Dear Future Generation: Sorry! A Message That Will Travel Through Time (VIDEO) that is trying to raise awareness throughout the entire world! Source: gipsy.ninja
GR: The nature-conservation message in this video is clear. See it and pass it on. Thank you.
From the abstract: “Pressure to conserve biodiversity with limited resources has led to increasing use of species distribution models (SDMs) for spatial conservation prioritization. Published spatial prioritization exercises often focus on well-studied groups, with data compiled from on-line databases of ad-hoc collections. Conservation plans generally aim to protect all components of biodiversity, and it is implied that the species used in prioritization act as surrogates.” Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com
GR: The results indicate that on-the-ground field surveys are required. “Because valid surrogacy is unlikely with most existing data sets, investment in high quality data for less-surveyed groups prior to planning should still be a priority. If this is not possible, then it is advisable to analyse the sensitivity of conservation plans to the assumed surrogacy and quality of data available.”
Astonishing biodiversity exists in Congaree National Park, the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest remaining in the southeastern United States. Source: www.pinterest.com
GR: This is a region that has received little protection from development and has survived simply by chance. Small bits are protected, and we can add to those. But rather than saving a specimen of this beautiful place, wildlife survival requires that we connect the bits and save a large portion of the surrounding region.
“The study is the first global analysis of human impacts on local biodiversity. It is a major collaboration between the Natural History Museum, United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC), and British universities.
“Scientists submitted data from more than 70 countries and considered 26,593 species, adding more than 1.1 million records to the PREDICTS (Projecting Responses of Ecological Diversity In Changing Terrestrial Systems) survey database.
“The team’s figure of a 14 per cent drop in species in local ecosystems is a global average. So local biodiversity in some areas is still quite intact, but others – including Western Europe – have had losses of 20-30 per cent.” Source: www.nhm.ac.uk
GR: Making projections requires assumptions about what we are going to do. Reviews of this research try to be optimistic by emphasizing positive projections. However, if we make the most likely assumption that we will do nothing substantive to stop global warming, deforestation, and human population growth, the red areas will spread. As stated earlier, everyone that cares needs to begin making local efforts to preserve biodiversity.
Highly productive agriculture and the protection of biodiversity are hard to reconcile? A joint project involving BASF, farmers and agronomic experts reveals how modern farming can help to protect ecosystems.
Source: www.basf.com
GR: This story is misleading. Yes, farmers could do a better of protecting natural margins of their fields. They could also quit spreading artificial fertilizer and pesticides and pick up their hoes. Of course, they will argue they can’t do that and produce enough food for all the hungry people. The number of hungry people is growing. And this means that farms must grow and natural areas and wildlife must fade away.
New Zealand’s remarkable indigenous biodiversity is fragile and in decline. The latest publication by EDS is Vanishing Nature: facing New Zealand’s biodiversity crisis .
Source: www.scoop.co.nz
“A century-long study in the Oregon Cascades may cause scientists to revise the textbook on how forests grow and die, accumulate biomass and store carbon.
Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2015-03-cascades-rewrite-textbook-forest-growth.html#jCp.
GR: It might not surprise anyone to learn that for the past century, the U.S. Forest Service and it’s timber companies have been harvesting forests too often. This research indicates that forests remain healthy and continue to accumulate biomass for more than 100 years. Other research indicates that biodiversity and general environmental health are greater in old-growth forests. So–let’s stop cutting our trees until we get our problems with climate change and wildlife decline under control!
GR: We need to find the environmentally conscientious businesses and give them our support. There are several directories. B Corp has made a strong effort. Take a look. EcoFirms.org has another approach. It appears less rigorous, but still a good job. If you know of others, please list them in the comments. Thank you.
What needs to be improved is our acknowledgement and incorporation of the values of biodiversity as an integral element of social, economic and technological progress. Source: thejakartaglobe.beritasatu.com
In privately-owned forests of Brazil, leaving even just 50% forest cover makes a huge difference for biodiversity: http://t.co/Fz310jXUQJ
(photo: Examiner.com)
Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com
GR: Recent surveys of Brazilian rainforest indicate the loss is greater than thought before. This study says that most of the remaining forest is in private hands. And though laws require owners to preserve a large percentage of their forests, they tend to cut it instead.