Factors affecting biodiversity
- Deforestation: reduces the number of trees which in turn reduces the number of animals due to habitat and food loss. Some animals are forced to migrate.
- Agriculture: clearing land to rear/grow animals
- removal of hedgerows
- use of pesticides/herbicides
- monoculture
- Climate: melting of polar ice caps
- rising sea levels (flooding, salt water)
- higher temperatures
- less rainfall
- insect lifecycles, pollination
Reasons to maintain biodiversity
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Aesthetic | - encriches life - allows faster recovery - provides inspiration |
| Economic | - deforestation can lead to soil erosion, causing desertification and loss of fertile land - non-sustainable removal leads to industry collapse - massive destruction - leads to important species going extinct before discovery - high diversity leads to increased tourism |
| Ecological | - all organisms are interdependent upon each other - some species are invoilved in maintaining the whole ecosystem |