Table of ContentsBrief History: Definition and ImportanceThreats to Biodiversity and Conservation StrategiesCurrent Threats to BiodiversityPossible Conservation StrategiesConclusionReferencesThis essay aims to present general threats related to biodiversity conservation biodiversity as well as the strategies that are currently being implemented around the world. A million plant and animal species are threatened with extinction. Almost all threats such as overexploitation and urbanization are human-induced and/or arise due to human intrusions and interventions on existing natural ecosystems. Humans should therefore take steps to save these species. Biodiversity conservation strategies must be further implemented to protect and safeguard existing ecosystems, promote sustainable management and/or use of biological resources and raise environmental awareness among humanity. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayBrief Background: Definition and ImportanceBiodiversity is first defined as the number of species. But then, over time, scientists – particularly biologists – realized that this particular definition was limiting since this term does not only relate to the species. Later, a more comprehensive definition of the term was used: it is a characteristic of a field that specifically denotes variety within and among living organisms, groups of living organisms, and biotic processes and communities natural and modified by man; it can be quantified in terms of genetic diversity as well as in terms of the number of different types of species, groups of said species, both biotic processes and communities, and abundance and/or their structures; Finally, it is measured at any spatial scale ranging from microsites to the entire biosphere. Although this definition is generalized, scientists still believe that it could still change over time, as current knowledge, ideas, technologies, and resources for measuring biodiversity develop. Finally, it is necessary to be precise in the definition of this term, because the efficiency and effectiveness of future policies/programs highly depend on the said definition. Biodiversity is probably the most significant and complex characterization of the world. It describes the abundance and variety of life on earth. To generalize its importance, the main roles of biodiversity include ecosystem productivity, ecological stability and economic importance. In terms of ecosystem productivity, higher biodiversity means higher productivity. Each species in a community is given a specific task and thus, productivity is enhanced as biodiversity increases. This is useful to humans since higher production rates in ecosystems are directly proportional to the biological resources humans can have, such as food, pharmaceutical drugs, and medicinal resources. On the other hand, for ecological stability, as mentioned, each species has a specific role in its community. Besides increasing production rates, this particular trait also helps maintain the balance of the community. If a certain community experiences the loss of a particular species, instability will occur. But if said community has a high rate of biodiversity, the sustainability of the community is also higher. Thus, it is necessaryless time for balance to return. Finally, in terms of economic importance, since production is higher, the biological resources required to produce the products will also increase. A larger resource pool will ultimately translate into higher economic output as cosmetic, food and pharmaceutical manufacturing flourishes. It is also of economic importance as higher biodiversity means higher production of resources for human consumption such as crops, fisheries, and livestock. Threats to biodiversity and conservation strategies In this document, general threats to biodiversity as well as strategies for biodiversity conservation will be presented. This synthesis will include two articles published in 2016 and 2017. Both articles covered the same topic from two perspectives: local and global. In the 2016 study, the generalization is based on the overall state of biodiversity and the actions carried out. On the other hand, the 2017 document made a generalization based on the state of biodiversity and India's current actions. In May 2019, after several sessions, the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) published its first-ever global assessment. report. This is a compilation that contains the changes that the Earth has gone through after five (5) decades. It is compiled by 145 lead authors and 310 contributing authors from 50 countries. According to this report, an estimated one million species are at risk of extinction and the average abundance of native species in most terrestrial habitats has declined by at least 20% since 1900. Some of the report's important findings also include 75% human alteration. % of natural terrestrial habitats and 66% of natural marine habitats; 33% of most of the earth's surface and 75% of freshwater resources are now used for crop and livestock production; plastic pollution continues to grow; most biological resources are exploited at unsustainable levels; and until 2050, nature will experience a negative trend due to human intervention. With this in mind, it is important for humanity to know the threats to biodiversity as well as biodiversity conservation strategies to help nature cope with its current situation. Current threats to biodiversity A threat is defined as any natural or human-induced process or event that may have negative effects on the current state or sustainable use of a component of biological diversity. In both newspapers, numerous threats are made. They presented similar threats and unique threats. Similar threats include climate change, habitat alteration and destruction, pollution, species invasions, overexploitation and human population increases. On the other hand, institutional/policy failure is a unique threat presented by the 2016 document, while the 2017 document included unique threats such as transportation and service corridors and geologic events. As mentioned previously, human intrusions and disturbances cause many habitat alterations. and destruction. This is considered a major threat because it reduces biodiversity by altering and destroying existing natural habitats. Some recreational activities, wars/civil unrest, forest clearing for agricultural purposes, and resource harvesting for industrial production and urbanization are considered threatened. Pollution, bothBoth organic and inorganic, which affect terrestrial or marine ecosystems, are also classified as threats. These include domestic sewage and municipal waste, water and air pollutants from industries, garbage and solid waste, and excess energy such as heat and sound that can disrupt species. Invasive species are also considered a threat if they cause direct or indirect harmful effects. The intentional or accidental introduction of invasive species is considered a threat and is referred to as a biological pollutant. Climate change is also considered a threat because it causes instability in terms of species reproduction and distribution, population size and migratory events. Global warming is considered the main problem of climate change because it can naturally alter and shift habitats, trigger droughts and extreme temperatures, as well as storms and floods. Moreover, this is considered one of the major threats since it can cause mass extinction. Overexploitation is considered a threat since biological resources are being harvested deliberately or unintentionally at a rate that the natural reproductive capacity cannot handle. Hunting and collecting land and sea animals, gathering land and sea plants, logging, and mining and energy production are included in this threat. Finally, the increase in the human population is also considered a major threat since the increase in demand for biological resources has a significant impact on biodiversity as a whole. This includes urbanization such as residential and industrial development. In the 2016 document, institutional/policy failure is included. This is based on the idea that although governments and organizations implement many laws to prevent major threats, said laws are not followed or implemented well. This must be taken into account since almost all threats are man-made. As for the 2017 document, it included two unique threats: transportation and service corridors and geological events. The first threat comes from service corridors such as roads and railways, shipping lanes and flight paths, which cause disturbance and destruction of natural habitats. Finally, geological events include volcanic activities, earthquakes, avalanches, landslides and tsunamis. These are catastrophic events that cause the alteration and destruction of different ecologies. Possible conservation strategies Most factors that threaten biodiversity can cause the extinction of many species. Biodiversity is important to humanity and if it continues to deteriorate over the years, humanity will suffer and could face its own extinction. After all, humans are also an Earth species. With this in mind, humans are implementing conservation strategies aimed at extinguishing current threats, reducing pressures on biodiversity, promoting more sustainable methods of managing biological resources, safeguarding existing ecosystems and improving conservation. implementation of certain laws for the conservation of biodiversity. Both articles present similar strategies such as in situ conservation, ex situ conservation, and education and awareness. In situ conservation is a conservation strategy that aims to protect species in their natural habitats or in a./