17.4 Monitoring biodiversity Scientists monitor biodiversity to gather information about current populations and about changes in species and population numbers. This information is very important as it can be used to analyse the positive and negative effects of human activities on biodiversity.
Science in Society The National Biodiversity Data Centre in Ireland encourages people to monitor biodiversity in their own communities. They have established a bumblebee and a butterfly monitoring scheme. People across the country submit information about the species and numbers of butterflies and bumblebees in their area. Find out about the bumblebee monitoring scheme or the butterfly monitoring scheme. Write a report about the ecological importance of butterflies or bumblebees.
Nature of Science
To help to ensure food supplies for the future and to protect biodiversity, scientists must study biodiversity, analyse data, identify trends and predict future challenges and needs. Question: Biodiversity and sustainable food production are global issues. Outline methods that scientists can use to share data with each other and communicate their findings to the public, both local and global.
Chapter Summary
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Humans rely on the environment to provide food, water, oxygen, shelter and fuel. Biodiversity is the variety of living things on Earth. When people interfere with one species in a natural ecosystem they can accidentally affect other species or even the entire ecosystem. Biodiversity is threatened by many human activities including extracting raw materials, pollution, burning fossil fuels and modern food production practices. Humans must find ways to produce enough food for a growing population while conserving biodiversity. Land clearing, agriculture, hunting and fishing to produce food can pose a threat to biodiversity. Clearing land to grow food threatens biodiversity. The plants and animals that lived in the forest cannot be supported by agricultural land. Wise land management, laws, replanting native woodlands and nature reserves help to protect biodiversity. Agricultural practices such as monoculture and overuse of herbicides, pesticides and fertilisers threaten biodiversity.
