What are the effects of biodiversity loss?
- increasing frequency of extreme weather events such as floods, wildfires, droughts
- increased pollution that directly affects animal and plant communities and impacts on the natural cycles such as the water cycle
- mass species extinction predominately as a result of human activities - since 1970 there has been nearly a 70% decline in mammals, birds, fish, reptiles and amphibians
- overall reduction in ecosystem productivity - less viable food crops due to reductions in soil fertility, extreme changes in weather and disease
- carbon sinks are lost, and stored carbon released into the atmosphere adding to global warming
- woodland - trees absorb CO2,
- peatland - absorbs and stores large amounts of CO2,
- oceans - absorb one third of all the carbon emitted
- changes in habitats - the current push to plant more trees should not be done without considering the value of the land that they are to be planted on.
The effects of biodiversity loss are issues which also effect a number of other things such as climate change, air quality and waste.