Moving Towards Valuation of Ecosystem Services

As a company that is reliant on forest products, Fibria is committed to developing its business in a sustainable way. More than 35% of the land the company owns is dedicated to conservation purposes. The company is thus aware of the role it plays in the conservation of biodiversity hot spots, particularly in the biomes where its operations are concentrated, namely the Brazilian Atlantic Rainforest, the Cerrado and the Pampas.

The issue

In recent years, Fibria has established itself as a Brazilian company engaged in sustainable forest management, capable of creating value from renewable resources. With 19,000 employees, the company operates in 254 municipalities in seven states within Brazil. Fibria owns 975,000 hectares of land, of which 352,000 hectares (36%) are dedicated to conservation purposes. The wood is used for pulp production, read more>>

Invasive Plants Threaten Ecosystem

Foreign plants have become “nuclear biological threats,” pushing local plants, animals and birds to the brink of extinction, according to university scientists.

Douglas Tallamy, director of the department of entomology and wildlife ecology, said it will take thousands of years for insects and animals to adapt to these nonnative plans.

Plants play a crucial role in the ecosystem because insects eat plants and animals eat insects, he said. Without native plants, he said the native insects have nothing to feed on and the ecosystem can shut down as a result.

Tallamy, who has researched the effect of invasive plants for 10 years, said 79 percent of plants in suburban areas are not part of the local food chain, and are not contributing to biodiversity.

“This bothers me,” Tallamy said. “There’s no reason for this. No one thought it was a problem, but it absolutely is a problem. It developed over the read more>>

Introduction to Biodiversity

Biodiversity: Wikipedia

UN Conference on Biodiversity Kicks Off in India

For the next two years, India will steer efforts to save the Earth’s biodiversity during a time when its “natural capital” is being lost at an unprecedented rate.

India is hosting the UN Conference on Biodiversity, which kicks off today in the southern city of Hyderabad. This gathering is the first in what has been declared as the “UN Decade of Biodiversity.” 192 countries and the European Union are participating.

The conference slogan in Sanskrit is “Prakruti Rakshathi Rakshitha” which translates into “Nature protects if she is protected.”

In the next few decades, losses of flora, fauna and ocean’s ecosystems will impact food supply and the livelihood of millions who depend on these resources. “The situation is extremely critical,” said Ashok Khosla, head of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world’s oldest environmental network.

“It’s the worst loss in the past 50 to 60 million years when dinosaurs went extinct,” Khosla added. “But governments and ecosystems have not taken any action seriously.”

To highlight his point, Khosla gave the example of the endangered (Atlantic) Bluefin Tuna. In Japan, one such fish (weighing about 600 lbs) was sold for $750,000 in January. “It’s indicative of how scarce it has become,” he said. “Many of the fisheries that feed people around the world have collapsed.” Read more>>

Linking Chilli Diversity to Markets in Peru

Peru and Bolivia are home to the largest and most diverse concentrations of Capsicum in the world, yet much of this diversity remains neglected and undervalued. In recent years however, increases in market demand for new and unique chilli flavors, have provided an opportunity for smallholder farmers to use chilli diversity to generate higher incomes and enhance local agricultural biodiversity. To assist this development, Bioversity International is coordinating a three-year project to link Capsicum small-scale producers with production, processing and marketing companies that supply local and international markets.

Why Everyone Loses from US Boycott of the UN Biodiversity Agreement

Twenty years after the world agreed to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, all major scientific indicators regarding the state of “life on earth” – from species’ population trends and extinction risks to natural habitat condition and ecological community composition – are distinctly negative. 

Species extirpations, human population growth, consumption rates, pollution discharge, invasive species, and infectious diseases are all up. It is a stark reality, particularly when one considers the growing disparity in quality of life for the planet’s seven billion human inhabitants. How superpowers such as the United States and China deal with these tectonic shifts in natural history will determine the story’s outcome.

One thing we know is that nature has a way of biting back. Food volatility, weather disasters and rising pollution-related health care costs all reflect a deficit with our current environment. Fortunately for the 193 nation-states that are parties (only the US, Andorra, South Sudan and the Vacitan have failed to join) read more>>> 

Leave Some Rivers In Their Natural State

Experts from the South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP), an informal network of organisations and individuals working on issues related to water, have urged the government to draft a policy and enact a law for protection of rivers. They also want the government to declare certain rivers in each state as 'no-go areas' and leaving them in their natural state by not building dams or hydropower projects on them.

