The research into biodiversity began by looking at the actual definition of this and ecosystems. Biodiversity is a huge importance to everyday life, healthy biodiversity provides a number of natural resources such as water, food, medicine etc. However due to a number of growing factors all this is now at risk.

"The variety of life on Earth, at all levels, from genes and micro-organisms to plants and animals and the places where they live and what they are part."

Biodiversity is explored at three levels, Genetic diversity, Species diversity and Ecosystem diversity.

"Genetic diversity refers to the variety of genes within a species. Each species is made up of individuals that have their own particular genetic composition. Within a species there may also be discrete populations with distinctive genes. To conserve the genetic diversity within a species, different populations must be conserved. This protects the genetic diversity that allows for adaptability to environmental changes and is therefore vital to species survival."

"Species diversity refers to the variety of species within a region. The factors that determine species diversity are complex and not well understood. Species diversity is not evenly distributed around the world or across continents. Thirty-four biodiversity hotspots have been identified globally. These hotspots collectively comprise just 2.3% of the Earth’s land surface yet hold especially high numbers of species that occur nowhere else – half the world’s plant species and 42% of all terrestrial vertebrate species. They are also home to 75% of the planet’s most threatened mammals, birds and amphibians. The Southwest Australia Ecoregion is one such global biodiversity hotspot."

"Ecosystems vary in size. A large stand of forest or a small pond can each be described as an ecosystem. Ecosystem diversity refers to the variety of ecosystems in a given place. Within any broader landscape there is a mosaic of interconnected ecosystems. To conserve biodiversity, conservation at the landscape level is critical. This enables the protection of a representative array of interacting ecosystems and their associated species and genetic diversity."

Due to biodiversity needing to be conserved the UK but in plan the BAP:

The UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) 1992–2012

The UK Biodiversity Action Plan (UK BAP) was published back in 1994, and was the UK Government’s response to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which the UK signed up to in 1992 in Rio de Janeiro. The UK was the first country to produce a national biodiversity action plan, and the UK BAP described the biological resources of the UK and provided detailed plans for conservation of these resources. Action plans for the most threatened species and habitats were set out to aid recovery, and national reports, produced every three- to five-years, showed how the UK BAP was contributing to the UK’s progress towards the significant reduction of biodiversity loss called for by the CBD.

To support the work of the UK BAP, the UK BAP website was created by JNCC in 2001. The website contained information on the BAP process, hosted all relevant documents, and provided news and relevant updates. In March 2011, as part of the UK government’s review of websites, the UK BAP site was ‘closed’, and the core content was migrated into the JNCC website. All of the content from the original UK BAP website has been archived by The National Archives (UK BAP copy March 2011).

'Conserving Biodiversity – the UK Approach' (2007)

Following the creation of the UK BAP, devolution, in 1998, led the four countries of the UK (England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales) to develop their own country strategies for biodiversity and the environment, allowing conservation approaches to differ according to the different environments and priorities within the countries. In 2007, however, a shared vision for UK biodiversity conservation was adopted by the devolved administrations and the UK government, and is described in ‘Conserving Biodiversity – the UK Approach’ (PDF, 439kb). This document reflected the new top drivers for conservation action since the UK BAP was created, including the EU Gothenberg agreement in 2001 to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010, and the findings of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005). Additionally, it outlined the need for the four countries to work together to meet shared challenges and achieve common goals, and described the requirements for future work at a UK level.

Species that are at risk:

- Joint Nature Conservation Committee

http://jncc.defra.gov.uk/page-5705

What Is Causing The Loss Of Biodiversity?

CLIMATE CHANGE:
Over the past 150 years, the world’s industrialised nations have changed the balance of the carbon cycle by burning huge amounts of fossil fuels (concentrated carbon, like coal, oil, gas), as well as breeding vast numbers of methane-producing livestock, and cutting down the forests that naturally absorb carbon dioxide from the air.

The extra carbon in the atmosphere has been raising global temperatures, and the speed of change has been faster than any natural process, and faster than many natural systems can adapt.

What Is Climate Change?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=nEuJA4ha-3k

The video discusses climate change in a shocking new way and explaining how it is effecting the decline of biodiversity. Due to an increase use of fossil fuel and also large forests being destroyed, this has increased CO2 emissions too quickly for wildlife to adapt. It is now being stated that the UK is 0.8 degrees higher in temperature compared to what is was before the industrial revolution. These warmer temperatures mean that the oceans are becoming more acidic, meaning marine life is now being threatened also. If the economy carries on in the same way, it has been predicted that the UK will be 4 degrees higher in temperature as well as higher sea levels. This will mean more unpredictable heat waves as well as flooding.

DEFORESTATION & HABITAT LOSS

The decline of ecosystems is a high problem within biodiversity. Due to habitat loss, animals no longer are safe meaning higher percentage of death and extinction.

The statistics on animal loss due to decline of habitats:

1 out of 8 birds

1 out of 4 mammal

1 out of 4 conifers

1 out of 3 amphibians

6 out of 7 marine turtles

As risk of extinction is a huge problem within biodiversity it was beneficial to look on the WWF website as their key focus is sustaining the environment, animal conservation and tacking climate change. Their work is extremely important to both animals and the environment.

Animals that are at risk of extinction:

TIGER

STATUS: 'Endangered'.

POPULATION: Few as 3,200.

POLAR BEAR

STATUS: 'Vulnerable'.

POPULATION: 20,000-25,000.

PANDA

STATUS: 'Endangered'.

POPULATION: 1,826.

AMUR LEOPARD

STATUS: 'Critically Endangered'.

POPULATION: 60 Individuals.

On WWF's website there was the option to measure my own personal carbon footprint. This was to make the public aware how their own habits can effect the environment and what we can do to change this.

I was shocked to find out that if everyone lived like I do, it would take 3.16 planets to cater for us all. I personally always thought I tried to be environmentally friendly, however this was a huge eye-opener, as how many other think this also. After the test was taken their were tips and helpful suggestion that I could do to reduce this. I think this will be an interesting experiment to try and do, to see whether I can reduce my carbon footprint.