2.4 FOREST BIODIVERSITY BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION The plants and animals which currently live on Earth have continued to evolve over 65 million years thanks to the richness of , which implies interdependent relationship of living organisms and their physical environment . However, scientists believe that further huge reduction in biodiversity, mainly due to human activities, is going to compromise nature’s resilience. biodiversity 1 DO Can you give some examples of human dependency upon biodiversity? 1 Role of biodiversity Healthy ecosystems, which are vital to all life on Earth, provide us with clean air, fresh water, food, resources and medicine. As outlined in the 2030 Agenda, a sustainable agriculture based on the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, and the restoration and safeguarding of ecosystems, can prevent poverty, increase income and reduce vulnerability to external economic shocks or environmental disasters. ONLINE RESOURCES Biodiversity and water Canadian boreal birds Suitable forest management Protecting forests is key to biodiversity preservation, as they cover almost a third of the global land area and most of the Earth’s terrestrial biodiversity. harbour If forests managed for timber are to help conserve biodiversity, some important steps should be taken into consideration. Since many species depend on the complex physical structure of natural forests, it is advisable to leave in place some , including mature trees, and decomposing . These play a significant role in the cycling of nutrients (mainly phosphorous and nitrogen) within the forest ecosystem and are important components of wildlife habitats, furnishing cover and serving as sites for feeding, reproduction and resting for many wildlife species. key habitats snags logs Populations of should be maintained as a high priority since they provide habitats or food for and , such as bats and fruit-eating birds. keystone species 1 pollinators seed dispersers should be given priority over invasive alien species in forest regeneration and in the restoration of degraded lands. Native tree species The of natural forest areas, which occurs when they are used intensively, should be minimised because habitat fragmentation reduces biodiversity by 13% to 75%. Small fragments are more likely to increase the extinction of a population, and isolated fragments are less likely to be colonised after extinction. fragmentation Wide extensions of a particular forest type should not be at the same time and (whether belonging to the natural landscape or created through human intervention) should be maintained. These natural habitats allow the movement of wildlife and the exchange of genetic between species, subspecies or varieties, increasing the degree of biodiversity. Through the corridors, individuals of species avoid being isolated and suffering the consequences of fluctuations and environmental disturbances. The dispersion of wildlife facilitates re-colonisation and avoids local extinctions. logged ecological corridors inheritance MORE Keystone species have an extremely high impact on a particular ecosystem relative to its population. Without them, their ecosystems would be dramatically different or even disappear. 1