The request was made at the world river's day celebrated recently. SANDRP experts highlighted the present situation of rivers and the need to protect them. They said that there is a need to take a look at the pathetic state of rivers, riverine and connected terrestrial biodiversity and communities ahead of the upcoming 11th Conference of Parties at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to be hosted in Hyderabad from October 8 to 19. Millions in India depend on rivers for their livelihoods, but there is no protection for them when their livelihoods are affected by upstream dams and other interventions, said experts.

Parineeta Dandekar, associate co-ordinator at SANDRP, told TOI that even as the Union ministry of environment and forests in its latest submission to the convention on biological diversity said that it has increased protected areas from 1.33 lakh square kms to 1.56 lakh sq kms, the fact is that India has next to none protected areas for explicit protection of rivers and freshwater biodiversity. In Maharashtra, Shastri river in Konkan and Wainganga in Vidarbha should be declared as 'no-go areas', she said. Read more>>>

Tracking Eastern Willets

The willet is a migratory shorebird that breeds in salt marshes of the eastern United States but its migratory destination and habitat use in winter is not well understood. BRI researchers are tracking these birds via geolocators to gain critical knowledge that will help inform land management and conservation decisions.

 Shorebirds face numerous conservation challenges, including loss of shoreline and wetland habitat, increasing pollution and predation, and climate change. The exact causes for the declines observed in shorebird populations are largely unknown and may be the result of many factors. Determining which factors are currently limiting shorebird populations, and which factors may play a role in the future, is crucial for shorebird conservation.

As part of a broader effort by the Smithsonian Institute to understand Willet movement, BRI began a collaboration with  the New Jersey Nature Conservancy and the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center. Understanding the annual cycle of this species (i.e., migration routes, and the locations of stopover sites and breeding/wintering grounds) provides insight into potential stressors for Willets, which are vulnerable long distance migrants. BRI biologists are also testing Eastern Willets for mercury contamination, a potential stressor read more>>>

Biodiversity: Great Barrier Reef has Lost Half its Coral Cover

Australian researchers say the Great Barrier Reef has lost half its coral cover in the past 27 years, with more impacts expected as the climate warms in coming decades. About half (46 percent) of the loss was from storm damage, with another 42 percent attributed to crown of thorns starfish and 10 percent lost to bleaching.

“We can’t stop the storms but, perhaps we can stop the starfish. If we can, then the reef will have more opportunity to adapt to the challenges of rising sea temperatures and ocean acidification, says John Gunn, CEO of the Australian Institute of Marine Science in Townsville.

“This finding is based on the most comprehensive reef monitoring program in the world. The program started broadscale surveillance of more than 100 reefs in 1985 and from 1993 it has incorporated more detailed annual surveys of 47 reefs,” said  Dr. Peter Doherty, one of the program’s original creators and a research fellow at AIMS.

“Our researchers have spent more than 2,700 days at sea and we’ve invested in the order of $50 million in this monitoring program,” Doherty said. “Interestingly, the pattern of decline varies among regions. read more>>>

World Citizens Worry About Biodiversity Loss

A public consultation held simultaneously in 25 countries – 19 of them in the developing world – showed 84 per cent of participants believing that most people in the world were seriously affected by biodiversity loss.

The results of the consultation held on 15 September – organised mainly by the Danish environment ministry – are to be presented at the 11th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biodiversity being held in Hyderabad, India, this month (October).

Some 72 per cent of participants in 'World Wide Views on Biodiversity' thought that educating schoolchildren and the public on biodiversity issues was key to protecting nature and maintaining food security.

Aiming to engage ordinary citizens in policymaking for a healthy planet, 34 meetings were held in Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, India, South Africa, Uganda, the US, Vietnam, Zambia and other countries. About 100 people selected for diverse backgrounds – gender, occupation, education and residential location – participated in each Read more>>>

Rwanda: The Beauty of Nyungwe National Park

With over 280 bird and 13 primate species and spreading over 1000 square kilometres, Nyungwe National Park is one of the most acclaimed biodiversity rainforests in Africa.

The park also boasts a diverse ecosystem from rainforest, bamboo, grassland, swamps, rivers, butterflies, moths and insects.

Last week, I travelled to Nyungwe with a group of about 30 local journalists and, together, we embarked on a thrilling adventure, walking down the hills and crossing valleys trekking for monkeys and chimpanzees and visiting other wildlife attractions.

A variety of hiking and walking trails crisscross the Park, leading to its varied attractions.

