Unit 5.2 Threats to Biodiversity Notes

Planting trees in urban areas

Reducing plastic use

Polluting rivers with industrial waste

Protecting endangered species

Endangered species are at serious risk of extinction, while threatened species are likely to become endangered soon.

Endangered species are extinct, while threatened species are not.

Endangered species have stable populations, while threatened species have declining populations.

Endangered species are only found in zoos, while threatened species are found in the wild.

Habitat change and loss

Invasive species

Pollution

Overharvesting

Outcompeting native species

Pushing other species toward extinction

Reproducing rapidly where they have no natural predators

Increasing genetic diversity of native species

By poisoning them

By causing physical harm

By providing nutrients

By making the environment toxic

Passenger pigeon

Polar bear

Coral reef

Blue whale

Species diversity loss

Genetic diversity loss

Habitat diversity loss

Increase in biodiversity

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES, 1975)

Convention on Biological Diversity (1992)

World Wildlife Fund Treaty

Kyoto Protocol

To stop the use of animal parts for medicine

To prevent animals from being used as trinkets

To discourage the use of animal skins as rugs

To promote animal poaching

To enable the endangered southern cassowary to recover from population declines

To increase tourism in the region

To connect major cities for transportation

To promote agricultural development