Habitual Loss and Extinction in the Hotspots of Biodiversity
Source: Thomas M. Brooks, Russell A. Mittermeier, Cristina G. Mittermeier, Gustavo A. B. da Fonseca, Anthony B. Rylands, et al., Conservation Biology, August, 2002, 16(4):909-923.
Biodiversity hotspots are the 25 areas that 1/2 of vascular plant species and 1/3 of terrestrial vertebrates. The bad news is that these places have already lost 70% of their original land space. This is causing the native species to have a drastic decrease in their population that could lead to extinction. It is found that unless we step in that these areas will suffer a mass extinction of their species. Between 1/2 and 2/3 of vascular plants in this area are threatened and 57% of the terrestrial animal are threatened. It was thought that the habitat destruction would match the extinction rate. On the ocean islands the extinction rate was underestimated because species introduced by humans increased the numbers becoming extinct. A big culprit in the habitat loss is deforestation. Polynesia-Micronesia, Phillipines, and Eastern Arc and Coastal Forests of Tanzania-Kenya can still stay constant if they loose more habitat, but if the rate of destruction continues Choco�-Darie�n-Western Ecuador, Madagascar, Indo-Burma, Sundaland, Mesoamerica, Phillipines, Tropical Andes, and the Caribbean will have the most losses in habitat, animal, and plant life.
Why are we destroying the world around us? Deforestation is taking away the much needed oxygen produced by these areas once called �the lungs of the earth�. The plants being destroyed my have the ability to cure cancer or HIV or another of the terrible diseases that plague our world. Animals being killed for our use for fur or other parts could hold the key to ending the pollution in a certain lake or destroying the garbage building in our landfills. By loosing these animals we may be loosing a key advantage in the future. What if the sap from one tree in one rain forest that grows no where else in the world could save the world from hunger by providing one gene that makes any plant immune to bugs and herbicides and allows it to grow anywhere with little water? What would happen if we lost that to our carnal need to grow and spread?
In the movie the Matrix, Agent Smith described the human race as a virus. In a way he is true, we multiply and reproduce to our hearts content and spread where ever we want. We create ways to spread ourselves from host land to host land by airplane or bus or ship leaving behind waste and a protein coat of toxins and pollutants. We destroy our home to meet our needs, to feed our need to live and reproduce. As soon as a new untouched spot of land comes into our hands we have to populate it, control it, make it our home. We have no natural predators and almost none of the worlds medicines can kill us. So we just keep spreading and reproducing and using the resources around us until there is nothing left and then we move to a new area to continue the process. Like a virus that cannot be killed, we will eventually kill the world that feeds us and shelters us. Ultimately we will lead ourselves to our deaths...willingly.
How do we change this? The answer is not an easy one, but there is a place to start. First we have to find a way to stop the destruction of the forests and ecosystems of the world. Use, eat, and live off of things that can be grown in our backyard. Don�t genetically alter our foods to make them better. They have lived thousands of years without our help and they can continue to do so. Countries must help feed each other so that the rain forests will no longer be needed for farm and grazing lands. Stop polluting the air. Everyone now a days has a car, at least in this country, so buy one of the hybrid electric gasoline cars. They use only half the fuel and get better mileage. They also give off less than half the pollution. It may be more expensive, but it makes up for it in less gas consumption. Stop polluting the land. Don�t use chemicals that can not biodegrade to clean your house or wash your car. Things like this do exist! So use them! Recycle your plastics and don�t use plastics that cannot be recycled. Make a compost heap in your back yard with your old leaves and food scraps. Not only is this good for your garden, but can make your lawn grow great! You will be the envy of your neighbors. Stop polluting the water. Don�t use pesticides on your crops or dump dirty oil down in your yard. These things can move into the ground water and pollute whole wells. Stop destroying the hand that feeds you.
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