"Nyungwe is a hotspot for biodiversity," Louis Rugerinyange, the Chief Park Warden at Nyungwe who led our party along the forest's trails, says.

On day one, we undertook a long tracking adventure as we looked for the white and black colobus monkeys-one of the many primate species read more>>>

Camera-Trap Animal Parade From the Indonesian Rainforest

A montage of clips spanning four months of camera trap recordings from the mountainous Leuser rainforest of northern Sumatra, the footage testifies to life’s sheer richness in one of the most biodiverse places on Earth.

If “biodiversity” sometimes feels like an academic term, its full meaning is evident in the panoply of forms seen here. Sumatran elephants. Pig-tailed macaques. Hog badgers. Peacock-pheasants. Giant squirrels. Binturongs and tigers and sun bears, oh my.

The footage was captured between May and August by Eyes on Leuser, a project started by Dutch conservationist Marten Slothouwer to protect the region, which is under threat from logging and development.

More videos can be found on the Eyes on Leuser website.

Greenpeace Activist Ends Month-Long Tree-Top Protest

Environmental activist Brikesh Singh, from the NGO Greenpeace, ended his month-long stay on a tree on the fringes of the Tadoba-Andheri Tiger Reserve (TATR) in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra on Monday.

Mr. Singh began his unique protest on September 1, as a part of the ‘Janglistan’ campaign “to draw attention to the threat that coal mining poses to biodiversity and forest-dependent communities.”

His occupation drew the support of villagers, local NGOs and citizens, celebrities and prominent politicians. During his stay, Mr. Singh gathered 1,13,977 signatures “to protect India’s forests from coal mining.”

“He will now head to Hyderabad and hand over these signatures to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who will be hosting the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity,” Greenpeace activist Jagori Dhar read more>>>

200 Researchers Will Explore Papua New Guinea from October 2012

How many species live on Earth? The answer to this question probably resides in the study of biodiversity hotspots. Six years after the Santo expedition in Vanuatu, and 2 years after the Mozambique-Madagascar expedition, scientists are once again embarking on a voyage of discovery to learn about our planet's biodiversity. Led byFrance's National Museum of Natural History, Pro-Natura International and the French Institut de recherche pour le développement (IRD), the expedition team will spend 3 months exploringPapua New Guinea, beginning in October 2012.

From the Bismarck Sea to the slopes of Mount Wilhelm, the Papua New Guinea expedition will see off nearly 200 researchers, students and volunteers.

Land expedition: the objective is to gather new data on plant and animal species read more>>>

Biodiversity and Ecosystem

What is the difference between biodiversity and ecosystem and do they affect the human lives? 

“Individual species and ecosystems have evolved over millions of years into a complex interdependence. This can be viewed as being akin to a vast jigsaw puzzle of inter-locking pieces. If you remove enough of the key pieces on which the framework is based then the whole picture may be in danger of collapsing.

We have no idea how many key ‘pieces’ we can afford to lose before this might happen, nor even in many cases, which are the key pieces. The ecological arguments for conserving biodiversity are therefore based on the premise that we need to preserve biodiversity in order to maintain our own life support systems.” Dr Barbara Corker.
 

Ecosystems are dynamic interactions between plants, animals, and micro-organisms and their environment working together as a functional unit. Ecosystems will fail if they do not remain in balance. No community can carry more organisms than its food, water, and shelter can accommodate. Food and territory are often balanced by natural phenomena such as fire, disease, and the number of predators. Each organism has its own niche or role in the whole system to play its part to show their importance.
 

Biodiversity is defined as the variability among living organisms from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part; this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems.
 

Biodiversity is a measure of the variety of life on earth. Again, Biodiversity is the variation of life forms, plants and animals within a given ecosystem, biome, or on the entire Earth. One cannot find all the types of plants and animals all over a certain country or part of a country. Biodiversity is often used as a measure of the health of biological systems. The biodiversity found on Earth today read more>>>

Protecting Our Planet: Redesigning Land-Use and Business Practices

Since its founding in 1987, the Rainforest Alliance has pioneered a comprehensive transformation across the industries that most impact our environment -- farming, forestry and tourism -- and successfully engaged the support of consumers around the world to protect the forests and ecosystems that are essential to our future. This report incorporates numerous impact studies to demonstrate how the spread of sound land-use practices and the development of sustainable supply chains have begun to arrest the tide of destruction and lay the groundwork for a better future.

