What are the threats to biodiversity?
Many human activities, which stem from the population explosion of the past few decades and how we live, threaten biodiversity. There are 6 billion humans on Earth today, and that number may reach 9 to 12 billion in the next 50 to 100 years. In addition, humans are using proportionally more energy, land, water, and natural resources (such as trees, fossil fuels, minerals, plants, and animals) than ever before. Devastating effects of our species on the world include: Habitat Fragmentation and Degradation Some species require large areas of land or water in which to nest, forage, migrate, and mate. Human beings are encroaching on the habitats of many species. Land is constantly being converted from its natural state into farms, cattle grazing areas, mines, housing developments, golf courses, office buildings, shopping malls, and other urban and suburban areas. For all species, smaller habitats mean fewer food and shelter resources. Scientists have discovered that decreasing the size of n
