Biodiversity loss
Biodiversity, an essential asset of our planet, is now seriously threatened. Human activity is responsible for a rapid and unprecedented decline in the number of species and ecosystems. What are the causes? Why is it important to preserve this diversity of life? How can we take action?
What is biodiversity?
The term “biodiversity” emerged in 1980. It encompasses three levels of biological organization:
- Genetic diversity: variations among individuals within the same species.
- Species diversity: variety of species (animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, viruses, etc.).
- Ecosystem diversity: diversity of natural environments (forests, coral reefs, wetlands, etc.), including interactions between species and with their environment.
Like the IPCC for climate, a group of experts, the IPBES (Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services), studies and advises governments on biodiversity issues.
Why protect biodiversity?
Biodiversity is essential to life on Earth and to our societies.
It directly contributes to:
- Oxygen production and climate regulation.
- The supply of food, water, and medicines.
- The maintenance of ecosystems on which we depend (pollination, soil fertility, water cycle).
- Technological innovation through biomimicry (e.g., swimsuits inspired by shark skin, Velcro derived from burdock).
Yet, this biodiversity is under threat: we are witnessing the 6th mass extinction, the first caused by a single species: humans.
-20%
reduction in species abundance in large terrestrial habitats since 1900.
1/3
of marine mammals are endangered.
+ 680
espèces de vertébrés disparues depuis le 16ème siècle.
33%
of coral reefs are endangered.
The 5 pressures responsible for biodiversity decline
The IUCN Red List
The IUCN Red List is a global inventory of over 166,000 animal and plant species classified into different categories based on their conservation status.
This list helps assess the overall extinction risk of each species studied and serves as a reliable reference tool to understand the threats they face. To compile this list, processes following the scientific method have been developed to determine the category a species belongs to (based on its population size, rate of decline, geographic range, degree of occupancy, and fragmentation of its distribution).
Using the IUCN Red List system, each species or subspecies can be classified into one of the following nine categories:
- Extinct (EX),
- Extinct in the Wild (EW),
- Critically Endangered (CR),
- Endangered (EN),
- Vulnerable (VU),
- Near Threatened (NT),
- Least Concern (LC),
- Data Deficient (DD),
- Not Evaluated (NE).
Asian hornet
Threat: predation of honeybee workers (IUCN status unknown). The Asian hornet was introduced via pottery imported from China by a horticulturist in Lot-et-Garonne.
Florida turtle
Threat: competition for resources with the European pond turtle (IUCN status: near threatened). The Florida turtle was introduced through former pets released into European waterways by their former owners.
Grey squirrel
Threat: transmission of diseases to red squirrels (IUCN status: least concern). The grey squirrel was introduced into European parks in the 19th century.
Creeping water primrose
Threat: competition for resources and space with the common water primrose (IUCN status unknown). Creeping water primrose was introduced in the 19th century to decorate the ponds of French parks.
Red-headed duck
Threat: hybridisation with the white-headed duck (IUCN status: extinct as a breeding bird in France and vulnerable at European level). The red-headed duck was introduced as an ornamental bird in aviaries before individuals escaped in 1953.
Solutions to halt biodiversity loss
Summary
The loss of biodiversity is not just a problem for animal and plant species: it is an issue that concerns us all. Agriculture, health, food, and climate—all depend directly on living organisms.
But solutions exist: rethinking our production methods, protecting natural habitats, and changing our consumption habits. There is still time to act, at all levels.
Protecting biodiversity means protecting our future.