GEO-6 Regional Assessment for Africa


negative impacts on human health. Environmental services such as ecosystem stability depend on the richness of species diversity (Blench and Sommer 1999). For example, where biodiversity is conserved, post-drought recovery of


Figure 2.4.1: Cropland in Africa - expansion of the area under cultivation is a major threat to biodiversity loss


Flamingos on Lake Nakuru, Kenya Credit: Shutterstock/Alan Ward


Major threats to biodiversity in Africa include habitat destruction, deforestation,


habitat conversion and


disturbances such as habitat fragmentation, overexploitation of some species, invasive alien species, pollution, and climate change and variability. Changes in land use and lack of appropriate land-use planning contribute to loss of habitats and biodiversity. Agricultural expansion (Figure 2.4.1), establishment of settlements in biodiversity-rich ecosystems and sensitive areas, expansion of livestock into wildlife management areas, excessive collection of firewood and construction materials, and illegal exploitation of wildlife also contribute to biodiversity loss. Invasive alien species of both plants and animals are a serious threat to local biodiversity in the region. Noble interventions such as aquaculture have been observed in some cases to disrupt ecosystems with negative impacts on biodiversity. Diana (2009) observed that species escaping from aquaculture can become invasive in areas where they are not native, while effluents from aquaculture can result in eutrophication.


Loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services could result in depletion of food, raw materials and medicines, with


78


Source: Fritz et al. 2015


ecosystems is rapid (Blench and Sommer 1999). Reductions in biodiversity also lead to lost income from wildlife and nature-based


tourism, where wildlife-based significantly to gross domestic product (GDP).


as Ghana, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania and Zimbabwe,


particularly for countries such tourism contributes

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