Biodiversity Conservation

essay over biodiversity conservation

Biodiversity Conservation

Justin Travis Roberts

Professor Walker

BIOL1

9 MARCH 2014

Justin Travis Roberts

Professor Walker

BIOL1

9 March 2014

Biodiversity Conservation

Introduction

An ecosystem provides a complex framework of biological species which are in phase of degradation in recent times. Since time immemorial, humans relied on plants, animals and microbes for the survival, but now the very pillar of life sustaining systems is at stake. Biodiversity can be defined as the varieties observed among organisms on the face of the Earth. Biodiversity is irreversibly affected by humans.

Problems

Still creek is one of the longest streams flowing into the Burnaby lake in British Columbia. The path taken from this still creek is through an industrially intense area that deposits higher rates of pollutants. Widely spread vegetation along with blue heron, kingfisher and red tailed hawk are present along the banks of these creeks. It is observed through earlier studies that the tree cover of this area touches sparsely of 11.8%, which is well below the standards. This watershed is densely urbanized with industrial, commercial and residential land uses. The projected population is about 1.5 lakhs in the coming decade. Minor green spaces remain due to 80% of the total impervious area. It even reached 100% in the Grandview industrial area. Due to this increased imperviousness, it is anticipated that the worst impact on stream flow, habitat suitability is imminent in the near future. Five blue listed species comprising one invertebrate, one vertebrate along with 3 vascular plant species were reported in this area and they are near this watershed. Riparian forests are in intact with still creek and almost 5% of this creek comprises of riparian buffer measuring about 30m. Immense loss in riparian buffer along...