life. Humans are making chickens bigger so that people can have more food is great, but most of those chickens go to people who can afford it, not Africa. We are lazy and selfishm the best of both worlds. The only thing that matters to a lot of people is money and time, and they don't care about global warming unless it actually hits them.
ReplyDeletethanks bye (:
ily tooo
I must say, that picture of the bloody whale is quite shocking.
ReplyDeleteI breaks my heart to know that humans are not considering their impact in our world and are not being the stewards we should strive to be.
Honestly, I was indecisive about the topic [if humans are being stewards to the world] at first, but after reading your post, you have convinced me that we are,"so bad at being in charge of the world and its environment that biodiversity is continuously decreasing, putting all organisms eventually at risk." It's so disappointing to know that we, humans, have the ability and intelligence to do something about this issue, but we choose not to becasue of factors like laziness and ignorance.
I liked the stats and examples you used in your blog- they were every helpful in understanding the big picture behind this topic. I really enjoyed reading about your opinions! Awesome work!
Lastly, I found that your title made a very huge impact on me and the contents of your blog. Excellent blogging, Panda Manda. :)
Brilliant post Amanda.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with you that humanity could be stewards to the world but are not acting as ones. I also learned a great deal about bees from your blog! Without them, the world would suffer greatly. Your post triggered my brain to question whether or not beed provide more for the world than humans do. I mean sure, we're bigger and scientifically more intelligent. However, bees work all the time to benefit everyone, not just themselves. Whereas humans work only sometimes just to benefit ourselves! It's unfortunate and heart retching to hear about whales, my favourite marine animals, and how much these innocnt creatures suffer because of our species' selfish actions. I think humans should work together to create a better and more eco-friendly world. Hopefully during our lives, we will see the world change, for the better to benefit our earth and everything on it!
Fantastic post, good luck with bio and I am keen to read your next post (if you have one)!
-Priscilla
I agree that we have the power to be stewards of the world, but we aren't acting as such. We have more power over the world than any other animal, but we don't use that power for the good of the world, but rather the good of ourselves.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that we alter the environment is no surprise, but most of the time we are only considering ourselves when we do. We cut down forests to make room for ourselves, without considering that we're taking from the homes of others; the animals.
I also didn't know how important bees were, and reading through it, it sounds like it's a great example of how we don't consider in the long run how what we do affects the environment. And it's not only the environment, it's also us, because when we eventually do need these resources, whether it be for food, or wood, this kind of altering the environment comes back to affect us in the long run.
I overall completely agree with your post, and I like the examples that you used as well.
"Humans are not very good stewards of the world- though they are given the power and the highest capability to be stewards." Honestly speaking, I think that humans are not stewards of the world. We are just one of many species that has evolved on Earth, except that we evolved to the point that we are able to gain dominion over the it.
ReplyDeleteSay perhaps if the lion population in Africa were to wipe out the entire population of gazelles, would they even care? Are they considered bad stewards of the Earth? I think the lions would not care or even think about their actions and that does not make them bad stewards of the Earth because noone is a "steward."
The only difference between humans and animals is our ability to think about our actions and try to better ourselves. Humans are even capable of defying some of our natural insticts to do what is logical. While animals just purely follow their instincts throughout their entire lives and just do what is natural without questioning it.
It's definitely a horrible thing that we have caused the extinction rate to increase 100x the natural rate and many more disasterous things to the earth and it's many inhabitants, but I think the part of humans that is "invasive" is a part of nature. I think our "job" is to take the responsiblity of the harm we have caused and try to fix it. Not because we are "stewards" of the world, but because we have evolved to the point where we are able to...
Your blog was very eye catching and the pictures have defiantly got your points across. I have to admit I was quite shocked to hear that an estimate of 25% of all species will become extinct in the next decade. Is selfish for me to say that my fear comes from not knowing when human beings will be part of the 25%. Or is it just human of me? But then again I don’t believe there is a difference. Human’s narcissism has dug us a hole so deep, it seems like it’s impossible to escape. We are not able to grasp the fact that there is only one way out of this hole and it is to climb out. But because of our reluctance to see the truth, we are digging deeper and deeper in the hole making it harder to get out. The hole represents all of the current environmental problems and the opening is our goal of a change for the better. Hopefully we will soon find this opening together.
ReplyDelete