 Browse the interactive version of the report, or download the PDF 

Protected Planet Report 2012 Highlights Need to Conserve Global Biodiversity

The Cape Floristic Region of South Africa, one of many protected areas conserved by the IUCN, harbors one fifth of Africa’s known plant species.

 The first-ever Protected Planet Report was recently released by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Center (UNEP-WCMC). The report addresses the need to conserve areas of the natural environment by protecting local resources and native species. This will help preserve global biodiversity, the variety of living organisms that exist on the planet. The report tracks progress on Target 11 of the Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Aichi Biodiversity Targets. According to Target 11, by 2020, 17 percent of terrestrial ecoregions and 10 percent of marine ecoregions will be properly conserved.

As the global population and their use of natural resources steadily increases, the Aichi Targets hope to protect global biodiversity from historic and emerging threats, such as pollution and over-harvesting of natural resources. Protected areas are internationally recognized regions set aside for nature and biodiversity conservation. Protected areas are crucial for reasons beyond preserving biodiversity; they also aid scientific research, maintain water supplies, and preserve sites of cultural importance. By limiting human occupation and preventing exploitation of natural resources, the UNEP-WCMC conserves protected areas around the world. According to the report, protected areas currently cover 12.7 percent of the world’s land area and 1.6 percent of the global ocean area. Meanwhile, half of the world’s most important sites for biodiversity still remain unprotected. Read more>>>

Coral Biodiversity Hotspot Is Found in Western Indian Ocean

The western Indian Ocean, especially the waters between Madagascar and Africa, contain one of the highest levels of coral diversity worldwide, with 369 coral species identified in a recent study and more still to be identified. Scientists say the western Indian Ocean may contain as much coral biodiversity as Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, though not as much as the world’s richest region for corals, the so-called coral triangle in Southeast Asia. Reporting in the journal PLoS ONE, David Obura, a scientist with the Group Coastal Oceans Research and Development in the Indian Ocean, said that 10 percent of the species are found only in the western Indian Ocean. He said the northern end of the Mozambique Channel, which sits between Madagascar and mainland Africa, contains roughly 250 to 300 coral species. Meanwhile, Australian scientists report that water temperatures around the Great Barrier Reef have increased steadily in the last 25 years, in some places rising as much as .5 degrees C. Such increases can contribute to coral bleaching, which can lead to mass coral die-offs.

Living with Fewer Species: Biodiversity from a Brand New Perspective

Are you ready to embrace an entirely new dogma? To question your existing ideas about biodiversity? Then submerge yourself in the unusual essay 'The pursuit of complexity – The utility of biodiversity from an evolutionary perspective'.

The author examines the utility of biodiversity starting at the very basics, and arrives at new answers to long-standing questions. Is it a problem if species go extinct? And is this discussion mainly a moral one, or can it be approached scientifically? The author’s conclusions are an eye-opener for anyone who asks himself elementary life questions, but they can also be directly applied in management and conservation.

Nature finds itself increasingly under pressure. Species are disappearing faster than ever before in human history. Is this a problem? Several popular publicists are arguing that ecosystems can well survive if single species go extinct. Conservationists strongly object, backed by many scientists. However, scientific arguments that confirm the use of biodiversity are still lacking. The essay 'The pursuit of complexity – The utility of biodiversity from an evolutionary perspective', written by Dutch ecologist Gerard Jagers, provides a new general frame of reference for this discussion. 

One of the main questions that Jagers tries to answer is: what is life, actually? This question will have to be answered if one is to fully understand biodiversity, the variety of all life on earth. The pursuit of complexity provides a clear starting point, and also addresses the concepts of utility and evolution. These are still scientifically debated. When we think about evolution, we immediately think about Darwin. But what is evolution exactly? This essay approaches evolution as if it were a recipe, based on actions read more>>>

Our Microbiome—Identifying the Worlds Within

From the surface of our skin to deep inside our gut, humans are teeming with microbes. The trillions of microorganisms that inhabit humans make up 1 to 3 percent of our total mass and play a vital role in our everyday functions and overall health. More than 100,000 species of bacteria have been identified in the human body, though the population distribution of bacteria can vary greatly from individual to individual. Deciphering the complexity of the human microbiome will help determine new methods for health management and treatment of disease.

Why We Defend Oceans - Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Tubbataha Reef Hailed as Conservation Model

The Philippines’ Tubbataha Reef was recently recognized by an international policy research body for the excellent care of the heritage site, hailed as a model in coral reef conservation.

The World Future Council gave one of two Silver Awards to the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park Act, the policy measure that created a protected marine sanctuary of almost 100,000 hectares of high-quality marine habitats containing three atolls and a large area of deep sea.

