ABDUL-BAQI ALHASSAN

(MSC ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE POLICY AND MANAGEMENT)INSTITUTE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT STUDIES- GHANA

BY

DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS

IMPORTANCE OF CONSERVING BIODIVERSITY

INTRODUCTION

THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION

CONCLUSION

REFERENCES

Biological diversity ‘means the variability amongliving organisms from all sources including, interalia, terrestrial, marine and other aquaticecosystems and the ecological complexes of whichthey are a part; this includes diversity withinspecies, between species and of ecosystems’.(Convention on Biological Diversity 1992).

Conservation is the protection, preservation,management, or restoration of wildlife and naturalresources such as forests and water. (Earth WatchInstitute)

It is the cornerstone of our existence on Earth.

Medicines originating from wild species,including penicillin, aspirin, taxol, and quinine,have saved millions of lives and alleviatedtremendous suffering

It offer a tremendous resource of possibilitiesthat could greatly add to the security of ourfood.

Biodiversity is the life support system of ourplanet

The connections between biodiversity and oursustainable future appear closer and closer themore we look

Despite the numerous benefits andadvantages gotten from biodiversity, it isunder serious threat as a result of humanactivities. The main dangers worldwide arepopulation growth and resourceconsumption, climate change and globalwarming, habitat conversion andurbanization, invasive alien species, over-exploitation of natural resources andenvironmental degradation.

Habitat destruction, degradation andfragmentation

It is the single most important threat tobiodiversity conservation. Lands areconverted to ranches, agricultural land,urban areas and other human usages;habitat is lost for forest organisms. Mostof the habitats destroyed are those whichcontain the highest levels of biodiversity.In this case, habitat loss is caused byclearing, selective logging, and burning.

Rapid population growth

The geometric increase in human population isa fundamental threat to biodiversityconservation. People have now settled in areasof high biodiversity, which have relatively richsoils and other attractions for human activitiesand this has led to biodiversity loss. The questfor socio-economic development, for exampleindustrialization, urbanization and expansionof infrastructure may necessitate theexploitation of the countries natural resources.

Wildlife Trade in Ghana

Export permit fees charged by theWildlife Division are relatively verylow and, based on uncertaininternational market prices, posepotential threats to the nationaleconomy and wildlife heritage

Introduction of exotic species

Species originating from a particular area,introduced into another area have led todifferent forms of imbalance in the ecologicalequilibrium leading to biodiversity loss. Theintroduction of exotic species into areassurrounding forest fragments have beendetrimental to forest health. These exoticorganisms interrupt the forest ecosystem and,since they have few or no natural enemies intheir new environment, they are difficult toeradicate.

Overexploitation

Overexploitation means harvesting speciesfrom the wild at rates faster than naturalpopulations can recover. Overfishing andoverhunting are both types ofoverexploitation. Overhunting still poses abig threat to biodiversity conservation.

The overexploitation of fisheries is anexample of a tragedy of the commons—people take more and more of a commonresource until it is no longer available.

Species often become threatened ordisappear when several of these factors arecombined. The fragmentation of habitatsdecreases the size of populations and makethese more vulnerable to other factors.

As much as population increase may equallyincrease exploitation of natural resources,this is often done in a manner that reducesthe ability of the resource to renew andsustain itself. There is therefore the need toexploit our natural resources in a mannerthat may not cause irresponsible loss ofbiodiversity.

CBD-Convention on Biological Diversity (1992), UNEP-United Nations Environment Programme, Handbook of theConvention on Biological Diversity; Earth scan PublicationsLtd., London, UK

McNeely, J.A et al (1995), Human influences onbiodiversity (in Global biodiversity assessment, V.H.Heywood Ed. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK,pp. 711-821

Shah, Anup (2014), “Loss of Biodiversity and Extinctions.”Global Issues [Online], Available:http://www.globalissues.org/article/171/loss-of-biodiversity-and-extinctions

Stedman-Edwards, P. (1998), Root causes of biodiversityloss. An analytical approach (WWF-WorldWide Fund forNature, Washington DC

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