The Tubbataha Reef, which sits in the center of the Sulu Sea southeast of Palawan, is located within the Coral Triangle, a global focus for coral biological diversity. It is home to a wide diversity of marine life and is a popular dive site. 

World Heritage Site

 

It was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (Unesco) in 1993. Read more>>>

Bird Population Declines in Alberta’s Boreal Forest

More than 20 per cent of Alberta’s boreal forest has been directly altered by human activities, leading to a corresponding decrease in terrestrial bird populations, a report released Wednesday reveals.

The study, conducted by the University of Alberta’s Biodiversity Monitoring Institute, explores the relationship between development and the abundance of common bird species in the boreal forest, an ecological zone that represents 58 per cent of the province’s land area and covers a vast expanse of the north, including Grande Prairie, Fort McMurray and the oilsands region.

The report shows that as of 2010, 21 per cent of the boreal forest had been affected by a variety of activities, including agriculture, forestry and energy production, resulting in bird populations 80 per cent of what would be expected if there was no development.

The abundance of 74 landbirds was assessed, with numbers generally highest for species that adapt readily to human development, such as barn swallows and house wrens, which were four and six times more common than would be expected. Species closely associated with old-growth forest were less abundant than anticipated, including the brown creeper, golden-crowned kinglet and black-throated green warbler. Read more>>>

The Social Lives of Plants

A diverse assemblage of plants, like this one at Cedar Creek Natural 

History Area, produces more vegetation and performs "ecosystem services" better.

One of the biggest joys of science comes when nature hands you a complete surprise.

It happened recently to two of the U's most prominent ecologists and their research colleagues, who uncovered the functional equivalent of social networks in ordinary grassland plants.

Those networks, destroyed when land is cleared for agriculture, hold hope for treating some of the world's biggest ecological ills. The existence of complex plant relationships leaped out from data on how high biodiversity—large numbers of species—boosted yields of vegetation and became even an even stronger force with time.


The two studies, led by Regents Professors David Tilman of the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior and Peter Reich of the Department of Forest Resources, continue>>>

Stemming the Tide of Biodiversity Loss on Earth

National Science Foundation awards new grants for studies of "Dimensions of Biodiversity"

 

Life on Earth is astounding in its diversity. Despite centuries of discovery, however, the vast majority of the planet's biodiversity remains unknown.

Only a few years ago, scientists shared the view that Earth's biodiversity was so vast that it might be beyond cataloging, much less understanding. That's no longer the case.

To characterize the lesser-known aspects of the diversity of life on Earth, the National Science Foundation has awarded 14 grants totaling $26.4 million in the third year of its Dimensions of Biodiversity program. Read more>>>

National Geographic Photographer Paul Nicklen Shares Images

Photographer Paul Nicklen shares breathtaking images of life in the extremes of our planet and inspires all of us to help protect a threatened world in his talk “From Pole to Pole.

Biodiversity Hotspots, India

IUCN Library

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IUCN has one of the world’s most comprehensive ranges of authoritative publications, reports, guidelines and databases for conservation and sustainable development.

We publish or co-author more than 100 books and major assessments every year, along with hundreds of other reports, documents and guidelines. IUCN "Off the Shelf" Library

Major Changes Needed to Protect Australia's Species and Ecosystems

A study has highlighted the sensitivity of Australia's species and ecosystems to climate change, and the need for new ways of thinking about biodiversity conservation.

'Climate change is likely to start to transform some of Australia's natural landscapes by 2030,' lead researcher, CSIRO's Dr Michael Dunlop said. 'By 2070, the ecological impacts are likely to be very significant and widespread. Many of the environments our plants and animals currently exist in will disappear from the continent. Our grandchildren are likely to experience landscapes that are very different to the ones we have known,' he said.

Dr Dunlop said climate change will magnify existing threats to biodiversity, such as habitat clearing, water extraction and invasive species. Future climate-driven changes in other sectors, such as agriculture, water supply and electricity supply, could add yet more pressure on species and ecosystems. Read more>>>

Rodents’ Antics Aid Biodiversity

The answer—at least for one type of tree—may lie in the criminal antics of a cunning rodent. A group of scientists working with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama and Wageningen University in the Netherlands, along with other institutions, reports that by repeatedly raiding each other's stashes, these creatures spread seeds over a much wider territory than scientists had previously recognized. Dispersal is a key factor in ensuring the survival of a species because spreading individuals over a broader range can mitigate the effects of pests, move organisms into new climatic ranges and increase the flow of genes between populations.

 

The rodent in question is the agouti—a house cat–size critter that resembles a tail-less squirrel. The researchers studied agoutis caching black palm tree seeds on Barro Colorado Island in the Panama Canal over one year. They set up video cameras at cache sites, attached a long thread with a transmitter unit to each of 589 seeds and radio-tracked them. More than half of the seeds cached were stolen by other agoutis and recached elsewhere, continue>>>

Scientists Name New Snake Species to Criticize Mine Plans in Panama

 New snail-eating snake from Panama: Sibon noalamina. Non-venomous snail-eating snakes sport bright colors to mimic poisonous snakes as a defense.

While scientists increasingly name new species after celebrities in order to gain much-needed attention for the world's vanishing biodiversity, researchers describing a new snake species from Panama have taken a different route. Dubbing the new serpent, Sibon noalamina ('no to the mine!' in Spanish), the scientists are hoping the multicolored snake's unusual name will draw attention to mining and deforestation issues in Panama's remote Tabasará mountains. Read more>>>

Tun Mustapha Park Expedition 2012: First Day on Reef for the Biodiversity Team

The expedition team sailed east of Kudat to Pulau Lingisan where the first day of diving and data collection started. The weather has been great along the journey and the team was anticipating their first dive in the proposed Tun Mustapha Park.

After three dives on the first day, we have collected some thoughts from the Biodiversity team lead by Dr. Bert Hoeksema of Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leader of the Coral Reef Biodiversity Team. The team includes marine scientists from Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), Universiti Malaya, Naturalis Biodiversity Center and the University of Queensland.

After selective logging rainforest retains 76% carbon, >85% biodiversity

Selective logging risks to remain a theoretical phenomenon. Without clear incentives there is usually little reason to refrain from clear-cutting or selective logging as a single harvest stage prior to slash and burn and agricultural invasion. If however such logging is conducted in a sustainable cycle both carbon and biodiversity loss can remain comparatively small. Image by ResourceMappingGIS.com shows canopy scars after selective logging practice in northern Bolivia between 1999-2003.

 The above numbers are derived from a study by researchers of the University of Florida, Utrecht University, Wageningen University and several other institutions, published in Conservation Letters. Read more>>>

United Nations Decade on Biodiversity - Official Video

The Decade coincides with and supports the implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 adopted by the Conference of the Parties at its tenth meeting held in Nagoya, Japan.

Learning to Protect Biodiversity

A video showing how to address biodiversity through Education for Sustainable Development and mobilise teachers, students, researchers and decision-makers to reflect on biodiversity issues and their interdependence with global sustainable development issues.
It shows how education can help us better understand the value of biodiversity and the causes of biodiversity loss. It also gives examples of how educators and students can get active and help conserve biodiversity.
It aims to increase public awareness of biodiversity issues by inspiring stakeholders, including young people, teachers and media professionals.

Backyard Biodiversity May Stem Allergies

A decline in the variety of life — including the plants and animals that live around us, as well as the microbes on our bodies — may play a role in the rapid rise in allergies and asthma, indicates new research.

The study focused on a predisposition for allergies among 118 Finnish teenagers, finding links between a healthy immune system (the body's system for fighting disease), growing up in more natural environments and the presence of certain skin bacteria.

The results support the idea that declining biodiversity might be contributing to the rapid rise in allergies, asthma, and other inflammatory diseases, which include autoimmune disorders and some types of cancers in the developed world, said Ilkka Hanski, a research professor at the University of Helsinki. continue>>>

Study Links Biodiversity and Language Loss

The study identified that high biodiversity areas also had high linguistic diversity

The authors said that 70% of the world's languages were found within the planet's biodiversity hotspots.

Data showed that as these important environmental areas were degraded over time, cultures and languages in the area were also being lost.

The results of the study have been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Biologists estimate annual loss of species at 1,000 times or more greater than historic rates, and linguists predict that 50-90% of the world's languages will disappear by the end of the century," the researchers wrote.

Lead author Larry Gorenflo from Penn State University, in the US, said previous studies had identified a geographical connection between the two, but did not offer the level of detail required.

Dr Gorenflo told BBC News that the limitation to the data was that either the languages were listed by country or there was a dot on the map to indicate the location.

"But what you did not know was if the area extended two kilometres or 200 kilometres, so you really did not get a sense of the extent of the language," he explained. continue>>>